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perjantai 12. syyskuuta 2014

sthlm calling

Hej alla,




It's time for some work in Stockholm! En ookaan ollut Tukholmassa ikuisuuksiin, joten ihan kiva päästä kaupunkiin, vaikka toki työn merkeissä koko tuleva viikonloppu menee. Ja pystyn vielä puhumaan ruotsiksi. Tässähän hoituu monta asiaa samalla. Jippiii. Eniten odotan kyllä uusiin ihmisiin tutustumista, ja Henriikan näkemistä taas piiiiitkästä aikaa. 

Pidänkin siis pientä radiohiljaisuutta tämän viikonlopun, ehkä saatte materiaalia sitten tuolta naapuristamme!

♥ Kaisa

torstai 16. tammikuuta 2014

differences

What are the things that make USA different from Finland? Or more likely, what makes Colorado different from Finland? This is solely based on my personal experiences, so no offense to anyone if you think differently. I can accept it.

1. People

As I probably stated in the earlier post, the people made a huge impact on my life in Colorado. Coloradans are way more laid-back people than Finns are. It most certainly can't be because of the cold, because it was almost as cold as in Finland. On the mountains, every single person I met, or talked to, were so nice. Without knowing me, no judgements. Everyone was truly interested in my story of coming to America and thought it was "a big deal" to leave alone. I always said that my personality made it really easy to leave, of course I was anxious but more excited than nervous. Maybe it's because of the sunlight!!!! They usually get approx. 300 days 
of sunshine in ONE YEAR. So basically, the days it's not sunny, it's snowing. I bet it's because of that. It's so cold and dark in Finland, it reflects into our souls and we become very .... moody?

2. Surroundings

Again, I think I've mentioned this before, but I loved living on the mountains. I've never really experienced mountains before. Not anywhere. I'd skied twice in my entire life before I left for Colorado. It was so beautiful, so so so natural. Not like big, hectic cities such as New York or Chicago. I always did some exploration wherever I went, even in the last months, I went to places I'd never been before. The mountains, river, the small villages in between. Everything was so worth the time. Colors of the trees in Autumn were so bright, I didn't even know there could be colors that bright. Yellow and orange were not the same yellow and orange that they are in Finland, they were cleaner, somehow brighter. And the snow. I've never really loved snow, but during my time in Vail, I actually learned to love it. At least a little because the huge snow storm in the end of April was not fun. For skiing maybe, but driving no. Solely in two days we got 2 feet or 80-90cm. WHAT? I've never seen that much snow in my life. Whooaa. 

3. Lifestyle

As you can imagine, people living next to the world famous ski resorts as Beaver Creek, Vail and Aspen are ski fanatics! That is so true. Everyone does it, and very often too. And why not when you can enjoy the prettiest view from the top of the Vail Mountain or ski down the Back Bowls in Vail. It was incredible. But besides skiing, people are very active in other sports too.
They take care of themselves, eat healthy and are active. A lot of the kids have several hobbies and the adults are crazy about working out. Not much junk food are consumed daily. Things are a little different down in the South of the USA, like Alabama, Texas, Mississippi etc. Lifestyle also includes very expensive ski gear, resort wear and other things such as real estate. People that I met and whose houses I saw had the most incredible houses ever. Luxury living if I would say so. Huge mansion-like houses right next to the slopes, must be a tough life. Those houses also require a lot of maintaining, so they need people to take care of them. Good employers I would say. The garden, pools, kitchens, offices whatever it is, there's people to help you organize stuff. You name it. Everything stated above lead to the point of all this ----- MONEY.
Man only the rich people can afford really living in that kind of houses in Vail, CO. So to say normal people share apartments/houses with some friends and share the rent. Most of them might even work two jobs just to live.


