Friday, September 30, 2011
It's Fall!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Week 5-Perjantai
Since alot of people are asking for specifics about my daily life and such, I'll just describe an average day and an average weekend.
So, on an average day I wake up at about 8:30-9ish. On some days I don't have class until noon, and other days I have class at 8, but I'll get into that later. After I wake up, I take a shower and get ready. The showers here are so different-at first I couldn't even figure out how to turn the water on! And there aren't any walls on the shower, so after you get done you have to push all the water into the drain with this squigie thing. My family doesn't really care when I take showers, so I just try and take one when people are still asleep in the morning or at night. At school there isn't a uniform, and I have discovered that Finns are extremely expressive people (style wise) so no one cares at all what you wear. Since Finns don't have small talk, they kind of tell you who they are with how they dress and that way they don't have to talk about themselves.
After I am all ready for school, I go downstairs and have breakfast. For me this is normally just a slice of rye bread and some coffee and juice, but sometimes Erja or Vesa will make me porridge. Mmm...Porridge with just a bit of ligonberry jam is the BEST. When I'm done I don't like to hang around at home for long, so even if I don't have class for a while, I'll just go and ride my bike around town. The city of Kouvola is very beautiful and I like meandering through the streets just enjoying the sunshine and the breeze.
Once I am at school, I hang up my coat and scarf (everyone wears scarves here) in the coat rack assigned to my class(11B) and I just chill on the benches with the rest of my class and wait for the next period to start.
Each class lasts about 50minutes, and sometimes we have double periods :( The classrooms are always locked inbetween classes, so we usually just sit outside the door and wait for the teacher to show up. My schedule has completely changed now because it is the end of the period, and I don't even have classes this week because all the other students are taking the final exams...Which all my teachers said they didn't really care if I went to because I wouldn't understand anything anyway. Although, I did go to my religion exam(because it was in English) and on Wednesday I am going to the Fysics exam.(Also in English).
When I asked the Headmaster (who also teaches Fysics) if I had to go to the exams, he kind of laughed and said I could if I wanted to, but that there wasn't really a point if it was in finnish. He's pretty awesome. He thinks that me and the other exchange students are just adorable when we speak finnish, and he doesn't even care when I start doing other start in class when he speaks Finnish.
All in all, Finnish school is pretty awesome. The food is free, and is much better then the school food in America but of course all the Finnish students think its awful. And of course I love it :) The only downside is that I have to buy all my school book, or rather, Rotary has to buy them :D And they are all about 30 euros. My Finnish book was 40. It's really annoying.
Now that I have been here for a while, people are starting to not be so shy and I am actually making lots of friends. My class is pretty small, about 25 people, so I know almost everyone's names. Which in itself is a challenge because I can never tell if a person's name is a name, or just a word in finnish. And they all sound the same!
I am also finding more ways to keep busy. Since all my classmates have been busy studying, I have had to find other ways to keep myself entertained. I go to Zumba and other fitness classes almost everyday after school, I run alot, and on Wednesdays I have my Suomen kieli kurssi. I mostly use the class as a practice time, because I already know most of what the teacher is talking about. But I like it. My main problem right now, is that I am too scared to use Finnish in everyday conversations, because I am afraid of being misunderstood. It sucks. But hopefully this class will change that.
On weekends I usually just lay around reading. I go to Zumba or run like usual, and sometimes I clean my room or go to the library. Which actually has a pretty decent English section...So really, it's just like at home. I've gotten into the really bad habit of not getting up until about 9.30 though, because last period I didn't have class until 10 most days, or not until 12. So now I have trouble sleeping at night, because I sleep so late...DX
So, on an average day I wake up at about 8:30-9ish. On some days I don't have class until noon, and other days I have class at 8, but I'll get into that later. After I wake up, I take a shower and get ready. The showers here are so different-at first I couldn't even figure out how to turn the water on! And there aren't any walls on the shower, so after you get done you have to push all the water into the drain with this squigie thing. My family doesn't really care when I take showers, so I just try and take one when people are still asleep in the morning or at night. At school there isn't a uniform, and I have discovered that Finns are extremely expressive people (style wise) so no one cares at all what you wear. Since Finns don't have small talk, they kind of tell you who they are with how they dress and that way they don't have to talk about themselves.
