Saturday, August 25, 2012

Blog challenge: 11 facts tag!

The admirably witty Pilvi from How to become an Emigrant sent me a blog challenge and everyone who reads my blog knows how I love blog challenges :) So I obviously accepted, although I might've done this before. It's the 11 facts challenge and here are the rules:

1. The person nominated must share 11 facts about themselves.
2. The person nominated must answer the questions the tagger
( the person who nominated them) set for them.
3. The person nominated must choose 11 people to tag (nominate)
and create 11 questions for them to answer.
Then they must go to their pages and let them know they were nominated!
There are no tag backs! 

Pilvi asked the questions in Finnish, so I'll be answering them in Finnish as well, but here are the 11 facts about myself in English.

1. I was a very quick-tempered child, but to my parents' surprise I calmed down considerably when I went to school. I was so excited when I finally got to go to kindergarten at the age of 5, since I never went to a daycare.

2. I still love school and have several degrees to prove it. I'm working on two Master's degrees right now, hopefully graduating from the first one later this year.

3. I've  changed career paths several times during my life since I have not been able to make up my mind on what I really want to do. I got accepted to the university of study Slavic languages originally, but I changed my major quite soon after classes started. 

4. I've worked in security, which you would not believe if you saw me, I'm a rather small person. But I was a licensed security guard back in the day.

5. When I was five years old I told everyone I was going to become Miss Finland when I grew up. I staged beauty pageants with my cousins in order to practice for the real thing. 

6. Right now I'd like to be working at the archives somewhere doing conservation work. Before I had our little man, that was exactly what I was doing. It really bums me out that I can't go back to my old job in Nebraska, but I'd rather live in Finland right now.

7. I love making people guess where I'm from when I'm abroad. In the U.S people from the east coast often guessed I was from Georgia, since I had a funny accent.

8. When I moved to the Midwest people thought I was from Boston, since I had a funny accent.

9. I have one of those faces, I seem to have doppelgangers everywhere I go. Sometimes even my friends' ask me why I just walked past them on the street and are surprised when I explain I was at home at the time.

10. I never thought I'd get married or have children until very recently (I was very occupied with the academia), but now I'm both a wife and a mommy :)

11. I have freckles, which some people in Finland find surprising.

Being studious, college dining at Harvard


And then to Pilvi's questions :) Pahoittelen jalleen skandien puuttumista vastauksista!

1) Jos nyt pääsisit lähtemään äkkilähdöllä lomalle minne vain, välittämättä kustannuksista tai käytännön järjestelyistä, mihin lähtisit?
- Lahtisin jonnekin Tyynen valtameren saarelle, jossa en voisi kuin levata ja kayda kavelyilla. Haluaisin olla rauhassa, ilman yhtakaan tenttikirjaa ja ilman kotityovelvollisuuksia.

2) Mikä maa tai alue ei kiinnosta sinua matkakohteena juurikaan?
- Enpa tieda onko sellaista! Ehka olen  kuitenkin sen verran arkajalka, etten uskaltaisi lahtea sotatila-alueille.

3) Mikä on lempimatkakohteesi Suomessa?
- Tykkaan Saimaasta, ehkapa Puumalan lahisto.

4) Miksi juuri se paikka?
- Haluaisin olla veden aarella ja koska asun lahella merenrantaa, sisavesisto olisi kivaa vaihtelua:)

5) Auto, juna, lentokone vai laiva, ja miksi, tai miksi ei?
- Matkustan mielellani kaikilla, mutta juna on mielestani jotenkin romanttinen matkustusvaline, varsinkin jos on oma hytti! Pidan myos pitkista risteilyista, ikkunallisella hytilla tietenkin :-)

6) Millainen matkasuunnittelija olet? Riittääkö, että on lennot varattu, vai suunnitteletko vähän pidemmälle etukäteen?
- Suunnittelen paljon, vaikka voisin lahtea suunnittelemattakin. Tai no, siinakin tapauksessa, etta pitaisi lahtea yhtakkia, ehtisin varmasti etsia puhelimella paljon tietoa kohteesta :) Olen hyva kaivamaan tietoa esille aiheesta kuin aiheesta.

7) Minne, päiväreissua pidemmälle, matkustit viimeksi?
-Taisimme kayda Tukholmassa viimeksi, sita ennen New Yorkissa.

8) Mikä matkassa oli parasta?
- Tukholmassa oli parasta rakkaan ystavan nakeminen, New Yorkissa miehen kanssa kaksistaan olo.

9) Missä matkakohteessa olet toivonut, että voisit jäädä sinne pysyvästi? Miksi?
- Kreikan saaristossa, siis niissa vahemman turistirysapaikoissa. Pidan niiden rauhallisuudesta oman hektisen elaman vastapainona. Lisaksi tykastyin Floridan Jacksonvilleen, en tieda oikeastaan miksi. Ehka kun siellakin oli niin ihanan leppoisaa. Samaan asiaan tykastyin Outer Bankseillakin, sinnekin voisin muuttaa!

