Stranger in Helsinki

Afriend of mine was uprooted from India and had to travel to Helsinki, for acouple of years, along with her husband, way back in 2004. She would write longdelicious emails of her experiences there as she tussled and tackled her alienyet fascinating world. The interesting facets of her journey would be moreenticing as they unfold in the first person narrative. Hence, I am puttingacross her narrative in the first person.It's difficult to express what we feel now, especially after the passage of the initial dazed, confusing phase and a slight euphoria. Our flight from India to Zurich was mostly uneventful, except the slight anxiety of being allotted different seats in a full flight. We managed to stick together by exchanging seats with an extremely kind gentle man. (As Indians we are not exposed to these small yet delightful acts of kindness. In one of our flights within India, we were travelling for our honeymoon. The elderly gentle man refused to part from his allotted seat. Throughout the journey, he took sadistic pleasure in planting himself right in the middle of both of us). We slept through the journey, mostly. We had to take a connecting flight at Zurich for Helsinki. Zurich in Switzerland is a small place with an extremely well maintained airport. From information booths, helpers, clean and polished bathrooms, etc, transporter vehicles, to an underground metro connecting our disembarkation station airport to our departure station airport- they all dwarfed out our international airport in infinite ways. (My friend had written this at a time when betel stained seats adored our airports and Terminal 3 was an alien concept for India). We lamented these differences and pondered about what sorry signals our stained carpets, unclean rest rooms, slag personnel’ sent out to visiting foreigners. We could not see much of the famous Swiss landscape from inside of the airport but we did catch a glimpse of the Alps. As the plane approached Helsinki, my 5-year-old daughter and I saw long stretches and patches of white and grey. I pointed out the miles and miles of what I presumed to be snow to an elated Savy (My friend’s daughter). My husband laughed at me saying my enthusiasm is playing tricks with my eyes. It can't be snow, just water looking hazy from such heights. It was only when the airhostess asked us about our air view of the sea of snow in Finland, that he conceded, wide-eyed and happily. In fact, all three of us were wide-eyed. It was hard to contain my daughter from running right out and touching the pearly snow all around once we had landed. Outside it felt like being inside a fridge. Our noses resembled a clowns red stub after being outdoors. Now, we are getting used to the cold and the first signal of this was when I saw the thermometer (hung right outside our little kitchen window) and Savy remarked that the weather is good today, just -5 degrees. In the mornings, the temperature is mostly -10 now. Towards the afternoon, it gets better. The worst phases of winter is said to be over. Those are the times when the mornings are dark and the sun is seen for a few hours only. We didn't get to see that part and hope we'll be back before the next winter. We are yet to concede to the fact that Helsinki summer has arrived. Huh!From our living roomwindow (over-looking a park), the amazing sights of parents and children rollinghappily in the snow even during the evening hours often confront us. UnlikeDelhi’s pet dogs in winter, the pet dogs here are more weathered. We basedthese assumptions on our observation that the owners here do not attire theirdogs in clothing. There will be a summer vacation of about 2 months from 15June. People try to spend their time enjoying the short summer. I’m veryhappy about one thing; Avi will be home every day from office around 5-6pm. Theyliterally push people out of office after 6pm. Poor Avi, his work alcoholic daysare numbered. Over here, children go to playschool until the age of six. Savy isvery happy with her playschool environment, with no homework and negligiblestudies. Really, do we Indians put too much of pressure on our kidsacademically? I do not know what the pro and con of this is. Old habits die hardand being an Indian parent I make sure I keep myself up dated with the Indiansyllabus according to Savy’s class, and try to teach her at home accordingto that. Savy feels exotic with her new name at school (given by the children):black-haired girl. She loves the school pet zoo, which has eclectic and peculiarmix of animals like lizard, beetle, starfish, chameleon etc. We have to get usedto one more peculiarity- wishing each other a goodnight’s sleep while thesun still smiles down at us. The land of the Mid-night sun did not fail toastound us. Our living quarter here is located in a posh locality(going by the local people's version). Both of us were a little uncomfortableabout the small size in the beginning. Now we are well settled and quitecomfortable in this house. The house is very well furnished with every singlearticle one can conceive of in just the right place. The living room is veryspacious. The wardrobes are more than enough for us. The kitchen, bathroom andbedroom almost resemble a dollhouse. Having graduated from the initial crampedfeeling, we now classify them as cute, convenient and cozy. At least I do nothave to waste time cleaning up. There is a dishwasher and microwave oven andeverything is well provided for in the kitchen. We are learning a few lessons inspace management and how people save time here. There is a four-plated hotplate, an adorable small fridge (my initiation to mini fridge, less than half mysize), there is an enclosed bath area and Savy thinks it is for Barbie girls. Oflate, we discovered after the initial ranting and raving that the washingmachine can actually house much more two clothes. We had been feeding the outerrims of the machine, until we stumbled on the right way to open it. More everour clothes came out as if they have just been at a battle. Thank God, Idiscovered it within 2 days of our arrival. Machines and machineries can becrafty at times. However, the cloths cannot be dried on the cloth liner outsidein the balcony of course, unless if we want them crispy and cold as ice in themorning. Ahh! Then I found out where the dryer of the washing machine was. Apartfrom these small inconveniences if it can be called so, everything else is haleand hearty in the house. I especially like the small cot and study table thatSavy has for herself here. Quite a few good books have kept me thoroughlyoccupied as of now. I do not miss not seeing Indian TV programs. I keeprummaging around the shelves and drawers discovering new things useful likeneedle and thread box and some whose use I am yet to discover. Sometimes Savywatches the Finnish cartoons that come at 5 PM and now Avi has started gettingthe laptop home, where she can watch her DVDs. With no distractions like TV, sheis developing the habit of eating on her own just by watching outside thewindow. She is quite happy and very occasionally misses her cartoons. We arecharmed by the grand architecture, and sculptures of this place. Savy however isquiet intrigued by most of the sculptures. She does not understand why in a coldcountry like Helsinki, the statues are not at all dressed. Helsinki is a quietand quintessential European town lined by a lovely bay line. While living here Irealize what space management actually is all about and how little is actuallyrequired to live.There is a tram, bus and taxi stand just in frontof our house. Commuting is not going to be a problem. Avi’s office ishardly 10 min by tram from home. We have worked out that he will leave Savy atschool in the morning at 8 AM and I'll collect her at 12 Noon. There is anoption of opting for full day until 5 PM, which we might take up after Savy getsused to this place. We will be getting a car soon and then we can start going onlittle adventures in this place. One thing people have warned us about is goingfor a walk or skiing along a long snow stretch. With lakes and sea frozen fromabove it’s difficult to know where the ice is not thick. Many people losttheir lives when they were not careful about fragile ice points. Wearing heelsand walking on the street’s (though cobbled) is a trick affair. I haveskidded and fallen twice. Uff! We feel like over burdened mules with all theclothing we have to wear while venturing out on the street. People are verycourteous and smile a lot. I have been taking to Savy to school for a week nowbut haven’t seen any Asian faces in the tram. Meeting friends, seeingfamiliar faces is one thing I miss. I am sure with time, we will like this placebetter we have developed a circle of friends.