Moving-time

It’s that time again. The time to not buy new food, but to empty all rice-spaghetti-tea-chickpea-packages, and to find out what to cook with the few spices I have in the closet. It’s the time to not buy new shower-gel and conditioner, but to manage to keep the rests until the last days, and then throw the empty bottles and to not carry them with me. Its the time to pack and sort again. Ivalo is changing to Tampere in 10 days!

My French and Finnish flatmates are changing to my sister again. Ivalos’ two restaurants and one bar are becoming Tamperes’ tens of restaurants and places to go out, and to start a cultural and social life again. The 1 meter of white snow is becoming dusty, black and wet mixture of snow and gravel. The -12 C will become +3 C…. Or hopefully a little more!

Yes, I’ve had a great winter, but yes, I’m also pretty excited to go back to the south. This is the first time of my life that I’m leaving from somewhere without no more regrets or sadness. Maybe because I know Lapland will always stay a place I will come back, maybe also because I’ve learned few things about myself here…

Firstly, to pass winter in Finland, this IS one of the greatest place. Because it’s a real winter we have here, real snow and real cold. And real Northern lights and polar night. It’s very special, beautiful and enjoyable… For a moment. But, I am a sun-person. And even I liked the winter here, it’s too long! I need to get rid of the snow-boots and ski-trousers, and wear sandals and shorts!

I want to sit on the grass or the sand again, instead of ice and snow! 

I also have learned I’m a city-girl. Well, I knew that already, but the months spent in this tiny place have confirmed it. It was great, really! Especially after many years in Paris, Ivalo was really what I needed. And I still love the nature and big spaces around me, but I couldn’t live ALL the time, in a little place like this… I need to hang on coffee places and terraces, walk in the city, meet friends in their houses or in bars and go to the movies… Well, for the last-one I have to say Ivalo has a great cinema! It’s small, and the premieres usually don’t last more than one or two screening, so when you want to see something you have to be reactive. But the cinema is really charming, old-stylish, a lovely place!

 

One-more thing I’ve learn about myself, is that I’m not a ski-person. I think that the fact that I had a pair of skis for 4 months in the storage, and I used them only ones, proves that it’s not my thing……

Well, even I’m saying I’m a city-girl, I didn’t get so afraid about small places that I wouldn’t do it again. In fact, next summer I’m going to work in Kalajoki, which is bigger than Ivalo, but still a small place. And I’m very excited about that, because I will discover a new place in Finland and I’ve been told the landscapes are amazing there as well…

Before Kalajoki I still have some plane-tickets to use… For Paris and Mexico for instance ;). So I have many reasons to hurry on packing here and leave to  next destination!