hei hei and moi moi Helsinki- part one

Goodness, where did the time go? No sense in asking what day it is at the moment- the second day running I've been convinced it was the next day not the actual day, this means unfortunately another day at work tomorrow in which to prop my eyelids open and attempt to restart some experiments. Its only a 6 hour time difference to Finland, but I'm feeling pretty darned shattered at the moment.
So yes, I've spent the last week swanning around Helsinki and Tallinn under the pretence of a conference. I did actually attend the conference, though not as much as I was planning. Partly because I was enjoying myself sightseeing and partly because I was laid low with a migraine for one day. It was weird returning to a city that I had visited some 6 years previously as a fresh faced PhD student on another conference. This time at least I had some decent spending money and didn't cry at the prices of food or drink like last time. Still Helsinki is a pretty expensive city to spend time in.
My fears of being the departmental tour guide were laid to rest, when I saw everyone had their own copy of the same guide book- there must be only one for Scandinavia, they all had it, even the guy sitting next to me on the plane had the same book. I had about 5 minutes of awkwardness when I realised that the guy next to me was also going to the same conference, we exchanged pleasantaries and then thankfully proceeded to ignore each other for the next 9 and half hours or so.
Helsinki was gloriously cool with clear air and a cold wind. It was so nice to snuggle under the duvet and wake up not sweating as I have spent the summer doing. Its nice to be back in the motherland of the EU when I swanned through immigration waving my EU passport whilst 95% of the plane cued to get a stamp- fortunately the plague ridden immigration chappy evened up the odds at Kansai airport on the way back where it took him 3 times as long as anyone else to process our re-entry permits and there were only 5 of us, compared to the 20-30 visitors and 100's of Japanese.
Still,the clean fresh air of Scandinavia helped stave off the jet lag and tiredness, we checked into the very nice hotel in Helsinki-thank goodness for internet deals. I got a huge junior suite sized room all to myself. The only dissappointment was the bathroom, which was functional in that whole kinda soviet type of functional way. After quick freshen up we wrapped ourselves up and headed out into the cold Helsinki evening for some food. Its a really compact city so within a couple of minutes we were in the central harbour area.So we got our first taste (or re-taste for me) of Finnish cuisine.I had Chanterelle soup- which is an autumn speciality. It came with some really gorgeously nutty rye bread. We followed it up with some local sardine sized fish fried on a bed of mashed potatoes and a plate of smoked finnish delicacies, including reindeer. Unfortunately half way through trying those the tiredness kicked and all of a sudden everyone got really slow and tired so we had to skip out without finnishing.
Next day we headed to Tallinn, over in Estonia for a day. The planning us women had! Whilst all the guys from the department arrived the day before the start of the talks, we arrived the day before registration so we got an extra day of sightseeing in- much more logical ne!
I also went to Tallinn 6 years ago with some friends after the conference. We enjoyed that it was at least half the price of Helsinki and got pretty drunk on the honey vodka that came with out medievil themed dinner. this time we really only had time for a 3 hour non-stop walk around Tallinn before taking the boat back to Helsinki. Its nice to see it hasn't changed too much- a bit more English is spoken, but there were no signs of the drunken English stag parties I'd heard had kinda ruined it.Tallinn is still much cheaper than Helsinki and if you're ever in that area I really recommend a visit- its a really nice atmosphere, gorgeous old and quirky buildings. The only issue was trying to find a loo- I was getting pretty desperate, all the loos are superloos requiring 3 EEKs (Kroons), and of course I had no change. In the end we manage to find a cafe for a spot of lunch and a pit stop. It also allowed us to get away from the incredible noisy Spanish party who seem to stalk us around the sights. Seriously, it was a cacophony of noise from them - all talking at the same time, loudly. heading back to Helsinki, the sun came out and I ventured out on deck- a risky affair as the ship was a jet liner so was going at 63mph so it was like standing in a wind tunnel. But coming back through the islands of Helsinki it was really pretty. We got back to hotel to find the rest of our guys had checked in so into was a quick change into a suit to have dinner with crowd of other Japanese conference goers- where they caused chaos trying to order Japanese style in a Finnish restuarant, the dishes aren't really designed for sharing between multiple people, but we managed some how.

Part two continues later, when I've caught up on some more sleep....

And on the left....