After I am all ready for school, I go downstairs and have breakfast. For me this is normally just a slice of rye bread and some coffee and juice, but sometimes Erja or Vesa will make me porridge. Mmm...Porridge with just a bit of ligonberry jam is the BEST. When I'm done I don't like to hang around at home for long, so even if I don't have class for a while, I'll just go and ride my bike around town. The city of Kouvola is very beautiful and I like meandering through the streets just enjoying the sunshine and the breeze.
Once I am at school, I hang up my coat and scarf (everyone wears scarves here) in the coat rack assigned to my class(11B) and I just chill on the benches with the rest of my class and wait for the next period to start.
Each class lasts about 50minutes, and sometimes we have double periods :( The classrooms are always locked inbetween classes, so we usually just sit outside the door and wait for the teacher to show up. My schedule has completely changed now because it is the end of the period, and I don't even have classes this week because all the other students are taking the final exams...Which all my teachers said they didn't really care if I went to because I wouldn't understand anything anyway. Although, I did go to my religion exam(because it was in English) and on Wednesday I am going to the Fysics exam.(Also in English).
When I asked the Headmaster (who also teaches Fysics) if I had to go to the exams, he kind of laughed and said I could if I wanted to, but that there wasn't really a point if it was in finnish. He's pretty awesome. He thinks that me and the other exchange students are just adorable when we speak finnish, and he doesn't even care when I start doing other start in class when he speaks Finnish.
All in all, Finnish school is pretty awesome. The food is free, and is much better then the school food in America but of course all the Finnish students think its awful. And of course I love it :) The only downside is that I have to buy all my school book, or rather, Rotary has to buy them :D And they are all about 30 euros. My Finnish book was 40. It's really annoying.
Now that I have been here for a while, people are starting to not be so shy and I am actually making lots of friends. My class is pretty small, about 25 people, so I know almost everyone's names. Which in itself is a challenge because I can never tell if a person's name is a name, or just a word in finnish. And they all sound the same!
I am also finding more ways to keep busy. Since all my classmates have been busy studying, I have had to find other ways to keep myself entertained. I go to Zumba and other fitness classes almost everyday after school, I run alot, and on Wednesdays I have my Suomen kieli kurssi. I mostly use the class as a practice time, because I already know most of what the teacher is talking about. But I like it. My main problem right now, is that I am too scared to use Finnish in everyday conversations, because I am afraid of being misunderstood. It sucks. But hopefully this class will change that.
On weekends I usually just lay around reading. I go to Zumba or run like usual, and sometimes I clean my room or go to the library. Which actually has a pretty decent English section...So really, it's just like at home. I've gotten into the really bad habit of not getting up until about 9.30 though, because last period I didn't have class until 10 most days, or not until 12. So now I have trouble sleeping at night, because I sleep so late...DX
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Week 5
Sorry I haven't posted for a while. My host family's computer was totally crashed so it took a while to fix it. Nothing that remarkable has happened since my last post. Just been getting really settled in. It's finally starting to really hit me that I'm not just on vacation. The other day I just thought "Wow...I live in Finland" and then I had to go sit down. But now that the rush is over my life is starting to develop a good routine. It's just so normal. But I like it. At this point though I don't really go out that much. Finnish people are so shy, and since I don't have any host siblings at my school it's taking a while to earn their trust and friendship. But I am getting there! I went out to lunch with a couple of my school friends, and they were more then happy to explain stuff in Finnish to me. So I learned the difference between suklaa and kaakao. Suklaa- food chocolate. Kaakao- drink chocolate. Luckily, the Finns think I'm hilarious when I try to speak Finnish so they are more then happy to teach me. Other then that, I've gone to zumba and yoga a couple times, I go nordic walking and running with my host dad, and I wander around town and secondhand stores. This past weekend I had district camp, which was so much more fun then the ones back in USA. We were at this summer camp site, and we really had nothing we had to do except get to know one another. It was quite nice. But then yesterday and today I was sick:( It was only a matter of time. My entire class is super sick and I have an inferior American immune system.
