And so the leaves fall from trees

Helloooooooo people!

Fall is finally arriving to Kansas, and I'm really enjoying this weather. Today was actually one of the best days here - weatherwise. I just had to spill my coffee all over at the cantine, but luckily no one was hurt and I didn't get sued to court ;)

I'm sorry for not updating the blog lately, but I have been too busy with school assignments and preparing my application for Leiden University. These new plans sure are stressing the hell out of me, but I guess it's just a good test for me to see if I'm really ready for another change or not. I just uploaded my motivation letter and next I have to work on my CV. I have done enough CVs for my studies in Finland, but apparently they all are home in Finland, oh well. Tough luck.

Lucky me, I ended up getting approval from both of my parents with this decision, yet I'm old enough to make my own choices in my life. But I guess it's easier if you get someone else telling you that actually the idea is pretty good.

If I'm honest I don't even have any interest in writing this blog anymore, as apparently I never do anything else than sleep/eat/study. So maybe now I will start updating it less regularly, maybe never again. So if you want more frequent updates of my life, email me. Everyone anyway has my email, from those who bother to read this blog. :P

Plans for year 2012

Yep, now I'm making it public. I'm planning to leave my business studies after next spring and apply for an university (this time a real one) in The Netherlands and study something what I like and what I am interested in.

I also know that this will give lots of shit on me, but if I'm honest, I couldn't care less. (Well actually I do care but I'm trying to do things for myself and not for others, that's one damn good advice for everyone.)

I don't want to continue doing something I hate, for any longer than I have to. I have already planned how I'm going to study next spring, and how I'm going to prepare myself for the new university and new studies, so I'm not going to change my mind anymore.

So basically - hopefully next year this time I will be happily sleeping in The Hague or in Leiden, waiting forward for my lectures the following day.

Check this out -> http://hum.leiden.edu/internationalstudies/

Facts:
- Founded in 1575, so that makes it the oldest university in Holland
- 18,026 students
- Leiden University is 91st in the 250 worldwide universities with the most publications for the period 2004-2009.
- Academic Ranking of World Universities: 70 in the 500 world wide universities
- And I think somewhere it said that the faculty of Humanities was 1st in European rankings.

Anyone has anything positive to say about this? Let me know so I don't have to be alone with this thing.

Ruisleipää!

Over a week from my previous post, sorry about that. I have had two mid term exams this week so I have been studying to them (well actually I wasn't :) ).

Last week was as boring as always, nothing new happening under the sun. Just waiting for the fall break, thank you for extra two holidays -> only two days of school next week. On Saturday I went to a Nordic Heritage festival with Vanessa, and it was a nice tiny festival of Nordic cultures. Finland had it's own stand along with Marimekko, Lapin Kulta, Koff and Juhla Mokka products (Every Finn knows what these are!).

Today I also found a store were I was able to buy SWEDISH crispbread (näkkileipä) and rye bread (ruisleipä). I'm more than happy about those. Now I just gotta visit the store which is selling Finnish candies, then my holiday will be blessed.

I just returned from jogging, and now I will lay in bed and watch Sons of Anarchy. No homework for tomorrow, could I be any happier?

Oh and I still hate Lawrence. I can't get to Kansas City with a train, or I can but it leaves from Lawrence at 5:45 in the morning. That doesn't make any sense at all. + if I want to return with a train, only train from Kansas City to Lawrence leaves after 10 in the night. Again makes no sense. I can get there with a bus, but then I have to stay there for a night because there is no buses returning the same day. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY!?! You sure are damn helpless without a car and that sure pisses me off. In Finland, or Europe in general, you can get anywhere with a train or a bus, but here it's almost impossible to get anywhere at all.

Song for today:

+200 napkins

Yes, I have taken part in the flu epidemic going on the campus, since Thursday I have sounded like a duck an blown my nose over 200 times. 3 empty napkin packs and now a roll of toilet paper relieving my agony. Funny thing is, here it feels that flu sure feels horrible - I have never had anything like this in Finland or in Belgium.

