Helsinki 2010 (Rakastan Suomi)

Since I've been back from my Helsinki trip for a week it's time for a blog. On the 12th July I flew from Copenhagen to Helsinki. I was really excited and couldn't wait to finally arrive. I had been up since 2.45 AM so I was very tired and got the flight time to pass by taking a nap. One and a half hours after take off I was there. Finally. Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. My mood was emidiately up and happy, nearly wistling I went to pick up my luggage, got me a taxi and was on my way to the youth hostel in the very nice Katajanokka district. Already on arrival I got a little sightseeing tour thanks to the taxi driver. Marvelous! At last I got to the EuroHostel, checked in (very nice personell there, I can really recommend the EuroHostel for everybody with a small budget), dropped off my luggage and started exploring Helsinki. This first day I only went to discover the area around the hostel a little, get orientated and find me a supermarket to buy dinner at. I also spend some time sitting in the Esplanadin puisto, enjoying the sunny weather, watching people and soaking up the Helsinki atmosphere. I liked it so much that I repeated this on tuesday. I got up early on tuesday, got ready and started my own sightseeing. I was armed with my Finland travel guide and just started exploring. Visited some sights I had wanted to see (Uspenski Cathedral, Tuomiokirkko, Senaatintori, Mannerheim statue, Rautatientori etc.). I went shopping at Stockmann (amongst others) went window shopping and ended my day at the Kauppatori where I had some delicious strawberries (the whole marked smells of them) and some dinner. I watched people and took a stroll over the marked and looked at the souvenirs etc. Later that night I went to the Arctic Ice Bar. Very cold, very expencive, very nice and very much fun! Wednesday I decided to go to Korkeasaari (Helsinki Zoo). After my visit to the zoo I spend some more time at the Kauppatori and bought a present for my dad. Later I had dinner at the hostel restaurant. I had to try some reindeer, so I had a reindeer pizza. In the restaurant there was an old Finnish guy alone and obviously a little lonely so I invited him to my tabel after he had started talking to me. We sat there for quite some time talking and he had a lot of both interesting and funny stories. That night I really dreaded to go to sleep because thursday I would have to leave again and that I didn't want to. Thursday morning I got up, got ready and packed and went to the reception to check out with a heavy heart. I was sad. I didn't want to leave. I waited for my taxi outside and enjoyed my last sunny morning in Helsinki. The taxi driver had to pick up one more passenger so I was lucky to get to see some of Helsinki that you normally won't see as a tourist. I wished that it could have lasted a little longer. Already on the way to the airport I started crying. I was really sad. Waiting for the flight didn't lighten my heart or my mood, in fact I cried on and off throughout the whole day.

I know it might sounds weird and for those who have never experienced it, it might be really hard to understand but I have moved a lot in my live and both my childhood and youth haven't been the nicest. Therefor I have never really felt at home anywhere. I never felt that I belonged somewhere, untill I came to Helsinki. I felt like I finally belonged some place, it felt like I came home. Nobody seemed to stare at me and judge me just because I'm different. The sound, smell, rythem and atmosphere in the city, the people, everything just felt like it was part of me and I was part of it. Granted I have been in Finland before but I haven't noticed that feeling this way before. Only now when I was in Helsinki by myself I really felt it. More than ever I fell in love with the country, with Helsinki, with the people and more than ever I'm sure that I want to move to Finland. My friends here and my friends and family back home in Holland say that I'm young, smart and brave so I should just take the leap of faith and move to Helsinki and I really want to. I'm just a little unsure if I should just take the leap now or if I should make sure that I have something substantial, educational papers or something in my hands first before I make this last step to fullfill my dream of living in Finland. So another FinBlog, a much longer one then my first one and an even more intense declaration of love to Finland. I will treasure my memories of this trip and am looking forward to my next trip. And there will be a next one for sure. And last but not least I will keep dreaming and fighting to realise my dream.

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