Language learning

Duolingo app

While staying abroad I have tried to learn the local language. I used to attend language exchange meetings where I could practice/speak various languages during the meeting. When I moved to Barcelona I started to learn Catalan with Duolingo application and since then I have kept my learning streak and reached over 1000 days. I have been learning/keeping up with the other languages aswell in order to retain at least my current level. Keeping up with the streak definitely pushes me to make a little daily effort to study a language.

Top Posts 2018

By the Martvili waterfall

Time to list the Top Posts of 2018.

1. Previously I read only non-fiction, but also fiction can have a big impact.
2. After 6 years I edited a throwback video of my trip to Easter Turkey
3. Local football is not flourishing in Georgia
4. The street fashion of Barcelona in order to blend in
5. Watched the derby of Barcelona in Camp Nou

Top posts from previous years 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010.

Return to Martvili

The waterfall

Last summer I visited Martvili for the second time, three years after my first visit. I wanted to visit the place again as I enjoyed the place very much in the first visit. When we arrived it was a big surprise that the area of Martvili canyon had had a big makeover. The area was fully comerzialized with organized rubber boat tours, landscape by the canyon and a big building with restaurant and other services. Exploring some of the area was restricted due the changes on the other hand some new areas had been made accessible. You were not allowed to swim either in the canyon. Though nearby is an impressive waterfall where you can swim and enjoy the chill water in a hot summer day. The most of the tourists did not seem to know about the waterfall as it was much more calm there than in the area of the canyon. Personally I enjoyed more spending time by the waterfall.

Moved again

I have moved again but this time I did not move outside of Finland. Now I am living in the capital area of Finland. Still in a new city in my home country I have felt a little like an outsider. You still need some adaptation time even in your home country and despite having moved many times.

Lessons about Muslim culture in "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns"

I read novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini as it was recommended by James Altucher. The novel is a story of an Afghan boy who flees from Afghanistan to USA and much more connecting the war in Afghanistan to 9/11 terrorist attacks in USA. By staying 10 months in Turkey I learned a lot about Turkish and Muslim culture. But by reading two books of Hosseini I learned a lot more about Muslim culture.

The novel gives tells how important it is to follow the traditions in Afghan culture.  Especially now a days in the western world often the individualism is highlighted how one should follow their heart and do what they feel being right. As in the Afghan culture the most important is to follow the old traditions and values in order to maintain the harmony and the reputation within the community. One has to make sacrifices and give up own desires in order to keep the reputation of yourself and your family. Even though the facade might look great, there are tightly kept secrets underneath.

Racism is also discussed in the novel. No matter how loyal or good human being Hazara people are in the novel, they are never treated equal. Similar way bastard children are also in a very difficult position.

The male protagonist Amir is few times thinking how lucky he is as he has a male privilege compared to women. In order to learn better the social status of women in Muslim culture, I read the second book of Hossein "A Thousand splendid suns". Even though a man has behaved irresponsible and a woman has been involved, he can escape the responsibility, by blaming the woman and then without a question the woman has to carry the consequences. Another example is that as long as the husband did not abuse his position of power the the female protagonist Mariam in "A Thousand Splendid Suns" was happy with him. With power comes responsibility.

I did not like the chapter 22  in The Kite Runner as it was like a cliche from an action movie where the bad guy is in a total control of the situation and still the good guy manages to make a miraculous escape. Despite the cliche scene I can strongly recommend reading both of the books mentioned in this review.

Uefa Nations League in Georgia

Georgia - Latvia

Earlier this year I went to see a match of Geargian national league and it seemed that football is not doing well in Georgia. On Sunday I had a chance to see a match of national team of Georgia. I bought a ticket for 1,6 euros and thought how many people would attend the match. The 55k stadium was not full but I would estimate that around 45k people attended. The match was not very entertaining but the crowd kept supporting their team which was rewarded with 1 - 0 winning goal from a penalty kick at 77 minutes. Waves were started but they did not manage to catch enough people to go around the stadium. National team of Georgia is still drawing crowds to the stadium eventhough local league teams are not getting much people to the stadiums.

