Évora, Located In The Hot Alentejo Is Full Of History And Culture! Don’t Hesitate To Visit! 

No judgement but my dreams might be just a bit different from yours.  

The geography of my way

It has come a time for me to change scenery and this time permanently. Having lived abroad now twice (short term) and somewhat knowing what this process and making the decision takes I felt inspired to write about MOVING ABROAD. Even though after last days’ tragic events in UK... in front of these kinds of headlines - you always wonder your safety and choices affecting on it but there’s no stopping now. Or ever. 

“Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.” - Chinese proverb

Basically the rule of being prepared for everything or expect the unexpected would go here perfectly but never mind how many months or years you’ve been gathering information and prepared yourself for one of the biggest changes of your life, however YOU WILL NEVER BE READY.

There are million things which you cannot be prepared for.. like that the cheese is way more expensive here than what it was back home or that the ice cream section at your new local store only has magnum! Not to mention that the settling in the culture and society takes effort and huge amount of time and patience or way more of everything than what you ever expected. Moving abroad ain’t one of those romantized movies you’ve seen on tv.

“Travelling is a brutality.  It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance.” - Cesare Pavese

Travelling is hard work. Goes for a full day at the office. Who knew that just moving your ass from one place to another and your brain having to deal with ALL that information fed by your eyes, ears and body can be so exhausting! But it is the adrenaline, the feeling of experiencing something new and unique that makes us learn, grow, change and so, to go back for more. Not necessarily to the same destination but just to hit the road again. During my travels the part I’ve ALWAYS hated is the part of coming back. So this time I’ll skip that one.

Before making the actual BIG decision of moving abroad you should understand that being on a vacation ain’t the same thing as living and working there. Life will have its routines, dull moments and troubles even across the borders which I imagine are similar to the ones you’ve already had in someplace else. There’s no running from it. It’s just the other side of the coin that makes you wanna stand the negative parts better. Whether it’s the sunnier culture or a better job or whatever that gives you the energy and desire to make it to another day but living without these positive things, life can be pretty heavy to bear.

Planning is always THE FIRST STEP, at least for me. Some do it without but it does smooth the way. Destination, practical things like working and living, then comes the paying taxes, having health and banking services. What about the currency? Do you speak the language? If you need to change/learn the last two things double the amount of work and time you will have to put in to survive! The beginning of the road is rarely easy and the unexpected part will come across more than once.

UNDERSTAND that you’ll be actually living away, you decide how far, from your family and friends. Your favourite things, tv shows and ice creams, everything you’ve called yourself a home and all that comfort will soon be gone. Then we’ll hit to the another painful thing. YOUR STUFF. You’re gonna have to give it all up. Everything apart from one or two suitcases and that my friend ain’t much. Unless you’ll have a storage (quite pricey in a long run) or another place (parents’ most often) where you can stuff them into. And to be honest, when I was in Canada for a year there wasn’t much I actually missed from my things in Finland. Unless you’re moving to the South Pole there will be stores and trust me you will be doing some serious shopping and buying new things that will replace the old ones.

I still don’t know what is it that makes me happier living abroad than home or what makes me go back to it. Especially coming and going, packing and unpacking, moving in and out which is so NOT my favourite thing to do. Wanderlust is is remarkable thing. There’s something very charming about starting over in a new place. There are no mistakes to be sorry for or things to regret. There’s the adrenaline whether you’ll make it and freshness of not having been embarrassed in front of anyone yet. And the feeling of uniqueness in each moment when you live something, meet someone, feel something. And having the power of your life in your hands knowing that any of this wouldn’t be happening without your leap of faith.

“Always do what you’re afraid to do.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Taking action is unique because we’re living in a world where people are talking mostly shit to be honestly. A lot of if’s, but’s, maybe’s and someday’s. I find this incredibly annoying. I wanna believe that I do have a control over my life and I can have an effect how and when things happen to me. You’re the only one that can make things like this happen to you and the only one stopping them happening. 

It’s also kind of cool thing to do. People will come to you to hear your stories but also give their respect for the big transformation you’ve been able to do in your life. It’s also equally rewarding to share these stories I OWN. Indeed my travels, experiences, memories and friends made are the most valuable things I’ll ever have. And if people don’t see the beauty and wisdom of it, then you’ll know they might not be your kind of people… or people who’d do the same as you. And that’s okay.

When on the road it does make you question yourself, who you are and where you come from and what is that you hope to become. You’ll learn new things, languages, habits, friends and still keeping the old ones, the best part of the past with you. Living abroad gives you perspective, contrast which is hard to predict in advance but afterwards you can’t remember a life without it.

Last fall. Home

Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.

Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky

"...Buildings with a hundred floors, swinging 'round revolvin' doors Maybe I don't know where they take me but gotta keep movin' on Movin' on, fly away, breakaway.." 

WHO WILL BE THE FINNISH ENTRY AT EUROVISION 2019?

We do have the date and the location (March 2nd, Espoo Finland) but what we do not have is the actual artist. It has been pain to be waiting for the news and here is what I think of the guesses, speculations of the Finnish ESC entry 2019.

WHO IT WILL NOT BE: 

Every year people name these artists who are fabulous and the best what this country could offer musically but give it up. They won’t be doing it!

Alma – she’s already said no. Our brand shining star on an international music scene sees ESC as a competition only and has declined it. Pity. 

