Not at all what I was going to write

This weekend has been the nicest two days in my life for a long, long time. One part of it, of course, has been the amazing weather – first real days of summer. And, closely related to the weather, is my balcony. Apart from when I went out to watch England play I’ve spent most of the weekend on the balcony. I’m sat outside right now, too.

So, time for confessions. That’s already three examples of things that I like: my balcony, summer and, perhaps bizarrely, England. Or English, rather. But as some of my experience of the language is so closely tied with the country I’m quite fond of the place itself as well. After the football match yesterday I ended up staying in the pub for a bit longer, just to speak English. It made me miss the times when I lived in Coventry. There's so many things about it I miss (most people who've been there think I'm mad as apparently you're not meant to like Coventry but never mind). I hadn’t thought about it for a long time, I’m happy in Helsinki. But still, it wasn't easy realizing that with my current ideas on what I want to do when I grow up, I can’t go back there. Like having two homes but you can only live in one of them. Unless, of course, I find a wealthy husband, move there and become a housewife. Or maybe when I’m retired… I dont' know if that makes any sense and of course there's alot I don't like about the place and things are never that simple but still, I miss living there and I miss some people there a lot too.

Strange how I got writing about that. What first got me writing today’s two hot-air balloons that just flew by. I wasn't meant to say I miss Coventry, I was meant to say I’m in love with Helsinki. Hot-air balloons, people going by on their skateboards when I’m sat on my balcony, kids asking me how to get to Linnanmäki, all my friends who live here, my job, my home. And how I used to hate this place! It’s only a year and a half ago I could never, ever have imagined I’d voluntarily move here, even just visiting made me angry. Now I’m so happy with my life there isn’t much more I’d ask for, but that’s another sad story I won’t bore you with right now. But still, I miss my life in the UK.

Picture: www.freephoto.com