Hello!!

Hope this finds everyone doing well. Things here have been rolling along. Week 5!! Well, this week was full of adventure. Here is a brief breakdown of what I did:

Monday: Began with the Knowledge to Experience Project. This project is still part of the Muotiala agency that I have been with throughout September. It teaches people with mental illness how to public speak and teach others, mostly professionals and students, how to work with someone who has a mental illness. It also has an educational component where they all present topics amongst themselves so they have to research a topic and present. At times, they also invite guest speakers. I also interviewed two clients of the program. Very interesting and it was amazing to hear how much insight they have into their illness. It was also very interesting to hear about the system they had to navigate to obtain treatment. Step one: See your family doctor. Obtain a referral to the mental health clinic. Step two: Go to the mental health clinic. Discuss treatment options. Obtain referral to a psychiatrist. Step three: Go to psychiatrist for treatment. Treatment may involve drugs or return to the mental health clinic for therapy. Step four (optional): Obtain referral to the psychiatric hospital from the mental health clinic. You cannot simply walk into a hospital and see a psychiatric nurse...at least according to the clients I have spoken with. Perhaps this differs between provinces and health regions but in Calgary you can at least go to any hospital...this may not mean you will be admitted but someone will at least assess you (eventually). The clients expressed a dislike for the referral process.

Tuesday: Returned to the Knowledge to Experience Project. I was asked to put together a presentation on the mental health system in Canada. Quite the task considering how big Canada is and how different each province is. I opted to talk about the new Mental Health Commission and how funding works for health care. Then I narrowed it down to Alberta and then Calgary. I don't necessarily think that the system we have is very good all the time and it definitely has its flaws but some how the audience was impressed. Perhaps they were being nice, perhaps they were impressed, or perhaps something was lost in translation. Yes, my 20 minute presentation (in English) lasted 90 minutes because I was provided a translator. This was very nice and I truly appreciated her skills, however, I didn't take into consideration how long this would all take. But in the end, things seem to have gone well. My only hope is that the audience walked away with a somewhat realistic view of the system we have.

Wednesday: Again back to the project. My day was spent interviewing two other clients. One client truly made an impact on me. I am guessing he is in his 60s and his story was quite impactful. We ended up talking about the environment and global warming and how we all MUST do our small part to contribute because that is all we can do. If we all change what we can then it should make an impact. I agree. We also discussed the thought that people have about living alone. He has been struggling with living alone for the first time (he just moved into his flat in a supported housing unit) and he told me that it's lonely. I sympathize because this is my first time living completely alone...I walk into my room and the only living thing in there is me. We talked about how people have this idea that living alone is somehow a sign of success. However, we are consistently told that we are "social beings"...a little bit contradictory. Then when you start considering a situation such as his in which he does have a mental illness, living alone seems even more difficult. However, he is now considered more successful in his rehabilitation than when he lived in a group home environment. It gave me something to think about.

Wednesday night: Swan Lake on the Ice. This was a Russian production and it was quite good. They used this high-tech ice rink that is portable and super thin. They simply placed it on the floor of the theatre. One of the screens got stuck to the ice midway through the show so they had to stop everything to fix the problem. Quite amusing!! Sadly, there was no live orchestra playing...it was a CD!!

Thursday: Back to the project for my final day. I attended an internal education seminar in which a client researched the topic of feelings and presented. He was quite the guy's guy and he informed us that men have different feelings than women. I don't agree but he was convinced...each to his own. However, good on him to present on such a "girlie" topic.

Thursday night: Went to my first hockey game. Stephanie, Elaine, and I were taken by a Finn whom I met at one of my practicum places. We went to Ilves (Lynx) vs. Karpat (a weasel type animal). Quite interesting!! There were cheerleaders...girls as young as 8 years old. I was definitely shocked to find this out considering their outfits. In addition, the top scoring player on each team wears a shiny, gold helmet. I thought this was funny!! Also, no over-the-top cheering allowed if you are not in the "fan section". Sadly our team lost 3 to 1. Oh, I apologize for the quality of photos...it was dark in there!!