10) Kerro pahimmasta matkustuskokemuksestasi.
- Kehtaankohan kertoa, hieman allottavaa :) No tassa tulee; olin vuosia sitten Turkissa matkalla ja lahdimme paikallisbussilla 7h ajomatkalle vuoristoon, koska arkeologina halusin nahda useita kaivauksia. Jo alkumatkasta meidan vatsamme alkoivat murista ja lopulta emme pystyneet ajattelemaan mitaan muuta kuin vessaan paasya. Parin tunnin paasta bussi pysahtya jonnekin keskelle ei mitaan, jossa oli jonkinlainen laastirakennelma eli vessa. Vessa oli tietenkin turkkilaiselle maaseudulle tyypillinen reika lattiassa, eika mitaan muuta. Ovella istui vanhahko herrasmies, joka myi vessapaperia pala kerrallaan. Onneksi minulla oli omat nessut mukana, kiitos aiti! Loppumatka taas karvisteltiin, kunnes paastiin perille meidan ensimmaiseen kohteeseen, josta olimme varanneet hotellin. Hotelli oli todella nuhruinen, mutta meidan huoneessamme oli ihan oikea vesiklosetti! Innostus halveni nopeasti huomattuamme, etta vessan katosta vuotaa ylakerran huoneen sita itseaan. Emme jaksaneet alkaa valittaa asiasta, koska olimme siella vain sen yhden lyhyehkon yon nukkumassa, joten istuimme vuorotellen vessapontolla (onneksi mukaan ottamani) sateenvarjon alla muutaman tunnin. Loppumatka meni muuten oikein loistavasti tahan alkuun verrattuna :) Ja tama on niita harvoja kertoja, kun sain jonkun vatsapopon, joten voin pitaa itseani onnekkaana!

11) Miten lomailet, jos lomaan ei kuulu matkustusta?
- Jotenkin kotona olo ei vain ole lomailua, mutta ehkapa menisin rannalle.

Vacationing in Jacksonville, Florida in 2007

And here are my 11 questions:

1) As a child, what did you want to become when you grew up?
2) What do you do for living now?
3) What profession would you be in, if you could choose anything you like now?
4) Which country/area do you live in?
5) If you had to pick one place in your current town to bring a tourist, where would you take them? 
6) Which countries/areas have you lived in?
7) Where would you live,  if you could choose anywhere you like?
8) What is the furthest you've ever been away from home ?
9) What languages do you know and how well?
10) What language(s) would you like to learn?
11) and the random 11th question: what is the oldest item you own?

I think most of the blogs I read have done this challenge, but those that haven't, I tag you! :) 
I also challenge those that are reading this blog and have done the challenge or just don't want to do it, to answer my questions in the comment box :) I saw that one of Pilvi's readers had done that, and I think it's a great idea!

Looking forward to your answers :) Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

12 comments:

Eveliina said...

Hahaha... omg! Tuo pahin matkustuskokemuksesi... Tuo olisi niin voinut sattua minulle "the ripulille"... :S
Eipä ole kyllä vielä ikinä täytynyt istua pyntyllä sateenvarjon alla, kakkasateelta piilossa.... :D

Sugar said...

Heh, toivottavasti jai ainutkertaiseksi kokemukseksi itsellanikin :D

Anonymous said...

1. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a paleontologist for the longest time :) I loved visiting museums and all of the fossils in there.

2. Nowdays I work on an in house marketing team, creating digital content...so not quite paleontology.

3. If I could choose any profession, I'd probably choose to be right where I'm at. I really like this type of work, although I have many other interests as well. Maybe in another life I would pursue a teaching career in philosophy.

4. I am currently living in Finland.

5. I would be sure to take a tourist to the outdoor merchants on the Helsinki pier. I think it's really neat to see all of the trinkets that they are peddling.

6. I have only lived in the U.S. And Finland.

7. If I could choose anywhere to live, it would probably be in Nepal. I love the mountains and find the mtn.temples and villages fascinating.

8. I have to say that living in Finland is the furthest that I've ever been away from home.

9. I am a native English speaker, but I've studied Spanish for 4 years and have been learning a bit of Finnish now that I'm living here.

10. I would really like to learn German, since my ancestors emigrated from there long ago...my Finnish could also use some improving as well.

11. Theeoldest item that I own would probably be a fossil from an antelope that I found when I was younger.

Sugar said...

Paleontology sounds super-interesting! And that oldest thing you have is pretty darn cool too! Thanks for answering the questions :)

Jenni said...

