I've been fairly scholastically focused the last couple days both because we have become a little less tourist feeling and have some design assignments. Plus, it's been considerably more chilly than the rest of my time here. Although it's a balmy 10 degrees Fahrenheit (as opposed to home where it's been -10 quite often), that feels a lot colder on my 20-30 minute walk to the Kampii station.
Most exciting thing over the last couple days was getting my Finnish bank card! It has a chip in it so now I can not look like an annoying American in stores and automatically take money from my Nordea bank account - no more extra charges!
Last night we went to a restaurant called Bali-Hai which Todd learned about in the Wallpaper guide to Helsinki. It was small and very nice with quite a diverse menu. They do, unfortunately for me, love their goat cheese here in Finland. I got pan fried potatoes, beef (kind of steak like but very thin), and bacon...plus cream cheese. It looked lovely and tasted quite good. I'm excited for us to go back at some point. I didn't finish my meal which meant today I heated it in a fry pan along with some olive oil, garlic, and snap peas - actually better than in the restaurant!!!! After the restaurant I walked home my leftovers (it was only about four blocks) and then met everybody at a bar called "We've Got Beef". They had the least expensive soda I've gotten outside of a grocery store in Finland - only 2,50 euro...I try to limit myself to soda in the apartment. Otherwise...the music was a little loud and blatty.
Today I stayed in the apartment and worked on a 3d model of a pavilion that is due on Wednesday. Sally left to get some groceries and picked us up some pastries - they were fantastic! I hadn't had a cinnamon roll in a very long time. This evening Sally, Todd, and I met Dan at his apartment (it's new and very nice) and he gave us a tour of his neighborhood (which is near ours). The four of us went to a restaurant that apparently was in some Japanese movie. It felt very, very local (the Finns did not seem to appreciate our English yammering). I got reindeer which came in a bowl of sorts with broth. Next to it was a potato salad with cucumber in dill sauce and pickles. The best part of the meal were the mashed potatoes. They were just as good as potatoes at home. I would go back just for the potatoes. The fruit in lots of sugary juice was also quite good. At some point I should try reindeer again, but Sally's meatballs were better.
Now I'm back in the apartment trying to stay warm and trying to find cheap flights for two weekends from now. Our teacher will be out of town on that Thursday so we have a four day weekend and would like to travel somewhere. Places we've discussed are London, Paris, Prague, and the Alps...but finding cheap flights is getting more and more tricky it seems. I am quite excited (but a little nervous about the cold) to be going to Roveneimi next weekend!!!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
A Finnish Boy Bought My Lunch
The bank on campus no longer has money. Can anyone explain to me what purpose a bank has if you cannot remove money from your account? Granated, you can apply for loans at this bank or transfer money to someone elses account and probably deposit money....but you cannot withdraw cash. I do not understand. I only had 1,55 euros in cash and did not think that the school machines could take my credit card but was not worried because there is a Nordia bank on campus and now that I have funds in my account I should be good to go. Wrong. So, I went into the Dipoli cafateria and looked for my fellow American students - no sightings. I then walked up to the lady in the dining hall and asked her if they can take credit cards from America. She looked at me like I was completely out of my mind and said they did, so I went back in the line and got some turkey soup (best school meal in Finland so far, btw). I went up to the register to pay and she swiped my card. It didn't work. I asked her if she could punch in the numbrers (which would have worked) but she insisted that she couldn't. I said "idk what to do, I only have 1,50 euro". Life was at a standstill. Then some guy came up behind me with his food and said "I can pay". He gave her his bank card which had a chip...I felt uncomfortable. I told him "thank you so much". Then I said "I have this much" and with no protest he took my 1,50 so really he only bought 1 euro of my lunch, but still. Without him I may have starved.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Yes, you can catch cold in a foreign country
I must have not had quite enough orange juice, lol. I am trying to think I am not sick, but have gone through many a Kleenex (actually Lambi is the brand of facial tissue here), want massive quantities of hot chocolate, and took some Tylenol because I woke with a pressure headache. Thankfully we had furniture design class yesterday morning so today our only class is at 5:30pm, history. Another major positive - the clothes washing machines were fixed yesterday so I was able to wash my two large loads of laundry!!!
