in our beautiful hometown area in the Hudson River Valley, New York, USA
missing my husband and pups back home…
scroll down to see pictures from my journey:
an afternoon chat with a local Sami artist. Sami are the indigenous people of Northern Lapland. This conversation took place in Inari, far above the arctic circle…
Below is one of the most beautiful parts of the Tampere. I actually walked over the bridge that separates my apartment from the rest of the city at least twenty times, before I noticed them. All along the bottom of the suspension line are locks affixed by lovers, one can only guess:
yThe view from the end of the pier, looking back at my apartment:ht
Some pictures from around town:
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Lovin a little Indy in the bathroom…
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One hundred years ago the Stable Yards in Tampere were part of the Finlayson factory community. Restored to its original 1880´s appearance, it was a charming background for the craft fair I visited.
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some other sites on my way home:
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Was surprised as I went to have coffee this morning with my friend, Amanda, by a comic book convention happening at Panimoravintola Plevna. These are just a few of the costumed attendees. They actually make their own costumes. As one girl put it, “the only thing I didn’t sew myself are my tights and my boots.” Not surprising since they teach sewing in school. Interesting.
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Then later met this family. Amazing:
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The best cup of coffee in Helsinki:
Here are some snapshots from Stockholm, Sweden, where I went exploring with some fellow Fulbrighters this past week:
since I have been so horrible at posting pictures lately and Bonnie was here taking so many…you can visit this post of her’s and see some shots of our week together!
Spent a few days in St. Petersburg, Russia. замечательный!
an educator's re-education 
I’m so excited to follow your journey… a little jealous actually. I spent my junior year of high school living in Turku, Finland as an exchange student. Currently I am a proud public school teacher in an urban east-coast classroom.
Can’t wait to see more pics.
thanks! It is terribly exciting for me. I haven’t made it out to Turku yet, but plan to. There are tons of opportunities to do educational research travel if you are interested…I just did a google search one day some time back and now here I am! Thanks for reading and all best to you and your students 🙂
I’m getting a feel for the place. We are not in Kansas or Nyack, or NYC or New Paltz… etc etc… and that’s a good thing. Tuvia is so happy to be back in the Finland loop.
I am home, really home. One year since my friend Eileen died. Sun is shining. More snow coming tonight and tomorrow.. Crazy…
So glad you are loving your Finn adventure.
I am happy to hear that you are where you are – in as many ways as that might be interpreted. Here’s a story I heard about the Finns and the Hungarians during my first visit to Budapest.
Historically, there has been a linguistic and ethnic affinity between these two folks that goes back thousands of years. Apparently, at that time the two peoples were one, originating in and migrating from the southern Ural Mountains. They traveled across this rugged terrain until they came to the land that is now known as Hungary. When they arrived they found a large sign posted on a very old tree standing alone in the center of a large grassy plain. The sign read, “Your homeland lies to the north.” Those among them who could read turned northward and became the Finnish people. Those who remain became the Hungarians.
This story was told to me by Hungarians who then added an interesting twist. They said that their friends in the north tell the same story but reverse the ending so that it was the Hungarians who were literate. 🙂
that is a good one…
Hope you guys are well and I already can’t wait to tell you all about my adventures when i see you. xoxo