Although the previous day was way too long, my body is not used to the lightness of this country. I went to bed at 3am, and woke up a bit before 8. I still felt pretty tired in the morning, but just couldn't sleep more.
I had to go to work still before noon, so I just started to get ready. My dad gave me a lift to the office, which is reasonably close to my mom's house and kinda on the way to most places downtown. It was nice to be able to talk to him for a little while.
I was barely awake, barely able to work. I tried to function, but it was really hard. Specially because today the room was getting a new cabinet, and that meant a lot of pounding and an almost unbearable smell of glue. Add that to jet lag and you get a very productive worker indeed. In any case, it was good to meet everyone that I had been talking to only via Skype during the previous two weeks.
At home, I was really disappointed to see that even after my last year's effort to make my folks start recycling, the project hasn't really taken off here yet. They are not really sorting the trash. That made me very sad, as I don't know what I could say that wouldn't sound annoying to them. They do know that we should recycle, and they have the information about it, but why don't they just do it? What is missing here to make them change this small habit?
The other issue I had were people repeating the same old, same old: it is impossible to ride a bike here, and it is impossible to rely on public transportation; you have to have a car. My dad already said I could think about buying a small ethanol car if things get too difficult. But I know myself. If people start doubting me and my reasons, then it makes me even more stubborn. I told him I'd move away from the city if that is the only way to be car-free. I don't really know how serious that pledge is, but I have that feeling that this (not having a car) is something meaningful I can do, and I just can't be put off by the difficulties and just resort to the comfortable (and expensive) way out.
But with so many voices saying "no, it's not possible", and saying that people are not educated enough, the drivers aren't respectful enough, and this and that... Well, pretty much right away I started to feel like it is an impossible task. And I already feel like giving up... I know it is still too early to say I already have a reversed culture shock going on, and I am still tired, which obviously affects my judgment on everything. But I am having those thoughts, why, oh why did I leave Finland?
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