you want me to... what?

I thought I'd dedicate my post today to some of the goofy (to us, at least) things that we encounter on a somewhat daily basis here in Finland.  I'm not sure if all of these things are standard around other parts of Europe or not, but they are sure to raise the eyebrows of anyone from the U.S.!

1)  Buying bags at the grocery store (or any store for that matter).  Sure, you may spend 100 euros, but does that earn you the right to get your purchase in a plastic (that probably cause them about 5 cents, tops) bag to carry home?  Not at the majority of stores you walk into!  If you want a bag, you had better grab one and put it on the checkout counter, it's going to cost you 20 cents.  Oh, you'd prefer paper? That'll be 50!  No, 20 cents won't break the bank, but if you count every time you go to the store (x the number of bags you get) it starts to add up.  We use reusable bags both here and at home, but of course only remember them half the time.  I guess it's a good effort to encourage recycling and not wasting bags, which I don't disagree with, but c'mon, if I spend a significant amount of money in your store, the least you could do is give a sister a bag (I promise I'll reuse it as a trash bag later!)


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 2)  Bagging your own groceries.  After that shiny-new-20-cent plastic bag comes across the scanner, you had better get your tush to the end of the checkout and start filling it.  Fast.  No, the bagger boy isn't just lagging behind at the checkout next to you... YOU are the bagger boy.  You quickly catch on to a good method on how to properly pack a grocery bag (which leaves you wondering how the bagger boys at home still always manage to put your eggs and bread on the bottom...) and, if you're like me, start testing your skills and timing yourself to see how fast you can go.  I even sometimes (secretly) race the person next to me and do a little celly dance if I win.  Hey, life is only as fun as you make it, right?



hey kids... I'll give you a dollar if you bag mine, too!


3) Assigned seats at the movie theatre.  I think I could go either way with this one.  Doesn't seem like all that bad of an idea, you get to pick where you want to sit, plus you don't have to worry about rushing right into the theatre to get a good seat (you won't want to when you see how many different kinds of foods, drinks and candy are scattered throughout the lobby!).  But I think we can all think of a time or 2 when you get stuck next to the group of 13 year olds that giggle every time they say "boob" or the chatty group of ladies there for their "mom's night out" gossip session (why did you come to a movie theatre again?).  In that case, I enjoy my freedom of being able to get up and move to the furthest seat possible.

no lady, your kid throwing popcorn at the back of my head is NOT cute
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4) The bathroom door code.  So, you need to get up from your movie and take a potty break? (hey, those 32 oz. soft drinks will get the best of everyone...)  Better bring your ticket with you!  No, not to get back in the theatre... but because you will need the "bathroom code" that is printed on it.  When I first saw the keypad next to the bathroom door that was locked I thought "wtf? I have to pay to use the bathroom, too?!"  Nah, you just need the 4 digit code on your ticket, but that's still beyond my comprehension.  Do movie theatres have a problem with homeless people coming in to bathe in their bathrooms or something?

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5) No drinks in the seating area.  Ok, so the reason I go to hockey games is obviously to watch my husband play.  But as for the 8,000 or so other people, I'd venture to guess that most of them are there for some combination of watching hockey, socializing, and having a few adult beverages.  I don't usually choose to drink at my hubby's games (I like to actually watch the game, plus I'm not a big drinker as it is)  but I think that this rule is really pointless.  No one is allowed to bring alcohol into the seating area, it must remain in the concourse area.  So, needless to say, come the last minute of the period there is a huge rush out to the concession stands, bars and restaurants to binge as many drinks as possible in the next 20 minutes.  This creates ridiculously long lines and overcrowding of the concourse.  It will take you the entire intermission just to fight the crowd and get around the arena once.  I think their theory is that it slows down people's drinking (Finns tend to drink a lot, which brings them out of their usual shy shell... a.k.a. they get ROWDY) but here's a hint: it doesn't!  It just means that instead of casually drinking 3 beers over 2 periods, they guzzle them all in one intermission.  FAIL!



Crowd during the game (away game)



Intermission


5)  What's a stop sign?  There are virtually no stop signs around.  It is common knowledge that the car to the right has the "right of way" so when you come up to an intersection, you yield to them.  Sure, we use the same concept in the U.S., but it almost always accompanies a stop sign or light (or at very least, a yield sign!)  If we Americans just assumed everyone to follow this, there would be a lot more accidents, and quite frankly (thinking especially back to my days of living in Massachusetts... haha ;) )  I'd be scared to drive. 

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6) What's that?  You wanted the box with your shoes?  Here, when you buy a pair of shoes, they take them out of the box and put them, just the shoes, into the bag.  I'm guessing to reuse the box and reduce waste, but c'mon, if I buy expensive shoes I do NOT want them sitting loose in a bag while I carry it home.  This reminds me of a pair of black stilettos I bought last month- I was carrying my unboxed new shoes home in their bag and stopped at the liquor store.  I happened to stumble across some Sam Adam's Winter Lager at the store (not a common occurance, so when you find that kind of stuff, you have to get it!)  In attempt to reduce waste (okay, and save 20 cents) I chose to put them in my bag from the shoe store.  2 black stilettos and 8 bottles of beer.  CLASSY.

I wonder where people here keep all of their old love notes and memorablia from ex's?

That's all I've got for now.  I'm sure I could think of a bunch of other things, but that's what is on the top of my head tonight.  Any of you that are living away from home and experience similar quirky things, feel free to add to my list! :)