Tis the Season

Autumn in Pihtipudas brings none other than the Pihtipudas Market. I had no idea just how big this was when they told us we would have to make an appearance on Sunday afternoon. (Keep in mind that when I say big we are still only talking 4,000 people big) Anyway...Tents line the street of my little village selling anything from pastries and candy to clothes and crafts. It is the cutest little farmers market and funnest event I have been to in Pihtipudas.

I didn't have any time to look around on Sunday because we had to hurry to the masseuse who lives 45 minutes away. So I woke up this morning and walked out my front door where BAM there was the farmers market. Today was the last day, but I loved walking around and seeing all of the cute little tents filled with crafts and all kinds of neat things. It is probably a bad thing that I don't speak Finnish because somehow the lady at the pastry tent talked me into buying an assortment of doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, and basically sugar. haha Apparently she told me it was a good deal to get 5 instead of 1- So thats exactly what I did! What a sucker...

Pulla (Cinnamon Rolls) - I don't know what the middle one is called in Finnish or English - Munkki

A few weeks ago I learned what this little treat was. It is called Munkki and is basically a doughnut with jelly in the middle and a thick crusted frosting on top. Most of the gas stations here sell Munkki and Kahvi which is Doughnuts and Coffee. There are several different meanings for Munkki that they taught me about, but today I finally gave in a tried one...but with out the Kahvi... even though they offer me Kahvi all the time here and think its so weird that I don't drink it.

I am happy to announce that my Finnish is coming along. I learned my first two useful phrases this weekend after being in Finland for 7 weeks now.

Takaovi auki = Open the Back Door (Our bus drivers are hilarious and so cute to us. This weekend we got to travel on a big bus that had two doors which they informed me that the back door was just for me because it had a bed and lots more room. So the bus driver taught me the phrase Takaovi Auki and they wouldn't let me on or off the bus until I said it each time. haha they were so funny!)
Mitä sanoit = What did you say? (Very handy to know...this way when I don't understand what they said in Finnish the first time, I still wont understand it when they tell me in Finnish the second time :))

After walking around the market for about 30 minutes I had seen everything and was about ready to head back inside when I saw my bestie! Several weeks ago I posted HERE about this amazing gelato place that we visited, and the owners were so nice and so cute to let us come behind the counter to take pictures and be tourists. A couple weeks after we had gone to get ice cream, I saw that same man at SMarket. He was so excited to speak english and just made me laugh. Following this encounter I was mailing a package home to my family, and as I was walking to the Posti I saw their van parked on the side of the road so I had to stop and say hi and get some ice cream. Both bestie and his wife were so excited to see me and it was a fun little treat. Wellllll this all leads me to today when I stopped at his van once more before I went inside and we chatted for a minute and then he gave me my ice cream for FREE!!

Thats right...I have made friends with the best possible person in Finland...THE ICE CREAM MAN!! And now we are besties. Life is good when your best friend owns the best ice cream company in Finland. :)

Right before we left for Rovaniemi, I received a package from home. I could not have been more excited to get this package and was shocked when I tried to pick it up and realized that this 20 pound package was filled with yummy treats from home.

Naturally you would think that I ripped this box open to enjoy my most precious Mike and Ikes, but I couldn't do it. I was so nervous to open this package. I didn't want to even look at it so I hid it in a cupboard in the kitchen. Why on earth would I be nervous to open the most amazing package from home? Because I knew as soon as I opened it I would devour every last yummy treat that was sent and I would not have any to eat later. So with everything inside of me I went to Rovaniemi without even touching the package. It came in record time too! It only took 6 days from the time it was sent- that's fast!

The excitement of the package did do something beneficial because I was so thrilled to get a package from home I wanted to surprise home with a package from Finland.

 I put this little surprise together and filled it with all of the newspaper clippings I have been in as well as a Champions League Program and Finnish chocolate. I put in a package of Dumle and a few bars of Fazer chocolate. I also sent home an assortment of postcards for the fam.bam. I am telling you, I am ready for Christmas. It should be celebrated for more than just one month.

