What's going on in Uusikaupunki

10 Tiistaina 18. joulukuuta 2018 W H A T , S G O I N G O N I N U U S I K AU P U N K I ? Christmas is coming Dear reader’s, I just want to take the time out to ex- press thanks to all of you who have been in support of this English section. In today’s Christmas Edition, I will not highlight any ser- vice, there is no person of the month and there is no word of the month either. What you will find today, is a silly story about one of the biggest culture shocks that I have had here in Fin- land when we first arrived, a Christmas word search that I made just for you, and a Christmas word match for you language lovers to test your knowledge of Christ- mas words in both English and in Finnish. I also asked a few people that I know, to tell me what Christmas means to them, and how it is celebrated in their countries. Youwill get to read their answers and hear some of their stories. So sit back, relax and enjoy a good read in English. Have a great day, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! Sincerely, Granger T. Simmons Culture shock during the Holidays Granger T. Simmons It was December 2012. I was in the mood for so- mething good to eat that was a bit more exotic than Christmas leftovers, so I went to the local pizza shop and began to check out the menu. I didn’t understand anything written there so I as- ked for an English version and the cashier gave me one. As I reviewed the menu, I asked the cook what pizza he would recommend. He politely told me that they have an awardwinning pizza that I should try and began to list the ingredients, some in Eng- lish and some in Finnish. By that time I had al- ready completed the first semester of my Finnish lessons so I knew a good amount of animal and food vocabulary. HE WENT through all of the ingredients, and just as I began to consider ordering this awardwinning pizza, it hit me, this man just said poronliha. I thought tomyself, isn’t that reindeermeat? Is he serious? Do these people really eat reindeer pizza? I just saved a reindeer last year who was hit by a car. Are you kidding me? How can anyone eat a reindeer? I slowly put themenu away andwalked out of the store, in complete shock. I’m still in shock! Some- bodywon an award for killing Rudolph and putting him on a pizza! Maybe one day I will be brave enough to try Finland’s exotic cuisine, but probably not anytime soon. Mistä on kyse? ■■ Uudenkaupungin Sanomat julkaisee kuukausit- tain Granger Simmonsin tekemän What’s going on -osion. Sivustolla kerrotaan kaupunkiin muut- taneille kaupungin kuulumisia ja toisaalta tuodaan muualta tulleiden kuulumiset kaupunkilaisten tie- touteen. ■■ Tällä kertaa Simmons keskittyy lähestyvään jouluun ja kertoo omakohtaisen kokemuksen kult- tuurishokista. Hän kaipasi jouluruokien jälkeen hieman toisenlaista purtavaa ja ajatteli tilaavansa pizzan. Simmons järkyttyi, kun hän näki ruokalis- talla poroa, siis sitä samaa eläintä, joka tyypillisesti törmäilee pohjoisessa autojen kanssa. Pizza jäi tällä kertaa ostamatta, koska Petteri Punakuono ei kut- kuttanut miehen ruokahaluja. ■■ Gallupissa on puolestaan kyselty sitä, kuinka eri ihmiset juhlivat joulua. Filippiineillä lähestyvän joulun voi aistia jo syyskuussa, mutta Vietnamissa joulu ei kuulu heidän kulttuuriinsa. Ukrainassa, Yh- dysvalloissa ja Nigeriassa joulu on juhla, jota juhli- taan perinteisesti koko perheen kesken. KIMMO SALMINEN Granger T. Simmons is wondering how anyone can eat reindeer.