Week has been full of school and assignments, more and more group works are ahead. Two months and three weeks to go, time is flying pretty fast I'd say.

Many things I miss:
-My family
-Mark
-My friends
-My cat
-My mongol idiots
-Finland and the people who are silent and look always angry
-Europe, the cultural variety and good food
-My apartment
-Autumn, rain, snow
-Loneliness

How's the homesickness coming now and not earlier? I wonder.

Here's a great song for today, this is how I feel right now.

A bit moody, huh?

So tired!!

Yup yup, again another regular week here in Kansas. Nothing special have happened, just that last week our tower got evacuated because someone had triggered the fire alarm. I got a picture of a green fire department vehicle in my phone, but apparently it looks like I have thrown away the USB cable along with the package of the phone, over a month ago, so you will never see the picture!! MUAHAHA.

I have been sleeping badly, and sometimes good, but still I am so damn tired all the time. I want to get home and sleep in my own bed :( Really hard to motivate myself to like studying here - it sucks everywhere but here it sure sucks big time.

This post is a bit lame this week but like I said earlier, nothing has been happening, I haven't been anywhere or taken any pictures, so meh. Boring. BORING. 3 months to go and them I'm OFF.

These (zebra) shoes are made for walking!!

A week has gone again, and it has been boring! I have figured with myself that the best ways to spend your time in Lawrence is either lay in your bed and watch TV with your roommate, or go shopping. I have been really active on both of these activities.

Nothing interesting have happened this week, except that Thursday night there was a rumor going on about a guy on campus with a gun. No one knows how accurate this rumor was, but I was happy that I had no classes on Friday.

Friday I was supposed to go shopping, but as the busses here are always late, my bus came five minutes too late - in the meanwhile the pouring rain got me all wet, so I had to go back home and just get myself dry. I have never been in a rain like that, everything got wet, even my underwear. All in all, no shopping for me in Friday - so that resulted into another boring Friday evening, as I had finished my book the day earlier. "Storage Wars" is still way too funny TV show to watch.

Saturday, I got to do some shopping finally. Famous Footwear had an offer to buy two pairs and get another pair free, so my Converses ended up being only 20 dollars. Pretty nice deal, as in Finland you pay 60€/pair or even more, if you are unlucky. When I was waiting for bus, I got asked out. Apparently here men think that it's a good way to start a conversation, when the other part is not even seeing you. In the evening we went Downtown, and figured out that Lawrence sure is hell of a boring town. We went through almost every bar and club in town and none of them were too entertaining. Yet alcohol is cheap; Gintonic for 3 dollars. No hangover today, thank God. Kobe hamburger was nice, but I bet I wasn't as happy as those cows who spend their life being drunk.

Labor day, another silent day

Been not-so-busy week, not much to do with school - or does it mean that I'm actually getting used to it and adjusting myself to the workload? I guess that only way is to get to the top, and feels like I'm on the right track. During this week I have received a letter from Mark, and two books I ordered from Amazon... one for a class, and one for my personal interest; Under and Alone, by William Queen. I recommend!

Nothing special have happened this week, yet I have had lots of time to go around and buy stuff (as in do shopping again!) and finally visit the gym. So I'll just make sort of a list for what I have done. ( By the way, I booked my flight to Amsterdam today!!!!)

Monday to Thursday, just spent my time in classes and did my homework well. Thursday afternoon after classes I was about to mail a letter to Mark to Holland, but apparently FedEx would have been way too expensive to do it (50 dollars/ 35 euros), I had to postpone it. I ended up in Kohl's, which is a clothing store. I'd say they have the best underwear ever and a nice collection of bags ( !!!! ) and jewelry ( !!!! ). I love that store, just like I love Old Navy.

Friday, I went to downtown to mail the letter to Mark - apparently I saved 20 euros by finding the post office. Was good to try! Also went to eat in Zen Zero, later in this post there is a picture of my meal. Bought a lovely bag and a shirt from Buckle, and got the best customer service in one shoe store at Mass street. This never happens in Finland: You go in the store, check out few models with the seller guy, and then sit down and the guy comes to you with shoes, puts them on your feet and even ties the laces for you. Apparently I found the best shoes ever, for jogging, and actually they weren't that expensive even: 114 dollars.