Other random things:
1. Something my studio professor stated as our goal for our first design project was really neat in my opinion, "prove that your architecture lives within the details". It was a great summary for why I wanted to study in Finland and appreciate a lot of their architectural designs. Even if I do not love the overall look and even through modernism is not yet my favorite aesthetic, I do really appreciate having a design intent and using that same methodology for the form of the building, the layout of the plan, the development of the section, and the design of the furniture and doorhandles within the space.
2. On Saturday in the Helsinki National Museum I observed that while cultures vary greatly, children everywhere are pretty much the same. There was a birthday party happening while we were touring the museum for a child turning about 5 (I think....I'm bad with ages) and there were many parents taking their children around on their own. While, as they like to remind us, the Finns are typically a quiet people and think a lot before speaking so seem quite reserved, this was not yet true of their children. Darling people about thigh high were yammering away to the adults with them, climbing places the oughtn't, and grabbing at their parents to make sure all their thoughts, opinions, and questions were heard.
3. All over Finland are chairs that were designed and have actual titles. Or knock of versions of these designs. Our apartment, for example, contains a derivation of an Aalto chair. I want to know if the chairs in America are this way and we just neglect it or if this is another demonstration of the passion this country has for design.
Other random things:
1. Something my studio professor stated as our goal for our first design project was really neat in my opinion, "prove that your architecture lives within the details". It was a great summary for why I wanted to study in Finland and appreciate a lot of their architectural designs. Even if I do not love the overall look and even through modernism is not yet my favorite aesthetic, I do really appreciate having a design intent and using that same methodology for the form of the building, the layout of the plan, the development of the section, and the design of the furniture and doorhandles within the space.
2. On Saturday in the Helsinki National Museum I observed that while cultures vary greatly, children everywhere are pretty much the same. There was a birthday party happening while we were touring the museum for a child turning about 5 (I think....I'm bad with ages) and there were many parents taking their children around on their own. While, as they like to remind us, the Finns are typically a quiet people and think a lot before speaking so seem quite reserved, this was not yet true of their children. Darling people about thigh high were yammering away to the adults with them, climbing places the oughtn't, and grabbing at their parents to make sure all their thoughts, opinions, and questions were heard.
3. All over Finland are chairs that were designed and have actual titles. Or knock of versions of these designs. Our apartment, for example, contains a derivation of an Aalto chair. I want to know if the chairs in America are this way and we just neglect it or if this is another demonstration of the passion this country has for design.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Let There be Pictures :)
These pictures are not very touristy and aren't particularly architectural, but are mostly documentation of places I have been regularly wandering the last two weeks.
This is the SeaHorse restaurant where we all ate our first Friday here - where I had Vasmuck (sp) and meatballs and tried my first fried herring:
This the grocery store closest to the apartment where I go about 3-4 times/week
The Thai restaurant across from the grocery store where we've been twice
The tram that goes right in front of our apartment:
These two crazy expensive dresses make me want to try them on every day I walk back from Kampii (the main bus station)
This is the coat I want mom to buy and wear (it's dark gray, my flash just killed it):
Stockmann, the largest department store in Helsinki:
These signs appear every other block in the city centre. According to the first Finn I met, they have the best burgers in Finland. I have yet to eat one, but think it should be considering a junior burger is a great deal at 2 euros (that's $2.60)...they do not have cheap food in Finland.
This is the hot chocolate I got on Friday morning - so lovely and sooo yummy!