Friday: Attended my first seminar at the university. This was perhaps one of the most disturbing and upsetting experiences to date. According to the lecturer, women are sicker when they're older and this is a problem for the pension system as their medication costs too much. What about men? Could it be that they are unhealthier when younger and die earlier? All North Americans grew up on television and therefore we are unaware of poverty. Not sure how this logic works. A university's sole purpose is to further industry and grow the economy. I don't think much value is placed on things like philosophy? This is a very small sample of the two hour mess I was exposed to. Sadly, whenever I asked a question or asked for clarification, my questions went unanswered and I did not gain any clarification. I felt that many statements were the lecturer's opinions and sadly there were no references on any slides and no additional readings. I was so disappointed in this experience...I was looking for clarification, enlightenment, learning. Trying to look on the bright side...perhaps something was lost in translation?

Friday night: Took in the Manhattan Shorts Film Festival. The best 4 Euro I have spent!! The theatre is called Niagara and it's like the Globe or Plaza in Calgary. Alternative, foreign films...yeah!! The shorts were good...they came from Great Britian, Kenya, Isreal, Germany, etc. Even Canada had some representation. Stephanie, Elaine, Ruchel, and I almost cried when the Canadian short (it was a cartoon) showed a map of North America and it labeled Canada as "nothing". So sad!! The funniest moment of this whole night was when the lights came on after 4 shorts and some people walked out. Thank goodness I asked what was going on and imagine our relief when we were told it was the intermission!! What foreigners!!

Saturday: Went to the Lenin Museum. It was free because of Tampere Day weekend. This weekend is a celebration of the city. Museums are normally free and there are various events you can attend. The Lenin museum was interesting...some "details" were left out. Lost in translation or lost in politics?? We then went to Napoli and I have never seen someone as happy as Stephanie when she got her pan pizza and it tasted like home. I thought she was going to cry!!

Sunday: Canadian breakfast. Stephanie and Elaine had Ruchel and I over to make brunch. We made blueberry pancakes, banana stuffed french toast, eggs, and bacon. Quite the treat!! I can't wait to get home and make the french toast for everyone. The rest of my day has been uneventful...I have tried to work on a paper, I talked to Geoff on the phone and cried for awhile, then I spoke with my parents, and now I am here.

All in all, quite the week. Thank goodness it's almost Monday because weekends go by too slowly. I hate time alone because the only book I have to read for "fun" is the one of the few English books at the bookstore, "Angels of Death". It's the inside story of the Hell's Angel. Not exactly light reading!!

Sorry about the super long post...lots to share!! So, as a treat I took a picture of the newest sign up on one of the fridges. You see, people steal food and clothes in the building. As a result, threats are posted routinely on fridge doors. Some include words that I cannot share with you now and some, like this one, are quite reasonable. The author of this took the time to draw each picture. I am not sure if you can make out the writing but essentially he provides the "criminals" three options: Return his food and belongings with no questions asked, or, Face the police and criminal prosecution, or (my favorite) I will turn vigilante. The picture is of a crazy looking cat holding an axe over his head. The writing says "I will hunt you down all the time, and you will wish you never had done the low-life stealing. No rules. No time-outs. Just you and me 'buddy'. Gotta love living in residence!!



I hope this post finds you all well. I still miss home and can't wait to get home, to my life, to work.

Much love!!
Bug

Sähy...pronounced "sahu"

Moi Moi from Finland again!!

I hope this post finds everyone in good spirits. Things over here are going well. My weekend was quiet because I had a lot of studying to do but this week has been quite busy already. So much that I wish it were Friday. I am now with a project called "Experience to Knowledge". It is still part of the big agency I have been with for the past month, Muotialan Asuin. This project is basically public education aimed at informing the public and professionals about mental illness. The twist is that the presenters are clients of the mental health system. This is very similar to various programs in Calgary. Another interesting twist is that involvement in this project is typically considered part of "rehabilitation". Perhaps it is in North America as well, however, in the systems I know this formal link is not identified. Yesterday was spent learning about this project and I met with two participants. Both of these ladies suffer from a mental illness and it was interesting to hear their stories. Unfortunately, I came to realize that this mental health system shares many of the similar problems we face at home. However, I think that within Calgary there is perhaps a greater inclination to using a more multidisciplinary and collaborative approach. Whether this is a result of underlying ideology or necessity, I don't know. Funding for mental health is also very different here...cities fund their own services. Cities even have the right to set their own taxation rates. Furthermore, if you move from one district in the city to another you have to use the doctor that is designated to your new region. Cities seem to have much more control over the health and mental health system here than they do in Canada. Not sure if this is better or not...some of it seems better and some of it seems frustrating. I think several of the differences between here and what I know of Calgary are due to size. There are just over 200,000 people in Tampere while Calgary has just over 1 million. I think population size plays a significant role in the development of services and systems.

