Back from Finland

I have posted 2 pictures from my trip so far. The top one is me in front of a castle in Turku, Finland on Tuesday. The second picture is me from one of the scenic outlooks in old town Tallinn, Estonia. I had a wonderful time on my trip but am happy to be back where things are cheaper.

Another funny story for everybody. The last hostel that I stayed in was Helsinki’s Eurohostel. It was a very nice place except for 1 thing, the shower. I went to take a shower the first night I was there and was a little perplexed by the shower. On the temperature control is a small red button and then there is a large metal button on a knob beneath it. So after some experimenting I found that when you push the lower knob the water turns on. It drained from right above me and it was about 3C, very cold. I yelped out of the way, which was not very far considering that I am in a 2 inch by 2 inch shower stall, and pushed the shower head away from me. I then figured out that the little red button, that gives you hot water, very important. So I pushed the large button again and pushed the red button and the water was fine. Since I moved the shower head I looked up and by the time my head hit the water the large metal button had popped up and the water shut off. (You know in public bathrooms when you go to wash your hands the metal push faucet that never gives you enough time to rinse your hands? This is its cousin.) So I pushed it again, but forgot to push the red button and once more cold water came out. I finally managed the shower by using one hand to constantly push the buttons and the other to wash. Funny now, but frustrating then.

Another thing that was great about Finland was the pork. I had ham most everyday, sometimes twice a day. In Turku I found a restaurant that was right on the water, had good food, and had live jazz every night. It was a neat place to be in the evening. It was also right across from the hostel that I stayed at so I didn’t have to walk far at night alone (SEE MOM, I was thinking about safety!).

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the long weekend!

Do I have to go back to Doha?

So I have learned a couple very important things in my travels these last few days. The first thing is that Finland is a beautiful country. It is a lot like Alaska in that it has a lot of the same plants and animals but I can understand the people in Alaska. The other thing that I have learned is that when you have to eliminate something from your diet, like pork, for 5 months, don’t gorge yourself on it. My stomach hasn’t liked that much.

So my first full day in Finland I spent in Helsinki, I love this town, and had a great time. I took tons of pictures but I can’t upload them right now so I’ll do that when I get back to Doha. Shopping has been minimal for a couple reasons. The first reason is that I have to carry everything that I buy and I don’t want to carry that much stuff. (All of my stuff on the way here was 11.3 kg, about 25 pounds.) The other thing is that stuff is expensive here. I got Brook, my sister, her magnet and it was 3.60€, about $6. I am trying to find souvenir stuff for the kids and stuff but am not having much luck.

About bathrooms. Next time you use a restroom in the states marvel at its size. I never knew why Europeans called bathrooms ‘water closets’ until I came here. This is why: the size of the bathroom is the size of a small closet. Tiny. I just had an experience in the bathroom here where I am typing. The lock was broken but it is the type that reminds me of the ones in porta-potties back home. You turn the dial and the ‘lock’ reading becomes red, easy enough. So I get down to the bathroom and I finish and I turn the knob the wrong way, and it won’t turn back all the way. No matter how hard I turn the knob it won’t move. The door is locked! I’m locked inside a bathroom in Tempere, Finland! I start to bang on the door to try and get someone’s attention when I try the door knob, it opens. I was never locked in, oops. If you think about it though, there are worse places to be locked into. At least if you are locked in a bathroom you have running water, in most cases, and you have a place to go to the bathroom.

Tomorrow morning, or early afternoon, I will be off to the town of Turku. It is on the southwestern coast of Finland and is home to a castle. I have always wanted to see a castle so I hope I can get there in the next couple days. I spend 2 nights there and then will go back to Helsinki. This time I will be spending my full day in Tallinn, Estonia, assuming everything works out. I get back to Doha on the 24th of this month so shortly after that I will post pictures on this site.

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying where you are.

Rugby and Stuff.

