We did so much in the weekend but we also did nothing. I woke each morning to the warmest smell and folk music (my family has great taste in music) My Aiti had wool socks for me because I am not prepared for the coldness here.
We laid around for hours napping and reading.
When I mean peaceful, I mean the purest for of that word. There is no sounds except for water hitting the shore. There is no room for sound. The air is so so fresh, you cannot fill your lungs fast enough. There is no pressing to get things done and there is always tea warm and ready.
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| Meet Luis. He is an exchange student also but from Mexico. Luis is here through a different program but we have become best buds. He's stuck with me and I with him. |
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| Friday was picture day and my phone went off and took a bunch of photos. I felt this was a good one which summed up my usual confused state. The picture days are very different. It is like a photo shoot. I felt famous! |
After school we headed out and we arrived there around dark. Going across the water at night was like the scene from Series of Unfortunate Events, the one with all the leaches. It was an extremely Erie experience.
Some of the many deadly mushrooms. But spiders aren't poisonous here, so that's a plus!
The old farm we found. And not just a 100 year old farm hahaha no... Finland is really old. Think more like built 200 years ago, remains still from 1912.
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| Please note the coffee grinder. Coffee is a huge part of the culture. Just got home- coffee, out with friends-coffee, sad- coffee, happy-coffee, every meal-coffee It is everywhere. |
We then hiked for a few more hours. You can tell its fall already because the colors are changing and I can already see my breath.
In the middle of hiking we went to the shore for a break from the bugs of hell- moose flies.
After hiking we ate and napped more then went out boating.
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| My host sister buried me in the sand. It was so cold but hilarious. |
On the boat ride in you could see the bonfire. I cannot express enough how dark it was that night. I have never seen so many stars. The weather was chilly but after the sauna it was so warm. We cooked sausages and just looked at the stars.
The last evening we hung out and hiked. On the ride home we watched movies and laughed. There is so much laughter in my life. Warm laughter in the chilly wind.
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| 5 layers and a life jacket #finnishlakes |
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| anti makes sandwiches. bags and backs of them. |
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| Rest stops on the four hour journey home |
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| home |
