C(h)ristian’s Blog

TAPRI, TOAS, Tampere/Tammerfors

So, now after a couple of days I do have a vague idea about what is going on and where am I heading to. To start with the positive aspects:

TAPRI – yesterday and today I had the chance to talk and chatter with the people working here (for a second I hesitated between writing ‘here’, and ‘there’; but it is here since I am still in the city by the Tammerkoski). People have different research interests, and have done quite different things in their lives so talking to them was enriching. Another positive aspect is the multicultural nature of the whole team…that is important, I think. I can’t wait putting some things in order in my own research project and start working seriously on my project. I just need more structure and discipline ( a mental ‘redning och reda’).

TOAS – (the student housing association here) they are walking on the thin line between gratitude and disillusionment. I did manage to get a room with furniture (basically, a BED, one can’t imagine how important this is until one needs it!), but on a corridor, with some kind of freaky conditions (my times at CEU were of luxury compared to this! my room was twice as big, the window ditto and I had a carpeted room, not covered in plastic!). Even more annoying is the fact that my internet (provided by the uni of course, part of the agreement) does not work, so now I am using a friendly sharing network. And for all this fun I pay a hefty price. I am already thinking to start looking for greener pastures… or at least better rooms.

Tampere/Tammerfors – the past few days the city has been DUSTY. This is the only word that comes into my mind, whenever I think of it. Yes, lovely red-bricked buildings, yes interesting places, yes nice bridge, but above all, dust. Dust has it all, and does it all. My suede shoes gave up already in front of such a continuous siege. Instead of a nice black they have more of a clay-ish shade of something dark. I am seriously thinking I should start using mountaineering shoes. A colleague at work said jokingly (I hope) that the dust will eventually disappear with the first heavy rain. That is a scary thought.

What if it does not rain?

Tags: Tammerfors, Tampere, TOAS