Category: Finland

I hope it will pass but the last two years of politics in the US seems to have everyone worn down, picking sides, and yelling at each other. It is uncommon back home for people to just listen to other people anymore, but I did not realize how bad it had gotten until I got outside the system for a few days.

Last night I watched two people in the Lobby of the hotel I was staying in have an argument. Both were obviously furious based on suppressed body language – but neither raised their voice, spoke over the other person, or failed to listen to what they had to say. They went back and forth in a pattern of “this is my argument” and “ahh, but this is why I disagree, this is my argument” several times. You could tell they were listening to the other person, as their counter arguments addressed points the other had just raised. Then when they started to repeat one of them said – “I am sorry, but you have not convinced me – unless you have a new argument we are at an impasse”. They both walked away pissed, but they resolved the issue and they whole thing was incredibly civil, and polite.

It took me a while to realize that I was waiting for one of them to start yelling, or to totally loose it, because that had become sometime in the last two years that had become a, well not acceptable option, but certainly one you were likely to encounter frequently.

So like any job it was a blur of new faces and names. Everyone seemed awesome, but I am afraid the jetlang and multi-national office are going to mean it will be a while until I have everyone’s name.

The hotel they put me up at was amazing. Not so much for the rooms, which were in a new and expanded wing, but the core building made no qualms about being old enough to have been before the time of pesky things like snow plows and reliable electricity. It was just a very solid feeling place, and I found myself liking it personality immediately.

I had my first cultural mix up today. I was invited to a morning meeting tomorrow and I and asked what the local equivalent of bringing a box of doughnuts was. I got a very polite email in response saying the sender didn’t understand – just to bring myself. I had mostly meant it as a joke, but about 20% but wanted to make sure there was not a similar local custom. What is funny is that he wrote back after googling “bring a box of doughnuts to work”, which got me curious so I googled it. Americans really do come across as wackos if you google about our culture. Don’t believe me, try it.

Fortunately I am on a combination of jet lag, gin and tonic (and what I would later find out to be the worst cold I have had in a while) – so I am not as embarrassed by the gaf as I normally would be.

On the subject of Jin and tonics – they made me this one with rosemary garnish and cranberries. I am not sure if you were supposed to head the cranberries – but they were actually fresh and I had a few as I drank. It was a very surprising combination but I rather enjoyed it.

I have since learned that they make gin and tonics a with a variety of garnishes I have never heard. I look forward to some cross-cultural exploration.

I will never get over just how insanely cool airplanes are. I took this photograph looking out the window, watching clouds roll past like it was nothing. Since it has only been only 104 years after the first flight – ever – I reserve the right to be awed. Humans do occasionally do some awesome things.

When the plane was flying over the border between Iowa and Wisconsin I was able to get a photograph of the Mississippi. It struck me that for all the Mark Twain I have read, this may be the first time I saw the Mississippi. I certainly don’t remember having seen it before, but that just seems impossible.

After a holdover in Chicago to switch planes, I was on to the final leg to Helsinki. Is it odd that this is when I had the first “holly cow, I am moving out of the united states!” moment?

Here we are over Finland. This is a few hundred kilometers outside the city proper, but still look at how empty and green it is! I’ll admit it was not what I expected – even in summer. This is a view right before the plan landed. At those speeds it was still probably a few miles from the airport – but still look at how green everything is.Helsinki really reminds me of Seattle once you get outside the city proper.

My friend here picked me up from the airport – after which we went straight to the office so I could see their prototype and try it out for myself. Should be a fun group of guys to work with. I am not 100% sure if they need what I bring to the table, but I should at the very least be able to leave them with some in