[From Beth] This morning in Helsinki was gorgeous. Mike and Colin headed out at about 5 am to scope out breakfast bars (dang, jet lag), and by the time the rest of us got moving, had found a nice buffet with all local, organic foods AND a gluten free toast for Jack and Saara.
We headed in the direction of the harbor and ran into the Senate Square and Helsinki Cathedral, which were awesome.
[From Beth] Before the kids hit their final wall for the evening, we managed to go out for a coffee with Henna, our-soon-to-be-third-exchange student, and her parents. Saara tells us the tradition in Finland is to eat dinner at 4:30 and have a coffee and small snack later. This was late enough (6:00 pm) to be a coffee date, which was great since none of us is up for dinner, but we knew Henna and her family were anxious about her trip, and that it would help to meet us.
We’ve arrived!
But after 30 hours of no sleep, we’re not quite ready to hit the town.
[from Mike] Eight hours before we leave for the airport. I’ve spent several weeks trying to figure out how to minimize our luggage, and I’ve gotten it down to eight smallish carry-on’s and one checked bag. Total weight is 132 pounds. That’s for four people, so I’m satisfied. If we left all the gadgets (cameras, gameboys, iPod, iPad, cables, batteries, more cables, etc.), it would probably be only 100 pounds, but we can’t travel THAT lightly. Now all I need to do is go to sleep and stop obsessing about that one critical thing that I’ve forgotten… Whatever it is, I’m sure they have stores there.
[from Beth] Mike and I were brainstorming what to take on our trip to Finland for Saara’s niece and nephew when I suggested t-shirts from our alma matter. He hesitated, then wondered aloud whether our school mascot, Joe Vandal, would somehow be offensive in a country that was once regularly invaded by marauding norsemen.
So now I’m packing for the kids and stymied by the thought of the potential first impressions inspired by each item of clothing. For people who don’t like to advertise brands or cartoon characters on our shirts, we let our kids wear an amazing amount of potentially confusing or misleading information around on their chests every day, plus a fair amount of anime. Thankfully, we have a few college shirts, sans stains or potentially offensive references to mascots (Washington, Oregon, Texas included). But then there’s really weird statements our kids wear around:
“Play at your own risk: Game Over”
“I do my own stunts”
“The Smell of Victory,” with a big, stinky shoe on it
“Mayhem,” this one with a skull and crossbones
“Plunder … pillage,” what is it with the skull and crossbones?
I see another trip to WalMart and a whole lotta Haines in our near future.