I I have spread apple crisp to Finland! Apparently, apple crisp is nonexistant here, so the first time I made it, it was gone withing 30 minutes, mostly thanks to Veikka. But they totally Love it. I felt like the most clever girl in the world after I made it based off all the praise I got.
So far I have been up to the summer home 3 times. It's actually Erja's parents summer house, but we just go up there on the weekends and use the sauna, and Erja's mom makes us dinner. It's on a really nice lake, and it hasn't been too cold yet but I kind of wish it was just to get the biggest shock after the sauna. The first time I went in their sauna was the first time I REALLY sauna-ed. It was awesome. and the makkarra(sausage) that we were going to eat for dinner was cooking over the sauna as we were using it, so it smelled really delicious. Also the first time, Erja's dad took Veikka and I out on his boat to show me the lake. It was like a like steam boat, and I guess he made it himself way back when. It was really nice, and the smell of gasoline and fish reminded me of Dad.
I haven't been fishing myself, but Erja and Vesa have made various dinners involving fish (mainly salmon). It's really a staple of the finnish meal, along with potaoes, rye bread, and milk. I myself LOVE rye bread- I coulfdlive off nothing but rye bread and butter. And salmiakki..And of course there is ALWAYS coffee. I think because I drink so much of it I have become immune to caffiene. No matter how much I drink of it, It doesn't keep me awake. Also, the butter here melts really easily...Weird.
Here the summer is just starting to turn to fall. And that means rain...lots of rain. And wind. The storms we get are endearingly called "little hurricanes". But I would kill for some thunder storms. That's one of the few things I miss. All the birch trees are already changing colors, and since there are so many, that means my world went from everything green to everything yellow. But I think it's even more beautiful then before. Fall has always been my favorite season. But I wish it was crisp. Back home I always knew it was fall when the air was dry and crisp, and there was always a biting wind making little leaf tornados as you walk. I miss the smell of autumn leaves. It only smells like grass and rain here, and that's a summer smell meant for June.
Anyways, everythings going good. Thanks to everybody for being so patient for my update.
Love
I I have spread apple crisp to Finland! Apparently, apple crisp is nonexistant here, so the first time I made it, it was gone withing 30 minutes, mostly thanks to Veikka. But they totally Love it. I felt like the most clever girl in the world after I made it based off all the praise I got.
So far I have been up to the summer home 3 times. It's actually Erja's parents summer house, but we just go up there on the weekends and use the sauna, and Erja's mom makes us dinner. It's on a really nice lake, and it hasn't been too cold yet but I kind of wish it was just to get the biggest shock after the sauna. The first time I went in their sauna was the first time I REALLY sauna-ed. It was awesome. and the makkarra(sausage) that we were going to eat for dinner was cooking over the sauna as we were using it, so it smelled really delicious. Also the first time, Erja's dad took Veikka and I out on his boat to show me the lake. It was like a like steam boat, and I guess he made it himself way back when. It was really nice, and the smell of gasoline and fish reminded me of Dad.
I haven't been fishing myself, but Erja and Vesa have made various dinners involving fish (mainly salmon). It's really a staple of the finnish meal, along with potaoes, rye bread, and milk. I myself LOVE rye bread- I coulfdlive off nothing but rye bread and butter. And salmiakki..And of course there is ALWAYS coffee. I think because I drink so much of it I have become immune to caffiene. No matter how much I drink of it, It doesn't keep me awake. Also, the butter here melts really easily...Weird.
Here the summer is just starting to turn to fall. And that means rain...lots of rain. And wind. The storms we get are endearingly called "little hurricanes". But I would kill for some thunder storms. That's one of the few things I miss. All the birch trees are already changing colors, and since there are so many, that means my world went from everything green to everything yellow. But I think it's even more beautiful then before. Fall has always been my favorite season. But I wish it was crisp. Back home I always knew it was fall when the air was dry and crisp, and there was always a biting wind making little leaf tornados as you walk. I miss the smell of autumn leaves. It only smells like grass and rain here, and that's a summer smell meant for June.
Anyways, everythings going good. Thanks to everybody for being so patient for my update.
Love
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