Under the weather & Pulla

There was quit some rain again this week, but the weather forecast is looking so much better now! It is becoming incredibly green outside, and from what I hear it's supposed to become even greener!

I've felt a little bit under the weather this week, so I haven't done much outside work, I've pretty much just slept. But, things at work are becoming more interesting as the Summer School is drawing closer. It has actually already started, but up in the north in Rovaniemi. The Summer School will start in Pori on Wednesday the 1st of June. There are 20-something Americans participating, so I get to relive my exchange-feeling a little bit again, redundant to say that I'm very excited! I've been left in charge of the evening program for the 2 weeks the students will be here, so that's also a pretty fun task.

This weekend I'll be going to Turku again to visit my friend Marika. There's also 'Eurocultured Turku' this weekend, which basically means that there will be lots of music and performances to go see.

The picture competition is also drawing to an end. I set the deadline for 12:00 today, so after that we will have to choose a winning picture. I think it's nice for the students that they now have a file on SAMK Intl's facebook page where they can get a 'feel of Finland'.

I'm going to have a hard time not eating Pulla anymore when I go back to the Netherlands! I pretty much eat one once a day here, they are so good! Pulla is a traditional Finnish pastry. Here's wikipedia's description for it:

Pulla (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈpulːɑ]) is a mildly-sweet Finnish dessert bread flavored with crushed cardamom seeds and occasionally raisins or sliced almonds. Braid loaves (pitko) are formed from three or more braided strands of dough. The braids may also be formed into a ring. Other types of pulla include small round ones that resemble English scones but have a sugar and butter topping, and larger cinnamon roll buns called korvapuusti. The outside typically has a shiny brown glaze, formed by a coating of egg white, milk or a mixture of sugar and brewed coffee.

I'm a fan of the round ones resembling the scones. I have decided that before I leave Finland I will learn how to bake these myself, so that I have a little piece of Finland to bring home with me :)