Busy being back

Spending and afternoon in a cafeteria writing is so inspiring..

So what has happened or what have we done since returning from Europe (okay yes I know, we live in Europe..)? And everyone's favorite: what's gonna happen now? I'm sorry not to have a short answer for that since there is always a lot happening in our lives. Sorry for all the phone and instagram pictures.. I'll try to do better next time! 

Us on our way to St. Petersburg. Me holding my passport upside down..

During the time in Europe we had a lot of time to think and talk. And one day I had been really loosing my hope about my future. I had been studying for a test to get into a university but small hope was I holding since there was over 700 applicants and they were gonna take in 20. I knew I wasn't gonna get in and didn't just want to have another gap year, I wanted something to do since Arno was told to serve the Army for 6-12 months from the beginning of July. I had made a plan B (and C, D, E, F, G...) for what to do if studying wasn't gonna be an option. And believe me I was making my peace with it. But as I walked back to my apartment that bloody Monday at 2 o'clock in the middle of the night - after being away for two weeks, so ready for bed – I noticed something on my table. An envelope. And that just changed everything.

I had totally forgotten that I had applied to Helsinki Design school for the filming program – never have consider myself to be good in filming, more like okay, so I didn't believe I had any chances. And there it was, this fat envelope, my acceptance letter. I was just standing there a little shocked and trying to figure it out. Arno on the other side was hugging me like crazy, congratulating and asking why am I not happier. That night I didn't sleep. Not even as I was supposed to wake up at 6 am for work. I was just rolling around and trying to figure out what it all meant. Staying in Finland, travelling less, studying and working more – and the money. Film school isn't free... But everything has a way to turn alright so this Autumn I am going to start my studies in Helsinki Design school!

What about my other half? His dad called him when we were still travelling and asked to travel with him to Dubai. So yeah. That's where he left 5 days after that epic Monday night. I - of course – wasn't sour or jealous at all. Just so happy to be back in the rainy and cold Finland, working from 8 to 4... He will tell you every fun detail and show all the amazing pictures later...

BUT! I was performing on this culture festival (and it was raining) and in between the gigs got to visit the national radio station. Just to be clear I wasn't there to speak but to just follow how they were recording a program, drinking coffee and just chilling. Had so much fun! And almost got late for the next show, heh.

I have also enjoyed couple of girls' nights. With my roommates, eating, playing Trivial Pursuit and hanging out on our balcony through the night. Me and Veronika (my roommate and best friend) visited also Särkänniemi – an amusement park in a city few ours away. We didn't spend there more than few hours since both of us got a little sick from all the swinging and twisting. Veronika has a theory that we are too old for such things now. My theory is that we just got sick because we ate our empty stomachs full of licorice that they sold right next to the gates and we were both super hungry.. On the way home stopped to see my sweet grandparents. Then we had to rush home to pick up this Arno person from the airport. I had made this sign that said ”Welcome back my love” and it totally made it clear that I had not missed him one bit. Veronika was embarrassed to stand near me. I found out that if I would ever be single again going to the airport with that kind of sign would be the best way to get some company. Arno was like the 8^th guy that was going to tag along. A lot of people were pointing at me and smiling. One random British guy ran to me like ”oh my sweetheart, finally!”

But yeshh.. As said my dear boyfriend was kind of stolen from me, not by choice but by the Finnish army. No he is not in the war. In Finland all the guys around 18-25 years are required to attend the army or alternative civilian service if not released due a sickness or such. And he needs to go to the army for at least half a year in order to become a pilot. So there he is. Stuck in the closed soldier areas, not allowed to have cellphone around. We will write posts about this new army life of ours later and explain it all better, telling how it actually feels like. But as I have been far from our usual active and tight relationship life I figured out I should hang out with other friends too. So I have spent time with Linda – you may remember her from the Linda and Lilli videos on my channel – my ”almost a sister -person” and her horse Lilli. And as Linda left on a holiday I've been riding Lilli after work and it has been so super fun just being back on a horse back. Best therapy! I also have had girls' nights with other people than my roomies! Spending nights with my longtime friends, two of them are in the same army wife situation too. I've seen my relatives, even from America! Spent a lot of time with my brother shopping for stuff and eating out (I got a longboard!) Tomorrow we will have a huge BBQ night at Veronika's parents house on the country side. On Saturday I will meet up with my friend from high school and catch up about all the wedding prep they are having. Also I have made time for myself to do some painting, reading, cleaning my closets, color my hair and of course work work work work work.

Yesterday we had quite an extempore meet up with my Thai friend from the time we both lived in America. That was so much fun! While sitting down for lunch at work I saw that she posted on Facebook that she had a long stopover in Helsinki on her way to Germany and I told her to hit me up! So we ended up meeting that night in a pizzeria, walked around the city, talked with some random people, went to have drinks in a tower bar in the middle of the city so she could see the whole Helsinki in short time. It was so random and weird to see her since it has been over a year we sat in the same classroom and traveled together to Washington DC fort the weekend! And we had so much to talk about that the 1,5 hours we had to spear wasn't enough at all. It was so so so nice to see someone who had shared the same kind of lifestyle in America that people here don't really get or even care to hear about if you tell them. It was non stop talking, laughing and catching up. I came straight from my relatives and had also few rhubarbs in my bag so I probably looked like a retard carrying my plants around the city!

And hey not to forgot the last weekend before Arno's military service we bought extempore cruise tickets very cheap to Saint Petersburg in Russia and had an awesome weekend. Post about that coming up too! Also not to run out of travelling stories (like we could even keep up with the once we have collected) I am travelling to Spain and Andorra with my family this Sunday. So the busy craziness keeps going around in here. It won't be quiet on the blog side. Hope I will get enough time to actually write the posts! But hey, I will get in between the sheets when I'm done packing for our summerhouse sleepover here so see ya soon folks!

Xoxo,
Linnea