We were welcomed to Lahti, Finland (which is in the southern part)
on February 1, 2008 by our awesome hosts Kevin and Debbie Martin of Rapha Mininistries Europe. We arrived to
snow. The weather is actually bnormally warm for them. It is in the low 30s with a mix of rain and snow. It is normally
quite colder and with more snow for this time of the year. We walked through town today to the market. Our host gave us a
tour of the market and introduced us to Pula (pastries). They have a lot of good bread and pastries. Things are quite expensive
here but a lot of things are very similar to the US although it is a socialist country. Taxes are very high and they have
to pay for everything including parking at a store, the bags in the store. You also have to pay to use a bathroom which is
approximately $1.50. Gas is about $7.50 a gallon.
The terrain is beautiful -- lots of evergreens and hilly. The roads
are good and if you didn't look at the signs you would think you were in the Northern U.S. They are very industrialized.
Nokia is a large employer. They are only allowed to paint their houses red, yellow, and a few pastels.
There is a
lot of depression and alcholism. The government will pay for people to be on disability for depression.
Every city has an open market day with vendors in the street. Some of the things that they cannot get here
in Finland include Italian sausage, peanut butter, ziplock bags, trash bags, pecans and corn syrup and definitely no
grits. They also do not have dryers in their homes.
The cloud berry is a native berry that is only found in the Lap Lands which is northern Finland. The
berry needs 24 hours of day light and swamp to grow. By the way, right now we have about 7 hours of day light.
Oh,
let me tell you about their chewing gum!! It opens up your sinuses. It is like a Halls -- made of eucyliptus and menthal--
yum!
Breakfast consists of meat, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, yogurt!
They have no racoons and no possums here.
They eat reindeer and moose. . .they raise reindeer here. . . but most are wild and they run out in the roads just like our
deer do.
Lutheran is the state church and you are born into it. They take 2% out for your tithe if you are a member.
If you decide not to be a part of it, you won't have a place to be buried or have people to carry your coffin.
Gypsies.
. . the women dress in their traditional velvet black long hoop skirt with a bussell along with a white ruffle shirt and the
men wear black leather jackets and black hats. The men can have multiple wives.
The Finnish people do not name their baby until Naming Day which might be 6-12 months after they are born.
Finnish Vocabulary
- Ilo = Joy
- Pyha = Holy
- Hei = Hello
- Hei, Hei = Good bye
- Kiitos = Thank You
- Pula = Pastry
