More class, more bureaucracy

I'm very proud of myself- I spelled bureaucracy on my own before I checked the spelling on dictionary.com. My spelling is quite horrible, but I compensate in the grammar department hopefully.

So, as you can see, I gave the blog a new look. I wanted to have something a little less round, with a better color scheme. This layout is much easier for me to tweak, and it displays things correctly. The only problem is that the comments are pretty inaccessible. In case you were wondering, that gray number next to the post title is where comments go. Now go leave one. Otherwise though, it's much less busy and not as clashing with everything else. Lemme know what you think while I decide whether or not to keep it.

Today was the second meeting of the same class as yesterday. Nothing new there. Today, however, the class was held in the morning. En route to the Economicum I have to walk through the square known as Lasipalatsi, or Glass Palace. Incidentally, this is similar to the American Rockafeller Square, where the filming of the Today Show takes place. The difference is that no one in Finland is that eager to get on TV that they go stand outside the window behind where the anchors are sitting. This is exactly why I was surprised to look up into the bright lights shining out of a window and see the morning news anchors sitting at their table and fair few cameras pointed in our direction. In the country less than 2 weeks and already I made national television. Rock on!


This is the window. YLE is the station, and there you can see a couple of the green chairs. I was right where those guys are now, walking by then looking up all of the sudden in a very dumbfounded manner. But enough about my SUPERstardom. I'm sure now you'll all be tuning in to catch me every Tuesday morning on my way to class.

If you hadn't guessed by the title, my regisration still hasn't gone through. After class I headed to student services, they sent me to my department. The International Relations coordinator just started yesterday, so she had no idea. I waited about an hour during this time, then saw the guy who is in charge of acceptance and everything. He definately cheered me up a lot, and gave me a temporary certificate so I can at least get reduced priced meals in the student cafes and such. But still no library card (ergo books), computer sign on, etc. He's gonna email me when he sees that they processed my stuff so that I don't have to go there every day. Finally, a really helpful person! After that I tried to use the certificate to get my metro card, but they needed something else from the citizens registry so I had to walk all the way across town in the middle of hella windy snow storm to get it, then walk back and again sit and wait. Eventually I got it, though they wouldn't give me the half off student discount because I'm not here a full year.

After that I was pretty spent so I headed home and tonight for the first time I actually did a bit of real cooking for myself. I mean, I just boiled water for pasta and heated a curry sauce, but it required the oven, so that's a plus to this point. It's been bad, so I really need to start trying things and being a bit more brave.

My proper cell phone has now been turned on as well, so I guess the deposit was processed. Now it's all text messaging, all the time. I'm gonna be a machine!! If you want the number just ask, though there are probably easier and cheaper ways to call from the US, for example. But I'd love to hear from everyone!!!