This is the Triennale 001 chair which won an award n 1960. It would cost about 2000 euros to purchase and I had to make and appointment at a showroom in order to see it. Thankfully, it's quite comfortable. The up close picture is to show the joint that is surprisingly welded and sanded amazingly well so as to appear mold formed. Yesterday afternoon I started a drawing of this chair which is due Monday morning for my furniture design course.
Saturday morning we went to the National Museum as a furniture design class. I thought we would be looking at contemporary chairs, but instead we looked at historical chairs. The chairs ranged from a hollowed out log with a seat to a bridal chair from around the 1600s. On display at this same museum were ancient tools, skulls of long-gone Finns, armor, and dollhouses. The dollhouse exhibit was a great surprise to me not only b/c it was there but also because some of them (in my opinion) looked like children had made them. I know that is probably unkind to say as I do not have the patience or dexterity to make anything as accurate as the dollhouses I saw. The furniture in them was truly wonderfully detailed.
After the museum, we walked to the Artek store to look at more contemporary furniture. These three shots were some of my favorites. While I tended to like the wood pieces and chairs that combined wood and fabric, I was very surprised by the comfort of a few of the purely plastic models in which I sat. I think one of the most challenging things about designing my own chair will be thinking about the ergonomics of the seat and the back....I think I want to make the chair have a back but am also curious about more of a stool design...
This is the Kamppi station. It is a combined bus terminal and shopping mall. Since being in Helsinki, I've probably not been inside it at most two days and have at least walked by it every single day. If you look closely you'll see that to the left of the entrance is a Merrimekko store!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Lovely Morning in Helsinki
Today I experienced something strange in Helsinki - sun shine so bright down the street it was blinding! Although we do not have classes today there are many different things I am hoping to accomplish. The last couple days have been a lot of "hurry up and wait" and very little scholastic things have happened except for receiving an array of assignments.
Yesterday I had building systems class. I really liked the professor (despite the fact that he talked about himself and his work for a little too long in my opinion). Class time apparently was incorrect in the schedule we were given (second time that happened) so from here on in it will be from noon until 4pm. Class ended early, so Sally and I returned to Kampii to take back our second attempt at an internet splitter. The day crew is apparently much more informed that the night crew. We talked to a guy who blatantly stated that "half of the people that work here don't know what they're talking about." He showed us a different device which cost much more but he promised would work. Later in the evening that was probably the greatest accomplishment of the week - Sally and I now can both be online in the comfort of our own apartment! A thrilling prospect so we may not have to stay in studio in the evening!!!!
Artturi, the Finnish architect who found our housing and is our general contact person here, set up a meeting for all of us at Avanto Architects at 6pm last night. I was banking on cheese and crackers, but the chips were quite tasty. They are a 2 partner (and 2 person to 5 person) firm with quite a few interesting projects. Last week we saw them receive the 2011 concrete awards. My favorite project of theirs was a sauna.
After spending an hour and a half picking the brain of the female principle (I have her card somewhere but do not recall her name right now), we hopped on the tram which took us home. Sally and I went back to the Thai restaurant and I went for a spicier option than last time. Instead of scarfing down the whole dish I could only handle half of it - 2 chilies on a menu is much much different from no chilis apparently. We then went home and I did some school work and had hot cocoa before bed.
This morning I got up in order to document the square I was assigned, Frederikintori. I took a lot of pictures, jotted down some notes, and plan to return there this afternoon. Then I went to the bank (had to wait until 10am for them to open) and there was actually money in my Finnish bank account!!! This meant I could withdraw euros without an atm fee and pay our rent (only 3 days late). I walked into town and found a craft shop with some yarn called "Finn Wool". I might have to go back and get some, but for now I am at a cafe finishing up the prettiest cup of hot chocolate I've ever seen and trying to decide if I'm going to go to Helsinki University for a huge lunch of potatoes etc or see if the market is open and has a good option. At 1:30pm I will be going to see the Triennale Chair - an assignment for my furniture design class.
