Time Abroad: Unwittingly Helping Me Experience New Things That Aren't Even Finnish

I haven't had much to blog about the last week (it's almost been that long!).  We have mostly been doing scholastic things.  I did some research on our site (we actually know what our project for the semester is and are going to start working on it!), worked on the site model, met the creative director of Artek, e-mailed quite a few architecture firms regarding internships I hope they will have, and built a few models of chairs.

Sally, Todd, Matt and I went on a couple interesting adventures on Sunday.  We met up at the biannual vintage flea market...which I thought was a design flea market so I was disappointed but tried to hide it.  Sally was thrilled and enjoyed looking at all the neat things (there was quite a variety) and the boys were good sports and didn't even whine about the 10 euro fee to enter.

These old cameras were cool!  For some reason I still don't understand, John seemed offended when I told him and mom that he could sell his camera at a vintage fair.

There was quite a large showing of people.  Some of them could've been anywhere, but there were girls all dressed up for a roller derby (they were handing out fliers about upcoming events and some people in complete vintage outfits.  Vintage ranged anywhere from the 1910s to the 1960s it seemed.

There were Disney posters!  They really, really love Donald Duck here.  There are comic books of him and of Scrooge McDuck (I think that's the character) in the grocery store near the check out - it's crazy!

After the flea market, we actually went in the building next door and paid one euro to see the Finnish food and restaurant museum.  It was entertaining, but only worth a euro.  Next we wandered towards the water and saw things that were pretty but I know very little about them.

A bridge

A building

9 matching rectangular prisms which Matt studied for one of our studio assignments.

The other interesting thing that happened to me this week is more of a realization that I have consumed (and sometimes enjoyed) quite a few new food products while in Finland....but none of them are Finnish in character.  I tried soy sauce for the first time after using a wok for the first time (I don't think I'd even seen one in a home before) and am sold!  I tried tabasco sauce for the first time two days ago...that'll take some getting used to and I'll have to learn to mix it in better with things.  Instant chills freak me out.  Last night I ate my salad which had a mild vinaigrette dressing on it - I finished it AND ate the four tomato slivers (they were about the size of potato wedges).  Last weekend I purchased gouda cheese, which I had never tried out of fear of it being a goat product.  As my final new non-Finnish food, I chose the tofu option at school lunch today.  I found this amusing.