Yesterday I played Sähy. This is Finnish floor hockey...essentially the floor hockey we know but with a plastic ball. It was good times...I think I'm a little too aggressive in comparison to the Finns. I managed to score 2 goals within the first few minutes and a total of 4 throughout the game. I went with a new girl I met in my building. Her name is Jasbleydy and she comes from Spain. You can see pictures below.





The other day a bunch of girls and boys in my building decided to make sushi. It was lots of fun and we made way too much sushi!! Here are a few pics of that...nothing too exciting but it was so much fun and it felt really good to spend an evening with nice people.




The colors out here are incredible. I decided to walk around the city today and take pictures of the wonderful colors. I have only seen these colors once before and that was in Ottawa when I was in highschool. Thought I would share them with you all. Oh, Emily, if you're reading my blog, are the trees sick? They all have those black spots. Hope you enjoy the colors as much as I am!!








My thoughts are with you all...much love!! Can't wait to be home!!
Bug

For Nicole

This is for my friend Nicole who asked to know more about food and culture in Finland.

I will start with food. The Finns eat a lot of meat (mostly beef, pork and game), a lot of fish (salmon, halibut, cod, herring), potatoes, rye bread, sausages, and sweet salads. Meatballs are very common here and they can be made out of any meat. Everything typically comes served with some sort of sauce and I find that most times it tastes like either curry or bernaise sauce. Pulla, sweet cinnamon-roll type sweets, are a must after a meal with a cup of coffee. Tea is for wimps! Salted herring is common and unfortunately it is by the far the worst tasting thing I have had in Finland!! Salads normally consist of very finely chopped lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and tomatoe and most Finns add some sort of fruit (usually orange slices, grapes, pineapple, etc.). I have been told that it is because Finnish people don't like salad so they look for an alternative way of eating something they don't like. I opt to leave the fruit out because the dressings are also sweet...salad should not be as sweet as candy!! Cheese is a treat out here because most cheeses come in a lactose-free alternative. They taste quite yummy!! Breakfast is typically rye bread, cheese, cucumber slices, and tomatoe slices made into an open sandwich along with yogurt, muslix, and coffee. I stay away from the sandwiches and stick to my usual Canadian breakfast of cereal, flax seed, milk, and a banana. I know I am boring but eating cucumber so early in the morning seems wrong!! Lunch and dinner is usually a salad, meat/fish, and potatoes. Obviously followed by coffee and pulla.

Restaurants. Well, if you want to stay out of debt then you stay away from restaurants in Finland!! Average cost of a good meal is about 30 Euro...approximately $40 to $45 Canadian. However, in the spirit of trying new things I ventured into a Viking restaurant called Harold. It was quite good and there were lots of wild meat dishes. Some food comes served on a metal shield or slate rock. I haven't gone to any other restaurants due to time and money but I hope to visit some in Helsinki and Turku (the home of Mikka). Kebab and piazza (yes, that is pizza) places are super common but they scare me as most of the food looks very unhealthy. There is Hesburger...the Finnish version of McDonald's and I have been told it's okay. And there are obviously other restuarants such as Italian, Spanish, German, etc. Although they claim to be, for example, Italian, there is always a Finnish twist such as adding extra sauces that the Italians would never use!!

Music. Sadly, the lack of access to the internet has prevented me from learning too much about Finnish music. However, there are many local bands that I hope to check out, that is once I know when and where they will be playing. To my disappointment a lot of American music is heard here...yup, Rianna (I don't know how you spell her name but she sings that stupid umbrella, ella, ella, song) has invaded.

Clothing. I have been told that the reason why I am disappointed in the style out here is because Tampere is considered rural. That means that it is not as fashionable. Helsinki, according to most Finns I have spoken with, is the place to shop. The 80's are still making a comeback with slouchy boots and tights with long sweaters. Mens shoes are pretty incredible out here...I wish I were a man just for this!! I think the real difference between North American style and Finnish style is the way people accessorize. Women always have a scarf of some sort, earrings, sunglasses, etc.

What else?? There is some interesting furniture out here but sadly it would cost too much to ship. I am hoping to buy a few things for our house such as wall hangings and glassware.

Okay, that is my cultural update for now. Must go meet my supervisor.

