First Impressions (4 months later).

I first touched down onto European soil at Helsinki airport 109 days ago. After an 8 hour flight from Toronto (plus a 3 hour flight from St. John's and a 5 hour layover at Pearson) , the first thing I wanted to do, besides stretch my legs, was go to the bathroom and freshen up - brush my teeth, wash my face, comb my hair, drink 5 gallons of water, etc. I had been without sleep for about 22 hours at this point (and had endured a 2 hour layover, and a 2 1/2 hour flight ahead of me), and was feeling anything but human. The moment I entered the WC (yes, water closet - that's what you need to look for over here), I encountered the first of many things that are different on this side of the pond:

• The toilets are different - they all have a button on the top that you either push down, or pull up. Some stalls have a sink inside as well as outside.
  Computer keyboards are different. The "Z" and "Y" keys are reversed, and I can never seem to find the @ symbol; very frustrating when you're sleep deprived, anxious to e-mail your family and tell them you made it across the pond in one piece, trying to use a Mac for the first time, AND purchase internet "time" online with a credit card in a foreign language that is NOT French.
  


• Water is different. Not all water is different (naturally tap water is the same), but you need to be aware of water with bubbles, or gas (perliva), and still water (neperliva - the stuff we're accustomed to drinking in Canada). Carbonated water is quite popular here, and definitely takes some getting used to.
  


• Using public transit is different. I've never had to push a button to open the door to a bus or subway, but you need to do it here, from the inside and outside. I figured that out the hard way after looking quite stupid a few times, waiting for a door to open that never will until someone reaches around me to push it, haha.
  


• Coffee is different. In most ways it's better since it is espresso based rather than the brewed type that's so common in Canada. I have 2 complaints, however. Coffees are generally too small (I need more than 4 ounces to start MY day), AND too expensive. $3 for 4 ounces of coffee is crazy. A large latte at Starbucks is about 99 KC (about $5.50 CAD). Sure, I can get a cheaper coffee down the street, but it's only 1/3 the size, but still costs around 55 KC. As for tea, I have managed to find Tetley tea here, but it's not the same. The bags are smaller, and dveryone who knows me knows thT I like a strong cup of tea.
  


• Beer is different. Beer is BETTER. Beer is cheaper. Beer HERE, is delicious!! Beer can be purchased almost anywhere, from the local Tesco, to the corner store. You can even buy beer from McDonald's and the hot dog vendor on the corner. (FYI: street meat vendors here sell much more than hotdogs. You can buy various types of sausages, naturally, but you can also buy hamburgers, chicken schnitzel on a bun, deep fried cheese on a bun, and a mulled wine or beer to wash it all down.
  


• Food is also a bit different. I cannot find almond butter here, which is sad because I'm forced to eat either jam or Nutella on bread - and I'm not too fond of the former, while the latter is rather unhealthy. It's next to impossible to find good cheddar cheese - all I've found is mild cheddar imported from the UK, and it's about $5 CAD for a half pound.