Saturday I finally visited the gym as I had nothing else to do and I wanted to try out my new shoes. I figured out how awesome place it is - I will definitely go there more often. I went bowling with my friend, as well. Also today on Sunday I went jogging in the evening, and saw some orange lights flying across the campus. Maybe I'm getting crazy, or I saw UFOs, or transformers or something, because I'm pretty sure they weren't airplanes either...

Optimus Prime, I'm waiting to see you!

And few pictures follow:

Cherries from Walmart! Yummy!

"Drunken noodles" with chicken at ZenZero, was so good!

And today I tried to be fancy and make toasts... well, they burned.

Moi

Tämmönen päivä oli maanantaina 29.8.2011.

Another day in a coma

First week of classes is behind and damn I have been exhausted. For this one week we have had more homework to read than during one semester in Finland - why the difference is so huge and really hard to adjust to? (I feel like I have became a geek - roomies are out partying and I stay at home, first studying and then watching Transformers 3 with myself, at Saturday evening)

Weekends are really boring somehow, we just lay in our beds in a coma and watch television, mindless series like Jersey Shore (Yes, I am ashamed).

During this week there has been several parties going on, for example Rock-A-Hawk which actually was a bit of a disappointment. Not too many people and not really a "party atmosphere" going on, but oh well.

Saturday we visited Old Navy, a clothing store, and we sure spent lots of money there, but yet got many items, so it wasn't an expensive store at all. Might have to go there again, and again. Yet I can't wait to get to Kansas City and see the bigger shopping malls and better stores. Macy's even!

Tomorrow is the first day to visit the gym, I can't wait!

Now few pictures to cheer up your day (not) :)

Jelly beans! 40 different flavors, even popcorn..

Why is my foot so tanned, but I'm still pretty pale everywhere else?

Still empty classroom, Consumer behavior.

ATM gave me only 20 dollar bills, and apparently I needed 100 of them...

Randomness is always a nice thing to have!

Just random pictures today.

My bed! (yes I really hate these text going on the left side)

Pictures from Rock Chalk Block Party with around 2500 people.

Blurry Maria doing some bowling at Kansas Union.

Mad Greeks and free lifts

Finally living in the new apartment, which is great! Pictures will follow when ever we get ready with the furnishing, as the living room is still pretty empty. Lawrence is still damn hot and humid - makes me miss Finland, makes me miss snow and cold wind!

This week the orientation ended, and I was finally able to enroll on my courses. Three books cost $300 in total, and I was ready to faint when I saw the prices of them. Health checks are done, yet I had to return to the health center for another blood sample, as the nurses somehow failed with my test.

In the biggest auditorium at Budig Hall, it takes few thousand people in it. Listening one of these billions of lectures or information sessions about the university. They were interesting, at least some of them, but like I mentioned in previous post, I am already waiting for the classes to start!


"You at KU"




Today, Thursday I visited downtown with my two friends. We went to have dinner in a mediterranean restaurant called Mad Greek. Food is always so good there, I always enjoy visiting it. It really gives the Greek feeling! Also ice cream from a place which I can't remember by name, was great. Medium size ice cream was actually really big - how big is the biggest one then?! We weren't able to find a bus stop, so a nice couple, on their 30s gave us a lift, which was really appreciated. We had to pack in the back of their tiny and crappy car and give instructions to the guy driving. He forgot his coke on the roof of the car, but it was a miracle that it fell long time after we had been driving - no matter if we drove up a big hill or anything!

The nurse draw a bunny for me after my second blood sample :)

Pictures from Lawrence, on a nice sunny day (most of the days are nice and sunny).

Saloon Jackpot?! We just need to find our revolvers and see the wild wild west.

Yellow flowers, not so special, but I still like them.


More stories will follow when they occur, stay tuned!

Yes, I am really orientated already

Been really busy for the past few days, as we have had our orientation week going on. It sill is, until next Tuesday, when I finally get to move to my permanent apartment!