Kamala ripulikertomus... erityisesti tuo vessan katon vuotaminen, hyi helvetti. :D

Jännä että ihmiset luulivat sinun olevan Georgiasta. Itse olen ollut huomaavinani, että ne, jotka kertomansa mukaan ovat asuneet Georgiassa koko ikänsä, ymmärtävät vähiten omaa ei-mielestäni-mitenkään-supervahvasti-suomalaista aksenttiani.

Ja olen muuten vähän kade tuosta konservaatiotyöstä... Sellaista olisi tosiaan hauska päästä tekemään. :)

Mutta koska minä olin se, joka oli Pilvinkin blogissa vastannut kyssäreihin kommenteissa, ja tykkään kyssäreihin vastailuista, teenpä saman täsä:

1) As a child, what did you want to become when you grew up?
Arkeologi, koska luulin, että ne kaivavat esiin dinosaurusten luita. Eli paleontologi olisi varmaan ollut järkevämpi, mutta myöhemmin arkeologiaan veti, että olin 7-vuotiaana auttamassa jossain kaivauksilla, ja se oli ehkä siisteintä ikinä.
2) What do you do for living now?
Olen opintovapaalla töistä eli en paljon mitään. Ammatti on IT-konsultti.
3) What profession would you be in, if you could choose anything you like now?
Varmaan se arkeologi. En uskaltanut lähteä sitä taannoin opiskelemaan, koska sain Museovirastovierailulla käsityksen, että työtilanne olisi kovinkin huono, mutta jälkeenpäin harmittaa riskien välttely.
4) Which country/area do you live in?
Georgia, USA
5) If you had to pick one place in your current town to bring a tourist, where would you take them?
Jaa siis täällä Kennesawssa... ömm, eipä täällä ihan hirveästi mitään ole, mutta veisin varmaan tuonne National Battlefield Parkiin, koska en ole siellä itsekään vielä ehtinyt käydä, ja siellä ilmeisesti saa aika hyvin käsityksen täällä taannoin käydyistä sisällissodan taisteluista.
6) Which countries/areas have you lived in?
Suomesta pääkaupunkiseutu, Jenkeistä Georgian lisäksi Massachusetts ja Florida, ja lisäksi Tsekeissä Brnon kaupungissa.
7) Where would you live, if you could choose anywhere you like?
Pari vuotta kerrallaan siellä sun täällä. Jos on pakko valita yksi paikka loppuiäksi, niin se olisi Helsinki.
8) What is the furthest you've ever been away from home ?
Riippuu miten koti lasketaan. Jos koti on yhtä kuin Suomi, niin Havaijilla olen ollut, mutta asuimme silloin perheen kanssa Yhdysvalloissa. Pisimmän korren taitaa siis vetää Vietnam Suomessa asuessa.
9) What languages do you know and how well?
Suomi ja englanti sujuvasti, ruotsi vähemmän sujuvasti ja tsekki niin, että pärjään ympäristössä, jossa kukaan ei puhu muuta kuin tsekkiä, eli pystyn keskustelemaan auttavasti. Lisäksi venäjällä pystyn neuvottelemaan taksikuskin kanssa ja lukemaan ruokalistoja.
10) What language(s) would you like to learn?
Aloitin juuri ranskan opinnot, ja se olisi tarkoitus opetella. Jos joskus vielä sen jälkeen jää aikaa opiskella kieliä, niin venäjän haluaisin nostaa semisujuvaksi.
11) and the random 11th question: what is the oldest item you own?
Meinasin laittaa tähän jotain kastelahjoista, mutta sitten tajusin oikean vastauksen: jatkosodan aikainen saksalainen ammuslaatikko. Säilytän siinä käsityölankojani.

Hyvät kyssärit. :)

Pilvi said...

Thanks for taking the challenge! Your toilet experience in Turkey totally cracked me up, but I bet that night you weren't laughing. Great memories! :P

Here are my answers to the questions! By the length of the answers you can tell I was doing this on the plane, it's a long flight...

1) As a child, what did you want to become when you grew up?

The two that I remember are teacher and librarian. I think every good little schoolgirl wants to be a teacher at some point. But I was still a child - 12 or 13 - when I decided I want to become a doctor.

2) What do you do for a living now?

Well, I am a physician... but right now I'm hanging onto life without a living. ;) I am in the process of taking the medical licensing examination in the US.

3) What profession would you be in, if you could choose anything you like right now?

I'd still be a physician. Not being able to work is a great motivator! And preparing for the exams has been, in part, very inspiring as far as the medical science goes. Learning, even re-learning is exciting! Most often I say, though, that I wish I was in a not-heavily-licensed field, so I could work already. Or, I say I wish I had known I'm going to move to the US when I started med school...

4) Which country/area do you live in?

I live in the western suburbs of Chicago, in DuPage county.