4. Healthcare

I would have tons of stuff to say about this but let's keep in some limits. As you might know (and if you didn't, here's a piece of info), I had to have a surgery in July last year. And no one told me about the costs before the surgery, or actually they did call me to inform me but it still remained unclear. Then turned out I got another bill, and the paperwork began. Constant emails and calls to my insurance company if they'll pay for it or no. It was hard because of the language barrier. I'd never really had to explain anything so complicated to anyone on the phone. Everything is easier in person but there simply was no other way for me to handle the situation but to discuss it on the phone. It is so EXPENSIVE to take care of anything in the USA, just saying before you want to go ahead and be an au pair. Try not to get hurt, not as bad as I did at least. I heard of my best friends too that their bills for a dentist and a dermatologist were also very high. Then you think about the great healthcare you can have in Finland, for a very little money. My surgery was super expensive -- I don't want to share any exact numbers but we're talking about tens of thousands of dollars here. Luckily, I got it all fixed and didn't end up having to pay much in the end. And my toe is also in a very good shape. Thanks Dr. Elton. And my host dad. 

5. Bureaucracy - paperwork

Where should I start? This is another thing I could say one thing about. Or maybe more than one. Well, wherever you're gonna sign up yourself in, expect paperwork. Take for example the college every au pair has to attend. It wasn't as easy as I thought and was said to be. Questions that I could not even answer to because of not being an American. Different papers to deliver to places to show you're legally there etc. Of course, I understand that. In case of opening a bank account, it was actually very easy. I was so afraid to go there cause of my English and the issues I had to talk about were not exactly on my strong list. Banking in English. Yes please. Anyway, they just showed me where to sign without even reading cause they explained all to me in normal English. Going to the hospital and to a different place to have a doctor's appt. was interesting. Almost every time I had to fill the same kind of papers with almost the same questions. Even some extra questions were given to me on the last check with the doctor but when I had no clue how to fill anything besides my name, they realized "this is not for you, I'm sorry for the trouble" ......"no worries, I only stared at it for like 15min and only could write my name, but that's ok".

6. Variety of options (in everything)

Whatever you wanted you could choose out of so many options, let's say ski gear, food, drinks, sports, tv channels (!!!!) etc. They have literally anything you can imagine. Go to Walmart and you'll find basically anything you want under one biiiiiig roof. Even in the small mountain communities, it was very nice to have options. Food specially, was nice to try different things. I ate Chinese for the first time in my life while in America. When it came to drinks, it was very hard in the liquor stores because they never sold cider. I guess Americans are beer fanatics?
Some of the next listed things actually kinda have something to do with this subject.


7. American football ♥

The one and only, real American football. Loved it! Even seeing the high schoolers playing and listening to the national anthem before a game was really nice. And strange. But I knew almost nothing about it when I came, or barely anything. One year we watched Super Bowl with my friends here in Finland but no one really concentrated on the game itself. Plus it was really late night so maybe that's why. I never made a game which bums me out so bad!! Specially when "my team" Denver Broncos almost made it to the Super Bowl last year, almost. Hopefully this year again! They're facing next weekend Tom Brady's Patriots, and hopefully going to be able to win and get closer to the big finale, Super Bowl. I'm still following their way, and they're currently at 13-3 result which is pretty good.

8. Crazy workdays

At least my family of doctor's worked pretty hard. The schedules were sometimes similar and sometimes it changed cause the other one of them had a night shift. But anyway they left early in the morning, around 7.30 and came back home around 7. Of course, as I said, this is only my experience of the only ones whose schedule I really knew. But when I think of it, I think most of the people work longer days in average than the Finnish people.

9. Food

Ahh, I love food. I learned to eat really healthy in Colorado, could be cause of the local lifestyle. Or must be because of it. I was blessed cause every time I went grocery shopping, I could also get something I wanted. I could buy avocado as much as I wanted, and that's how I became obsessed. I knew that the family ate healthy, so I never bought any candy or chips. Only the parents did, sometimes. But I was trying to be an example for the kids, to look after what they eat. Anyway, the variety of fruits for example was so huge, I couldn't decide what to get. With the kids, specially in the summer, we always got such fruit that we could make smoothies ourselves. The last months I barely ate at home, I always had something with my girls. Almost every night. But we ate the normal stuff, burgers, pasta, oven potatoes, Chinese, Mexican or other stuff. I still have a 15% discount card for a good food place, and the best thing were their appetizers: the wontons and ........ beef something. So yummy! But the places you could choose out of were almost endless. Most of the time we ended up in our favorite food/hang out place in Avon, but it was good for watching Broncos, playing pool, darts or fussball, or just dinner and drinks. Also for a pre-drinking place :) :) I loved the sangria, and the girls almost knew what to give me. Regular and loyal customer I am. There are also a couple of bad things relating to that place, but it's past so who cares anymore. Love Bob's!

