Basic Training. Done, NEXT.

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ATTENTION: Sorry again about the extra emails. No, I am not in South America. Just cleaning up some of my old blogs and unfortunately it's way too much effort to not send those emails. Read them if you want...... or don't.

Thanks to everyone who has emailed me, sent messages and left comments. It's good to know that people are actually reading my blogs and I'm not wasting my time, spending hours writing them and posting pictures. It's also good to have a bunch of emails in the Inbox after lining up forever (in my free time) to get a computer at the Sotku.

I've been getting lots of "sounds like your having a great time" etc. Thanks, but let's get one thing straight right now. This is the military! I'd like to be able to tell you the number of times I have thought,"This has got to be the most stupid idea in the history of stupid ideas", or just felt like telling these 20 year old punks who are in charge of us what I really thought of them. But.... I've lost count. It is easy for me to be joyvial about the whole situation at the moment, but that's because I've got freetime now and can actually do something for myself. I think, like anything, it all comes down to attitude. If you want to enjoy it then you will. If you keep thinking the whole time "this is crap", then it will be.

So, again, enough complaining. To answer a question that I've been getting, no, I don't speak finnish. All the instruction here is in finnsh, all the commands are in finnish and all the paper work is in finnish, which can make life difficult. So how have I managed so far? Luckily pretty much everyone here also speaks english and a couple of guys here can translate things for me in the lessons. Usually its about 10 words of english for 5 minutes finnish, so I think I miss a out on fair bit, but get the important stuff, like,"the rocket come out that end of the bazooka". For the important things, like at the shooting range, the instructor will actually come around and explain everything to me in English, so it works out ok. With everything else I just follow what others are doing.

For the last 8 weeks or so we have been doing a lot of different things. Like charging through the snow covered forest shooting at things; learning how to use different weapons; going on hikes up to 20km with 25kg packs; orienteering; cross-country skiing for 2 days with 25kg packs (I couldn't walk straight for a day after that); going to classes; going to the shooting range; cleaning our weapons; marching all over the place and so on.

We finished our basic training last Friday and moved to our new units, which I guess is good. A change is as good as a holiday they say. The bizzare thing is that I am in the exact same number tupa, in the exact same number bed, but a different building. Or maybe they thought I was stupid and didn't want to confuse me too much. I'm going to be a Viestimies, or Signalman for the next four or so months that I'm here. We set up and maintain the radio, phone and other communication lines between units, I think. I guess I'll find out more when we get started with the actual training.

The weather seems to have mellowed lately, but I don't think it has anything to do with the seasons, still 2-3 months more of winter for me. I've made a bit more of an effort with the photos this time, but a digital camera isn't exactly standard issue equipment, so it's not easy. I'll try to work on the variety next time I post.

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Photos

Me and my AK-47 (err.... RK-62)
It looks a lot more menacing with a 30 round magazine hanging out of it, but they don't really approve of people screwing around when there are real bullets nearby.

The Range
At 150m away, the targets aren't exactly easy to hit.

Getting Instructions
They're mainly dished out in Finnish, but the important stuff gets expalined in English.

Comments

[Deanna Sutherland]

You are crazy...and brave
Hey Andrew, Glad you are surviving and keeping a positive attitude! I am not going to lie to you, the stuff you are doing in the freezing cold doesn't sound too appealing so that fact that you can spin it positively says a lot about your character! And you manage to do it by still looking "so hot right now"!!!!!!!!!!! Keep Smiling Love, DEANNA SUTHERLAND

[Julie Duce]

Congratulations
Well done surviving Basic Trg. Love hearing about your travels and experiences.

[Michelle Williams]

What extreme conditions!!!
hey andrew, its great to hear from you and all that you've been up to. i can imagine it wouldn't be easy at all but i have no doubt you will suceed just the same! how long will you be there for? i remember back at camp you said you were thinking about doing that, its awesome that you are! i'm enjoying being back in australia and am now living in wagga with my younger sister. look forward to keeping in touch. bye for now.

[Kim]

Hello from Taiwan
Hey, It sounds so interesting and crazy! This travel blog thing is really cool. I should build up some motivation to do it as well. You're so damn brave. Good for you. Keep the positive attitude and you'll do great! Talk to you soon. Kim

[Mum]

Hi Andrew
Andrew you may think you are crazy at the moment but that is life ! You will look back one day and see that in" the history of stupid ideas" there are some that are far more stupid! This is not stupid at all just freezing cold at the moment and soon it will be beautiful! Enjoy each day as it comes - think of you often!

[David Brent]

Next....
Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, next. I hope in the title, when u said "done. NEXT" referred to my great show called The Office, yeah. Sounds like you're doing some pretty interesting stuff mate. well done. Just remember: "If you want the rainbow, you've got put up with the rain" - Dolly Parton. And people say she's just a big pair of tits...