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[harmaatahti]

On March 7th I started my Finnish language course. Since then, I've been in a classroom Monday-Friday from 8:15-2:30 watching my head swell with nonsense words until one day, I think it's going to combust and Finnish blabberings are going to spew everywhere

Comments

Hello

[saigebob]

i'm tired of school, its boring.

Re: Hello

[harmaatahti]

Indeed. I'm starting to feel the same way. :\

[harmaatahti]

You're welcome for the quote.

I'm a fair deal happier. Not always stress-free, but overall happier. There's a lot of things I miss, but overall I think quality of life here is better. I feel more "taken care of" rather than over-looked by the government. I don't even have to pay for these classes. It's all taken care of ... I'm sure America doesn't do the same for immigrants that move there. :\

[urgent_alchemy]

I envy this, it sounds very very challenging, but you're DOING it, you're there you're actively doing it. That's stength, that's real life-action-power. Know that.

[harmaatahti]

Thank you for your words.

One of the most difficult things about living here is that after I got here, I found I didn't really have a goal anymore. It was sort of, "Well, I'm here... What next?" And I still haven't answered that question ... I'm sure something will come in time, though.

For now, my survival tactic is taking it one day at a time. :) Learn the bloody language and THEN think about what I want to do here ... Ah yes, and work on remodelling my house. Some goals, eh? ;D

[myrthle]

thank you for the quote...

and good luck with the learning :)

[harmaatahti]

Kiitos. :)

Learning is slow ... Hurts the head most of the time ... The teacher was on my case today about saying the -ng [ŋ] sound right, but I simply CANNOT do it. And I look at it as "so what if I say englanti and tangoa with a harder and more audible g ... they're loan words, anyway!"

It also doesn't help that the symbol they use to represent the sound [ŋ] is the EXACT same symbol I was taught in English school to represent the -ing sounds. Oi, oi!

[harmaatahti]

No friends, really. Most of the class seems to have some sort of anti-American attitude directed at me. There is one Russian that is decent to me, but we can't really bond since she doesn't speak English, I don't speak Russian and neither one of us really knows a whole lot of Finnish.

I have a semi-friendship with a girl from Singapore, also. We'll see how that turns out. But I'm no social butterfly. :( After 13 years of American schooling, my class attitude is: Get in there, work and then get out.

I just wish there was at least one more American or Brit in the class. *pout* Ah well.

In the autumn, we should start learning about Finnish culture and history. All I've learned so far is that supposedly Riihimäki is the Easter capital/town of Finland. :P I also think this course will be putting us in work places, too, as a means of 'job introductions.' I requested to work at an animal clinic if given the choice. It would be nice to spend the day with the animals. :D