To all the Moms out there, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! a day late. I know you all think you are good, but my mom is the best. Unfortunately, her youngest daughter isn’t the best and didn’t mail the card until last Sunday (oops). It should get there in about 7-10 days from now. Sorry Mom. (Dad, I’ll try to do better for Father’s Day.)

So Friday night I went with some people from work to a rugby match. I had never been to a rugby match and knew nothing about it. It was fun. It was the Arabian Gulf team against South Korea and I don’t think there was one person from this region on the Gulf team. I think they were all people living here but originally from Germany, South Africa, Australia, and any where else. It was fun. Oh, and it didn’t cost anything to go to. Afterward we took Jeremy, one of my friends from College Station who is here to do research for 2 weeks, to a restaurant called Turkey Central. It was so good. Six people ate Schwarma, hummas and bread, and had water for QR118, about $33. I love the local restaurants here.

Oh, and the second picture that I put up is of a kiosk in one of the malls. Dad always says ‘n stuff, well this place really does have stuff.

Oops, that wasn't expensive, was it?

In the last 18 hours I have broken a piece of glassware that is in limited supply and had my car battery go dead. The last day has not been wonderful.

Ok, so an update since I last posted. Not a whole lot has been happening here. The new things are pretty simple.
One of my friends from College Station comes in on Thursday night and will be here until the 23rd.
My grades are finished for the semester so no classes until fall.
The lab is almost set up, but I accidentally broke a piece of glassware today so there will be a delay there.
My lab order is for about $10,000 between chemicals and glassware.
I left my lights on in the car yesterday and ran the battery down, another brilliant move.
I can’t go back to the US before the 14th of December for tax purposes.
I leave for Finland in 9 days (and can have pork!).
Now that is exciting! I have my hotel/hostel arrangements made and Mom has started worrying. It was actually pretty funny because I was talking to my sister and she had asked if Mom was nervous about me yet. I think she will be nervous from now until the 14th of December when, God willing, I will be home.

I am enjoying my new car. I am almost at 1200 kilometers on the car, about 750 miles. I have not figured out the gas mileage yet, I know it isn’t great, but gas isn’t expensive here. It costs me about $10 to fill up the car, going to the states this summer is going to suck when having to fill up.

Convocation is happening on campus tomorrow night and a whole bunch of big wigs are coming. I would go to it, but…I don’t want to. I don’t have any students graduating this semester so I don’t feel obligated to go. Next year quite a few will be graduating so I’ll go. I will be ‘missing’ graduation as well. Graduation is on the 15th and I’ll be in Finland, darn.

Anyway, we have a meeting with the president of A&M this afternoon. I don’t remember her name, I think I should figure that out before I go.

Oh, the piece of glassware was only $34.00, not that bad.

Little notes from home

Ok, so this week was focused on how incredibly awesome my parents are. This week I got a package, always makes a good day, with Kraft Mac and Cheese, a can of cream of mushroom soup, a can of tuna, some cold medicine for the neighbors, and fabric. It was just awesome. Then today I got the bulletins from church in with the funnies from Easter Sunday. How awesome is that! The best part about the package and the funnies is the little note that Mom puts in it. I have one, no wait, two notes tacked to my bulletin board at work. I know they took Mom about 2 seconds to write, but I love them.

Another thing I have found about Qatar. Whenever I say I want something and can’t find it here Mom, Aunt Sue, or Brook will send it to me. Either about 2 days before or after it shows up in the mailroom I find it on the shelves in a store here. How unfair is that? I wonder if it will work if I ask for pork?

I am about 5 weeks away from the Finland trip. I am getting very excited. I have some euros ready for when I get off the plane in Helsinki and I have some British pounds for a ham sandwich when I get off the plane in London. I should probably get some more pounds just in case.

Oh, this morning just as I was about to leave for work my neighbor, Jen called me. Thomas, her 2.5 year old, had found a dead lizard in their house. Jen doesn’t like lizards. She looked out her window and saw that I hadn’t left yet and called. I went over, swept it up and put it in the trash. Very easy (Dad you would have been proud, I didn’t even call it icky.) and quick.

