Mate..

I just threw in a "mate" when I asked one of our volunteers (I'm recognized as a member of staff) how he's doing, just to see how it felt.. Man, dit it feel wrong? :D
But the volunteer didn't seem to mind, so it's prolly just my head.

Wow.. The wrongness.

December 2009

I just remembered quite a funny thing that happened while I was home in Finland in December.
I bought some stuff from the local-ish supermarket, and paid with my British debit card.

The cashier asked "Bank or credit?"
I found this a bit funny, since it's a debit card it doesn't have any credit side. It's basically a normal bank card.

When I said this to the cashier she looked at me and started to say something, but the cashier from the till behind mine interrupted with a reminder to my cashier:
"Since it's a Swedish card, we'll have to put it under credit" (The correct term would've been "foreign", but maybe everything outside Finland is Sweden for him..?)

Still trying to convince both cashiers that it doesn't have a credit side, but they didn't seem to listen, so I said "Ok.. Credit it is then.."

When the transaction was finished and I'd signed the receipt my cashier said:
"These Swedish bank/credit cards can really mess things up sometimes"
I could't help myself from saying
"It's in fact British, and it does not have a credit side, but I agree."
I like the look I got. Can't describe it though..


I miss Finnish sweets.

Red Cross element

A (big) part of my EVS year is to be a part of some Red cross group or doing some work for the Red Cross. I haven't done anything yet, but the circus around that begins tomorrow when I'll be going to Abingdon to a Red cross HQ to meet up with a volunteer organizer (no, that is probably not the right term, but anyways) and have an induction to Oxfordshire's Red cros and see what they're up too.
So hopefully tomorrow I'll know what I'll be doing for the last six months or so. Wow.. Am I soon o be half way through? Geez..

I've found some misusage of the Red cross symbol. Should report that aswell. A childrens doctors costume and a nurses dress for Valentine's day.
People who come up with these dresses seems not to have been to a hospital, well.. at all.

Oh, and that text to the Finnish Red Cross.. Haven't started yet. But there are no plans for the weekend either :P Buuut.. I guess there are now ;)

New music.

I was asked to write a text to the Finnish Red Cross' website about my first half of the year here.
Good thing I started this blog! Gives me some help.. Otherwise I wouldn't know waht to write.


I've recently discovered the Swedish duo Far & Son. They sing the amazing song Panik, and another good song called Tjeckoslovakien. One of the guys in this band is also a member of Maskinen, who plays kinda the same music. I really like Maskinen aswell.
The first song I heard from Maskinen came out when I was in the army.

Can't describe the bands music, so I guess I'll just have to show you some videos.

OH! Speaking about Maskinen. When I first arrived in the UK, a French guy listened when i played Maskinen on my computer and said, with his perfect English with the perfect French accent
"This sounds quite like a French band!". I'll give you that aswell.

Enjoy!

Cancelled weekend plans

Two volunteers from Kent were about to come around for a night this weekend, but their car broke down, so they re not coming. Quite a shame, since I really like meeting the other volunteers. But there'll be more weekends, so no worries there.

So now I'm free for the weekend.. What to do?

BTW. I did bring my camera to London, bub didn't find that much to take pictures of, so there...

Monday tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the Humanitarian Action day for the Red Cross EVS volunteers in the southern part of England.
This HA day will focus on justice and fairness.
It's going to be really nice to see some of the other vols, whom I haven't seen since September in Guildford.

I'll bring my camera, so there will prolly be some pictures up on Monday or Tuesday evening.

The informaion letter sent out to us about the HA day had a funny sentence in it.
"Lunch will be provided, but bring your own pen"
Okay, maybe that wasnt the sentence exactly, but something like it :)

Some pictures of the snowy weather in Oxford.

Back in Oxford

Now I'm back in Oxford after spending Christmas and New Years with loved ones.
I've had such a blast, even though I only got to meet about half of the people I intended to meet.
Well, I can't blame any other than myself, since I didn't get in touch with them.

Christmas was spent with family and relatives, and New years with a wonderful girl, who is now my girlfriend! Can you believe it!? :D

I'm a bad storyteller. If you want me to tell you something specific about my holidays, just ask :)
The only stupid questions, are the ones that remain unasked.