Much love!!
M

Bunker saunas, outhouses, and lumberjacks

Hello everyone!!
My apologies for not updating sooner but I just returned from “camping” last night. I joined ALMA on their second camping trip of the year. ALMA is the only dual-diagnosis treatment agency in Tampere and one of the few throughout Finland. Clients typically have some sort of mental illness, most commonly depression or schizophrenia, and an addiction, usually to alcohol or drugs. There are about 25 clients and about 5 staff. The clients were quite interesting and everyone was very welcoming and friendly. I will be going to their office tomorrow and they apparently have planned a surprise for me.
We went camping in Kuru, approximately 45 minutes from Tampere. I’m not sure in what direction Kuru is because the Finns do not use north, south, east, and west. The campsite was an old lumberjack camp on a very pleasant lake. There was a bunker sauna outside that apparently has been there since the war. You could walk past the sauna without knowing it because it is mostly underground and covered with moss. It was a wood-burning sauna and it smelled lovely. I went in for about 15 minutes and it was very relaxing. The only slightly unsettling part was changing outside and walking in to find my supervisor naked sitting next to a naked client!! The Finns are not shy!! Thankfully it was only women in there. I am now considering building a small sauna outside in my backyard...Geoff, wouldn’t this be fun!!??
There was a large Kota at the site. This is a large, tipi-like building that houses a bonfire. It was super nice to be in there late at night with a fire going and the Finns singing campfire songs. I know one song was about an elf and a fairy...beyond that I don’t have a clue!! They also roasted makkaraa after the sauna in this building. Yes, sausages are what you must have after the sauna!! Everyone joked that the makkaraa is the Finns’ favorite vegetable!!
We went to Seitseminen National Park. Due to time restrictions I didn’t get to hike but we visited the museum and saw a short film on Finnish heritage scenery. The idea was that they are trying to restore and maintain areas that were used for farming and grazing. It was interesting because most parks aim to restore the area to a natural state before man destroyed it, however, this park aims to do both.
What else?? The staff were all very interesting. There were two women and two men. One of the male supervisors is former military and he certainly made camping lively. He showed up in full camouflage and he had a very sturdy voice. His English isn’t very good so unfortunately we only had superficial conversation, however, I found out that after 4 years with the UN he opted to become a psychiatric nurse. Why?? Not sure. The other staff spoke English fairly well and Hanna, one of the female supervisors, played translator and I was very grateful!!
Well, I am almost at week 4. Thank goodness because this has been tough. I miss home desperately and most mornings I wake up thinking that I will catch a cab to the airport and go home. However, I know this is not possible. I am enjoying my practicum and Tampere is quite beautiful but I have come to realize that there really is no place like home. I will continue to make the most of my time here but I also cannot wait to be home.
The pictures I have included are of the camping trip and Stephanie’s birthday two weekends ago. For Steph’s birthday she decided on “Little black dress night” and this involved dressing up and going for burgers and then dancing. I paid 10,95EURO for one burger and fries. Crazy!! Thank goodness it was tasty or else I think I would have cried. The two guys in the pictures are Pato and Olly. They are the only two Finnish people we know and can hang-out with...it’s not easy to meet Finns because we all live in student housing and most students are exchange students. A little disappointing but I am meeting people from all over the world...not bad at all!!
Okay, I hope this post finds everyone doing well. My thoughts are always with you. Please keep in touch...either e-mail me, comment on my blog, post on Facebook, or give me a call (011 358 468 483 373). I would love to hear how things are going back home.
Much love!!
M

Introducing Tampere!

A little about the pictures...

The pictures of all the big, beautiful buildings were taken in the centre of town, Keskustori. It is where everyone meets, catches buses, shops, and has coffee. Apparently they light the whole thing in November for the Christmas season and it is supposed to be incredible. I will definitely share those pictures with you.

The group picture is of me, Elaine, Kritee, and Stephanie. They all go to Carleton but the two girls are from Ottawa and Kritee is from Toronto...Scarborough to be exact. They are all in my tutor group but they are all completing their bachelor degrees. Yes, I feel old!!

The picture of the green statue is taken on the bridge past Keskustori. This bridge takes you to the other side of town. The statue is a The Hunter. I still haven't figured out why he is important but that is how he is referenced in various books I have read.

Hope you enjoy the pictures!!

Love always,
Bug

Kipis (Cheers in Finnish)

Hello everyone!!

