Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Hey! I am 17!!

Hey! I am 17! My birthday was Monday! Yeah!

I woke up on Monday totally unaware it was my birthday. It shocks me that I forgot about something that big, my own birthday, but it happened. I feel that is due to the thousands of other things I have to focus on. I was on my morning run when I received a text from a friend wishing me well for my birthday. It took me back. It was actually my birthday.

View from when I received the message. I felt the feeling and the place needed to be documented. Very movie like, it was drizzling rain. Erie...


When I went home, I showered and fell back asleep (I still had a few hours till school began, since I start at noon on Mondays.) I was awoken by Salla singing to me. Best wake up ever! I took the train to school where there was more singing and laughter. You all should go and listen to the Finnish happy birthday song, it kinda sounds a warm angry I guess. But you can still feel the warmth from the voices. It is a strange experience.  I have many friends here. They show me classes and explain everything, even the little things. I am very well taken care of here. 

Watching my English teacher explain American humor was interesting...

Michael was very excited to show me his "American" sweatshirt. He is hilarious. 

After school, Ollie rode the train with me to this different train station (do not ask me to spell the name, Finnish is the worst to say) He waited until my consular showed up. I rode with her to my first Rotary Club meeting for the Northern Helsinki Rotary Club. I am now shared by two clubs- Northern Helsinki and Kerava. It works out well! I was taken to this very fancy restaurant where they have all of their meetings. I was asked to sit at the head table, to say the least it was very terrifying. 

My presentation went well. It started off with candy and ended in questions! So thank goodness for that! I was given gifts for my birthday afterwards. They gave me flowers and books about Finland. It was so fun to see them all stand and sing.  It ended a bit late so when I arrived home, I sat with my family and watched re-runs of Park and Rec.




Today we celebrated my birthday. Ollie and Norrah came over and celebrated with us. It was Sade's birthday earlier this month so we celebrated that also. There was all of her little nugget friends here. It was a blast. Ollie, Norrah, and I went for walks and just had a blast. I am so thankful they are in my life.  

This is what happened when I introduced them to American candy


they found pretzels

Umbrella! and Mumi!
I came with only one suitcase and a carry on, so I don't have much to my name. You really do not need that much stuff at all I have seen. But I now get excited over the littlest things now (I found a bead which I kept. A bead. I am excited over a bead.)! I got a pencil pouch! my own! And to be honest, none of the things really matter it is the thought which went behind all of it. That sounds really cheesy but I understand it now. My family knew that I loved flowers and since it already is fall here, all the flowers are gone. I walked into my room to find a potted plant. It is the thought. It is still summer here at home, my home in finland. I have two homes now. 

Wow. I am 17 now. 

This is actually happening. 






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