During this week, we have met new people, we have had lots of information regarding the studies and the life in general here in Kansas + I had the AEC english test today, which was ridiculously easy. I think that the evaluation should start right when the people get in the room where the test is held - as some people really had problems understanding the instructions of the proctors. "Sit only where is a brown paper ready for you" - and how many didn't understand that...?

I have made a new friend, Rouzanna, who's from Cyprus but who actually studies in Strasbourg, France. She's really much fun and I am sure we will spend time together also after the orientation.

I wish that the orientation would soon be over and I could get to study already, because I want the time to go faster instead of having something "silly" to play with other international students. But soon, soon... :)

KU Campus tour

These pictures are also published in my Facebook, so please don't mind if sometimes this is sort of repeating "old" things for you - some of my followers just don't have Facebook access, so this is why I post same things here as well. Here in more detail, of course! Pictures taken today have been taken during our walk to the Union and to the Lippincott Hall. For once the weather wasn't too hot to spend some time outside in the sun (actually it was cloudy). The Market at Union also got a big PLUS from us for the salad buffet - I think I found my favorite so far.

This was actually taken when we got to KU from the airport - yet it looks like it's taken in Finland, right?

 

Also another picture taken from the way to KU from the airport - first road toll seen in real life.

 

Overview of the campus taken from McCollum Hall.

 

Why it's yellow instead of red?!

 

Jayhawk Tower A, this is where I will stay at.

 

One of the many fraternity halls around the campus.

 

Was this Snow Hall? I don't remember anymore!

 

Budig Hall (almost like pudding, yes).

Strong Hall.

One of the libraries.

Lippincott hall.

 

Little Jayhawk mascot at the Union.

Rain, rain

Storm arising at Lawrence, yet it never really stormed. The clouds just looked really scary, especially on the northern side of the building.

 

Giant chocolate chip cookie from Jimmy John's.

 

And their sandwiches sure had filling, I recommend! http://www.jimmyjohns.com/

First day - settled, or am I?

First full day in Kansas is soon turning into evening as it's already 5:46PM here (when there on the other side of the world it's night time already).

Still being pretty exhausted for traveling for 17 hours in one day, but so far so good - seems like it might even be worth of all that effort. All our flights were on time and were good in general - even the 9 hours flight over the Atlantic didn't feel so long, as we had our own individual screens to watch movies and play games with. First flight from Helsinki to Stockholm felt a bit funny - we just had enough time to take off and land, as it only took for one hour. We expected to get into an interview at Chicago airport but the officials barely asked anything - just took pictures of our face and fingerprints + checked the Customs documents, yet didn't touch our luggage at all. We weren't sure if our bags were in the plane leaving to Kansas, but luckily they were. One thing which made it easy to realize that we're in USA were the three McDonald's we saw at Chicago airport - how many there are in total? We saw only two terminals really quick, I bet there are around ten of those restaurants in total. A country where everything has to be big, and where you have everything.... One is not enough, neither is ten.

Arrival to Kansas University was easy and simple - we had the driver waiting for us at the airport and he took us to the front door of our residence hall. 85 dollars for such service isn't too much in my opinion, for a car that is, not for a person. Landscape was.. somehow very Finnish in my opinion. (pictures will follow later on, today I am too lazy!) The McCollum Hall then - the residence hall where we are staying now until the end of the orientation was a bit shocking - not too fancy or renovated - but I am happy this is only temporary for me.

Today we also visited Wal-Mart where I bought things for my future apartment etc, and if you want to see how it looks like in that store, please visit... http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/photos  ;)

As I mentioned earlier, pictures follow later!

Last day in Finland

Packing, packing and packing. Tomorrow at this time I will be flying somewhere above the Atlantic sea! (GMT +2 around 1PM)

In a way it feels good to go to USA, but in a way I keep wondering if it was the best decision when I applied there,  being only half serious. I guess you never know what the future will bring.

So I decided to keep a small blog as I had people asking for it, I hope you enjoy the trip with me and I will try to be active and update the blog, if not daily, then few times a week. :)