Home Teaching in Far Away Places

Friday we went home teaching with the branch president. The homes were located 100 kilometers away near the Russian border. One family has purchased a beautiful old wooden school and are remodeling it so that when they are finished it will be an inn or bed and breakfast type place. They are located near a lake (everyone is located near a lake in this area of Finland--take a look at a map) and in a birch forest where berry bushes are everywhere. For now they are living in one end of the school and the rest is under construction. As part of the visit, we were served Lapijuusto, a baked cheese, other cheeses, croissants, tea, berry jelly, rye bread, etc. Then she sent us home with natural berry juice and croissants. People who live in that part of Finland get 1-year visas to Russia and go over the border to shope. Gas is the same price as in the U.S. and there is duty-free shopping compliments of the Russian mafia. Otherwise, gas is about 8$ a gallon here.

At the next house we were served pullo, a creamy peach dessert, pirakka, and mehu. This house was an omakotitalo (own-home-house). Most people live in apartments that typically are 4 or 5 stories. The woman showed us some bags she had made out of Marimekko fabric. She lives near a factory and they give away the scraps. The bags were beautiful. A Marimekko bag costs 35-50€. I admired a pink striped bag and she gave it to me. I felt a little awkward, but believe that if someone offers a gift it is best to accept and say thank you. She also showed us several dresses that her daughter had made and designed. They looked like they had been made in the best fashion houses. She is a student of fashion design and construction in Helsinki.