I'm in Italy, now what?

The sun is shining - albeit through a constant cloud of fog and/or pollution - and even though the Italians are still wearing their winter coats I have already spent two days walking around in jeans and a t-shirt, exactly the dress code NOT encouraged by work.. Oh well.. It's spring! And the Finn inside me is dying to get  out. I will restrain from acting out the Finnish spring rituals of getting drunk in the park, peeing between parked cars and the minimum amount of clothes possible as soon as the snow is gone, but I don't care if I get funny looks from people! For me +24 is summer and in the summer you don't have to wear a winter coat, or a coat of any kind for that matter.

On Monday, as a friend decided to put it, I took a pasticceria turn in my life. I decided to test the gas oven which my flatmate never uses and make chocolate squares (mokkapalat without coffee). I figured it was a pretty easy and foolproof way to start and even if something did go badly wrong I wouldn't end up crying for lost money or time. I found a recipe here and they actually turned out to be pretty nice, despite a little icing malfunction. I think it has been about 13 years since I last made them and I forgot I should have let the cake cool down before the icing so much of it actually just disappeared inside the cake. Fortunately I had sprinkles to cover it up with so it didn't look too bad in the end. As the recipe says, the squares really do get better as they get older. They were a bit too fluffy when they were fresh but a by Tuesday and Wednesday they actually were very nice. Next week I will try with something a little more challenging, I spent a few days looking for oats and finally located them in a ipermarket outside the city so I think oat and chocolate cookies could be a good plan. Watch this space.

I'm happy being in Italy. I was walking home last night tired after work and knowing I would have to spend yet another Saturday morning at work too (my Saturday student doesn't want anyone else teach him despite our administrator's best efforts in trying to free my weekends), but I still felt pretty good about being here. At best my students are great and funny, at worst they are usually only boring, which is better than being verbally abused by customers while all you can do is smile back. Of course every job has its downsides and this one isn't perfect either, but for now the downsides are still mostly related to finances. Regardless, I find I'm regularly asking myself "I'm in Italy, now what?". I have realised my dream of moving here, what is the next step? The next city, the next job, the next dream. Usually I catch myself doing this and remind myself that I should just stop running for one second and enjoy now. This is going to be a fun - and - sun -filled spring starting from next weekend when the lovely Laura is visiting me, all the way to the Take That concert in Milan in July. Even waking up from an afternoon pennichella (nap) with the flatmate coming in with friends who then proceed in slagging off all us foreigners here (very rudely) until the flatmate points out to them that I actually understand Italian, is not going to ruin it.

Spa day

As soon as I finished work on Saturday I went to a spa not far from the school for a lovely treat a friend had booked for me. I had a gift certificate which entitled me to a massage, facial, free use of saunas and the pools etc.. They even had a real Finnish sauna complete with a naked Sicilian pediatrician. I don't generally tend to start chatting to naked men in public saunas but I walked in and asked if it was ok for me to heittää löylyä (throw some water on the stones) which immediately inspired him to ask me where I learned to use a sauna. Turns out the guy was headed to Turku for some medical conference in May and was at the spa trying to get rid of injuries he had gotten in a car accident. Later on, as I was being pampered in a dim room with nice music and the soothing smell of essential oils, I heard the same guy whimpering in the next room "fa male fa male" (it hurts, it hurts) as he was getting his (less enjoyable and probably less gentle) massage. Poor fella.

Thats mostly it. Otherwise the weekend was quiet. Weather is getting warmer though, which is great. They have promised 18 degrees for Thursday!

Auguri Italia!

Today is the 150th anniversary of Italian unification. Supposedly there were some fireworks last night but it felt like the whole city has been under a 13,5 tog duvet of clouds for the past two days with a constant drizzle so I ended up staying at home reading Gomorrah instead.

I'm not a literary critic by any means and I know the book has received an enormous amount of publicity and praise but as interesting as it is, I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. Saviano's text is full of metaphors. It seems like everything he describes he has to say in three or four different ways, which just serves to give me the impression that he really loves his own voice, and it makes the book quite heavy to read.

