Hiking, the Lineup, and Really Pointy Shoes

Hi Folks! Sorry for the long break. I've actually been trying NOT to write in the blog for a week - mostly so that I can feel a little more ingrained in Finland, if you know what I mean. It's not that writing in the blog is bad, it's just that I found myself relying on it a little too much. However, I still miss you all and want to keep in touch. I've also been alot busier this week and have missed talking to lots of people on Skype! Sorry! I hope to catch you all soon

Thanks SO MUCH to everyone who sent me a package (Mom, Toby, Hannah, and ??? - I have one to pick up at the posti today). It is so wonderful to have such great friends and family. It's really appreciated (esp. the adapter and the socks).

Thanks to Toby, I can now post more pictures! Check the Flickr stream for them. I'll put a few more here.

I went hiking this weekend with a few people. We went to Kanavouri, or "Chicken Mountain", about 10k from Jyväskylä. It was really nice. The weather was not too cold and there was alot of snow to play with.

This is Maria. She laughs alot. Here she is being shocked at the aliens which were descending onto Kanavouri (they changed their minds at the last second). She is quite nice.
This is Tatiana. She is from Belgium. She is small but surprisingly stong. Also she makes a mean pasta sauce, and is quite nice.
This is Karoline. She is a Finnish woman whose parents speak Swedish. She is also new to Jyväskylä. She is also quite nice.
I have no idea what this is. The Finns are really strange sometimes with their artwork/public address systems. It, however, is quite nice.


On Friday, Pekka invited me to his house for a sauna and dinner. We had a good time and talked alot of math. We also drank alot. I admit it, my drinking skills are totally subpar. After dinner he showed me one the one of the best movies of all time.

I have finally have some idea about the problem I'm working on. That's good news. Speaking of math, I better get going!

Types of Snow: The sticky wet kind, the really dry cold powdery kind, the hardend ice-ball kind, the frozen and packed down pavement kind.