My first week in Helsinki, Finland is about to come to a close and I wanted to say how fortunate I am to have this great opportunity. I arrived Sunday evening and started work here on Monday. That day I met with the HR Manager Virve who showed me around the office and introduced me to everyone in the company. Later I met up with Tuomas (my design director) and we went over what I would be doing the next 3 months. Tuomas is way cool and very chill and talented. He mentioned I would be working with Helena and Hanne the first 6 weeks on launching the website for Olivia. The past few days we have discussed the main pages of the website along with ideas of what works and what doesn't. Next I will be working on Advertorials for different clients for both Olivia and Divanni magazine. There is one other very important piece I will be working on, but I am told not to mention it until we complete it. :) So it will be a surprise for my return. My next meeting after Tuomas and I discussed the future was with our CEO Marjaana Toiminen. We had what we call coffee talk. It was nice to meet everyone on the first day and hear what the company is all about here in Finland. Currently there are two magazines here :Olivia ( Style Magazine ) and Divanni (Interior Design Magazine) I went to a Thai place with Tuomas for lunch and then he let me explore the city and take care of things at my apartment. The following day was great. I spoke with Helena more in depth of my responsibilities for the website and it all sounded cool. They asked for my input and decided to change all three things that I mentioned they might want to. Made me feel good they trusted my opinion. Tuesday i went out with a few gals from the editorial staff and the editor of Olivia named Niina. Afterward Niina told me if I wasn't busy that maybe I could go explore the city with her. That makes me happy that she offered and so tomorrow at 11AM we are to meet under the clock of Stockmann. This is a very common thing where people meet. Stockmann I learned after traveling through the city at nights and getting lost is a huge mall-like shopping center. It is about 7 stories high and everything you need in one store except trash bags and toiletry items. This is where I had my first grocery experience. It was def a funny one. Not knowing the language or what I was buying really I got some basic things to make a sandwich and then some juice. The next day I went out to look for basic supplies like laundry detergent, paper towels, dish soap and some trash bags. That was fun trying to find the place for that as well. Everything turns into an adventure when you go in one way of a store and without realizing it you walk out a diff way you came in. I have been lost almost everyday I walk around. But as long as I can find the city center sign I am good. I have managed too to find certain landmarks that help me know that I am going the right way...like the horse statue outside my building and the ice rink and then also molly mallones. By the way...you knew I would stop in this place and sure enough I did. Had my first Finnish beer and had a great time speaking with new people. I then went for a bit to eat and came back to listen to a live band and dance with some new friends. They played cover songs that I knew and I danced and sang my heart out. hahaha



The next night was the art show where Tuomas took me at Napa Gallery. His girlfriend Hanna had her photographs of travel on display and there were other graphic designers there that I met. Everyone was so very nice and showed me their pieces. After the show we all went to a place called Moscow where I had my first Russian meal and drinks and boy was it tasty. They say not so good for you but it sure tasted good! My other work days consisted of meeting the people in the office and them telling me exactly what they do here. Come to find out they own more magazines in Denmark to include some fitness mags, How to mags, national geographic, Science Illustrated, History Mag and a photography magazine. http://www.bonnierpublications.fi/mediamyynti/ Check out the media kit site if you can. Tonight I am going to the movies with a girl Tiki to see Zack and Miri (Here they have subtitles so it should be interesting and funny) Tomorrow I made plans with Niina to explore the city and then Sunday who knows what I will find to do. The weather is cold here just as expected but its bearable. Later this month I have plans to go skiing and snowboarding with Tiki and my friend Kaisa. Other than that on Thursday I will be going to a design museum opening with Petra and who knows what else Helsinki will bring. I must admit everyone is super nice here and wanting to take me around the city and show me. Yesterday evening I learned my appliances. To include my laundry machine and microwave. All very simple things that you don't realize are different. I will blog again and post my pictures about the weekend, etc. Here are pictures of the editorial staff i went to lunch with along with the editor of Olivia. (Pic 1:Niina Pic 2:Mari Pic 3:Luara)