Annu's Dance and Candy Throwing

Well this week has been pretty plain and boring. School's the same old. Don't have to go to some classes and the ones i do i have no idea what the teachers are on about because its all in finnish. so as you can imagine, its fun. yesterday my host sister had her school dance. totally different from anything in Australia. they do real traditional dances and everyone's families come out to watch. my host mum made Annu's dance and she looked really gorgeous. her friend who's at trade school for hairdressers did her hair and it looked awesome.

Sarah (the American exchange student),
Lauri(Annu's dance partner/my boyfriend) and Annu

Lauri, Annu and Johannes(one of Annu's friends)

Annu's hair

Annu's hair again

After the dance, I went out for dinner with Annu and lots of the other second graders (or our year 11's) to a really nice restaurant where we had a three course meal. Was so yummy and living in Finland the tradition seems to be that you eat everything on your plate, so of course I did. We then went out to a night club called the Nite Train to celebrate. Annu's parents came and picked us up at 2am and of course being a Rotary Student, i didn't drink.

On Thursday the 3rd graders(or our year 12's) had there end of year celebration. The day is called Candy Throwing in English and they all get dressed up in costumes and come to school where they put on 2 hour long concert for the school. After this they all get on the backs of trucks and travel round the main city centre block throwing candy everywhere. The streets are lined with both young and old people out to celebrate the end of another grades schooling.

Some costumes

And some more

The concert. And yes they are all guys!

One of the trucks

11 months to go!

Well time here seems to be going really slowly and yes I have begun the countdown till i return to the nice hot weather in Australia. Since I last wrote a post, a few interesting things have happened over here in Finland. Firstly, I was a model at trade school the other day where I had my face transformed into an old lady and Annu was transformed into a witch. We both looked interesting to say the least.

Me in 60 years time!

Annu and her friend who did her makeup

I also went to my first local ice hockey game on Thursday. Not a very good move since I had to get up at 5:30 the next morning to go to Helsinki and we the sauna was on ready for us when we got home from the game so of course I had to have one before bed. I think all the ice hockey players were wondering who the crazy person taking photos of them was since one turned around and said 'What the F***' as I was about to take a photo. I avoided him the rest of the game. And yes, our local team did end up winning 7-4.

The Ice Hockey goalie.

Lassi(my host dad) at the game

At 5:40 Friday morning Annu, Terhi(my host mum) and myself rushed out of the house to get ot the bus stop to catch a bus to Helsinki where we due to spend Friday night. As you can tell in the next picture, I was woken 10 minutes before we were due to leave the house and I had no time to straighten my hair and had to do my makeup on the bus on the way down. It was all forgiven though when we went out to the a resturant in Helsinki called the Apple Tree where I had one of the best lunches since my arrival and where I managed to try a Pineapple Berry. One of the most disgusting things I have tried since my arrival to this weird and wonderful country. I also managed to get in quite a bit of shopping, where I promise mum and dad I didnt spend to much money.

Sitting in the Apple Tree Restaurant

The Pineapple Berry

Friday night Annu and me stayed the night at her cousins house Milja. Milja happily showed us a couple of clubs in Helsinki, one being an Aussie Bar. I have never been so happy to hear another Aussie's voice before. This was the most stereotypical Aussie bar I think I have ever been in.

Saturday morning Annu and me had a few hours to waste before going to meet Terhi so we decided to go pay a visit to the Contemporary Art Exhibition at the Art Centre.

End view of the Art Centre.

One of the pieces on exhibit.

Parliament House.

First weekend with my host family!!

Well my first weekend spent with my host family turned out to be quite busy. Friday night (3/2) I went to my first Finnish party with my host sister Annu. Two of her friends, Lauri and Kaisa, were having a joint 19th at Kaisa's house. It turned out to be a really good night as everyone spoke English to me and I was actually able to understand what they were saying. I had a little try of cidar, a common drink that Finns enjoy and decided that it was one thing I never wanted to try again and when I say never, I mean never. I had some really good chats with some of the people there and have now being told, I am officially part of there friendship group. I also received an invitation while at the party to go to one of the girls summer shacks with the group for a weekend, fingers crossed my family lets me go now.