Everything is all calm here after the emotion of the last posts. Today is the last day in work before I depart for a conference in Helsinki, so unlike all the others who are going who are still working, I have no experiments, just sorting out information, rolling posters and getting some Euros. I'll just include my mini rant against the stupid, backwards banking system in Japan right here.
Why is it that in a country where everyone works themselves to death or at least ridiculously long hours do the banks only open 9am to 3pm and why the hell do I have to travel all the way to the center of Sapporo to go to the only bank IN sapporo that has foreign currency- what the hell!!?? Don't get me started on the stupid ATMS with their closing times.....
This is the first trip abroad with the girls on the lab, last year I as in Budapest as the only woman amongst the department members. I was also the only one who bothered to learn some Hungarian to take taxis, get the bill etc. And as the token foreigner amongst the J-crowd I was constantly being spoken to in Hungarian by people. I guess they figured I was the translator for the group or something.
I have my suspicions that this will happen in Helsinki, in fact I know that it will. I have already heard the dreaded comments " but you'll be there to show us or to speak for us" from at least 3 seperate people, despite me telling them that everyone can speak English in Helsinki (well most people, but I'm not telling them that). I might add that all those 3 were wimpy guys. These would be the same guys who didn't leave their hotel in the US, because "it wasn't safe", this was a hotel in the center of the city not some ghetto I might add. At least the women are much more relaxed and keen for sightseeing and/or shopping. Hopefully I can steer them to the chococlate and cakes shops ;)
So I'm about to become the department tour guide for Finland, fount of all knowledge on all things Finnish and European. Right I'm bogging off early to pack my suitcase and sort out my little flag and white gloves.

Normal service resumed

Feeling much happier today... I'll put yesterday to be overly tired and emotional. Not sleeping and other things really contributed yesterday. I think meeting up with my friend and stuffing ourselves with a sukiyaki tabehodai followed by an ice-cream like cocktail in a favourite bar (yes a bar, not an izakaya- New Orleans style) helped alot.
I have also gained a new neighbour in work. Like a prodigal son, he has returned from his 2 year maturation stint abroad. Luckily, he was in Scotland for this and misses Scotland a lot (he didn't actually want to come back), so we can chat easily in english- a big bonus.
And can I just say, like 50 billion others have probably said. But its bloody hot still. Despite the appearance of all the autumn onsen adverts on tv (and I have no doubt the snow tire ones will start soon), it is roasting....still. I'm now counting down the days till I leave this heat for the cold and rain of Helsinki, even if its just for a week.

P.S. And would you believe it, I saw 3 snow tire adverts on TV last night, despite the fact I was lying in minimal clothes with the fan on and an ice pack at hand.

Down in the dumps

Excuse this post, I'm just getting some disappointment off my chest here... should be back to my more bubbly self shortly.
I have just spent the last few weeks and days working on this fellowship proposal. I think I wrote a good one. My mini boss helping me out too, even got a blush-worthy letter of recommendation from a former boss. Yesterday we were due to sit down and check everything before submitting, he came and asked me when I got my PhD. It turns out that this fellowship is for those who get there PhD from 2005 onwards. I got mine 2004. So all of our hard work has been for nothing. I'm kicking myself for not checking the guidelines properly. I did look and I did see a deadline,but that was back in March when it was still 2004 as the deadline, from April it changed and I didn't check or didn't notice again. At the age of 32 it appears I'm too old to apply for this grant because in the UK educatioin system you can complete your PhD much earlier than in other countries. So now I'm back to worrying again. I know that his highness said there would be money if I wanted to stay, but its not quite the same reassuring feeling as having your own grant and he's not around. I"m trying to be all positive,but really I'm feeling a bit lost at the moment.
This is compounded by one of my really good friends leaving. She's off to Sweden tomorrow to take up a new job- she's been my lunching companion for the last 2 years. We've been able to bitch and off load when working here gets to you, and as she's also a researcher she gets the little frustrations of research that is sometimes hard to explain to others in other jobs. I'm going to miss her alot, but such is the life of science and the life of an expat.

Now excuse me while I go have a wee teary session in the loo and dig out my emergency depression chocolate supply.

From the Scuttlebutt...

So last time I mentioned that His Highness (aka the Big Boss) was AWOL with my fellowship hanging in the balance. Well.... as it turns out, he's in a hospital somewhere in Sapporo! He came back from his hols in the UK (apparently the UK isn't to blame for this-well I hope not, not a very stunning recomendation to visit otherwise) and went into hospital. Its all been very cryptic, the first I heard of it was on the gaijin grapevine (or the beer garden in Sapporo) when a friend of mine who helps with proof-reading etc. was called into work to help draft emails cancelling various events. Naturally he passed this on to me. Then the next day around at a friend from works house we all sat round and discussed that my mini boss had recieved a phonecall on Friday, saying that he was in a hospital....much gossiping ensued, most of it lost on me with it being in Japanese.
At work last week, the lunchtime has been spent with much discussion, but it seems that those who know are being tightlipped... I've tried plumping the lovely secretaries for info (because if anyone knows I figured they would be the ones) but they ain't saying anything. Also that he's not in the university hospital either is pretty telling, the entire department would have known whats wrong within minutes most likely. All thats known is that he's out of action for the next couple of months...now all we can gossip about is what it is thats wrong with him and enjoy the fact that the department meetings will probably now take half the time without him there...
Thankfully though, my mini boss has stepped in and (bless him) is helping me complete the fellowship application. So there's progress there, thankfully.
It was actually a very medically drama theme week last week... the visiting Prof, that should have come last week cancelled due to being holed up in a Bangkok hospital with food poisoning and then whilst out with a friend for dinner at open plan restaurant, a passing eldery salary man crashed headfirst into the seats right by our table with something pretty seriously wrong with him. I was already to leap into action with my very rusty first aid skills when a what I think must have been an off duty doctor got there first- probably a good thing as I can't ever remember the word for ambulance in Japanese.
All this and Oyomesan's melon sized cyst too. I can't imagine what I would do if I was if it was me with that inside me. I don't think I would be coping as well as she seems to be! Hang in there Oyomesan!