I have made it through week 3!! YEAH!! What can I report?? My practicum has been going well and I am off on a three day camping trip on Monday. It is with an agency that is very similar to AADAC. It is a three-day social skills camp for alcoholics in treatment. This includes a lot of time in the sauna, a 20KM hike, and many other activities. I think I will try the sauna and then head for a swim in the lake. It's supposed to help improve circulation to your extremities. I think this will be useful during the winter!!

I was part of a small demonstration today. Several people from the building I am living in, Lapinkaari, organized to protest TOAS' (the student housing agency) negligence in giving us internet access. The university has all of their information on-line (yup, paper copies of information are outdated and non-existant for the most part), we have to (there is no other option) pay our rent via internet banking with Nordea bank, and we have to register for courses via the net. Beyond this, we are all away from home and don't really have the option to call when we want. Many people were relying on Skype. So, as you can see, the internet is important. Beyond this, the wireless network is up and running and all we need are our passwords. We demanded to know when we could have access and we informed the TOAS worker that we would not leave until we had a definitive answer. She called the network technician, a student at the university, and spoke in Finnish. Then she informed us to come back the following Friday. Our protest didn't get the results we were hoping to get. So, we will organize a larger group of next Friday and head down to the TOAS office again. This time, we will bring a Finnish person in order to know what is being said!! This is truly frustrating!

I hope everyone is doing well. I miss home. I even miss the long drive to and from work!! Oh, strangely enough, I miss being able to relax on a couch. I have thoughts of heading to the nearest hotel just to sit on a couch a read a book for a few minutes!! Perhaps I am starting to lose my mind!!

I will be posting pictures today so please check back soon. My thoughts are with you all. I can't wait to see everyone. Finland is good but home is better.

Much love,
M

Minä rakastan sihua = I love you

My apologies for not blogging on a more regular basis. I have been informed that I will be receiving my wireless Internet passwords tomorrow, which means that I will have Internet access from my very own room!! This is a big deal for me because I have had to take a bus to the university every morning to use the wireless there. I have come to realize how much I depend on technology!! How sad!!

Anyhow, I am now settling into Tampere. It has been a rough road but I guess it could have been worse. I now have my own room and even though it is small I know it is mine and it feels good. It is the one space I have to relax without people looking at me. Sometimes I feel like I have a big sign over my head that reads “Foreigner”.

I was informed today that the reason Finns do not say I love you is because it is too long and awkward to say. I think I have to agree with them!! I was also informed that this is also the reason why Finns are considered to be cold. Apparently, words that indicate warm feelings are quite long so it is easier to substitute words and use phrases like “You are dear to me”. Kinda loses something, doesn’t it??

My practicum is going well. I am at Iideshovi. It is an agency that provides services to adults with mental illness. They have a supported living program that houses 16 people. They provide a safe environment for socializing and they have activities that include Nordic walking, painting, games, and outings such as trips to Stockholm. The staff are incredibly friendly and they have welcomed me more than I imagined they would. I have learned plenty speaking with various clients. Here are some things I have learned:

1. Funding for social services mostly comes from the city. There can be great variation between services in one city to another city as programs are developed to meet the need of each specific location.
2. People attempting to re-enter the workforce or switch jobs can apply for a specific type of funding that will allow them to intern at a company. The company does not pay them but if the person is able to prove their skills the company can then opt to hire them. This program is frequently used by youth that have just finished high school and are unsure of what career to pursue.
3. One of the biggest mental health agencies in Finland is located right here in Tampere. They have over 1000 members...pretty large for a city of just over 200 000.
4. There is a strong push towards privatization. The reasoning behind this is to reduce duplication of services.

There are many other things I have learned about what is going on in the field of social services in Tampere and in parts of Finland...however, they probably only interest me!!

Here are some Finnish words that I have learned:

Hyvä = Good; it is pronounced huva

Moro = Hello; this form of hello is commonly only used in Tampere. Using it in Helsinki would indicate that you are a “hillbilly”.

Hei = Hello; pronounced “hey”; this is typically used throughout Finland

Moi = Yet another form of hello

Hyää paivän jatkoa = Have a nice day; I have forgotten how it is pronounced!!

Well, that is all for now. I send my love to everyone...you are all in my thoughts!! Please keep in touch as I am always thinking about what everyone is up to and how everyone is doing.

Moi!!