My reading list

Here my reading list in alphabetical order from the past few years - in total 36 books. I have read books in English, Finnish and Spanish. Basically I have read fiction from Paulo Coelho and non-fiction from various other authors. I have enjoyed reading most of the books but to highlight some of them, I have highlighted five books which I would strongly recommend to read. The titles are written in the language in which I read the books

Coelho, Paulo - 11 minutes
Coelho, Paulo - Acran kirjoitukset
Coelho, Paulo - Alchemist
Coelho, Paulo - Aleph
Coelho, Paulo - La bruja de Portobello
Coelho, Paulo - Zahir
Coelho, Paulo - Valkyries
Coelho, Paulo - Voittaja on yksin
Erikson, Sven-Göran - Svennis: Elämäni pelit
Fleury, Theo - Kovaa peliä
Fox Cabane - The myth of charisma
Gilbert, Daniel - Stumbling on happiness
Graeber, David - Debt
Greene, Robert - 48 vallan käytön lakia
Gullit, Ruud - Miten katsoa jalkapalloa
Hirvonen, Tatu - Varo varo varo! : Irti ylisuojelevasta kasvatuksesta
Hyttinen, Mika - Vaurastu kuin Warren Buffet

Hämäläinen, Karo - Taivas + helvetti 1
Hämäläinen, Karo - Taivas + helvetti 2
Hämäläinen, Karo - Taivas + helvetti 3
Hämäläinen, Karo - Urheilijan Taivas + helvetti
Kyrö, Tuomas - Mielensäpahoittaja

Levi, Primo - Tällaineko on ihminen

Levi, Primo - Aselepo
Levitt and Dubner - Think like a freak
Litmanen, Jari - Litmanen 10

Kazantsakis, Nikos - Zorba the greek

Konstig, Joonas - Vuosi herrasmiehenä
Maxwell, John C. - Everyone communicates few connect

Oksaharhu, Jukka - Sijoita kuin Guru
Seppänen, Juhani - Hullu työtä tekee
Stewart, Rod - Rod Stewart autobiography
Strauss, Neil - The truth
Tucker, Max - The mate
Torkki, Juhana - Tarinan valta

Westö, Mårten - Eremenkot

Why I Don't have ads on my blog

One of first blogs I started to read was blog of Seth Godin. His blog started 2002 and has been ad free since the beginning. Godin has written that ads are the new online tip jar, by clicking an ad on the blog you say thanks to the writer and writer gets few cents from the advertiser. Godin has also written that the best advertisement is remarkable product, you have to earn the right to contact the readers and undesired ads are noise that disturbs the reader.

How much could you earn with ads? Blog downshiftaus calculated the possible earnings with TradeTracker affiliate links. With 2000 weekly visits which means 100 unique visits per day could get 11 sales per year. With product of 15 euros it would mean yearly income of 165 euros. Rather modest income I would say. Seth Godin makes a good point and the modest income is not a good reason to turn your blog into a billboard. Therefore I have decided to keep my blog ad free since the beginning.

Walk in the Eastern Turkey

It has been now 6 years since my trip to Eastern Turkey. The route was more than 2000 kilometers. On the road I wrote travel update 1 and 2. The budget of the trip was less than 30 euros per day. Overall successful trip with unforgettable experiences.

Anaklia

Bridge to Ganmukhuri

I had a chance to visit a summer holiday destination in Anaklia on April. As it was off season the hotels were closed and there were just few people around, one street dog joined us when we walked 552-meter long bridge to the beach in Ganmukhuri. The same dog followed us also on the way back when we returned. The area used to be swamp but it was transformed to a summer holiday destination. You could hear the frogs coarking and see the mist floating in the air