FLASHBACK #42: LakeSide Dinner

The weeks of the Summer were whizzing past. Sometimes after work, I would visit my Neighbour or would go cycling to my favourite place (Pyyniki) or go swimming at the 50 metre pool in Kaleva, one of the districts in Tampere.

One thing I promised to my colleagues, however, was a dinner before I left for my Summer Holiday. You see, I wouldn't be returning to Tampere after my Summer Holiday; while I would be away, my possessions would be collected and transported to my new apartment in Helsinki.

I invited three of my colleagues rounded for dinner; the religious one, the one with a Polish mother and an American accent (let's call her the Talker) and one of the guys who came to work for us as a Summer Worker. We will call him Shy because he cute in a shy sort of way. Well, they all bought their partners so it was me plus six and the theme was Italian.

July turned out to be one of the hottest on record in Finland. As my colleagues arrived with their partners in pairs, the temperature in my apartment hit 33ºC. There was only one thing for it: we had to move the dinner outside into the Arboretum. Laden with pots containing food, plates, cups, knives, forks and condiments, we all ambled through to the Arboretum less than a kilometre away.

We tucked into Caprese Salad, plates of Spaghetti Bolognese followed by the Talker's famous Tiramasu. We joked about how the Religious one didn't drink yet she helped herself to seconds of the dessert which had been laced with brandy! You are naughty, Talker!

It was during this dinner that I realised just how much I would miss this place, and the people. Tampere had been my home for nearly two years and it had been very good to me. I hadn't been mistreated, nor had I been subjected to any threat of any kind, no kind of violence whatsoever. Come on, this is Finland!

The Religious one got out the badminton rackets and proceeded to play with her boyfriend. Meanwhile, Shy played a game of Petanque with the Talker's husband, leaving the Talker any I to have one of our last ever chats. I liked her alot - she made me laugh and her English dazzled me for she was actually able to play with the words. We flirted endlessly in the office, much to the annoyance of Thing and the Religious one.

The dinner ended without so many goodbyes for we would see eachother in the office tomorrow. The dinner was just my way of thanking them for their company and for their support during my time with the Project.