We are at the point in our time in Finland at which we are considering what gifts and souvenirs we might take home. Moomin mugs? Of course. Alvar Aalto vase? Maybe. Iitala candy dishes? Perhaps. Marimekko tote bag? Hmmm. A years’ supply of salmiakki? Sign me up. What to take home as a remembrance of … More Parting gifts…primary school?
For most of our time in Finland I have had a rather conflicted relationship with the place. It was a tough adjustment for me during the cold, dark days of winter when I had no language skills, no ski gear, and no Finns to call my friends. Despite enjoying the overall experience of living in an … More The real deal
In one of the Moomin stories by Tove Jansson, Moomin and Little Dragon, Moomin has found and brought home a baby, fire-breathing dragon which he is hiding in a jar in his bedroom. He wants to keep the dragon a secret until he can show it to his best friend Snufkin. When he is leaving Moominhouse … More Moominmamma
I spent part of the summer in China a few years back and tried to get a handle on survival Mandarin– you know, the basics, nihao (hello), zaijian (goodbye), hěn gāoxìng rènshí ni (nice to meet you), jiaozi (dumplings), and píjiǔ (beer). Those phrases were all I needed until an unfortunate incident landed me at … More A slap in the face
My family of three left Colorado two weeks ago to spend the holidays in the motherland (for those of you who don’t know me, that’s New Jersey) and then headed to Finland this past Wednesday. Before flying to Jyväskylä we had some time in Helsinki’s airport. Lou, my two-year-old, was having a blast pushing the … More So what exactly is a Moomin? (aka traveling with a toddler)
Following Finland 