10. Bars

It's maybe not fair to compare but in my experience everything was so much more fun in a small bar that was packed full of fun-loving, open-minded people. Mostly Americans, plus me and T. Oh, usually we started either at the restaurant mentioned above or a live bar called Red Lion. The bartender, gosh I forgot his name already, anyway, he was my favorite! He made me drinks, and I always wanted him as my bartender. He always kissed my hand when I left and I was always called honey. He was older so nothing with that, but I got discount, even sometimes free drinks!!! Also one of the bouncers had some roots in Finland, which was interesting to hear. We never really talked, but he hugged me when I told him the last weekend that I'm leaving. Again the openness!! What. A true regular is someone who doesn't need to show an ID when entering a bar, when everyone else with her needs to ---- and this is ME! Whiskey Jack's. 
In conclusion, the bars are quite small when you compare to the ones i.e. in Denver. But they're quite nice, specially being surrounded with right minded people it's super fun. So many friends made there, I can only recommend. 

11. Guys

Not that I have too much experience with Finnish guys, but the guys out there were much more open and came to talk to you so easily. I didn't have to do anything EVER. You just sat there with a drink and someone would come up to you soon enough. To talk which is nice. Most of them were "tourists" so people from all over the country, but we were the locals there. That's kinda funny. I know now some people from NYC, D.C., Dallas, Denver, Utah (can't remember where) and California. Just to name some. But some of them we even stayed in touch with later too, like I visited some of them in D.C. In general, guys out there are athletic, cause most of them either snowboard or ski often. I don't know that many locals out there, but the things I can say is that the ones I know, are super complicated. It's a long story, but no one needs that much complicity in their lives, too much work. HAHA. 

12. Weed

This is a never ending question. But, since it's now legalized in Colorado, they can have it. And everywhere you go, you smell it. It's very gross. I don't like it at all. And all my local friends said they use it daily. I just can't understand why. 


I think that's all I can think of now. If you have anything, any opinions, just comment. This is what I saw/experienced/learned. 

maanantai 1. heinäkuuta 2013

chalk work

Hellloouuuu !

Nää jutut laahaa taas perässä sen verran, että aattelin nyt tän viikon aikana ottaa kaiken takasin ja keskittyy sitten taas uudelleen ens viikkoon : D Hyvä idea mut en lupaa sen onnistumisesta yhtään mitään.

Tossa vajaa kolmisen viikkoa sitten mun perhe (kaikki muut paitsi KJ) lähti Grand Canyonille laskemaan koskea kahdeks viikoksi. No sitten olin KJn kanssa viikon yksin ennenkun olin sen puoltoista viikkoa ihan yksinäni. Anyway, sillä viikolla kun oltiin kahdestaan niin mun host iskän sisko tuli tänne Miamista kyläilemään. Oli ihanaa tavata EJ, se oli todella mukava persoona ja meillä oli tosi hauskaa. Minä ja mun kaks nuorinta tehtiin kuitenkin EJlle pieni tervehdys liiduilla tohon meidän pihaan ! Tsekatkaa mitä kaikkea me päädyttiin tekemään. 
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Mun taiteilemat oli siis Colorado ja osa tosta Welcomesta! Tässä siis vaan osa siitä hienoudesta joita me tonne pihalle tehtiin : ) Toi sininen logo on muuten Vail Mountainin, kun se tuskin kaikille ei aukee. Ja Coloradon state flag se eka welcomen jälkeen! Oli hauskaa, mut kulutettiin sitte kaikki ne liidut, et pitää mennä ostaa uusia, että voidaan taas piirrellä. 

Ihanaa viikkoa teille kaikille ja toivottavasti teillä on ihan mahtava kesä missä ikinä meettekään!♥ 

keskiviikko 15. toukokuuta 2013

whatcha mean it's only tuesday?