Last night as I lay in bed with Christmas candles burning, and while talking to the parents on Skype, my Mom demanded that I go take my package out of hiding and open it. So I slowly walked to the kitchen picked up my package and returned to my computer so my parents could watch. Still very very scared to open this little gem I took my time taking the tape off and was just hoping that it wouldn't be gone too fast. More than anything I love packages from home and I just wanted it to last. I loved that I had something exciting waiting for me from home. So with Mom and Dad on Skype, the box opened...

SPOILER ALERT : (Children do not read any more)

I can honestly say that opening this package was better than opening any Birthday gift or Christmas gift that I have even gotten. For as long as I can remember I have been the easter bunny, the christmas gift wrapper, and the stocking stuffer helper. I have also always picked out all of my gifts because I am a tad bit picky and after a cushioned spandex incident, rather than worry too much, my parents just have me pick out what I want. I don't mind at all, because I always know that my gifts are EXACTLY what I want. The only downside is that there are never any surprises...Well with this package I was SHOCKED at the things my mom had put in here and I was shocked at how much fit into this box. No wonder it weighed so much! Each item I pulled out was a little Christmas joy, ha! :)

A Venus Razor in Finland is like 20 Euros (ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! haha) So Mom sent me a couple from home with my prescriptions. Don't worry, I have been shaving my legs and armpits up until this point but just was in need of fresh blades. 

 This stuff is WAY sweet! But not sugary sweet...WinCo sells the Kraft Mac and Cheese powder, so now I can make my own noodles and add this cheese for my American Mac and Cheese. Such a cool gift, and a complete surprise. I didn't even know that they made this kind of stuff.

The goldfish unfortunately didn't travel well, but I still enjoyed them as I explored the rest of the box of amazingness.

 One of the only things I knew how to make before i left the USA was homemade Oreos. They are kinda my thing, and I was beyond excited and shocked to see that my mom had put in a cake mix and frosting so that I could make them here. They do not sell frosting here, especially in a can, and they do not sell cake mixes that all you have to do is add eggs and oil and throw it in the oven. I also got more Pumkin in a can...Wohoo!! I can't wait to try another recipe from Pinterest. I LOVE my pumpkin!!!

 Mom is getting closer with each package to the Crystal light that I love. Strawberries Wild is my favorite, but Strawberry and Kiwi is close :)

There were a couple Twizlers inside...In Finland the whole candy section is some form of black licorice and if you know me, I'm not a black licorice fan so I am loving the strawberry.

 Mike and Ike's have got to be some of the best candy ever. I am obsessed and was so thrilled to find my favorite candies in my box!!

When I first arrived in Finland, I spent a lot of time on Pinterest, and one of my friends pin that Hershey's had come out with a Pumpkin Spice Kiss. I love pumpkin so much I immediately googled them and found them at Target. I had my mom buy them, but had her try them first just incase they weren't very good. Turns out- they are delicious and are now my favorite Kisses along with cookies and cream.

and lastly on the food items, we have Milk Duds and Reese's Pieces!

Ever so thoughtful mom even threw in a Movie for me to watch while I enjoy my American treats. All, I can say is WOW!! I was so surprised by this package and could not have asked for anything better. I was so shocked and thrilled that I spilled the beans and told my secret that I had sent a package home and postcards. No surprise for them, sorry...I just could resist after this amazing box of goodies. I am pretty sure that it is Christmas in October, and I love it!! In leu of the holiday cheer I am also getting another surprise on Wednesday. They are bringing another American to our team who also has the last name Walker. haha They keep joking with me that they are bringing me my sister :) It will be fun to have another American here! I hope I can make her feel as at home as everyone made me feel! She just better not touch my BOX! :) ...kidding. I think it will be just the thing to bring a little bit of the USA to Finland for her. So we will see how this goes!

And for this wonderful gift...Thank you Mom and Dad for surprising me and sending me the best package ever! I LOVE it so much, and am so grateful to have parents who will put together such an amazing box just so I can have a little (or big) taste of home while I am abroad. LOVE IT. LOVE IT. LOVE IT.

THANK YOU!!!!!