Dissertation Update...

My motto these days: Keep Calm! The past two weeks have been rather stressful, to say the least. I had originally planned for a November defense date and that date was changed to a January date, for reasons that were out of my control. Life is funny how you are so anxious to get a monkey off of your back, but that monkey just keeps hanging on for dear life. So, long story short I will defend January 7, 2013 (if nothing else tantalizes the monkey...). By the way, monkey and I are in therapy to begin dealing with the separation anxiety.

One Year Anniversary: Living in Finland

Sunset on the lake--a 10 minute walk from home.

One year ago we schlepped our seven bags across the big pond to Helsinki and headed North to our new home. We had no idea what to expect; we were going to live in a city with a name we could not even pronounce. A lot of amazing things happened this past year, both personally and professionally. Charlie and I lived together under one roof for the first time. We did not kill each other, so obviously cohabiting was a good next step in our relationship. In fact, it was so GOOD that we got engaged (in a Finnish sauna)--unforgettable. April 20 was the magical wedding day when my dude became "superhubby". Professionally, Charlie received two promotions (expert to special expert to senior expert). We decided to stay another year in Finland and take Charlie's extended contract that includes 36 vacation days. I finished up the data collection phase and moved into writing the mega PhD. We enjoyed many travel adventures: Brussels, Oslo, London-Riga-Tallin, Arctic Circle, and Greece.

Life is good in Finland and we love our simple life: riding bikes everywhere (despite a few accidents), cooking amazing vegan meals, hanging out with our international and Finnish friends, and experiencing the extremes of weather, seasons, and produce. Everyday we are blessed by the simplicity and the nature we are surrounded by...often times we reflect on the beauty of where life has taken us. 

An Island with a Sauna...

Since the city we call home sits next to Finland's second largest lake, the boating culture is alive and kicking. We know many people who own a boat, including the professor, Jussi, who has hosted us as his own from the day we arrived. He invited us on a boat trip to an island exclusively for boating members (about 2 hours away). Only boats with a special flag indicating club membership can access these networks of islands in Finland. It was actually a beautiful sunny day (we have not had many of those), hence we buttered ourselves in sunscreen and donned our sunglasses. When we arrived at the island we ate our way through bushes of wild blueberries and lingonberries as Jussi and his wife showed us around the sweet island.

Sauna!

Rustic wood cabins served as toilets, a kitchen area, a dining area, and a sauna. Yes, a sauna! So, the men chopped firewood, stoked the sauna, and filled the water heater for bathing while we continued to enjoy the wild berries and lakeside view. Before you knew it Charlie and I were taking sauna. After a few rounds of the sauna we ran down the wooden stairs (dodging and slapping the cheeky mosquitoes) and went for a refreshing swim in the lake. Then, Jussi and his wife took sauna and we all met back on the boat for a delicious dinner with green salad, salmon, veggie burgers, Finnish potatoes, and berries. What a great day!

Mo' Berry Pickin'!

The wild blueberries have arrived! Ilkka agreed to meet us (poor Charlie had to work instead) for some berry picking, which is always an amazing way to spend the day...out in the nature, scavenging for berries under the green leaves, coming away with a container full of blueberries and purple hands. The tricky thing about wild blueberries is that they grow under the leaves of a bush close to the ground. So, if you were really blueberry crazy you would lay on the earth and pick. I thought about it, but then I also thought about the snakes that Ilkka warned me about. I love our Finnish friends; they have educated us about so many things "Finnish". He also explained how only one blueberry grows...and once it is picked it will not grow again until next season. I came home with two plastic containers of blueberries; we ate about half of a container, I made a blueberry vegan coffee cake with the other half, and we froze the remaining berries for blueberry smoothies!

It's All Greek to Us!

After a gray and rainy summer in Finland we were in need of some sunshine. So, we boarded a BlueOne flight headed South to meet up with our friend. Here are a few highlights from our trip (and a video).

Top 10 Greek adventures:

1.) We landed in Athens (not Georgia, but Greece) and our Greek friend from Jyväskylä, Mary, greeted us as we walked out of the baggage claim area. Hey, superhubby, I don't think we are in Finland any longer!

The view from Mary's parents apartment in Athens.

2.) Experiencing life in the big city of Athens! Spending the night with Mary's parents who own an apartment building (with killer views of the city) by the Athens port, Piraeus. We ate the first of many traditional Greek dinners including sardines, octopus (to die for!), seafood salad, fried crab, and "real" Greek salad with a block of feta cheese. Oh, and I cannot forget to mention the 2 bottles of Ouzo we drank.

Mary's cooking...again! Delicious!

3.) A HOT day in Athens. The temperature was nearly 40C/104F, but Charlie managed to brave the heat and toured the Acropolis while Mary and I found a sweet little outdoor cafe (with fans blowing mist) and drank iced coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. We met up with Charlie and ate lunch at Mary's favorite place for souvlaki - similar to a kebab sandwich. Dessert came when we met Mary's cousin Demetreious who owns an Italian Gelatiara and a Greek frozen yogurt shop. Her cousin suggested we taste the typical yogurt with traditional sour cherry topping (um, delicious!)

4.) Mary drove us up the coast (6 hour drive) to Thessaloniki, where she used to live and where her sister currently lives. On our way we stopped for an incredibly refreshing swim in the Aegean sea with Mount Olympus dancing in the background. I followed Mary's lead as she sat on the beach and exfoliated her skin with the sand and then washed it all off in the Aegean Sea (I totally recommend this spa treatment!)

5.) We arrived in Thessaloniki and her sister had a hot pasta dinner waiting for us, with mouth-watering and fresh watermelon and locally produced Greek frozen yogurt. We hung out on the deck talking with the family and enjoying the cool breeze (much cooler than Athens) until Mr. Sandman sang in our dreams. 

6.) Mary's sister has a summer beach house in Nea Plagia where we stayed for three nights. We spent our days at a local's beach where our pasty white skin made the local's put on their sunglasses.

7.) Mary is an amazing cook! She cooked us up a storm while at the beach house. We would play all day, pick up fruits and veggies at the local farmers market, and then at night sit down to a Greek meal that was, without fail, incredible tasting and satiating.

8.) We also went on a few day trips while at the beach house. Mary took us to a village named Athitos (Afitos) that is known for its  Greek folk architecture and stone-built overlook to the Aegean Sea. It was another hot day, but we toured the village, stopped for cold drinks under some trees, and then went to the local beach.

Mary (middle) with her daughter (left) & her mom (right).

9.) Another day trip took us to the Petralona's Cave which was accidentally found in 1959 by a local villager who was in search of water. The cave was a lot cooler than the hot temperatures outside and did not disappoint with impressive formations of stalagmites and stalactites. This cave is known for containing the oldest primitive man remains in Europe.

10.) Our last day in Greece was spent hanging out in the city of Thessaloniki.We toured the Modiano traditional market where big blocks of feta cheese, barrels of olives, fresh spices, and produce were sold. Fish mongers sold their catch of the day. We also toured the White Tower, the Eiffel tower of Thessaloniki. Built in the 15th century this tower was part of the city's defense walls, but now it houses an impressive museum of the city's history.

An incredible trip! Thank you Mary & family! Ευχαριστώ

A Blog Break...

The time has come to take a mini-break from my blog. I simply cannot keep up with it as I attempt to write this monster they call a dissertation. Sorry, but I will be back...sometime in the future.