Pictures of this lovely day will be in the next blog :)
Yesterday I had building systems class. I really liked the professor (despite the fact that he talked about himself and his work for a little too long in my opinion). Class time apparently was incorrect in the schedule we were given (second time that happened) so from here on in it will be from noon until 4pm. Class ended early, so Sally and I returned to Kampii to take back our second attempt at an internet splitter. The day crew is apparently much more informed that the night crew. We talked to a guy who blatantly stated that "half of the people that work here don't know what they're talking about." He showed us a different device which cost much more but he promised would work. Later in the evening that was probably the greatest accomplishment of the week - Sally and I now can both be online in the comfort of our own apartment! A thrilling prospect so we may not have to stay in studio in the evening!!!!
Artturi, the Finnish architect who found our housing and is our general contact person here, set up a meeting for all of us at Avanto Architects at 6pm last night. I was banking on cheese and crackers, but the chips were quite tasty. They are a 2 partner (and 2 person to 5 person) firm with quite a few interesting projects. Last week we saw them receive the 2011 concrete awards. My favorite project of theirs was a sauna.
After spending an hour and a half picking the brain of the female principle (I have her card somewhere but do not recall her name right now), we hopped on the tram which took us home. Sally and I went back to the Thai restaurant and I went for a spicier option than last time. Instead of scarfing down the whole dish I could only handle half of it - 2 chilies on a menu is much much different from no chilis apparently. We then went home and I did some school work and had hot cocoa before bed.
This morning I got up in order to document the square I was assigned, Frederikintori. I took a lot of pictures, jotted down some notes, and plan to return there this afternoon. Then I went to the bank (had to wait until 10am for them to open) and there was actually money in my Finnish bank account!!! This meant I could withdraw euros without an atm fee and pay our rent (only 3 days late). I walked into town and found a craft shop with some yarn called "Finn Wool". I might have to go back and get some, but for now I am at a cafe finishing up the prettiest cup of hot chocolate I've ever seen and trying to decide if I'm going to go to Helsinki University for a huge lunch of potatoes etc or see if the market is open and has a good option. At 1:30pm I will be going to see the Triennale Chair - an assignment for my furniture design class.
Pictures of this lovely day will be in the next blog :)
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Disenchanted with School Food
I know this should come as no surprise from a girl who took her lunch most days in elementary school, but I am a little tired of the school offerings for lunch at Aalto University. Hopefully things will be better today (by better I mean contain meat and/or flavors in which I am interested, lol). Two days ago was the tomato and mushroom sauce which was off white in color and yesterday I had Jambalaya which was a ton of very sticky rice with beans and some orange food coloring. I couldn't eat much of it so actually left a lunch with a small salad, bread, and lots of Jambalaya a little hungry. Thankfully, Sally and I are much better cooks (in my estimation).
Last night we had pasta again. We picked up some hamburger meat at the store which I browned and added to pasta sauce. Spaghetti (although a very thick version), a salad, and garlic bread was much more fitting to what I like in a meal!
After that I did some reading for my architectural history class and then we explored a new part of towns and met Finns. The Architecture School's social organization planned a bar crawl for Wednesday night. While I was not all that excited about the idea of a bar crawl and was perplexed about having it on a Wednesday night, our group of Americans has started to feel quite exclusive and like meeting Finnish students will require some work. They have their studio space in a different building from us, so we don't even recognize fellow architecture students at lunch. It has also been repeated many times to us that the Finns are a shy people so may not take kindly to someone just plopping down next to them and starting conversation. So with minimal homework assignments so far, it seemed taking part in this social event seemed wise. It turned out to be surprisingly fun. I stayed out almost 2 hours longer than planned. All the Finnish students I met were really friendly. It was a little awkward at first b/c the head student took us around - kind of on tour and one table applauded that International Students had come to the event. The best location (and strange cultural mix) was a Reggae club where we got to see the Finnish version of dancing, lol.
Last night we had pasta again. We picked up some hamburger meat at the store which I browned and added to pasta sauce. Spaghetti (although a very thick version), a salad, and garlic bread was much more fitting to what I like in a meal!