Me standing in the cold waiting for the bus! It was -26 degrees.

Annis and Me!

Annu (thinking she looks good with brown hair) and me

On Saturday the parents picked Annu and me up and took us to get a Finnish meat pie. Weirdest thing I have ever seen, nothing like an Aussie pie, but really what is! Although I'm not a fan meat pies, these were actually quite nice. After we had our pies, we went to watch the crazy finns(as I've taught my host dad to say) swim in a massive swimming pool int he middle of an ice lake. I got cold standing there watching them swim so I can't even imagine how cold the actualy water was. The funniest thing about this event was when the race was over and they got out of the water they liturally just stoof there as if it was a normal thing to go swimming in a lake convered in ice.

The pool they swim in!

Some finns swimming! You can just see there heads.

Sunday was a real realaxed day which was good because the homesickness had well and truely hit me. I went to watch Annu play indoor floor hockey against a team of guys which unfortunately they didn't win. Was really good watching them play and I am considering giving it a go. Not to sure yet though. Well missing everyone heaps. Thinking of you always. Love always
Em
xoxo

10 days in Finland

Well it's been a long 10 days since I arrived in Finland but I am slowly starting to feel at home. For my first week in Finland I had to attend a language camp where we were taught basic Finnish and had the opportunity to meet the other Exchange Students. I became really good friends with a girl named Jodi who is from Melbourne. She is living about 4 hours from me so unfortunately I can't catch up with her very often.
While at camp we were able to try out some ice fishing, cooking on a fire, walking with tennis raquets on our feet and cross country skiiing. We had to stay outside for about 3 hours and I have never been so cold in my whole life. By the time we were allowed to go back to our bedrooms my whole body felt like it had frost bite on it. We also had the chance to go to a town called Tampere where we had an hour and a half of sight seeing and an hour of shopping . It was about an hours drive from camp. Of course my friend Jodie and me just had to find this bag of chips and take a photo of it.
When I left my room on Thursday to walk up to the main buliding where we have our classes I realised we were going to have our first bit of sunlight all week. This picture shows the sun just beginning to rise. Thought it was pretty cool so I thought everyone back in Oz might enjoy seeing it to.Thursday night I also had the chance to have my first Finnish sauna. Was an interesting experience to say the least. I know I said I would never do it but I ended up going in nude because weird as it sounds, it is really uncomfertable sitting in a sauna in your bathers when you have 10 naked girls in there with you. I was also silly enough to run down a pretty big flight of stairs, across some snow barefoot just so I could jump in a small hole in an ice lake. After doing this I then had to run back up the stairs(while still being naked and cold with only a towel covering me) where we then rolled in the snow a few times. We then went back to the sauna to warm up before completing this weird but interesting process again. All in all I did it four times in about 45 mintues. Weird I know!

These next three pictures are just for you dad. I took these pictures today after I got home from school. It is -12 degrees today and according to Annu the snow is really heavy. Just what I love to hear. The first picture is from out my window and the second one is a picture of my house. The last picture is a picture of my host sister. We only just got home from school so she was complaining about not looking good but I think she looked fine.

The house is three stories although you can't see the bottom one as it is half underground. The bottom level is where the sauna(my host dad is currently building a new one, should be ready in a week) and the washing machine. The second level has the parents room, the living room and the kitchen and the top floor is where Annu's and my room is. My bedroom is just beside where the little verandah is.
Well these are just some photos my sister Joy thought would be good to have on here so here they are.

Candle made in an Ice thing

Ice Fishing

And again!

Crazy fin swimming

The ice hole we swam in after sauna!

Jodi and my feet

Jodi and me!

Jodi and me trying to stay warm!