Jenni Vartiainen – too popular and will not be humiliated by Finnish press

Vesala, Janna, Sanni, Chisu, Mikael Gabriel – just don’t think that they’re that interested

Nightwish – they already tried in 2000 but didn’t get selected (don’t ask me why)

Old school stars such as Jari Sillanpää, Kaija Koo etc – the time has passed them.

INSTEAD I HAVE FAITH IN: 

Benjamin - Juon sut pois (2018)

Young talents and artists such as Benjamin, Robin, Evelina, Venior, Vilma Alina, Diandra, Ellinoora who are younger and have not labelled Eurovision as the older generation. They could actually see ESC as an oppurtunity even without winning the whole damn thing.

Venior - Sugar Rush (2015)

UMK competitors from the previous years: Mikael Saari and Emma – they’ve got the passion and the spirit. Even though I wasn’t too impressed by Mikael’s singing or songs when he was in UMK (2013 and 2016) and he has actually said that he wouldn’t do it again as a performing artist. But what if he was invited to be THE artist? Emma was my favourite in 2017 but she failed miserabily in 2017 UMK final (singing and technical issues). Emma also competed to be San Marino’s repesentative this year. Despite of the struggles gotta love her anyhow.

Tarja Turunen, the formed vocalist of Nightwish has been on ESC wishlist for being the Finnish entry for quite some time now! She would be such a professional, well known, interesting entry nevermind the song. And I even believe she might have that ESC spirit somewhere there inside of her if we just dig it out! 

Tarja Turunen - Never Enough (2017)

ESC representatives: Krista Siegfrieds (2013) and Softengine (2014). She’s crazy enough and Eurovision fan so no doubt about it that she’d do it again! But she’s hosted UMK so they’d have to find another host….Softengine is our biggest success after Lordi and one of our few success stories in ESC to be honest so why not!

Softengine - Something Better (2014)

Eva & Manu are the hottest rumour out there to be the Finnish entry 2019 and I wouldn’t mind them being so. They could offer some fresh air (from a finnish perspective) and they are not a totally brand new duo since they have released albums. Plus they have an interesting story.

Eva & Manu - Empty (2014) 

What do you think? 

EUROVISION!!! THIS SATURDAY! 

This is what I love the most about Helsinki, the sea. 

Estonian doors.. 

My benefit

Never I would have thought of wearing a t-shirt in Montréal in October. Untill this week it’s been over 20C degrees over here and the fall has been sunny, dry and lovely so far. This weekend was the first one when you could actually feel winter approaching. The trees are getting bald and the temperature is dropping. A good thing really, cause all my biggest shopping findings (read: financial disasters) have been about fall/winter jackets! Totally unnecessary of course cause I brought my own from Finland but SO cool! If you ask me, snow can come in already.

(Moi, le touriste!)

At work, hours and days are passing by quickly and I’m gaining so much experience from every minute. Rarely I’ve been taught in a job as thoroughly. My employers seem genuinely interested about my learning experience. They’re quite different  but I think they balance each other nicely. I’m loving the fact that I get to see the two fields in tourism industry that interest me the most. I’m so glad to have (finally) some structure in my life and a real mission to be here.  Though gotta admit that it does bring limitations to my social life. I’m also missing some great events in the city but I guess more great ones will follow…

The atmosphere in both of them is very relaxed but still professional. Especially in the hostel where some of the employees live and there are long term residents, the atmosphere is very family like. The working tasks at the hostel are more routine based, normal reception work, taking care of the breakfast, doing laundry.. when at the gallery they’re different every time according to the upcoming event; preparing the space, decorating and that sort of thing. No routine there.. every day is different. 

I try to keep it as a 5-days working week kind of thing and to have some weekends off as well every now and then. I don’t work more than 30h/week so it’s quite flexible. At the hostel I work usually three 7hours shifts and at the gallery 2-3 shifts but not longer than 6h at the time.

(Oratoire St. Joseph du Mont Royal in August - around 2 million people visit it every year and apparently it takes another two million dollars just to keep the stairs in shape.) 

During my day off’s I’ve continued my sightseeing project. Visited the Oratoire St. Joseph du Mont Royal which is a roman-catholic basilica at the other side of the island of Montréal. Not the oldest thing there is but definitely the biggest. In the entire Canada actually. It took me hours to see the main sections. Definetely worth seeing for though. If you wanna know more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph's_Oratory

I also returned to “the mountain” of Mont Royal which the city was named after. It’s not really a mountain and thank God for that cause I couldn’t probably climb any higher than that. Yeah but people of Montreal love to call it a mountain and it is an insult to refer to it as a “hill”. Anyway spent a lovely afternoon there in the rain of the colourful maple leaves. My pics won’t do justice though.

I love it that it’s so close to where I live.. 30min by foot and I’m in this great forest without a sign or sound of the metropolitan city that surrounds me. People go there to run, cycle, for a picnic, whatever and also for famous Tam Tams, a free live music event that takes place there every Sunday afternoon in the summertime. Unfortunately I missed that one cause when I arrived here in August all my Sundays seemed so busy with everything else. Bummer. 

But I’ve got great stuff coming up!! Lots of things I’m looking forward to! Some personal stuff, favourite music and books coming out but also these great Northern American (sorry, don’t know if they are celebrated in Latin part of the continent) holidays; Thanksgiving and Halloween! I’m so excited! The first one is only one week away and I’ve been invited to a friend’s house to have a traditional Thanksgiving. So stay tuned! :D

(The monument of Mont Royal "The cross" in the night - the photo from: http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/mountain1.jpg )