Another thing that I found this morning, eggs for QR 23.75. The catch was you had to buy 30 of them, but it was still cheaper than any other way. That is really cheap. Now I need to eat a lot of eggs.

Oh, this last week at church I found that the church has a library! I am allowed 3 books at a time and they have Christian Fiction, my favorite type of books and my favorite price. I haven’t been home much in the evenings this week so I haven’t finished even 1 book. Weird. I have been picking up a girl on campus for church the last few weeks. It gives me the motivation to get out of bed and go and it is repaying those who helped me. In undergrad in Fairbanks someone from the church picked me up every week in the winter. In the summer up there I rode my bike but I really appreciated it. I am glad that I can help out someone else.

I thought of a new quilt to do while I’m over here. I was trying to think of a way to do a quilt that would link everything here together with my trips. I figured I would do the flags of the countries that I visit. This also means that I will have to look at the flag BEFORE I visit the country. I wonder if I can find a paper piecing book on flags? Something else to work on.

Wow, for nothing special happening I sure did find stuff to write about.

my new subie

Ok, I promised a picture of the car, and it is the top picture. Isn’t it pretty? It is also very dirty. It was nice and clean when I picked it up and by the next morning the car was covered with dust again. Crazy!

The other picture that I posted was some stuff from the wedding that I went to. The flowers were from the table arrangements (yes I had permission to take them). The silver shiny box is what the perfume came in and the pretty little green thing was chocolate. It was very tasty and no, I didn’t save any. It was just a little piece. I think I ate it in front of Mom on the webcam. It wasn’t like I could send any of it home.

Meet my new Subie

Well, after 3 weeks, and a lot of trips to the bank, I have a new car. Actually, Wells Fargo has a new car and they are letting me drive it. I bought a 2008 Subaru Forester in silver. I’ll put a picture up shortly, when I remember to take one but before Mom and Dad get home from Oregon. The funny things is that it is cheaper, monthly, to buy a car, like mine, rather than rent a car. The rental for a Mistubishi Lancer was $540/month while the car payment is right about $400/month. The car payment is also within my transportation allowance which means that Texas A&M University is paying for my car. Pretty nice, I wish all jobs were like this.

On the way home from the dealership I was so afraid someone was going to hit me. I figured that luck would have it that I would buy a new car and in front of the dealership get hit. Thank God that didn’t happen. I called Mom and Dad in Oregon and they have asked for a picture. Soon, Mom, soon. I also sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to my niece Abby ‘cause she turned 2 yesterday.

The other exciting news is that my travel for July was approved. I’ll be flying into Atlanta and driving about 2 hours north for a teacher training. The training will be very good and I am able to schedule about 2 days in Germany and 10 days in West Virginia to see family. Also, I am flying business class. I’ll be gone from Doha about 18 days, which won’t be a bad thing since yesterday the temperature hit 103°F. In July, that temperature will be the low, not the high. I also will be able to see family, do some shopping, and eat pork again.

On Monday I had to do some creative typing. Last week I accidentally knocked over my bottle of water on my keyboard and this made my ‘7’ and ‘j’ keys not work. I had to design my writing so that a ‘j’ was not needed. Makes it interesting and I’m thankful that I didn’t mess up the ‘e’ key instead. I got a new keyboard and all is well.

I’ve been thinking and tonight will be a Hot Chicken night. There is a food place, restaurant is not the right word, about 5 minutes from the house and I haven’t eaten there all week. I love their food, guess what they serve? Lamb, beef, vegetarian, and, of course, chicken. I love their chicken fried rice. It only costs about QR12 (about $3.33) and it is enough for 2 meals. You can go inside and eat or get it to go and never leave your car.

Well, I should go and make some more chemicals. I just wanted to let everyone know that I now drive a Subie. You know, I think I had better run some errands in the other building, better go drive the car!