Exactly, whatcha mean with that? Tiistai on jo ohi, ja huomenna on keskiviikko. Ja sitten enää pari päivää niin on weekendddd!!! Sweet.

Tänään oli kyllä ylipitkä työpäivä, tai ei pitkä meni vaan myöhään mikä ärsyttää koska haluisin salilla käydä mut mulle jäis about tunti / vajaa tunti aikaa olla siellä. Möh. Mun täytyy nyt siis muuttaa mun aikataulua ja mennä aamuisin : ( Oon kyl niin aamu-uninen, etten viittis et kai mä sit uhraudun ja meen alle tunniks vetää jonkun himotreenin. Haha in my dreams.

Muutama kuva parilta viime päivältä, okei, suurimmaks osaks otettu tänään!!
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Zeek oli mun seurana aamupäivällä kun otin pikkasen aurinkoa!♥ Vauvalla on ollut vasen takajalka kipeenä, eilen ei pystynyt tulee ees rappusia ylös ja sitten se vaan itki. Nyyh. Mentiin sitten tänään käymään eläinlääkärissä, mutta ei siellä mitään isompaa vikaa oo, jotain tulehduskipulääkkeitä se kai sai ja lepoa. Kertokaa nyt ku mä sen kanssa täällä oon, että miten pidetään koira levossa???? Siinä mulle hommaa kuulkaa.
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Sitä aurinkoa tosiaan, tällä kertaa muistin jopa sen aurinkorasvan! Mitään parempaa kun maata auringossa ja kattella Suomen peliä wuhuu, meni kyllä pikkasen tiukalle mut kyllä se voitto sieltä kaivettiin : D Että terve Slovakia!! 
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Tästä kuvasta tulee hyvä fiilis mulle itelle!! Kellohan oli siis puol ysi ku otin tän kuvan illalla, noin tunti sitten, ja nyt ulkona on pilkkopimeetä :o Miten se nyt noin äkkiä? 

Ja sellai pieni loppukevennys, yritin kovasti koittaa mun hostiskän auton peilejä mut ei ihan osunu kohalle toi mun tähtäys .... hahahahaaaa. Oon niin hyvä.
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Hyvää alkanutta viikkoa kaikille, toivottavasti teillä on ihan mahti viikko tulossa, palataan asiaan  piakkoin!! :) Adios.

sunnuntai 7. huhtikuuta 2013

march - april // pictures

Tiedän, että en oo paljon mistään nyt kirjotellut mutta mulla ei just nyt oo hirveesti aikaa eikä sen lisäks kyllä mitään sen ihmeellisempää asiaakaan, että saatte nyt tyytyä näihin kuviin :) Poimin nää kuvat mun puhelimesta ja kamerasta. Ja siis kuvat on viime viikolta sekä tältä kuluvalta viikolta.
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Viime viikolla mun lapsilla loppui hiihtotreenit perjantaina mutta keskiviikkona kaikki oli Vail Nordic Centerillä harkoissa vielä niin mulla oli aikaa mennä kävelemään Vailiin ja tietty kahville Starbucksiin. Tällä kertaa ei kyllä näkyny Tuomo Ruutuja siellä! Ainoo vaan, että yks niistä työntekijöistä muistaa jo mun nimen, ai miten niin käyn usein?? Haha, se oli hirveen huvittava tilanne ku se oli vaan, että oliks se sun nimi Kaisa? ÖÖ pieni jäätyminen siinä vaiheessa voin kertoa.
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Mun ikuinen rakkaus Beaver Creek oli vuorossa viime pe ja la. Onneks ilma oli taas hyvä, niin pysty nauttimaan oikeen kunnolla. Ainoo ongelma tässä vaiheessa talvea on toi lämpötila koska on täällä jo sen +15C parhaimmillaan (okei ei ihan tuolla vuoren huipuilla) niin varsinkin rinteiden alaosat on tosi huonossa kunnossa, ne on ihan sulaneita. Yhdelle kaverille sattui juuri hiukan huonosti ku sukset vaan jäi tavallaan jumiin siihen lumeen ja se kaatu, onneks ei käyny pahemmin mutta kuvitelkaa kun laskette jotain ylijyrkkää mustaa rinnettä ja sitten käy noin : ( Ei olis hauskaa siinä vaiheessa.

