I proved to myself and to all the people who didn't believe in me that I could finally graduate from university. When I came back from Qatar, I promised myself to go on vacation once this mission is accomplished (aka university). Since I always keep my promises that's what I did. I booked a ticket to Helsinki and went to visit my very dear Finnish friend Outi whom I will thank for the rest of my life. :)
On the airplane from Beirut to Prague, I met a Swedish-Lebanese lady who was in her sixties and planing to postpone her retirement because she loves her job. She was absolutely adorable, and we happened to have the same amount of hours to wait in Prague at the airport before reaching our destinations. She was telling me how her husband decided to go to Stockholm during the Lebanese civil war thirty five years ago. During that time, he was the president of the municipality of a village in the South. The Lebanese President back then helped him to start a better life in Sweden. Suad, is her name, told me how happy she was after moving to Scandinavia, and how shocked she feels every time she decides to visit Lebanon. We spent six hours at Prague airport and they went so fast cause I really enjoyed her company.
Another Lebanese-Norwegian lady called Sabah waited with us, and she also shared her story. She is divorced, living with her two young boys in Oslo while suffering the pain that her husband gives her all the time since their divorce. I remember her telling me: "I was shocked when I realised after fifteen years of marriage that my partner became a completely different person. He wasn't the one I chose to marry anymore...". She said that she fears loneliness but at the same time she loves Norway and would never come back to live in Lebanon.
I arrived to Helsinki after a long trip, very pale (I have the fear of flying so I HATE airplanes!) I met Outi's friend called Maria who was very kind for taking me to Outi's place as she was heading back from Canada the day after. I crashed in bed and slept like a baby all day (cause night doesn't exist during summer in Finland!). The next day I met Susu, Outi's flatmate who is really nice too (in Finland you only find nice people :) and when Outi was back we went to the Muse concert which was amazing!
Riding the bicycle with Outi back home again during the day (11pm) through an infinite amount of trees, oxygen and the fresh scent of soil. At that moment I felt happy as never before and that's when I understood why some people call it "The Land of Fairies".
Can't wait to read Parts Two and Three of the Adventures of Samirai in the Land of the Fairies. This is just the beginning and I can tell there will be many more eye-opening journeys in your near future. M.
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ReplyDeleteVery interesting read. But I must say, the photo is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you poshlemon!
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