Back home in New England, there's always a reason to hate snow. It needs shoveling. Cars need to be dug out from underneath it and scraped clean. It can make travel difficult, too, particularly if one doesn't have adequate tires and must drive long distances each day. If there is a big storm, there's always a chance you'll lose electricity. It reminds us that we don't live in Florida, a mere three to four hour flight away, and we're just so envious of their warm weather! (Never mind that we could also live in Minnesota or North Dakota.) We resolve to move to a warmer climate every winter.
Most of these snow-related inconveniences apply in Finland as well. (Except, I think, for the tire bit; Finns, as far as I understand, are required by law to have winter tires, and a lot of people have studs.) Still, I never hear anyone complaining about it. In fact, if anyone mentions it at all, it's to comment on how beautiful it looks. And, as you can see from the above photo, it really does.
Not being burdened with a car is a luxury for several reasons and, for me, one such reason is that I'm able to enjoy the snow without any niggling complaints. The same is true for not owning a home. Basically, I don't have to do jack shit about the snow other than walk in it and admire it. It's a pleasure I've taken nearly every day since it belatedly showed up.
Now, if I one day do own a car, a home, or both, it will be my charge to think more like a Finn than a New Englander about snow. It's a fact of life, and you might as well just appreciate it for its beauty rather than despise it for its causing a few problems.
LOVE your attitude! :-D We have a car, but I can't drive, so I get by with a bike. I'm really thankful for the snow truck or snow blower drivers who are really hard working here. Otherwise it'd be really hard for me to be able to bike around the village in winter. :-D
ReplyDeleteGreat attitude! I wish I could remember everyday it is far betther for everyone including me to think that way :) Beautiful picture as well!
ReplyDeleteForgot to say...I LOVE your profile pic. You're GORGEOUS! :-D
ReplyDeleteI think one of the things about Finland that makes life in the snow relatively easy is that there simply isn't that much. A storm that drops 30 cms of snow is quite unusual and you will get traffic problems etc after that, but in many parts of the world that's nothing. Even in the UK where it snows much less, getting 20 cm or 30 cms overnight is pretty normal and accounts for the normal snow chaos the next day. I don't know, but doesn't the snow belt in NE USA get lots more snow than Finland?
DeleteAnd how do you reply to the original post, not just to someone else's comment?
Delete@Amel Thank you! I was just sick of looking so unfriendly and thought a picture of me smiling might help with that. :)
Delete@Toby I think there should be a text box at the very bottom of the page, under which there is a "publish" button. So rather than clicking "reply," just start typing and click "publish." Hope that helps. :)
And yes, I think the snow belt does get quite a bit more snow than does Finland, as do other parts of the US, but Connecticut (and New England in general, I think) gets slightly less on average. I'm not sure of the exact numbers. You're right, though, because where I'm from does tend to get larger storms over a period of a day to a few days during which snow accumulates quickly, whereas here in Lappeenranta it seems to snow often, intermittently, and accumulate slowly.
Something a big buggy happening here - this "comment" possibility didn't appear on the page until I had hit the "reply" to the pre-existing comment. Weird - not seen that problem before and have been using blogger for years... But perhaps its my browser rather than your blogger template.
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