It's Spring

Y'all, it's spring in Finland! From the day we got back it's been nothing but beautiful weather. I'm talking sunny days and warm (relatively) temperatures. I haven't worn a scarf since we've been back. Yesterday my legs were exposed to the Finnish sun for the first time since September. Okay, really it was just my ankles, but it was BIG. It's been so nice that it's making it hard to stay inside and concentrate on school work because I just want to live outside. Picnics are seriously calling my name. I want to picnic every meal. Even though this seems like a huge change from the below 30 degree weather when we left in early April, the biggest adjustment has been the sun. Right now the sun rises before 5:00 am and sets after 9:00 pm. Which, don't get me wrong, is amaaaaazzzing, but it's completely throwing us off. We brought back some black out curtains because, even before we left, the sun was waking us up at 5 every morning. They work like magic. The only problem is it is so dark in our room that it makes waking up harder (I'm still going to blame it on the jet lag though). This weekend we slept till 11 one morning and 10 the next. I don't remember the last time I've done that. Then the situation at night is the opposite. It is so bright outside until about 8:45 that we don't even start thinking about dinner until at least 8:00. The sun is turning us into the Spaniards and Greeks. Last night we ate at 10:00! And this is not even the most sun we will get. In June we'll have 20 hours of sunlight! Talk about a huge change – in December I was coming out of class at 3:00 to total darkness and now the sun is barely setting when it's time for me to go to bed.

Although I will be stuck inside some, finishing up these last few weeks of school, there will be plenty of time carved out to enjoy the outdoors. This week is Vappuu (May Day) and we have lots of fun activities planned!