First Day of School

School didn't start until 11am becuase there was one more exam in the morning for some students. Maddi came over to my place before school then we went together. Mostly all the students kept to themselves, the only people that spoke to us were Maddi's host brother and his friends and Maddi's 2nd host sister and her friends. Don't know if I have any host brothers or sisters at the school because I don't know who my next host families are yet.

First lesson was history, we are being tought about ancient Rome, I can't tell you specifically what though because it was all in Finnish - obviously haha. Give me a few months and I hope to be able to understand a lot more than I do now. Epic fail when it came to roll call - I wasn't expecting to already be on the class list as it was my first lesson etc and then the teacher called 'Anastasia.' I thought to myself 'cool someone has the same name as me *look around to see who*' after about 20 seconds it dawned on me that it was me - my bad.

Turns out the class doesn't run for the full hour it is timetabled for - it goes for about 45 minutes. So 45 mins into the lesson everyone got up and walked out leaving me and Maddi looking confused and asking each other, then the teacher 'are they coming back?' aha turned out it was lunchtime, who knew? (apparently everyone but me and Maddi but that's beside the point)

Then came art class (double period) - potentially going to be my favourite. Being able to talk with those around you and the creative atmosphere makes it an easier environment to be in than a classroom where everyone is focussed on note-taking etc. the group of girls at the same table as me are super nice. Our goal for the lesson was to draw a place of complete nature (so no buildings, cars etc) from our early childhood - Maddi and I both decided to do the beach - very different from all the lakes and forests drawn by those around us.

My Masterpiece

Overall a great first day :) yes that's right I only had 3 hours of class.

Went to my 'Finnish as a Second Language' night class. Went for 2.5 hours - was so glad for the 10 minute break in the middle because my brain was beginning to feel like jelly. I understood everything we were doing - how words change depending on their context - but my vocabulary isnt that huge so all the new words was fairly overwhelming. I enjoyed it though - seriously!

Some Photos

I think it's about time I put some photos on here.

'Welcome to Finland' sign in Helsinki Airport

Soo much snow! and a pretty snow covered tree - well, every tree is snow covered but this one is special because I'm standing under it :P

'Avanto' hole in the ice covering the lake. I went swimming in there after sauna, it was freezing! but felt so good after - I swear I'm not crazy!

View from sauna house veranda. HUGE icicles coming down from gutters, stairs that lead to avanto and the white big area below the trees on the horizon is the lake - went ice fishing on this lake.

SLEDGING!!!!!!!

My new best friend

Ice fishing (with net) also went ice fishing with the little rod and the small drilled hole in the ice (but don't have a picture of that)

(MORE TO COME!!)

07 Helmikuu 2011

Got my bank account :D aaaand.. that's about it haha

08 Helmikuu 2011

Went to my first 'Finnish as a Second Language' lesson at the night school, absolutely everything was said in Finnish because everyone else started in Autumn (so Spring back in Aust.) but I caught a few things and even though my brain hurt afterwards I´m going to stick with it :) This means catching up on the first 3.5 chapters of the text book but apparently I am learning quicker than average so hopefully I will catch up soon :) - I have a week to catch up after Thursday because the rest of the class has tests that week - I seem to be starting everything just as tests start - school, Finnish classes, what next?? haha

Afterwards, Maddi, Sara, Roosa (Sara's friend) and I had a movie night, we rented out White Chicks and had popcorn and coke. I still love the movie but it felt funnier 2 years ago last time I watched it, or maybe Finns have a different sense of humour? Felt like a total tool laughing when they weren't, but it was still good.

09 Helmikuu 2011

Spent the day fixing up e-mails back home that didn't send because the photo files attached were too big :( So 3 weeks later the replies actually go... brilliant haha In the evening went with Hellu Sara and Amo to visit their friend who has Australian kelpies who had puppies :D They were so cute! A little bit of Australia in the middle of Kotka :)

Also started my powerpoint presentation for my first host rotary club meeting on the 14th, I hope it goes ok *fingers crossed*

Ice Skating

Today I went ice skating with Sara and Hellu, it was 'real' iceskating (in my opinion :P) because it was outdoors and just ice not a rink. My new skates are awesome :D Took me a bit to get my balance but after a few laps I had the hang of it, it's been so long since I have skated, maybe 4 or more years so this was fun. The funny thing is that once you've been skating for a while and then take off your skates walking normally feels odd haha

I then went to Olli and Hellu's god son's 10th birthday, watched Chelsea vs Liverpool on tv with everyone there, it only took 68 minutes for someone to score :P Had 2 birthdays in two days, went to Olli and Hellu's other god son's 22nd birthday last night.

