Word from C in Finland

Some of you have asked if I've heard from C since she's been in Finland. The answer is yes! She's been able to email every other day, which is more challenging than you might imagine as all of the computers are in Finnish.

C has started a cool online production journal which I'm sure she'll post all of this stuff and more to. But I wanted to share some of what she's written so far. Here's one email she sent me:

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Well, I am up'n' at 'em. I always wake up at 6 am here, which is great because it gives me time to shower and sort out my stuff for the day. What do I need, do I feel safe leaving the video camera behind, how can I lighten my load for the day, all that stuff. When I leave my room in the morning I don't come home until dark, so I want to make sure my daypack has everything I need in it: art supplies, camera (still -- haven't used the video camera yet), maps, Lonely Planet Finland Guide, sweatshirt, cash, credit cards, iPod, Room key, Leatherman...

Then I go for breakfast and am always the first one there. This is great because I get first dibs on all of the stacks of salami and cured meats, the incredible cheeses and everything else. I always pig way out at breakfast since it's my one free meal of the day. This morning I had two small sandwiches and a rye cracker with lox, three cups of coffee and a glass of juice, AND a fresh-baked bun with butter and homemade delicious jam, maybe lingonberry. THEN i even made another small sandwich and packed it in one of those INDISPENSIBLE ziplock bags. Luckily I am walking a LOT these days or I am sure all of this food would be a bad idea.

What my breakfast usually looks like (the first course anyhow)

Since I last wrote a big email from Kuhmo, I have had a great time. I told you I think about the artist lady and her boyfriend who were at Juminkeko to set up her show. I didn't get to see much of her work because it was all still in boxes by the time I wanted to head to the bus 'station' (more of a 'stop' really), but she said she'd email me pictures if I email her, so we exchanged cards and that will be cool to see. Then the old guy, Markku (who has the most amazing eyebrows I have ever seen -- they protrude from his brow bone a good inch and a half of wavy blonde bristle -- and ear tufts to match), who runs Jumikeko with his wife, Sirpa, made a couple of calls to Helsinki for me, arranging to get me access to the Helsinki Film Archive where I can view The Story of Sampo, an animated version of the Kalevala from the 70's, as well as meet with an old guy who made a documentary about the Kalevala, maybe at the festival next week.They were both very kind and Markku said that the next time I come they will make arrangements for me to visit the REAL Karelian villages in Russian Viena Karelia, where the people still retain their old customs and some of the old people still remember the Kalevala verses by heart and can still sing them. Gosh, that would be amazing. Then Sirpa kindly drove me to the bus and gave me what must be a Finnish hug, that is, she put her hand on my shoulder and smiled at me and told me to email anytime if I have any further questions, then thanked me for my lovely visit and said she wants to hear how things go.

The bus ride was nothing special, hours and hours along stretches of road that all look the same; trees, trees, trees (pretty birches and firs), then a clearing, a field, a Finnish farm (generally yellow houses and old red barns with STONE FOUNDATIONS, just as I surmised Sukanen built his buildings, based on the ruins left behind, but I had never SEEN a building like the ones I imagined he built until I got here), then trees, trees, trees.

At one point when we slowed down, I heard, or thought I heard, a dog whimpering. As we came to a stop to pick someone up (there are these stops along the highway where people wait, standing next to trees, trees, alone on the highway, weird) the whining got louder. There was definitely a dog on the bus. As we'd pick up speed it would get quiet but each time we slowed down and stopped, and until we were back at speed, it would cry. I got to really missing Moxie, even at her most annoying.

Yesterday when I got to Joensuu I had to take a cab to the FinnHostel. My pack is great, but it was a couple of kilometers to the hostel from the bus station. Joensuu is MUCH bigger than Kajaani or Kuhmo, which are pretty much towns; this place has a University and a lot of other stuff going on.

Be careful where you shop in Finland...

Juminkeko in Kuhmo was awesome for the Kalevala studies, but there is a whole museum here that is totally about the Karelian culture, and after the lady from Karelian Expert tourist service kindly asked the ticket lady if she could give me a quick free tour yesterday (as the museum and Karelian Expert are in the same building, and as she is not working today), I can't wait to get back in there and really spend some time sketching, painting, and taking pictures. There is so much to see! Lots of displays and photos, archives and artifacts, all of which are giving me a much better sense of the aesthetics of the Kalevala and the general feeling of the Karelian culture.

Mainetta Kuinniia Hold 'Em, anyone?

The camera is GREAT, by the way! I have had to charge it a couple of times but haven�t run out of battery juice. I still seem to have room for more pictures. I tried to download the ones i have onto a flash stick but can�t understand the Finnish dialogue boxes that come up when I plug in the camera, so may have to wait until I get to Helsinki for help with that. Hopefully I don't run out of memory!!!!

What all old guys look like here and how they get around until they're too old for bikes
and have to graduate to these skateboards for seniors (I'll explain that one later; it's hilarious)

I have sadly finished my novel, Pride and Prejudice. I should have brought a second one. Not sure if I'll find a bookstore here that sells English books, but my first stop this morning is at a used bookstore, so hopefully I will find something. The train tomorrow is a 5-hour ride, most likely through the same sort of terrain I've seen on all of the bus and train trips I've taken so far: trees, trees, trees, clearing, farm, trees, trees trees... Still, I have to work out my paper and the two workshops so maybe it's better if I don't have a book. When I get to Helsinki I would like to know what I am doing, as the ladies from the festival are taking me out tomorrow afternoon/evening for supper or coffee or drinks; it will be nice to finally meet them. They have been so sweet and helpful. I think I will meet at least Anna-Maija and Heidi, and maybe Tuula too.

OH! I am going to be interviewed on the radio on Monday! Hahaha! They want to interview me and talk about my work in the film industry (ulp, that was getting to be a long time ago now)and about Sisu, which I can talk about forever of course. I think it's an hour long radio interview! Hahaha! I asked if I could have a copy of it, it will be fun to listen to later.

By the way the Finns I have talked to so far seem to think that Sisu is a good name for the film, so that's cool.

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I'll post more of C's reports later. Knock 'em dead in your radio interview, C! Tell 'em the one where two Swedes and a Finn walk into a bar. That one always kills. I miss you, baby!

Until next time... adventure!
R-