Having said that, I do think it is probably one of those books that one - particularly one living in Italy - should read. While reading the book I have had to keep remind myself of a few things; firstly, the man is a journalist, not a novelist, which probably has something to do with the style of the writing. Secondly and linked to the first point, he is reporting - not inventing - on things that happen regularly and daily right here in Italy and also in other parts of Europe. After more than 2500 years of European culture, some 300 years after the enlightenment and after 150 years of unified Italy, it still really is a jungle south there. I know the problems involving mafia are complex and I'm not going to pretend that I have any solutions to offer, the issues are deep rooted in this society on social, economical and political levels. I do really hope though that in the next 150 years Italy, with its long and impressive history, can find a way to restore some of its former glory.

P.S. Happy St. Patrick's day too!! Ireland will always have a special place in my heart, maybe I'll even do a little jig tonight just because.

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Got chick lit?

I was thinking, I have some books and dvds that I have very much enjoyed reading/watching but probably will not read/watch again and I expect you guys might have the same. I am, however, always on the look out for new books to read and new chick flicks to watch (ok, occasionally other genres are fine too!)

This is the idea: I could post the books that I am willing to part ways with here on this blog and if there is something you are interested in you could send me an email or a message and offer something you have in exhange. This would work because I know (most of) you guys personally. So a book for a book, a book for a dvd, a dvd for a cd.. Sky is the limit. And no money needs to exachange hands. I am not trying to sell my stuff, just exchange it with friends for some fresh reading material and give good homes to books that are now collecting dust and taking up space. Sender(s) would pay postages if we can not see in person.

A good plan? Discuss.

Image: Felixco, Inc. / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

100 years of female appreciation

Today is International Women's Day. I hope you already knew that but just in case you didn't, now you have no excuses. Now - particularly if you are a man - before you do anything else, at least send a quick text message to the most important women in your life. I know just as with Valentine's Day and lovers and friends, women should be appreciated every day of the year, but on the occasion it's still nice to hear you are special.

In the past 100 years women, and many men alongside them, have campaigned for womens' right to education, work and maybe most importantly for the right to vote. Maybe you are thinking "oh no.. please don't start spilling your feminist ideas now". Rest assured, I have no intention of doing that. I will however say that I am grateful I was born to a culture where I have had every opportunity to study, learn, work, even pack up my things and go chasing after my dreams in other countries, despite the wonderful men in my family probably occasionally nearly losing sleep over this. I am also proud that I grew up in a country which was at the forefront of not only giving women the right to vote, but to having women elected into the parliament. Not everyone is so lucky.

This is what I want to say to you women: you are important. The world would not, and will not, function without our gender. Know your value as women, not only as human beings. Embrace your feminine quirks, they are what make you so special. Those hormones and emotions that make us act as mild cases of sawdust-in-the-brain at times, are also what give us the gift of the need to take care of others, the gift of empathy, and the gift of being completely over the moon when good things happen. When the men in your life want to open the door for you, be thankful. When they want to offer to pay for that drink or help you do that little DIY job at home which you know you could do yourself, accept their help with a smile. In their own way they are trying to take care of you and show you they appreciate you.

Being a woman is a privilege but as with all privileges, it comes with a huge responsibility. Take care of the men in your life. Sometimes it may feel like they don't deserve to be treated nicely on their birthdays as they have forgotten yours three years in a row, nor do they deserve that special cup of tea or soup when they are struck by a severe case of man-flu, but they do. They deserve our love. They might be utterly rubbish at remembering special dates, but they will be there for us when we truly need them. They might be bad at expressing their feelings but I bet you if you were stuck in a sticky situation, it would be your brothers, your dad or your male friends who would rush to help you if you would call them.

Even more importantly, ladies, we are the women in these men's lives. We have the power to show them what a good woman is like. We have the power to be the models of good women to our sons, so that they will grow up to respect and love the women in their lives. We have the power to make our husband grateful for what a wonderful woman he has married, and yes, we have the power also to be good girlfriends who, even if things go sour, do not leave behind men who are shattered and full of resentment towards women.

