It’s been some time since I last wrote, but so much has happened, that I have been so very very busy with personal and business related items, that I just did not have enough time to write. No more excuses. First thing is first, as I am saddened by the loss of my grandfather on May 25th. I will miss him very much. =(
Work has been quite interesting as they have me creating training material. Interesting and at first did not like it too much, but now that I have been doing it for over a month now, it is quite a large challenge to create something that someone else will be using to read and understand how something works. I just hope that they do not ask me to start training people because that is something that I do not want to do, period. I am totally not interested in teaching others something I really know nothing about.
But now on to some kewl news as I will be going home to California for 3 weeks at the end of June and two weeks in July!. I am so looking forward to this trip. Nice weather, sunshine (that doesn’t come up at 4:30am and sets at 10pm – that is how it is in Helsinki during the main summer months here) and good friends and family. You can’t ask for much more than that.
Summer time here in Finland has hit us quite early, as there really wasn’t any spring time weather, with rain and wind. I am not complaining as the temperatures here have been climbing since the middle of May and have been averaging around 20* to 25* centigrade (around 70* f to 75* f). I think this summer will be a great one. I am also planning a trip to Prague with some friends here in August, so that should be an experience for sure. I will be the first SRAMEK to go back to Prague since my great, grandfather when he left to live in Russia. (little family history there.) So I will take plenty of pictures with the new digital camera for sure on both of my trips, and will try to post my California trip during those three weeks in June and July! Hopefully I will be able to write again before I leave for my summer holiday!

more to come soon…

Well, no more working in Lauttasaari offices. I am moving to bigger and better places again. I am now located in the Nokia Head Quarters in Espoo, Finland. As soon as I get a pictuer of the building, I will add it to this and the main page for all to see. (perhaps with an arrow showing where I am sitting at – sit right against the glass seeing the freeway and nice views from the 5th floor of the 7 floor building)

There are currently over 2000 people located in this main building (3 buildings attached to one another – similiar to Oracle buildings located in Redwood Shores in Silicon Valley). It has been nice so far, but looking forward to the summertime and meeting new faces and other Americans here.
That is it for now. Back to work I go.
More to come soon…

Well, one year has come and gone. I will be celebrating my one year anniversary this month with Nokia on the 12th. Other than that, nothing to major to talk about here, other than it snowed once again. Though it doesn’t stay on the ground as long, as it has been getting warmer and warmer. Getting ready to start placing some of my winter clothes away and bring out the summer stuff. Can’t wait to do that.

Started working on my family’s own websites, (my sister, dad and mom’s own personal sites)

Well, well well. I remember back on the 28th, I went to the airport around 5:30am and sat at the airport until around 08:45 until the second flight went to NYC – JFK airport. My first flight was canceled due to mechanical problems. (YA RIGHT!) I made the second flight through Delta Airlines to JFK, with 15 mins to spare to catch the connecting flight to Helsinki. It has been over a year now since moving to Finland. It has been quite a ride, and a lot of changes since last year. I have witnessed the Finnish summer time (with the sun up at 03:00am and setting at 23:00pm) and winter, the complete opposite( sun up at 09:00am and setting at 15:15pm). I am having lots of fun with work, and meeting new people here in Helsinki. I work with a bunch of great people, which I have learned so much from. I have met many new people, including some fellow Americans through Hanna’s work, Ben, Matt, Mark, and Andrew, and of course I cannot forget about my good British friend, THE EVIL ONE, Neville. Turned in my passport on Dec 4th 2001, and still have not heard word about its status, and with the permits expiring on the 15th of Feb, I hope things are going well with it speedy apporval. Though, from what I have been told, as long as it is in line to be renewed, and the police have the passport and necessary paperwork, I am ok. (we will see, as I would like to have my passport back soon. =)
Well, one year down, new job and apartment buying later, it has been one quite interesting year. This coming year is going to be a much better one though, since I will have my first true Finnish summer and winter holiday schedule. 4 weeks in the summer time and 2 weeks in the winter. WOO HOO!!! I may take two weeks in summer and winter to visit my friends in the states. You all hear that…so better get ready and get some time off of work soon. I am coming that way for sure.

more on the way…