The little things

Okay, so my head is beginning to wander. And since you're reading this then please enjoy the random thoughts dealing with exchange student struggles.

I am coming to the last time when I must switch families.
Some poeple may think "ah you've done it once, you can do it again."
Yes, I can. But I have to go in with no expectations- which is the hardest thing one must do

I am going to be honest. I do not want to switch. And it is not because the next family is bad or anything, to be true, I don't even know them yet. They seem lovely from all I know.

The hard part is- getting knocked off your feet again.

When I came here it was hard. I didn't know anything. I was naive. I had to find my ground.

Then I switched to my second and current. It was rough at first because I didn't have my footing- problems like where do I find new sheets and what time is an appropriate curfew, were all new struggles. I had to adapt with the family.

This is such a great thing I learned here is- to adapt. To be flexible. You have to be willing to change. When you change, you learn.

I am so lucky to say that now I have two wonderful families here which love me so greatly. And I love them.

So now, right when I get settled in and comfortable. Everything works great. I must switch again. This is hard but its good. I am going to learn to adapt again. And because of that, I will gain new experiences.


So yes. I under stand the logic.

But damn. I know I will be exhausted. I know theses things will happen.

It is so difficult to find out the little things.
The most important things


All in all. I am excited to go meet this family in the coming week

But I am terrified to leave home again.

Helsinki Hockey with the Helsinki Gang

Hey I have some free tickets to go see hockey, ya wanna go?

Yeah!

This lead to an insane night of an American, a French, a Paraguayan, and a Canadian. All going to watch the sport of hockey unfold. 

I texted my host father which team , he said SIPA... tampere team. 

Moi

So it may have been a few weeks since I last posted on here

In my defense, I am an exchange student.

I travel
I learn
I stay busy

So get ready for another hour of me straight blogging untill I have to leave school and catch a bus to travel to Tampere.

Loving this life

Six Months

I take a deep breath as I begin to write this one
It is a heavy breath
One which shakes your thoughts

I am currently sitting at the local libaray. Bundled up in big scaves and bigger sweaters. I look out the window to my left at a snowcoated landscape. and I just laugh.

It has been half a year.

I remember when it was only my first month.

So much has changed since then.

I speak finnish
I travel more
I have close finnish friends
I have families
I know the city
I have a local cafe which knows my "usual"
I know how to work school
I understand the school
I don't get lost on the buses anymore
I adore the quiet
I get the personal space
I relish the food
I go naked in suana
I jump naked into the snow after suana
I have routien
I love the exchange student culture
I kick box
I study four languages
I travel to musuems regulary
I drink way more coffee

The list goes on and on on things which have changed.

But the list of what is different about me is even longer.
I guess it is because I am a new person.
I knew this would happen walking into it, I just never really believed it.

I feel so confortable here now. I no longer feel like an exchange student, or even foregin.

Somethings still make me laugh,

the sandwitches
the language
my accent
the pineapple hair
the no snowdays
the honesty

I guess now I have two homes. That's a nice thought. That you are warmly welcomed with open arms of people who really love you.

I have no idea where I would be if this year has not happened. I wonder what will happen in the next six months.

I am off to go have coffee now with some friends. I wish you to have a good day. Thank you for reading and sticking with me. We will see what is to come! Who knows!

Häminliennä. A midevil town

Monday, a Alaskan, Italian, and me went and visited a Candaian two hours north.

This day started with a two hours sitting in a coffee house talking and laughing. Musuems! A stop at a comunity center where they let us pain a window and become Warriors.

Then we bought grocereries and had a pinic at the local Castle (photos to come later.)

 

I

 

 

 

Oh, hei, booking a ticket back.

Sunday was spent with paperwork and boardgames

 

 

It was snowy and I feel on top of life.

 

Untill I had to book the ticket home.

 

Now I am not telling the date I will comeback, I mean my family and my rotary knows. But I want to have at least a week to relax, ride my horse, sleep, and well just be before I have to get back to meeting everyone and juggling life again? You can get that right?

 

But it was hard to book the date back.

 

scary

 

I am not the person I was when I left.

I am not in the cloest way

 

 

It is scary and I can't explain how

 

just trust me when I say I am more terrfied going back than I was when leaving

 

WE KNOW HIM. Musikkitalo Edition

Two weeks ago, Vanessa and I were riding the train when this guy siting next to me kept glancing over at me. This kept up. I was getting frustrated. So I turned to him quickly and said in finnish

 

"What do you want. Who are you. What."

 

This made him stammer and exclaim that he was sorry. I introduced my self kindly and struck up a conversation with this young man. By the end of the conversation I found that he plays music and we were talking about the Music hall here in Helsinki. He told me he was playing there soon. How cool!? Right! I have this ticket from rotary to go see some shows there so why not go see this random guy peform. So I gave him my card and told him to email me.

 

he did.

turns out he was the head soloist for the 150th Siabilous Univeristy of Music Peformance

So kinda a big deal

 

long story short; I called a  famous guy out and got tickets to see his show

 

so we got dolled up and went. we  sent him a flower even

we had really good seats

the whole night was a blast. so silly how it all came to be

I love the spontanity of life. How we just go to one of the most fancy events Helsinki is holding this year. How we meet this man. How we send him a flower. How we eat mc.donals afterwards inheels and dresses.