Men, love the women in your life. Your wife, your mother, sisters, friends and your special little daughters. They need you to in order to become the kind of women that I just described. Don't leave behind women that are broken and scared to love. Tell the women in your life they are beautiful because it is a self-fulfilling prophesy! A woman needs to hear she is beautiful in order to become truly beautiful inside and out. Love them when they have a crying fit because you bought the wrong things in the supermarket, and most of all, do not scorn them on being girls! 

Fathers: you are extremely important. You need to tell your daughters they are beautiful, smart and wonderful. Do not leave your daughter with insecurities, because you are too worried to tell her she is beautiful and wonderful, in case she might become superficial. Take your daughter on father-daughter days, hold her, hug her and show her you love her.

What authority do I have to say this? I am a woman, albeit not a perfect one. I am a daughter, a sister, an aunt and a friend. This women's day I want to tell all my beautiful girl friends: you are wonderful, valued and deserving of good things. And for you guys: I feel so lucky having many wonderful male friends in my life. I promise I will try my best to be (and to become) a good woman for you. To my brothers and to my father: I love you to the moon and back. You are the men who have made me who I am. And last but not least to my little nephew: I will always be here for you. You are the bright ray of sun in my life and you are the most perfect little boy there ever was.

Happy International Women's Day!


Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Carnevale di Venezia 2011

What a nice weekend this has been! Full of ice cream, pizza, frittelle and other delicious things to eat, sunshine, friends and nice surprises.

For once I wasn't working on Saturday so we headed to Venice already around lunch time. It was a nice sunny day, not exactly warm but certainly not cold either. I reopened the ballerina season after having had to go back to my winter boots last week when it was snowing. As soon as we arrived some of us had our faces painted (I want glitter, please!) to get in the carnival mood while the more serious members of the group waited patiently. Despite the horror stories of insane crowds meeting you as soon as you step out of the train it actually wasn't too bad. Yes, there were a lot of people but most of the time we were able to move forward without huge difficulties. One or two bridges were somewhat congested and a couple of times we had to backtrack and try another route but considering how narrow some of the streets are and how many people must have been there I really think getting around was surprisingly smooth.

I think it is safe to say that about 80% of people were wearing some sort of a costume or at the very least a mask or some face paint. It's fantastic that at least once a year grown ups get to dress up in silly (or cool, depends on your level of commitment) costumes, get their faces painted and in general just forget about what is appropriate. I think the general consensus in the group was that those of us who will still be here next year will definitely then invest on some costumes of our own. It's too good an opportunity to miss!

Some of the costumes we saw were indeed pretty cool and what is even better: the people were more than happy to be photographed! The only problem of course was that everyone wanted to take photos so getting them to stop at the right moment or to look in the right direction was an altogether different story. Not to mention not having someone elses arm, hand and camera stuck right in front of your camera just as you press that button.. Then of course there is the eternal story of the camera running out of batteries at the worst possible moment.. Excuses aside, here are some photos from this weekend anyway. They may not be perfect but then I am hardly a professional so what did you expect! Enjoy!. (Click on the photo to see a bigger version)

Is there a visible Russian influence or is it just the strange fur hat? Or is it just me?

The Ghostbusters were there too. Naturally.

Some pretty cool masks, which made the American girls behind us start squealing 'Oh my gaawwd, Oh my gaaaawwwd!'

Looking from Rialto bridge. It really was a nice day!

Frittelle (con crema in this case) are some of the best the carnival season has to offer! This one happens to be half eaten already, of course only just so you can see what is inside.. 

This little bunny was one of the cutest participants, spotted here today.

And here, just to make you drool with jealousy, is my second gelato of today! This one is Crema di Grom with Cioccolato fondente. (The first one was Cioccolato fondente with yoghurt.) 

Watch out Venice, here we come!

This weekend is the last weekend of the Carnevale di Venezia and we are invited! That is to say I am heading there with some friends and you can expect some sort of a report on the shenanigans afterwards, complete with some pictures.

Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to check out this blog thingy of mine and thank you for your encouraging messages too. I am lucky to have lovely friends all over the world who continue to be interested in my life. You are the best!

Image: m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net