Meanwhile I hope everyone else is healthy.

What I did this August by me aged 32 and half...

These last two weeks have brought new cinema trips- the sauna like heat drove me indoors to the airconditioned places. I went and saw the new Ghibli movie The Borrower Arrietty (借りぐらしのアリエッティ, Karigurashi no Arietti). I'm pretty impressed that could follow most of the dialogue despite my crappy Japanese, though I guess it helps that it is a kiddies story.
It was really beautifully animated and the story was easy to follow with really nice music- in ENGLISH! well sung by a french woman in English at least. I also saw The Sorcerers Apprentice (suprisingly enjoyable even if its horribly cliched).

I also survived my friends hen party- kept the peace between competing chiefs at the event,well attempted to at least.

I spent most of last week with swelling, pain, itching and eventually antibiotics. The blasted heat and humidity addled my brain and I stupidly left the screen open overnight so that a maurading mozzie enjoyed a feast whilst I slept. The resulting bites were not pretty.
The evil bugger even got my little finger which swelled up and turned purple with a scary red line advancing down the back of my hand. Fortunately being in a lab in a medical school means that my neighbours are doctors with boxes of free drugs so within 2 minutes of showing my hand a pack of superstrong antibiotics were given to me which stopped me from indulging in my hypochondria of tetanus and amputations.

I have been working to. I wrote a fellowship application so that I can get 2 years of money and stay in Japan. This would be great, but recently new complications have come along which are causing me some small worries.
Firstly, my mini boss got promoted, which means he's moving off down south where the big bugs roam. It took him by surprise, on account his interview was waaaaaaaaay back in February. And they want him to start in September so he's reaching new levels of stress at the moment trying to do everything. This means that the money for our research is about to also head south so we've been on frantic spending spree's to see us through to next year. Also non of us (probably not even the mini boss) knows whats going to happen to our group. Who will be the next head of the lab? what happens to the technicians, students and me???? is this fellowship for here or the other university. I don't know, he doesn't know....
We would ask his highness, but he's been away on his summer hols and hasn't appeared back when he should... so with an AWOL department head things are feeling abit unsettled for me and the application deadline is rapidly approaching.

Salt and vinegar update

Not too much to report, I've been taking it easy since the epic of Fuji aided by the crappy weather and hellishly busy week at work last week. It was mostly busy because random visiting profs and my talk I gave about Scotland (which I think went pretty well if I might say so *insert smug smile here*). The random prof. was German and as we (I and some of my other lab mates) showed him round the humid and damp sites of Sapporo kept on bringing up The War, Jews (in a very non- 3rd reich way btw) and other extra-sweat inducing topics- and of course all I had in my head after the first comment of his was Faulty Towers and "don't mention the war" comments in my head after this.
I can be thankful that most of the conversation probably went over the other peoples head, they had already been buggy-eyed at the fact that he's gay. J-people, GET A GRIP!
One of my colleagues is going off to work in America- California, no less so he'd better get over it quickly otherwise his head may explode.
That was a long day in an already long week- I didn't get home until around 9pm pretty much every night last week. This week is the opposite- both the Supreme Commander (aka his highness, or the big boss) is away and also my mini Boss is taking a well earned rest (more on that development in another post I think) so I fairly skipped out the lab in the daylight at 5.30 last night and met a friend for a cinema trip, finally getting to see one of the many films on my to-watch list.
Salt- Angelina Jolie in super-action mode. I really enjoyed it, its a little bit Josephine Bourne, and also kinda freaky given all the recent real Russian spy stories from America. That it also has one of my favourite actors in it too is an extra bonus (Chiwetel Ejiofor). If you have the time, give Salt a watch I reccomend it.
And speaking of movies, another I want to see is Toy Story 3, but the stupid cinemas in Sapporo have decided to only show dubbed versions of it, so I'm screwed. Does anyone know if its the same in other parts of Japan- because previously they always had a subtitled version for these kinds of films and I hope this isn't a new trend.
Anyway, the rest of this week should be also quiet- I hopefully will be off on Thursday for a R&R session with another friend, before she leaves for Sweden and before her Hen party on Saturday- I'm not sure Sapporo is ready for a bunch of foreign females on a Hen Party, lets see...