Last week´s bad news from my dear hometown Kajaani were quite depressive. The biggest employer of the town, UPM Kymmene had decided to close down the paper factory and hundreds of people will lose their jobs. Of course some of those I know, too. The city budget will lose 10 % of its tax incomes. Bad, bad and so bad. One part of me would like to settle down to Kajaani again and try to contribute, but the other thinks that better to stay away. Hoping that the government could finally show that they care about the rural areas as well.

 

A little bit sad feelings of leaving Vietnam, too. It is quite funny how feelings and emotions vary from day to day, but also lots of sadness to leave Hanoi. I will miss the sunny weather, domestic hep (what a surprise!), weekly massage for 10 USD, nice colleagues, tailors…I will not miss the traffic, pollution, noisy people and not so nice colleagues…

 

Today is Saturday and the Vietnamese are celebrating Full Moon - Mid Autumn Festival today. There are many parties around, one also in our little city. We shall most likely see a dragon orlion (like in all Vietnamese parties), listen to noisy music, watch kids performances etc. So, looking forward to that. Before that, we have a quarterly visit to hair cut of Toivo, which can be heard by the whole village, believe or not. I went to warn the barber already yesterday that we are coming as 3 people are needed for this operation – 2 to hold his head, one to shave. I have been postponed his hair cut so long that I am afraid that his hair cut would not be suitable for the Finnish Army any more. So better to do it before seeing grandpa ;)

 

Have a nice weekend!