After that I did some reading for my architectural history class and then we explored a new part of towns and met Finns. The Architecture School's social organization planned a bar crawl for Wednesday night. While I was not all that excited about the idea of a bar crawl and was perplexed about having it on a Wednesday night, our group of Americans has started to feel quite exclusive and like meeting Finnish students will require some work. They have their studio space in a different building from us, so we don't even recognize fellow architecture students at lunch. It has also been repeated many times to us that the Finns are a shy people so may not take kindly to someone just plopping down next to them and starting conversation. So with minimal homework assignments so far, it seemed taking part in this social event seemed wise. It turned out to be surprisingly fun. I stayed out almost 2 hours longer than planned. All the Finnish students I met were really friendly. It was a little awkward at first b/c the head student took us around - kind of on tour and one table applauded that International Students had come to the event. The best location (and strange cultural mix) was a Reggae club where we got to see the Finnish version of dancing, lol.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Hurry Up and Wait
Today started early - I woke at 6:45am which is crazy early for me, lol. Sally and I were not only on time, but a little early for the bus to school. The first class of the day was at 9am - furniture design. My first assignment is to research and do a descriptive drawing of a chair (the Trienale 01) by hand. By hand is a little scary to me, but hopefully it will go well. Class ended early, so we all looked up our chairs and worked on our assignments for studio.
Around noon I was starving and headed to the dining hall. Unfortunately, it was my least favorite meal at a Helsinki school. I had the pasta with a tomato and mushroom sauce which was surprisingly white and not bad but not flavorful, lol. My two slices of bread and butter were fantastic, though.
After lunch I went to Nordea bank and was thrilled that it was open. Unfortunately, though, although my money has left my Wells Fargo bank account, it hasn't yet got to my Finnish bank account. Hopefully our landlady will be understanding as we wait for the international transfer :)
We had another bout of wood shop orientation, then some work time (which quickly became hunting for knitting patterns for me) until someone showed up to tell us about computing at Aalto University. Apparently every school is the same...things are always changing and unpredictable. Class was scheduled from 4-6pm but the projector was missing so it started around 4:45pm and we learned that our teacher believes it should regularly run until 7pm.
The highlight of my day (surprise surprise) was supper. I had left over Nepalese food from last night (essentially Chicken Tikka Masala but with more vegetables and onions), lettuce with ranch dressing, grapes, garlic bread (I found garlic salt at the store!!!!!), and pepsi max. It was colorful and tasty!
Now I am going to do some reading for my history class and hopefully get some knitting in before bed. Oh, and I'm drinking hot chocolate :)
Around noon I was starving and headed to the dining hall. Unfortunately, it was my least favorite meal at a Helsinki school. I had the pasta with a tomato and mushroom sauce which was surprisingly white and not bad but not flavorful, lol. My two slices of bread and butter were fantastic, though.
After lunch I went to Nordea bank and was thrilled that it was open. Unfortunately, though, although my money has left my Wells Fargo bank account, it hasn't yet got to my Finnish bank account. Hopefully our landlady will be understanding as we wait for the international transfer :)
We had another bout of wood shop orientation, then some work time (which quickly became hunting for knitting patterns for me) until someone showed up to tell us about computing at Aalto University. Apparently every school is the same...things are always changing and unpredictable. Class was scheduled from 4-6pm but the projector was missing so it started around 4:45pm and we learned that our teacher believes it should regularly run until 7pm.
The highlight of my day (surprise surprise) was supper. I had left over Nepalese food from last night (essentially Chicken Tikka Masala but with more vegetables and onions), lettuce with ranch dressing, grapes, garlic bread (I found garlic salt at the store!!!!!), and pepsi max. It was colorful and tasty!
Now I am going to do some reading for my history class and hopefully get some knitting in before bed. Oh, and I'm drinking hot chocolate :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)