Major: Master’s in German Philology
Year: 2nd in Finland, overall 6th
Hometown: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Interests: Knitting, baking and reading. If I can, I head over to Kirjasto 10 and book the piano for a few hours to practice. I also enjoy window shopping and looking around libraries.
Relationship status: In a relationship
How are you spending Christmas this year?
I’m having a ‘Finnish Christmas’ with my boyfriend and his family near Seinäjoki. I’m expecting a lot of ham and porridge.
Who’s your current celebrity crush?
My celebrity crush is, and always will be, Heath Ledger.
What are you struggling with right now?
On the surface I’m struggling with Finnish, as I have an exam coming up and there’s just so much to remember, and my Gradu thesis. There are some other struggles going on that have been around much longer.
Name three things that you’re thankful for today.
I’m thankful for paper, so I can make paper airplanes, write down ideas, and cut out little snowflakes and stars and make my apartment look like it’s run by a kindergarten. I’m thankful for Bing Crosby because his Christmas songs are so smooth. Lastly, I’m thankful for my boyfriend for putting up with hours and hours of my questions about Finnish and my terrible usage thereof.
What’s on your Christmas wish list?
I never know what I want for Christmas. I’m such a simple person that I get excited over just about anything (see previous question), but I will say that I want snow for Christmas. Despite coming from Canada, I haven’t had snow for Christmas for at least 15 years. So yes, my Christmas wish list is snow, plain and simple.
What’s the funniest thing someone has asked you about Canada or being a Canadian?
Perhaps it was funnier to them to use this innuendo, but several people has asked me if Canadians really love beavers… Other than that, I’ve been asked if I play hockey, which I don’t, or if I love ‘drinking’ maple syrup. On a side note, one of the most common things people do say is: “Oh, Halifax. That’s on the west coast, where the Olympics were” shortly followed by: “The east? So…Quebec, right?”
What are your favourite pizza toppings?
Back home we have this place known as Pizza corner, which is an intersection downtown with a pizza joint on each corner, and at one of them I love, love, LOVE their donair pizza (donair is kebab meat with garlic sauce à la Halifax). However, when I’m abroad I settle for my second choice: Hawaiian.