Settling in

Everything is different here and in the start life here felt surreal. I've travelled around Europe and seen many different counties but you can really notice that I'm on the other side of the globe.

Biggest difference to Finland is the crime. Everyone are so careful when it comes to security. There are fences, gates and locks everywhere. Windows are barred and some fences are lined with barbed wire.

It's understandable when you hear the stories. I was talking to the lady next door and she was robbed the previous week while walking back home from the shop, and the shop is just 100 meters away. She also told me that she has to take the long way around when visiting her father because the straight route goes through a shacktown, in which some old lady was strangled last week.

Other less grim differences are the people,  who say hi and ask how you're doing even if you don't know them. I sat on the sofa the other day and some guy saw me through the open door so he shouted "hey boss, how're you?".

One thing I also had to get used to is eating with hands. I still use a fork sometimes but I want to act like the locals do so I try to manage. One thing that scares me though is the amount of bread served, it's used as a helper when eating with hands. People drink lots of coffee and tea, but the coffee is nowhere as strong as in Finland, and as far as I've seen, always instant and not brewed.

At work we're planning activities for the centre because at the moment it acts as a homework club for most part. So far these plans include cooking nights, sports day, parent's day and hands and crafts to spruce up the place.