This year Mother Nature seems to have taken May 1st as the first day of spring in Finland quite seriously. Since our Vappu celebrations two weeks ago the weather has been absolutely beautiful in Jyvaskyla. We've been out and about enjoying the beautiful weather in a variety of ways and Talia commented how easy it was to get ready for school now that they don't have to put on snow pants, hats, coats, mittens, face masks and boots. I couldn't agree more! The Finns keep telling me to enjoy the Finnish spring since now all of Finland seems to have woken up out of its winter hibernation.
The pedestrian area in the center of Jyvaskyla is packed every day. Patios have appeared outside most bars and restaurants and I've sat with several different friends having a cold drink after work. I was amazed with the number of bikers that rode throughout the winter but that was just a tiny glimpse into spring riding. I've rode my bike to work every day this week and often see my co-workers and friends also biking around town. Last Thursday I stopped at the University library and there was no where to park my bike! It was just as hard to find a bike parking spot as it is to park in Center City Philadelphia. Of course I eventually found an open slot to park my bike and lock it. Also note, most people only lock their back tires to the bike, not the bike to the rack. A trustworthy society! I have really enjoyed the freedom having my bike has allowed. I'm no longer at the mercy of the 27 bus and can get from my house to my office in about fifteen minutes. I can easily bike out to the nearby K-City Market or Prisma to pick up a few things and then just stick them in my handy basket and ride home. There are convenient, safe, paved paths all over Jyvaskyla and where there are no paths bikes go on the wide sidewalks. I feel much safer than I ever did biking in Philly in the streets (which I rarely did because I was so afraid). Last week Adam and I were able to have a morning together to bike around Jyvasjarvi (Lake Jyvaskyla). The total ride was close to 20 km but all flat and paved and we loved it. I hope we get to do that ride at least one more time before we leave. It's quite beautiful.
Some people have even started swimming in the many lakes around Jyvaskyla. Talia and I went to a nearby beach on Thursday night to meet up with some friends and there were people wading into the water and did not seem bothered by the cold. We actually know quite a few Finns that have already gone swimming this year. It's still way too cold for me, but I bet the girls will be in the lakes in the next week or so. They spend almost their entire day outside at school and love it. Talia's class went on a sculpture walk through Jyvaskyla last week to find all the different statues that are nearby the school.
Last weekend we were also invited to a beautiful garden party at my Fulbright and mentor Olli-Pekka's house. This was a sort of "graduation" for the Jyvaskyla Fulbrighters as the first of our group ended their grants on May 7th so we had to say goodbye to Annie and Megan. Our brave solo Fulbrighter in Turku, Anna, also came to the party and our Finnish friend Tarja also was able to make it. It was so nice to be able to thank all the people that have been so instrumental in making our time in Finland a success. It was also really nice to just sit outside and watch all the kids play together, have time to talk to adults and enjoy some good Finnish and American food.
On Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day just like we do in America. The girls made me wonderful flower pots in school with plants already started in them. I was also given some tasty treats, was able to sleep in and then have a great day with the girls. The weather was again gorgeous so we went for a family bike ride and spent a lot of time outside.
And now that the end of May is near, schools are wrapping up and the girls had their dance performance this week. I was so proud of them. They took dance lessons for four months completely in Finnish and got up in front of a huge audience of strangers and danced their little hearts out. I watched their teachers give them directions in Finnish and they followed right along. Tea was in a group with students that were all at least a year older than her, and some were two years older and she kept right up. Talia had the biggest smile on while she danced. I get frustrated when I sit in meetings or conversations in Finnish and don't understand but my girls have completely gone with the flow and have grown so much and I am so proud of how well that have adapted to this huge upheaval in their lives. Below you can check out some footage of the dress rehearsal for Tea's jazz and ballet class and Talia's 4 year old class. Enjoy!