Some Thoughts

Here is a list of things I never thought would happen before I moved to Helsinki (but they've now happened):

-Have 32 F feel surprisingly warm, and everyone in class is also remarking on the same fact
-Understand any spoken Finnish ever
-Be able to use public transportation
-See cats being walked on leashes outside
-Think candles are a necessity rather than just decorations
-Be away from home for more than 2 months and not be horribly homesick
-Drink outside and not get arrested (it's seriously great!)
-Stick out a whole semester living abroad
-Make Finnish friends
-See Sabaton!!
-Find a country that is more obsessed with Christmas than the US. Seriously. I see Santa walking around at least once a day. Usually more than that. There are indoor and outdoor temporary Christmas markets everywhere, I bought some really warm mittens from one. I don't know why Americans tell their kids Santa lives literally on the North Pole. There isn't even any land there! Finnish people get very offended when you tell them this, because he is (of course) from Rovaniemi. Where Santa flies away in a helicopter every year to go deliver presents. Pretty crazy.