Have been invited along to local football (soccer) and basketball games, also hoping to see some ice hockey :) and one evening this coming week or next weekend we will go skiing... on the ocean (sea -thanks Aggie :P) (coz its frozen and there are paths made how awesome is that :D!) then when the skiing holiday comes around we are going to go downhill skiing, can't wait!!!

Runeberg Day

05 Helmikuu 2011 (cont.)

Today is Runeberg Day. Johan Ludvig Runeberg is the national poet of Finland (he is a Swedish speaking Finn). His poem 'Maamme' ('Our land') from Vänrikki Stoolin (The Tales of Ensign Stål) became the lyrics to the Finnish national anthem. There is also a pastry named after him (or his wife??) and eaten on this day, it is called Runebergintorttu. It feels like cakecrumbs and is flavoured with almonds and rum, it has a circle of rasberry jam on top surrounded by a ring of icing sugar (and sometimes rasberry jam in the centre). It tastes really good. It is believed that Runeberg's wife Fredrika made these for him every morning for breakfast.

Just a little Finnish history for you :)

2 Weeks Notice(ing)

05 Helmikuu 2011

Today marks the 2 weeks date of my being in Finland. The following is a list of things I have noticed are different for me:

• It snows a lot more than Australia
• Driving on the 'different not wrong' side of the road
• passenger seat is on the other side of the car! Yes, I will admit it, I walked to the drivers side the first time I went to get into a car haha
• car seats are heated
• Finnish people are initially more reserved but most have huge personalities that come out when you get to know them better
• Lots of people want to speak English to me e.g shop assistants, kind of annoying when I'm trying to practice my Finnish on them haha
• Finnish music is awesome
• Towns stop really suddenly - one second your in the middle of town the next your in the middle of a forest or farmland
• You can NEVER have to many photos of trees/snow/both :P
• You can't smile at people you pass in the street - you appear drunk or seedy not friendly
• If you make eye contact with someone who doesn't know you the opposite side of the room suddenly becomes extremely interesting to them for about 5 minutes
• Uncontrolable laughter because your friend steps onto the wrong direction escalator will gain you stares from the entire surrounding food court... awkward.
• Finnish people are so stylish - they seem to pull of winter fashion so much better than others I've seen
• If the only spare seat on the bus is next to you, someone will reluctantly take it but as soon as a spare pair of seats turns up they will go sit there
• Finnish food is ah-mazing!
• at 17:30 (5:30pm) it feels like 20:30 (8:30pm) becuase it is already so dark outside
• At 2 weeks I am still getting used to seeing snow every time I look out a window
• Nothing quiet beats the feeling you get when you see the sun rising and you haven't seen it for days due to cloud :)

Kotkassa Bussi

04 Helmikuu 2011

Today I spent the day flying solo, it was good. I don't know about anyone else but every now and then I enjoy doing my own thing and having time to think.

I decided to try out the bus system. I caught the bus into the city and bought myself another (much needed) pair of jeans and a few more shirts. Feel much more at home now becuase Im not needing to wash my clothes so often to have something to wear haha annd I have clothes that are more like Finnish style so  I don't look (or maybe it's a feeling?) so touristy anymore :D

Getting home was the most excting bus trip in the history of my life. I went to the bus station and sat down to wait for the bus. It was a few minutes before the bus was due to arrive and I wanted to make sure I was in the right place. I asked another person waiting 'bussi kaksi *indicate station we were in*' only to be responded with a blank stare so I asked 'English? ('yes') Can I catch the number 2 bus here?' then I was told that I was in the wrong place and they gave me directions to the big bus depo in town - very nice person they were :) . I got there but the sign with 'number 2 bus' on it had Helsinki, Tampere and Turku written under it. I definitely knew I was in the wrong spot so I rang Hellu to ask where I was supposed to be and it turned out I was originally in the right spot! Maybe the person I asked thought I would be wanting to go to Helsinki rather than a local suberb becuase I was speaking English? Anyway I had 5 mins to get back to the other station before the next bus left (there wouldn't be another for an hour after that) so I ran back the width of Kotka - not that easy when the paths are icy - and made it to the station just as the bus was pulling in. What good timing, despite it sounding a bit hectic it was actually quiet fun! ... or am I going mad?? haha

Had 3 minute noodles (so much better than 2 minute noodles :P) with Sara, studied some Finnish then helped Hellu cook spag. bol. (spagetti bolognese) for dinner.