Tänään on minun sadas päiväni Suomessa!! Se ei tuntuu, se tuntuu ikään kuin minä olen vain ollut tässä varten (like) kaksi viikoa. Minun suomi on huono ja se voi surullinen ajoittain mutta minä olen yrittää :)
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Translation:
Today is mine 100th day in Finland!! I do not feel as if it has been that long, I feel as if it's been maybe 2 weeks. My Finnish is bad and it is upsetting though I am trying :)
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When I was applying to colleges and trying to find colleges here in Europe to attend, I saw many uni's in some countries asking for a IB diploma or I would need a year or two of college before being able to transfer. There is an IB program at Hampton (high school) and I was in 8th grade and didn't know much about this IB thing, so I disregarded applying. Then 9th grade rolls around I learn more and wished I apply. If I had gone to Hampton so I could (hopefully) get an IB diploma, I know my life would be very different then it is right now. The summer of going into my 10th grade year is when I knew I wanted to do a high school exchange, I don't really know what pushed me to do it but it was something I knew I had to do. All summer I waited for the apps for the government exchange programs to come out I also spent my summer months finding a Rotary club to sponsor me. When school started on the first day I was really hoping that we would have an exchange student but my school is so diverse and so many people you would never be able to tell. Going to lunch that day a friend of mine told me we do have an exchange student and that one of the girls on the field hockey team is hosting her. I was quite happy, I would actually meet an exchange student for the first time. I believe meeting Carina and becoming friends with her, really made me relies that I truly wanted to be an exchange student. I knew what people would call a far land fantasy wasn't actually one, and exchange is reailty. If I had gone to Hampton, I wouldn't have been at Bethel. I know that my dream of becoming an exchange student would have died off and I would not be where I am today, I would not be writing this post telling you that I have been away from the United States for 100 days, I would not be able to write that little three sentences in Finnish, I wouldn't be myself.
There's no moral to this story nothing more than a story I am telling you that I myself thought about recently. I really want everyone who has every thought of becoming an exchange student, don't let that flame inside of you perish.
Here's somethings that I have learned while being here
Also here are the links to the blogs of the other two wonderful outbounds from my district!
-Hailey
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Translation:
Today is mine 100th day in Finland!! I do not feel as if it has been that long, I feel as if it's been maybe 2 weeks. My Finnish is bad and it is upsetting though I am trying :)
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When I was applying to colleges and trying to find colleges here in Europe to attend, I saw many uni's in some countries asking for a IB diploma or I would need a year or two of college before being able to transfer. There is an IB program at Hampton (high school) and I was in 8th grade and didn't know much about this IB thing, so I disregarded applying. Then 9th grade rolls around I learn more and wished I apply. If I had gone to Hampton so I could (hopefully) get an IB diploma, I know my life would be very different then it is right now. The summer of going into my 10th grade year is when I knew I wanted to do a high school exchange, I don't really know what pushed me to do it but it was something I knew I had to do. All summer I waited for the apps for the government exchange programs to come out I also spent my summer months finding a Rotary club to sponsor me. When school started on the first day I was really hoping that we would have an exchange student but my school is so diverse and so many people you would never be able to tell. Going to lunch that day a friend of mine told me we do have an exchange student and that one of the girls on the field hockey team is hosting her. I was quite happy, I would actually meet an exchange student for the first time. I believe meeting Carina and becoming friends with her, really made me relies that I truly wanted to be an exchange student. I knew what people would call a far land fantasy wasn't actually one, and exchange is reailty. If I had gone to Hampton, I wouldn't have been at Bethel. I know that my dream of becoming an exchange student would have died off and I would not be where I am today, I would not be writing this post telling you that I have been away from the United States for 100 days, I would not be able to write that little three sentences in Finnish, I wouldn't be myself.
There's no moral to this story nothing more than a story I am telling you that I myself thought about recently. I really want everyone who has every thought of becoming an exchange student, don't let that flame inside of you perish.
Here's somethings that I have learned while being here
- Don't compare your exchange to others who you are on exchange with
- I did this quite a lot in the beginning and still find myself doing it at times and often have to stop myself. Everyone's exchange will be different, there's no need to compare their's with yours. Your exchange is what you make it.
- Try everything
- I've had times at school when I really questioned what I was about to eat and 85% of time I enjoyed it and other times, all I can say is that I'm glad I tried it
- Love your oldies!
- There's not much to say because you should seriously cherish the time with them because before you know it, it's January (or June/July if you arrive in January) and you're going to miss them like crazy
- Have fun
- This is supposed to be one of the best things in your life, have fun!! Though don't break the D's!
I remember in elementary school getting to the 100 day's mark was a fun time and usually included activities, but it was always fun. Getting to my 100th day mark here in Finland, it amazes me how fast time actually does fly. I still lets say have over 200 more days left but making it to the 100th day mark is still a reason to celebrate.
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| The view from out the window in the living room |
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| Here's a throwback to Orientation in March with all the Rotary exchange student's from Virginia! |
Also here are the links to the blogs of the other two wonderful outbounds from my district!
Abby, is currently in Denmark: http://abbieindenmark.blogspot.com/
Brianna, is currently in Chile: http://chileanbrianna.weebly.com/
-Hailey
