Moi Kaverit!
I am writing this at 01.11 EST, from home in Mississauga, Ontario (although it definitely will be edited and sent out later). I have just arrived from the airport and have no intention of going to bed yet despite what time it really feels like (i.e., 08.11). I am sitting here trying to get reacquainted with my keyboard. In Finland, the @ key requires hitting the ALT key, commas are placed further to the right to make room for the Ä, Ö and Å keys, the virgule is on the 7+SHIFT key…I have had to retype this paragraph a few times already!
Managed to get through Finnish and US customs without any problem. I was asked to open my suitcase at JFK airport, and I obliged by revealing to the agent the Finnish library I had stashed in there. Took me forever to repack it all though. When my mother and brother picked me up they couldn’t believe the weight of my two book bags–How on Earth did I ever get these on the plane without paying an extra charge, they asked.
Pay an extra charge? You mean there’s a weight limit? 🙂 I didn’t know these things.
So now I must readjust to life in Canada again. The humidity hit me something wicked when I had to change airports in New York City, and it was there when I landed at Toronto International Airport. There is no humidity in Helsinki!
I confess to you all that I am feeling very sad about having had to return home. I miss my family, my birds (about which I wonder if they still recognize me), my friends, and Scrabble.
I do not miss work, however.
This is the last travel post I will send about my summer, and I thank you for your warm wishes during my trip and now your welcome home messages that I have just read. It always brightened my day to see your names in my In Box.
Good-bye to you all
From Mississauga
I sign off,
Sadly
Craig