September 4 - Warm times in cold temperatures

The feeling of exhilaration 

After working in Fort Edmonton Park all summer, I didn't have normal weekends. So on this lovely Saturday morning, I woke up at 7.30 AM and thought myself ridiculous. my body was programmed to get up early. I went back to sleep, thinking that i would sleep for one more hour. The second time I woke up, I saw the numbers 11.40 AM to my disbelief and horror. I only had a mere 5 hrs to go grocery shopping and finish putting my room together (would you believe I still hadn't unpacked fully?). Today was the start of my first weekend in Finland!
The Erasmus Student network was hosting a "Real Sauna Experience"  at a local sauna and of course, me and the girls wanted to go.

What a bonding experience that was, let me tell you. In the sauna, I felt like all my extremities were going to burn off. The tips of my ears stung so badly that i had to clutch them with my coldish hands and hold my breath to keep myself from cooking from the inside. I've never been in such a hot sauna. Next, we grabbed our towels and ran to the lake. The first time I went in, I made the mistake of slowly walking down the steps into the water. It was the physical equivalent of the feeling of doom creeping up my body. I thought life as I knew it, was ending. But i dunked myself and scrambled madly out of the water. At first, I was freezing and my brain was sending my body messages such as "Why in the world did that just happen ?" and " Did you actually go into the water willingly?" My body had no answers except thoughts of going back into the lovely warm sauna. Surprisingly enough, after the initial feeling of death, I felt great standing on that slippery dock with 6 other shivering girls. It was like I was reborn again, a natural high that can only be felt. Now I couldn't wait to repeat the process.

On the way to the sauna

The second time, we made sure to sit in the sauna for an extra long period of time and we made so hot that I could relate to a lobster being cooked.  When we couldn't take the heat anymore, we ran out and I actually jumped this time!!!! It was crazy and wonderful. Same feeling of death came over me when I hit the water and it came much faster this time. I barely made it to the stairs to climb out but I was grinning. What an experience! The Finns sure have their head on right. Who needs medicine or drugs when you can do this? It is very typical to spend a saturday night at a sauna here in Finland so we were following traditions to a tee.

Dip in the lake #2

Tonight, we also decided to check out a night club called "Freetime." After such a great evening, dancing felt like a great end to the night. To mine and Lucy's surprise, nightclubs here are open until 4 or 5 in the morning so naturally I didn't stay that long. I was fully expecting it to close at 2 am like in Canada but that was not the case. It was quite the introduction to European clubs. perhaps I am not all that familiar with the night scene. The music was rock and rock alternative. I enjoyed the Finnish songs the best because they were different although none of the music played was very good dance material. Needless to say, I slept very well that night.

Lucy and I know where to spend our "Freetime"