American Imperialism

Had to add some American Xmas aspects to my host family's house- stockings at the fireplace, apparently, is an American tradition nowadays. No hooks, so I used a rock, and then filled it with the Candy Canes my mom sent me. 

Turku/Åbo

Best Xmas Presents

Muumin mukit

Hyvää Joulua!

Spent Christmas with my host dad Timo's parents in Tampere. A very typical Finnish city, not like Helsinki at all, and nonetheless very historic. And old. 

Tradition has Joulupukki (Santa) come to each and every house, apartment, and flat. Families generally rent a Santa for the evening- my host brother in my first family, Tuomas, was roped into that somehow. Got a picture too, pretty funny. This is Timo "acting" as a modern Joulupukki, who may or may not have an affiliation to a biker gang. Aapo looks just thrilled too. 

Picture with Tommi and Aapo. Yeah, I do feel really freaking short. So I'm slightly above average hight in the US, about 5'11", if I'm lucky 6'0". Here, if you're not at least 6'2", you're short for a guy. Women, well, let's put it this way: my friend Hilla is 5'9" at least. And her mom is at least like 6'0". 

So almost everyone is freakishly tall here. And they laugh at me when I say I'm tall for an American, or that I'm the tallest in my blood relations (I acknowledge that my Uncle Kevin and my Uncle Dave are both 6'4", but they're both by marriage). 

Weihnacht

Why German? I don't really know. 

And I bought real donuts today:

I need them badly- I weighed myself for the first time in Finland today, and I was shocked: 154 lbs. That's borderline anorexic sounding.

Helsinki, taas

Badgers

There are stuffed badgers in my school here. So I took pictures. Random? Absolutely.