Winter turning to spring

I'm having winter break from work that lasts one week. Feels so nice to just stay at home, do some household chores, bake, do morning exercises and practically what ever I feel like, like write. Oh yes, I could get used to this! This morning I went to ski. Sun was already shining and snow glistened beautifully on the frozen lake. Skis slide well and people had smiles on their faces.

I'm skiing up the hill and reaching the top when I see a bunch of little kids on their skis. Many of them are wearing their safety vests (that are bright neon yellow with reflective tapes on). They all are 6 years old. Some of them are skiing very well but some of them are having bored or annoyed look on their faces. I'm skiing on and meeting along the way more kids with their teachers. There are altogether around 40 kids skiing in the middle of the beautiful forest and trying to manage their way through the ski trail with its big downhills and challenging uphills. Some of them greet me along the way, some of them accelerate their speed when encountering others, some of them tumble down when trying to impress others. In the end they're naturally having sausages, hot juice, and maybe Finnish pancakes as a reward for their accomplishment. This is  Finland.    

Spring is reaching Finland. Sun is rising already before 8 AM and stays up until 5.30 PM. We have had a long, cold, dark winter and getting over it is like a new start that we get. I guess no-one else can really understand what it is to live in these latitudes than those that have experienced at least one whole year in here.

Finns are waking up from winter sleep. We're more open, more energetic, more friendly, more smiling, more happy and sometimes we even look into a strangers eyes when bumping each other. At least we ought to be. Sometimes happens that increased sunlight turns into the opposite in people minds that is said to be spring depression. It seems that we are having all the possible depressions in the world: autumn-, winter-, spring-, dark time-, postnatal-, early motherhood-, infant-, juvenile-, old age depression and of course burn-out. It is just so weird. And not fine! I'm praying against all this. Could you join me doing this? Finns need to get the enjoyment from the increasing sunlight that brings life!!

Ps. Welcome Costa Rica to read my blog! :D