Monday Tourism

I'm on fall break right now. Today, Kirsi, met up with me around noon for lunch at Cafe Engle and then we went and became tourist.

note: the other day a tourist walked up to me and said really slowly " Do you speak ennnglishh?" I was like yes. I am from America. I then gave her directions and helped her buy a train ticket. Hence why now I say "became a tourist".

planning out the attack route

I told Kirsi about how I needed a dress for the big Vanhan dance thing. And she set up an appointment for later that day. 

After coffee and lunch we went to the city museum. This is officially my favorite one. They had theses portirts of people on the wall and if you would watch them you could see them breathing and moving. This museum actually brought all the paintings to life. So cool. So so so so sos cool.

I'm hooked on ice skating now

There was this cool hall where they had photographs from back in the old days and photos taken recently in the same places. It was lovely to be able to recognize the places where the photos were taken and even more lovely to see what was there a long time ago.

one of my favorites. I was on this ride at Linnamaki

this is my city. haha I live here.

more ice skating

found out there was an underground movie theater which played vintage Finnish films which we went to. I understood a little bit too!

Next was a short tour of another "tourist" market.

 Off to the dress shop!

 Oh the dress shop!!! So there is this huge dance here where you learn old dances and perform them to the public and well I am signed up apparently and I need a dress. So I got an appointment with a consultant who asked me what I liked (aka my favorite flower and season, daisy and winter) and then bam . Perfect dress. Perfect Color. Perfect fit.

I felt like a princess. I told all the Rotarian about it during dinner later on. I spoke Finnish so that's cool.

this is the one I want to get. lets hope it is there on thursday!

I then had a rotary meeting. They don't make us come every week but I go. I want to go. Rotary is the reason why I am here and to be honest I enjoy going. The food is good and the people are even better. They get enjoyment from watching my conferment I think. They club is mostly older gentlemen too so our sass gets along quite well. Today I had to listen to an hour of a lecture on maps in Finnish. It was different but cool. I think it was about a war. We will never know.

I came home and we colored. I will update about this more on later... shhh.

Fiends and Ice Skating: Just Another Saturday OR IS IT

As exchange students, we run on limited funds. This means when we plan something it has to run through a short checklist.

1. is it free?
2. will there be food?
3. are we setting ourselves up for a good time?

the answer which it usually results in is picnic

 I headed into town I think sometime after noon. It is awfully chilly but this train station is something I know so well. I am here two + times a day.

We met up with Kat who promised to take up to go see cats. "Why do you want to go see cats anna?"

1. Finnish people only have dogs (i swear)
2. I like cats

( Im really into numbering things today) But sadly the cat shelter was closed on Saturdays. So we just walked around and hung out with the gang until I had to leave to see my counselor, Niina. She is lovely. 

There was a bunch of weird chanting and a Greece flag being waved in the middle square. And we were so confused until we found out Greece and Finland had a big football game today.

GAH! liz, I fell people who have the name Liz are just some of my favorites. She is from Canada and for Halloween we agreed to switch countries. SO basically we are dressing each other up like people from home and we are going into the city and well I am just going to be Canadian. I am going undercover. I am going to be a spy... 

My counselor took me to see an International Ice skating Competition called Finlandia Trophy. IT WAS SO COOL! (pun intended)

Seriously though, I want to learn how to skate so bad. It was just an unbelievable sight to walk in and see these dancers on ice basically. It is a sport and it is beautiful. I am excited because my last host family is really into this and they said they will teach me. I don't think they understand how bad I am going to be. But they have hope! That's a good sign!

Finnish people sell sauna tents. I asked why, and the man responded "how will you sauna when you are camping if you don't have one?"

SHE IS FROM THE USA. I WAS CHEERING SO LOUD AND OBNOXIOUSLY I WAS SO AMERICAN

usa usa usa usa usa usa usa suomi usa usa usa

usa

USA FOR SILVER. THAT'S MY GIRL.

Half way though, my phone buzzes and I checked it. It was my sister. She told me she was engaged. I actually squealed. I am so happy for her. I sent out news to my host family and friends here. They are all so happy for her! Ah! I am so elated for my sister. Her and AJ will have the best life together. I was watching something beautiful and then I got beautiful news (THE MOST BEAUTIFUL). It was a beautiful day.

Not a normal saturday. but then again what is.

I have found my second slow train

Leaving home was tough but leaving Slow Train may have even been worse. Slow train was this local coffee house in Oberlin (I suggest that ever one goes there and buys a vegan chocolate cookie. Also, while you are buying it, find out the recipe and send it to me. Do it. Please.) It is a wonderful place at all times of the year. I would always sit by the window and look out onto the lovely hustle and bustle of Oberlin (and of course Charles Martin Hall's house... long story.)

The morning of when I flew out I went and had a cup of coffee, vegan cookie, and blueberries there to help leaving be easier.

Long story short: Slow train was my little place away from the world.

So one of my personal goals upon arrival was to find a new slow train- a place where I can go alone and just think.

Now I am very picky when it came to being the right place and of course I could find somewhere better. But I was so dead set to find the right place. I was starting to get a little discouraged, especially after two months of going to a lot of coffee houses. Then I out of the blue it was there. Some wonderful friends for school met up with for coffee and we hit up a few places, but the last one was this little joint on the third floor of an old building in Senate Square. You would have never known it was up there. I don't even know the name!

It was modern looking but had the correct atmosphere it needed. I wish I could explain but I was just very comfortable.

 Fall is here and all the colors are either orange or yellow. All the shade of them of course!

this is Heikki. We are good friends but I still don't think he knows my real name... he calls me American. 

coffee house 1: Pretty but not perfect

Now cafes are everywhere. As you know Fins love coffee, sauna, and Mumi. Cafes here are so "European Fancy" as I would call it. But this one is different and It was nice to just sit and smile. 

They also have free wifi... so thats cool. (more blogging from the center)