New Family

First topic of tonight's tales

The Jalavas

My family

So I arrived to this farm house, surrounded by some-what like suburban area, on December 5thy.

You may ask some common questions which I have faced already, so to answer them quickly and to the point.

1.) "Yo, Anna, why you switch homes?!?"

Well now calm down and have some coffee and pulla. I switch homes every 3-4 months to give myself a better perspective on Finnish lifestyle and homes. Because think of it, is your family like the one which lives next door? Nahhh

2.) "So, like, they speak English right?"

Hahahah no. I mean they all have knowledge of english. And my host mom spent a year in Nebraska. But we have decided it would be best if they didn't speak any really so my Finnish would improve

3.) "Did the whole no english thing really work?"

Yes. Totally. And now my english skills are going bad really fast. My spelling is terrible. Thank god for the red lines which come under the words when you type them wrong. I just spelled terrible wrong.

4.) "You got kids in the family?"

I wouldn't consider them kids exactly. I have an 18 year old host brother, Arrttu. He spent a year in Mexico. And I am pretty sure, no matter what your age, but when you return home from a year abroad you are no longer a child. He is really kind and makes me chuckle.

I have two older sisters as well- Sarra and Emmila. They do not live in the house, but are coming home for Christmas.

5.) "Where do they work?"

My host mother, Riitä, works at a Health Care center and my host father works as Fire Chief  ( I was taken there one day to be shown around. It's pretty spiffy.)

6.) "animals?"

One kind dog named Leo.
Leo is funny

7.) "Do you like them?"

Yes. It is hard to switch home during the holidays. Not because of the hassle of getting presents for people who you barely even know their names. (funny story I didn't know my host dads name for the first week. I was embarrassed to ask... I know now. Ykä,) But switching from a place where you felt at home to a place where you are knocked off your feet again is hard. You don't really have a place in a sense.

But the other day I woke up for breakfast and I went down and drank coffee on a stool in the kitchen as my host mom danced to some Finnish tunes. Everyone was in and out of the kitchen. And at the moment, looking around. It is a family. I am in a family again.

back to every day life

When you return from a big trip like Lapland. You are thrown for a loop. How do you go from being with 130 kids which understand you completely to back to every day life? The trains, the school, the language. (New host family speaks only finnish to me, I am improving greatly)

Well you manage. That's how we do it. We find a way.

it was time to pack. I fit my life into 3 boxes, a suit case, and three bags. I came with one suit case. Where did this all come from!?!

catching the bus to finnish lessons and saw the sun 

Daniel and I went to see the Christmas lights all over Helsinki.

We also all met  up and said good bye to Juanpa- our friend from Ecudor. He has college to attend

My last dinner at my host families house. My all time favorite finnish foods and my true love- glögi. No body was talking about the move but it sat heavy in the air.

Friday, Luis and I ended up at graduation. Don't ask us how. but we were singing and are just as confused as you are.

gifts from my host sister. I was holding it together so hard.

The move went well. The family is so kind to me and at the moment I am finding my footing once again. It is good to be pushed from your confort zone. It helps you grow. 

The first day with the family, we went to a graduation party in a very fancy garden. Also it was Independence day! We watched the ball on TV.

Sunday, Daniel and I went Christmas shopping. He is a good friend. A friend which you know will be in your life for a long time. We had coffee.  Coffee and Friends. It's a good life. 

Christmas is everywhere. The store fronts are so lovely to look at. 

So life is back to the insaness as before. I am tying this at school waiting for the time when I go to the Rotary Restaurant and play the piano before the meeting starts. Back to the constant of inconsistency. 

November 27, 2014: The worlds most normal thanksgiving in the least normal way

1 Italian
4 Fins
6 Americans
1 Bahamas
2 Mexican
1 Aussie


So basically add together that mixture of people and the knowledge that all of them lack on how to throw a thanksgiving and the result will wield you the best thanksgiving one has seen

It stated on Wednesday the 26. The ingredients were fetched and the pie was attempted to be baked. I say attempted because we just started dancing and eating apples. But the dough was made so thats a start.

On the morning of Thanksgiving, I woke early and finished the pie before everyone else woke up. And then the day commenced. We first had an American breakfast of real pancakes. Daniel came over to enjoy them with us. He brought the sugar. How sweet.

Anyways, lets get down to business. The turkey. So basically none of us knew how to cook. All we had was the little book my mother created for us and that was it. Also the internet. 

I had to cook the turkey. We named her Kristian. 

Slowly but surely everyone was arriving and cooking in this little kitchen. We had our Flag hung up. There was sweet potatoes going and green bean casserole cooking. Luis made some mexican food to spice up the dinner. Mash potatoes were mashed. Corn bread was made. Everyone was working and cooking something. The house smelled soo good.

When it was time to eat we all gathered around and noticed we forgot drinks! hahah We all talked about how much props we give to the women who make thanksgiving possible. They deserve all the credit. Thank you to all the women in my life which has made thanksgiving what it is. It was so hard but it was worth it. Running a kitchen like my tootsi did.

After we said thanks, the plates were passed over the table and the laughter grew. I swear I have never laughed as hard in my life before Finland. 

This year I found the meaning of thanksgiving. It isn't the food. But the people around the table. Being thankful that everyone is there and you are not alone. That there is family.

Back in the states the table was surrounded by family. 

In Finland my table was surrounded by family. 

not as good as my mothers

can it get more american than this? nope

he mixed up lamb and beef. He's the best friend I could ask for.

shes a special one

desert and coffee

Happy Belated Thanksgiving