5) If you had to pick one place in your current town to bring a tourist, where would you take them?

My first instinct is to say I'd take them to Chicago... but sticking with our small suburban town, it would have to be Lilacia Park, nestled between the railroad and the library. In the spring it's a feast of colors and scents with the lilacs and tulips in full bloom. In the winter, they have light installations there, and though they might brush the border with tacky, I'd still show them the moving swans and little penguins. (After a walk in the park I'd take my tourist either to the classic diner or to the little candy store, both just across the railway station.)

6) Which countries/areas have you lived in?

For the first 27 years of my life, I was clearly conserving move kilometers for the Big One of 7000 km. I was born and raised in a tiny municipality just south of Rauma in the southwestern coast of Finland. I moved to Tampere when I was 18, and even as a student only moved twice, the latter move all of 200 meters. Then two years ago I moved across the pond.

7) Where would you live if you could choose anywhere you like?

This is a tricky one. I wish I could live in a place that combines the best parts of Berlin, Stockholm, Tampere and Chicago. In real life, all things considered, I wish I can keep living in Chicago.

8) What is the furthest you've ever been away from home?

Cape Horn. I don't know the distance, but the Frankfurt - Santiago de Chile flight was 17 hours and it took us almost two weeks by sail from Valparaiso to reach it. Unfortunately we couldn't land there, so the furthest I've been on land is the southernmost town in the world, Ushuaia, Argentina.

Pilvi said...


9) What languages do you know and how well?

Finnish - mother tongue. English - I consider myself bilingual; depends on the definition whether I am or not. I didn't learn English at home so by those standards I certainly aren't.
Swedish - I surprised myself at a wedding in Sweden this summer by holding actual conversations in Swedish! If I had a chance to spend maybe six months there, I could become relatively fluent.
German - I surprised myself this summer by speaking and understanding simple situational German! I was good at it at school, but I never reached fluency, and have barely used it at all in recent years.
Russian - When I picked Russian for my other voluntary foreign language on 8th grade, I thought I'd definitely have use for it. Not so much, especially since I've forgotten what little I learned way back then.
Spanish - I have a great desire to learn Spanish, but in practice I've done very little after a basics class last year. However it is something that I'll need if I end up working in my dream job.

10) What languages would you like to learn?

See above. :) Right now I don't have much interest for other languages. If I learned Spanish and didn't forget more of Swedish and German, I'd be more than happy. I guess I'm a little too practical, having abandoned dreams of learning Estonian or Swahili...

11) and the random 11th question: what is the oldest item you own?

I had to think hard for this one! I did quite a purge when I moved overseas, but I do own a couple pieces of jewelry from my childhood, and actually the oldest item I have is my grandmother's confirmation ring that she gave me on my confirmation. She was confirmed in 1931 - I got it 66 years later. I should wear it more, come to think of it!

Sugar said...

Kiitoksia vastauksista Jenni ja Pilvi! Ja Pilville viela kiitoksia haasteesta :)

Jenni, itsekin tosiaan ihmettelin mista tuon Georgian vetasivat, mutta se oli lahestulkoon aina vastauksena, kun kysyin mista luulevat minun olevan kotoisin. Kukaan ei edes sanonut, etta south, vaan se oli aina Georgia!

Pilvi, thank you for the answers! Now I'm really curious, which heavily-licensed field are you in, if I may ask? My Mom always thought/hoped I'd go to med school, which I didn't, but I ended up focusing on paleopathology in my studies. Later when my Mom proofread my thesis, she said it was really gross. I wonder what she would've thought if I had focused on pathology :)

Pilvi said...

Today I was asked for the first time EVER where I am from with a suggestion of a US region. :) Apparently my pronunciation of the word "problem" sounded Massachussettian.

I am in medicine. I hardly mention it in my blog, but probably will later this fall. I only worked a short while in Finland after graduation, so after passing the lisencing Steps, I also have to find a residency. Long way to go!

At some point when I was still in high school, my mom tried to dissuade me from going into medicine. "Wouldn't you rather be a teacher, it's so much cleaner" I think were her words. Now she denies ever thinking I'd be better off with another profession. :P

Pilvi said...

Ugh... *Probably will mention it more

and *licensing. :)

Sugar said...

Looking forward to hearing more about it! I can only assume how big of a job it is to get re-licensed in the U.S. I guess if there's an upside to the extremely low-paid field of archaeology, it's that you can work anywhere you like :)

Jenni said...

Someone's Mom has actually tried to turn them away from medicine? My mom tried hard to turn me away from engineering - "Your father and uncle are engineers, we don't need any more engineers in this family!!" - and like Sugar's Mom, actually really wanted one of us children to become a doctor. After she realized I faint at the sight of blood, she gave up on me, but only switched to encouraging me into law... because wouldn't it be handy to have a lawyer in the family?