I attended the HR MENA Tech recently and one of the topics discussed was the new generation careers. The skills to be developed now for careers that are not yet available today. Upskilling older generations so we won't be left behind. I thought the whole conference was talking to me. 

I'm the old generation, my children are the generation I have to prepare for careers I have no clue about. Until my oldest boy finally opened up on what he wants to do for a living.

Our eldest is nearing University phase and so after months of going back and forth discussing what he really wants to pursue as a career, he dropped the bomb on me. 

Apparently, he's been thinking about it long and hard but just couldn't bring himself to tell me. He thought I wouldn't understand.

Well he ain't wrong! I'm still trying to get over the shock.

In random order, his choices are:

• eSports
• Game Designing
• Video Editing
• Music Production
• Weapons Engineering

There was no "I want to be a fireman mommy" or a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, an accountant, an entrepreneur. He might as well have told me I want to be a Youtuber or a circus clown. They all sound about the same to me, of course other than Weapons Engineering which I think is an interesting choice, pretty out there but what do I know?

With all the games about firearms, firefighting and war, they know more about these stuff than what I'll ever know in my lifetime.

So given his choices above, I have to be open and be supportive of the life he is essentially choosing. In as much as I wish he goes through the conventional and safe route, I cannot impose on him. I cannot imagine how his life will be if he ends up working day in and day out doing something he doesn't enjoy, even worst, hates.

At the same time, it's not easy for an oldie like me. Just visualising a gathering where someone will ask him "which degree did you say you have again?" and hearing Alex say "Bachelor's in eSports", it still gives me the heebie jeebies. I am working hard though, trying to get over the unheardness-ness of it.

I mean, I checked one of the best Uni in UK when it comes to the gaming world and even them, this is the first year they have offered the degree. I mean if it's been on for like 5 or so years, I'd probably be more at ease.

But my husband, the ever progressive thinker that he is told me matter-of-factly... "well don't dismiss it so quickly. At one point, Computer Engineering did not exist".

Enough said, that was his degree and at that time, there were a lot of skeptics about it and at one point considered a pseudo engineering let alone a thing worthy of a degree.

So yes, I'll swallow my skepticism and embrace optimism. At least, Alex knows what he wants to do. I didn't know what my passion was until I was on my 2nd year in University. I had to re-direct and re-plan my life when I realised what I will enjoy as a career. I am still thankful for that until now. 

To alleviate my anxiety, I'm helping him read up on course prospectus. That is the only way I'll feel confident that indeed, it is a career. Hopefully I can still guide him with the choice he'll end up taking. 

So far, I am a little bit convinced with Game Design and eSports. Not a 100% but getting there. Weapons Engineering might not be an option on a Bachelor's level (phew!) but hey, we're still exploring all possibilities. He is yet to find a Uni that speaks to him about the rest of his choices.

Until then, I prolly need a brown bag to breathe through when anxiety attacks.

-very anxious mother- 

This is the inside scoop on how the VR Overnight Train or Santa Claus train looks like.

It'll give you an idea of whether seating and sleeping berth passengers can cross visit.

For the purpose of this research, I booked a mix of sleeping berths and seatings. There were 6 of us, 3 sleeping berths and 3 second class seats.

In the end, my sister and I shared a bed while roomies for life shared a bed in the other room. The upper beds in both rooms were occupied by a single gorgeous person (A and J).

Route:
Helsinki - Rovaniemi - Helsinki

Departing from:
Helsinki Central Station

Helsinki to Rovaniemi
IC 265
Leaves at 18:49 - Arrives at 07:13
(Basic Ticket) Upper deck - Second class seats - EU 80 pp
(Basic Ticket) Second class sleeping berths - EU 136 pp

Rovaniemi to Helsinki
IC 266
Leaves at 18:03 - Arrives at 06:24
(Saver Ticket) Upper deck - Second class seats - EU 35 pp
(Saver Ticket) First class sleeping berths - EU 140 pp

*Saver tickets get snatch-up quickly so you really must book and pay immediately.

Company provider: VR

Booking: slots get book quickly depending on the season. You can book 3 months in advance, which losers like me do. I was on the dot 3 months ahead. I scurried to book our rooms and seats the week our dates opened. Even with that, we missed the "Saver Tickets" to Rovaniemi and almost missed it coming back to Helsinki.

VR Train link here: https://bit.ly/2pBPBht

Car #s
If you ever do a combo like us, try your best to book cars that are closest to each other. Save that energy and time for meals and chit chats

Restaurant Car:
Gets filled very quickly. Something we realised on our way to Roveniemi. We had to console ourselves with the bar stools and the fact that we are really ready to crash on the bed. Exhausted is an understatement.

Coming back to Rovaniemi, we were smarter. We hang out in the restaurant car first as soon as we got on board.

Sleeping Berths:
Even if you book a single passenger for the sleeping berth, the room will be set up for two. *wink wink

Class cross-visit
From experience in both of our trips, yes, you can. The restaurant car is at the end of the train. Go figure, everyone must have access to it.

First Class Sleeping Berths (Upper Deck)
- ensuite bathroom
- bath towel is provided

Second Class Sleeping Berths (Lower Deck)
- shower room and water closets are shared and are located at both ends of the car
- hand towel is provided

Bigger spaced rooms
These are available on the lower deck, at the end of the car in front of WC. Suitable for passengers with pets, wheelchair or anyone who prefers bigger space for a small additional fee.

Shower Rooms
Can only be accessed by the shower room key​. It only has shower gels so bring in your bath essentials.

As I wrote it on 28 June 2014
By Nina

_____
Our home away from home is called Prague Old Town Apartment. It was very charming, had tons of character and definitely offered lots of comfort. 

That was not the first impression though. Honestly, we were tired, hungry and apparently dehydrated. Few sips of water from Dubai (never again) led to small mishaps creating a snowball of confusion.

We were dropped off at a cobbled street which is typical of Europe. One thing we were glad was we didn't have wheeled suitcases to haul around with us. Still does not discount the fact that at that point, we were very disoriented. The maps just didn't make sense to me or Joseph. We got lost at the start and walked and walked in streets we are not familiar of.

The check-in process was meant to be smooth. Most guest found the place  easy. Our host, Teresa and her family were ideal, we were the problem. She even sent her brother to find us but even when the poor man asked us if we were the guests from Saudi, it didn't click in our heads? Thick, eh? After 20 minutes of us walking and him driving about looking for the loopy family, we finally realised that he was looking for us! 

We got to the building before the host's brother and I was a little disappointed when we finally found the house’s street. A little embarrassed is the best description because I couldn't stop talking about how charming the apartment was to my husband and then there we were in a street that's not so impressive.

It was hidden. There were graffitis on walls, the main door of the building looked outdated. And there's no one to receive us... because he was driving around looking for us! In all seriousness though, we didn't fully appreciate how lucky we were to have it for a few days! We also didn't know that most of Europe is like that, progressive and expressive. 

Those writings on walls are not considered eyesores the way it is in other countries. Back home, if we see those, we smell danger. For us, it is automatically considered as works of gangs. In Europe, it's different. Theirs evolved from years of oppression, to freedom, to art form. It has become part of a place's character, something we now understand, having traveled a bit of this world.