Ja kyllä, minä siis oikeesti laskin noiden puiden läpi, enkä vaan teeskennellyt : D

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Koska pe ja la oli tavallaan huonoja laskettelupäiviä BC:ssä niin päätettiin T:n kanssa mennä Vailiin sunnuntaina. Ja onneksi mentiin, oli meinaan sen verran huikee päivä!! Me mentiin tietty ihan sinne vuoren huipulle niin ei siellä ollut se lumi yhtään sulanut. Ja laskettiin myös ns. Back Bowlseja eli tavallaan sitä vuoren takaosaa. Vailissa voi siis laskea sieltä vuoren päältä kumpaan suuntaan vaan toisin kuin Beaver Creekissä. Se fiilis ku pääset oikeesti kunnolla menemään lujaa on ihan parasta!! : ) Ainut asia joka mua on ärsyttänyt ton sunnuntain jälkeen on mun ihana goggle tan joka jäi mulle naamaan ku tietty käytin noita lasejam hehe. Eli mun naama on poskista alaspäin ruskee ja sitte silmät ja otsa jne on ihan valkosia. Oon sitte kai officially Coloradolainen, tää on kai se definition, joka määrittää sen ootko true Coloradolainen. Huvittavaa!
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Sitten tällä viikolla mun lapsilla alko kevät/kesäharrastukset ja oonki ollut koko viikon aika kiireinen ku aikataulu on taas mennyt uusiksi! No ei siinä sen kummempaa, vaatii vaan vähän totuttelua taas : ) KJ ja D pelaa lacrossea, I jalkapalloa mutta mä en tiiä mitä H meinaa tehdä, kai se taas pyöräilee. Tää kuva on torstailta kun olin kattomassa KJn ekoja lacrosse harkkoja, ja siis ei takkia ja ballerinat jalassa, eikä ollut ees kylmä!! KESÄ TULEE vielä ehkä tännekin ....
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Ja kun tuli puhe kesästä niin samaisena torstaina menin lukemaan meen parvekkeelle sortsit ja bikiniyläosa päällä, olin ehkä 45min yhteensä siinä auringossa ja mulla on sitten tosiaan rajat jo jäänyt : sekä jalkoihin että rintakehään. JEE. Ei hyvä.
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Eilen oli mulle treenipäivä taas, menin salille, en kyllä kovin kauaa jaksanut olla mut loppuajan lojuin sitten porealtaassa. Kyllä kelpaa! Kesällä tuolla on varmaan ihan huippua, toivon vaan, että mulla on aikaa mennä : D
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Perjantaina menin ulos illalla (jälleen surprise surprise) mutta ennen sitä vein H:n kahville kun se odotti jotain kaveriaan hakemaan sitä. Puhuttiin siinä sitten kaikesta, elämästä näin niinkun yleisesti! Sitten se lähti ja mä pääsin kotiin valmistautumaan iltaan, joka jälleen kerran oli täynnä tapahtumia. Kyyneleitä, naurua, tanssia, juomia ja parhaita ihmisiä : ) Noin sen kai voi tiivistää.
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Tänään olin laskemassa, luulin että olisin voinu laskea koko päivän mutta mun piti lähteä siinä puolenpäivän jälkeen viemään H kotiin. Olisin vaan halunnut laskea R:n kanssa mutta se tuli vasta sillon ku mä lähdin ni kai se jää sitten ens viikonloppuun tai sitten me ei päästä ikinä laskemaan kahdestaan :(( Mutta mulle iloa tuotti mun ihan upouusi Burtonin pinkki laskettelutakki, LOVE IT !! Ei oo mitään paremaa kun toi takki tosissaan ♥ 


Mutta niille tiedoksi, joita nää lasketteluasiat jo kyllästyttää niin rinteet suljetaan tosiaan ensi viikonloppuna, joten ei hätää nää jutut loppuu kyllä aikanaan! 
Toivon, että kaikilla teillä on ollu ihan tosi hyvä viikonloppu ja että huominenkin on vielä loistava, palataan asiaan kunhan keksin jotain mistä kirjottaisin. Puspus moimoi!