The joy of first snow

Most of you know what Samuli misses most in Tokyo - the nature which is not present in this endless urban jungle. That's why we have no choise but quote Pete, the headmaster of Aura's and Oskari's school, and his words at MST Newsletter today:

"I have been thinking a lot about how our children do not have the same experiences with nature that we had. Most likely we all have fond memories of mysterious, enchanting places in our pasts, when we were at one with the world. Maybe a beach, a garden or special park, a forest or stream or even an orchard. These are the places that enhanced us and nurtured our spirit in ways we still remember.

Yet for a growing number of children these precious moments and places are all but lost to the trivialities and technologies of modern living. Firstly, the opportunities are lacking (big cities like Tokyo do not have an abundance of easily accessible forests, beaches and rivers). Those natural, soft, sheltered places which were once present, are giving way to concrete, steel and machines.

The idea of going on a hike or fishing or backpacking is foreign to many children. Kids these days aren’t digging holes, building tree houses or catching frogs or lizards. Nature is increasingly an abstraction you watch on a nature channel or DVD. This abstract relationship is replacing the natural affinity with nature many of us grew up with.

Let's do our best to change the situation which led to a 2002 study in the UK showing that 8 year olds could identify 25% more Pokemon characters than wildlife creatures. Let’s give our children opportunities to play in the mud, to walk barefoot in the grass and to be good stewards of the earth."

We had a nice weekend on the mountains and our short hike in the woods became much shorter than expected due to constant stops to make snowballs - it served the purpose though, relaxing in nature. Aura made a huge snowball, which she was not allowed to take with her to the car. Her disappointment went away with the splash the snowball made when dropped 10 meters to a river. And Oskari practiced his baseball skills - pitching, throwing and batting (the Finnish style on vertical pitch).

I bet you remember the joy of first snow (at least those of our friend who enjoy snowy winters)

ROSA

Vain valkeata joulua...

Nyt kun Halloweenistä on toivuttu, alkaa joulu olla jo kaikkialla (paitsi ihmisten mielessä).

Tänään näin ensimmäiset isot jouluvalot.

Samu

Kiinan muurilla

Sorry, on vierähtänyt (taas) luvattoman paljon aikaa edellisestä jutusta. Ja tästäkin matkasta on jo pari viikkoa, mutta parempi myöhään kuin ei milloinkaan.

Samulla oli pari viikkoa sitten työmatka Pekingiin, jonne koko perhe lähti samalla viikonlopun turistimatkalle. Nautimme samalla Stillin Kaisan ja Jyrkin vieraanvaraisuudesta. Kaisa mm. näytti Riikalle parhaat ostospaikat. Ja tulihan sielta ostettuakin tavaraa: silkkiä itselle ja tutuille, mittatilaushameita ja -paitoja, piraattipelejä (siis Pirates of the Caribbean, vai mitä oikein luulitte!), Auralle hiuslisäke (vaikka isällä olisi enemmän tarvetta), ...

Kaupunki oli varsin ristiriitainen: paljon vanhaa ja kaunista, jotain uutta ja hienoakin, mutta aivan järjetön liikenne ja kertakaikkiaan pöyristyttävän kammottavat saasteet! Näkyvyys oli pahimmillaan vain muutama sata metriä, niin että mm. lentokoneet eivät päässeet laskeutumaan Pekingiin vaan käyttivät Shanghaita varakenttänä - onneksi me sentään pääsimme kulkemaan molempiin suuntiin.

Kyllä kaupunki kuitenkin oli näkemisen arvoinen

ROSA