We are so many people

Since we arrived to Helsinki in May 2008, we have met so many people, we have invited at home to so many people, we have visited so many houses, parties, birthdays, with students, erasmus, colleages, Spanish, Finnish, Cuban, Italian, Argentinian, Irish, American and from everywhere. I think we are not totally aware of the amount of experiences we have been collecting here. I guess we need time in Spain, back to our former life, to assimilate all this. Also about my work here. I also need to take a look back to what I´ve done here to be aware of the great progress I´ve made to make a good researcher out of myself. But I would defitively choose the people and the experiences as the main goal of this stay. Finnish people have also greatly collaborated to enrich my personal life. With their silences and their funny language. With their habits and their weird point of view about life: be calm always, no problems, no hurry, no stress, everything's gonna be alright. Cottage cheese on top of a slice of rye bread, milk, and the sound the wind caressing the leaves from the birtches while watching the birds fishing in the lakes. Simple life, simple food and simple habits mean happiness. A bunch of friends go every wenedsday to play floorball to the same gym I usually go. I have seen them several times now. I don´t like gossip but I sometimes like spying Finn's life, analyse their behaviour and try to learn something from their particular way of understanding life and human relationships. Actually I learned long time ago that all Finns were not angry with me, neither scared of talking. They don´t say anything unless that something is relevant. In fact, too much talking amongst Finns involves empty conversations, or alcohol or both. In that bunch of friends, all are above 40 y.o. and they probably have known each other for ages. But they hardly ever talk to each other, before, during or after the game. They seem to be ignoring each others all the time, as if the others, their partners, were not there. Only when one of them, for some reason, say something, the others cheer up and decide, why not? Let's chat for a while. But even in those moments, their faces turn red and their eyes reflect a deep shyness, unexpected for people who have met dozens of times. I believe that some days, they don´t even see each other's faces. But they enjoy the game, they are sharing that experience. After the game, they never, ever say: "it was a good game" or "will you come next week?" and of course, they never, never, say "good bye". There's no need to say that, the game is over and it is obvious that now, everybody will leave alone. Ain´t that crazy. This is just Finland.

These pictures belong to the last meetings we've had with our friends.