If you want me to point out the differences between life in Estonia and life in Senegal then have a look at the photos here. Yes, it happened! The first snow of the winter fell down today. Of course, most of it melted and after that, the roads were covered with ice and people were taking all kind of funny turns in the streets. But it was snow, and some hail too, for a change.

It was my first snow in five years. Being a fan, I just looked out of the window and thought how happy I was to be back home  after those years.

I also called Robbie, my husband. For him, it was the very first snow, after the type in the refrigerator. He ran to the window and he stayed there. I was, unfortunately, in class but he was so bubbling with new experience that he called both of my brothers (he has never done that before) and told them that it was snowing here and he was sitting and watching it. He took pictures and was generally in awe.

My 3-year-old son too was all full of snow talk when I picked him up from the kindergarten. They had been playing in it and it had gone in his eyes and then one of his socks was wet (that was just a fact, he did not complain).As they had also had a fairy tale carnival where he was one of the seven dwarfs (the picture was on his t-shirt but don't ask me which one of the seven he was, I am pretty Disney-illiterate) it was an emotionally packed day for him. No wonder he didn't find it easy to fall asleep in the evening.

They say it is going to be a cold winter. Estonian winters have not been that white and lovely lately (not that I have the firsthand experience), but for this year, the weather forecast people have promised that December is going to be white, and they also say that the end of January is going to be around 25 to 30 degrees below Celsius. I'd better go and buy some more winter clothes... But gosh, how much fun it is going to be - rides on the sledges, skating, skiing, making a snowman with the kids, having snowfights - what can be better after five years of sandstorms!