Timetables, Political Discussions, and Book Stores... OHC

I am starting to notice that I either take a good ten minuets creating a title to each post or I just list a bunch of words, hoping it turns out artistic. Oh well. Tis life. Also, sorry for the late posting. Life has just been so busy and when I do I free time I want to sleep or watch Orange is the New Black. You get me.

Luis and I were able to make our new timetable for next section of the year. My classes include: Choir, Dance, French, Spanish, and English.

All of which start after ten except on wednesday. I may have planned this because lets all think about how cold it is going to get and if I go out side later it should be warmer. I walk a lot to school. I am just being logical and avoiding frost bite.

this girl is the sweets. she takes luis and I so well. 

 This post is about Monday. I was released at school at noon. So I had one and a half classes then I left. I went to this little coffee house on the Baltic. It is my top two coffee places. (the first one is my kitchen table here)

My friends Sam and Daniel came and we enjoyed about four cups of coffee each and about five hours of just sitting and talking. Talking about the current state of the EU and of the predictions of the future. What many people don't realize is how much we all keep on top of politics. I mean we are always being affected by it if we realize it or not.

We found this gem of a book store when Sam and me were walking.

I came home Tuesday to find a package from one of my many groups of people which I am privldged enough to have the opportunity to call family- The Oberlin Hertiage Center. These people- Liz, Linda, Mary-Ann, Pat, Jen, Bethany, Cesar, Monica, the whole gang- went out of their way to make my day, my week, and my year. And it isn't the stuff really it is (wait for it cheesy line alert) the thought behind it all. The letters they wrote made me laugh, cry, and smile bigger than ever. My host mom saw me today and said something along the lines of "Ansku, you have your own mug now. They sure do love you." And well I responded with- I sure do love them. 

above is just to remind you all of the definition of a struggle

Let there be snow!

Se on lunta. Olen kylmä. Pidän lunta sade.

So I was sitting in class and I looked out the window and I actually jumped up. By this point in the year theses kids are no longer shocked by my strangeness... or well maybe they are just better at hiding it. These kids here in Finland are some of the best you will meet. They are true and honest. They are helpful and caring. They are thoughtful and compassionate. Anyway! Long story short! It was hard core snowing.

Its the 5 of November and there is a good inch of snow on the ground.

So Luis just went outside... this was really funny for the fact we were all talking and then we looked up and Luis was gone... we looked out the window and bam. luis.

by may I bet I will be sick of snow. so capture the happiness now

this was the school I taught at

I walked out to go to night school around three and it was even worse than this. It was difficult to walk to the buss stop. 

Minun suoman on huono. Kävelen kouluun jopa lumimyrskyssa. Se on hullu. Suomi on hullu. Pidän suomi.

There is my Finnish for the night.

Happy Halloween!

Thursday October 30, 2014
Finnish Course
Milly left me alone...

I get a text, Come down stairs after class. It was from milly. She knows I have been bumming for a pumpkin. Seriously, Finland doesn't do anything for fall so it came to a point where I saw a pumpkin on a front porch one day walking home from school, and I almost took it... now I didn't. But the idea crossed my mind.

I came down and she was waiting for me with a pumpkin. She loves me and I love her. She takes care of me and even though the pumpkin has electrical tape for a face- it is the best pumpkin I have ever received.

earlier in the class we all wrote our forms of, I love you, on the board. As cheesy as it sounds, love comes in different ways than you realize it. example: my pumpkin

Friday October 31, 2014
Halloween
Boo

This Halloween was the definition of insane. I woke up at six from a phone call from my friend Anna(brazilian girl from kuopio) and it was her and Jazzie(aussie) who were staying with me for the weekend. I was thrown off by, once again the date. It was Halloween!!!

I never really realized how big of a deal halloween was to me. You see, I was never really into this holiday as much, but when you don't have it- it takes on a whole new meaning. Friday didn't feel like halloween. I can't explain how. There was no decorations or anything (finland doesn't celebrate it).  There was a point in the middle of the day where I just wanted a hug and some apple cider. It sounds silly but the USA has a definite culture when it comes to Halloween. You realize it when it isn't there. Its a shame.

But! Just because Finland  lacks Halloween doesn't mean I do! My tootsie(grandma) would be proud. I made decorations for my room and we were aloud to dress up for school. Now as I expected a lot of kids didn't but some wonderful kids did!!! They had a blast with it too. I dressed up as my fellow Mexican exchange student, Luis. And he dressed up like me. We switched flags and everything!! Ah! The school had a new spirit! We turned on Thriller during French class. It was one of the best school days.

waiting for the train wearing an Sombero

waiting before European Union class...

The flag was a cape and now he has the nick name "captain America"

Above are some of my Favorite fins!

After school I ran home and dropped off the luggage of the day and I went into town. Bahamas and I met up for coffee before the crazy night of hanging with exchange students. The night we spent on the shore hanging out with wonderful kids. 

Now there was no trick or treating, there was no apple cider, there was no corn mazes- but there was dressing up, there was friends, there was family. I think the things which make halloween were there. It didn't feel like the normal halloweeen but it was the best hallowween yet.

Saturday November 1, 2014

We slept so late. We ate tons of food. We hung out with the gang from before after exploring the east side of the city. We sat on docks and danced to Brazilians music. We learned new languages. We wondered about time. 

Some one said in two days would be finishing our third month. We laughed. How crazy is this? We are sitting on the shore of the balletic, surrounded by kids of different nations, freezing, but living. We lived. 

hanging out at the white church on the steps for hours till we become too cold

came home to some hella good Finnish ruoka

my loves

Sunday November 2, 2014

end of the weekend

Again we slept late and ate and went to the city. We have vowed to stop spending money on food when out and about. The damage I have is coffee. All the kids which were in for the weekend were all waiting for their trains so we spent it at the station. After, I met up with Norra for coffee and to  practice speaking Finnish to a real fin. Its going good. Life is going good.

It is pitch black by four now. This is hard and I don't like the darkness. But man, you have to make your self find the positives- the lights. Today was the first time I saw them and it is stunning. I want you to be able to see this one day. Right when I think I can't love it anymore this happens, this as in the unexpected beauty. The little things. The lights!