Dream-time – peace time
What can I say! All your comments touched me deeply, and the wisdom behind them was so very evident. When writing this blog on Saturday, the weather is very fine-looking, there is a shadow of sun light over the horizon, the new snow has fallen on the ground and the temperature is only – 4 degrees Celsius. Peace on earth!
You may remember that the Finnish Independence day is being celebrated very soon. Ana Paula you asked how the day is celebrated. Well the Finnish President gives a formal reception in Helsinki; a couple of thousand people are invited, I don´t remember exactly the number. There are also other smaller functions all around the country and people at homes may light a candle. Candles are also burning on the graves of those who died during the war. The day is also a holiday; many people do all sorts of outdoor activity, such skiing, walking or just being together. Me and the “hubby” maybe are also going to spend the day outdoors.
Just a few words about the feedback from you; I was sorry to hear that there is still so much uncertainty, unrest and turmoil around the world. Kirsti thank you for replying to Mikhail, I also had a look at the Wikipedia site you mentioned, I did add a new link for those of you, who are interested to read more about the subject. Please note that the neutrality of the article is disputed.
So Christmas time is near. I mentioned that approximately 600 Charter flights arrive to Finnish Lapland in December. British visitors form England, Scotland and Ireland are been flown to experience the Christmas magic with us. About 115 000 visitors spend a few active days, mainly taking part in the outdoor activities, in the Finnish Lapland. You can well understand how important it is for Finland to host so many “tourists” every year. We still have a lot to do making our service packages such that they will appeal from year to year. Santa is of course one of the main attractions, snow we almost always have this time of the year, and I must say that we are also learning to buff up the service packages from year to year.
I have noted your request about the Finnish education system. I must do some research work before replying, as you may recall that I have lived abroad for about 12 years, and it is such a long time since I was at school. I promise to get some current information together. I myself am a life time learner.
The home work: Rachel thank you pointing out my weak points, using the articles is a difficult issue for me. I hopefully understood your very simple advice (a good counseling is always easy to comprehend). So I will have a go.
1. Tomatoes and cucumbers are grown in glasshouses.
2. Regarding the subject matters you have wished for.
3. We could hear a rattling while sitting.
4. To wish my parents a happy wedding anniversary.
5. The movie would give me a bad taste of the book.
6. The plot of the film was set in the history.
7. The building has…. The false ceiling is made of plywood.
The more I spend looking at the BBC Learning English site, the more convinced I became for it´s purpose.
The more I read about Australia, the more I want to go there.
It was too spicy a curry for Owen to eat.
It is too big a pile of laundry to do at once.
Vocabulary exercise: Spring to mind > pops to mind, Out law > a person without protection of the law (criminal), Bushranger > a person who has taken a law to his own hands, Strung out > stressed out, I am hard pressed > difficult to do something, Don´t get me wrong > by the way…
The Aboriginal dream-time legend was touching. Because of it, I took a photo of my tea-shirt with Aboriginal design. With this photo I want to say: Let us all dream of peace!
Comments
It's always so good to read your posts and the photos you provide with them. How interesting and exciting it would be to celebrate such great events in the same month. Reading about christmas and snow in Finland makes such a sharp picture in my mind that I hardly want to come out of it. The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah was also born on 25 December so, along with christmas, we also celebrate this day as our founder's birthday. On Christmas day, christmas pudding is one of the main attractions to everyone, do you make christmas pudding Leila? All the best wishes to everyone, Naheed
Hi, Leila. It's funny, lots of people here in France mention the Finnish educational system, especially after the OECD´s PISA studies of learning results among 15-year olds. I never thought our educational system was that good, maybe it wasn't at my time. We start school late, compared to other countries. We start school when we are seven. But there is one difference between my Finnish school experience and what I have seen in France. I had the feeling I was taught things once and it was easy to learn because I was mature for that.. In France I have had the feeling that my by now adult children were taught the same things again and again, the first time when they could not reasonably be mature for the stuff.
Hi Leila! Wow! 4°C! I´m imagining the snow falling down while you were writing this post.This Saturday the temperature reached 30°C. It was a hot day here indeed. Right now is 11:21pm, and the air is freshen up, which is really good to sleep :-). Ah! A couple of days ago I discovered that there´s a new Finland factory near my home called Ponsse. Have you ever heard about it? Apparently it produces tractors for farms. It´s interesting, isn´t it? Oh by the way Leila, thanks for answering my question. What a beautiful way to celebrate the independence of your country. Oh, I´d like to say just one more thing to Marianna: we´re friends and classmates, so I think we have to support each other as such ;-). Thanks again Leila. I´m off to bed now. Good bye, see you tomorrow, Ana Paula.
Hi Lelia, The way of celebrating the Finnish independance day is augustly. The major 2 political parties in Taiwan have been feuding with the relationship with China. As you known, the China will become the largest economic country in the future, but democracy and human rights of the China is challenged. It is the reason why part of Taiwanese oppose to develop further relationship with the China. The Christmas day is coming. We also hope it is a happy holiday though people in Taiwan celebrate the lunar New Year.
Hi Leila I would like someday to go to your country and have the experience of a white Christmass, and of course seeing Santa also. However, I have to say that is very nice wait for Santa in the beach, sunbathing and enjoying the warm sea water. Best wishes for you, your daugther and her beauty horse.
Please accept my congratulation on your independence day in advance.
Hi dear Leila , What are you doing ? Have you charged your batteries in the weekend ? What a pity that some of my comment on your Blog , have never published and I 'm wondering why it happen just for your comments . You mentioned to Christmas time . Pleas in our final week , speak about your Christmas time customs and activities . And about tourists . What kind of activities and entertainments are available in Finland ? A day before yesterday the first snow fell in my city , but hopefully it has stopped and today is sunny .By the way I really like your T- shirt 's photo . It looks very mysterious . Let us all dream of peace !
Hello Leila, I hope you had a nice weekend! Saturday afternoon I went to the gym, and Sunday morning I went to run about 12 miles. I like the sport...What about you? Thanks about your interest of my request about the Finland Education.( I m Curious). Have a nice day Mariangela
Hi, my english is no so good. How about the education in Finland? I would like to know this country. I think it must be very very beautiful. Have a nice day
Dear Leila, only four days to go. Have you shared with us everything you meant to share? Less than a month till Christmas, the familiar buzz and excitement must be floating and wirling in the air by now. So what do you do for Christmas and how do you celebrate it? You would think it is celebrated pretty much the same all over Europe, but if there is something really Finnish in your way of celebrating Christmas, then I am really looking forward to hear all about it! By the way, according to the legend, does Santa have any relations? In Russia he has got a granddaughter named Snegurochka (“Snowgirl”) and he himself is called Ded Moroz (“Grandfather Frost”). No one knows whether she really is his granddaughter since no one has ever heard of him having any children or even a girlfriend!! Her falseness hasn't been proved either, so everybody goes along with the belief that she is a genuine granddaughter of Grandfather Frost. Apart from being Grandfather Frost's unproven granddaughter she also manages to get lost all the time and on every New Year's Eve Russian children have to cry her name out so she will find her way to the New Year tree that the children have gathered around. A bit of problem child this Snowgirl is... I am looking forward to your next blog. Sincerely, Ana
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