Sata Päivää Suomessa

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

• 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.

The view from out the window in the living room

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

It's Going Down, I'm Yelling Timber

The reason my title of this blog is lyrics from a Pitbll featuring Ke$ha song is that I am experiencing the downward of my curve of my exchange


Something you are told before you leave for exchange is the exchange student cycle:

This represents the lows and highs that, chances are, we will feel during exchange. I am feeling that I have come down from honeymoon and I am currently at the Conflict/Culture Shock stage. Basically I am at the low of the low right now. It's not that I'm not happy it's just there are time when I really truly miss being home, being with my friends, working, driving, and such.

Last night Fel asked us (for a friend)how we felt now here in Finland and Perry, an American here on exchange who is in Estonia said this and this just summarizes the feelings I am currently going through:

"I feel I'm not myself anymore. Both for better and worse.
I feel sick some days and I feel alone some days but it's so addicting to feel new and different, it's amazing.
I feel like a child
I feel like I can't do anything
I feel like nothing is holding me back
I know I could just go somewhere in this country and be back by dinner, yet I don't know what to do/feel confident enough
I feel like I'm in a dream, but one that I could get hurt in
I feel special, yet so insignificant
I feel like I need a hug but no, lost the desire for one. And plus that's not the culture
I feel like I have friends, but they arn't real friends
I feel so patriotic
I feel like I have no home
I feel cold and on my own
Yet then I see I have true friends and feel like I'm not alone
I feel like I could cry every day
I feel like I have no tears
I feel like I'm fucking up everything
I know I'm fucking everything up
Yet I feel like it doesn't matter
Yet I know this year is the most important thing to my life
I just feel different
Simple as that"


This past month has been great overall. I've changed families, I've gotten accepted to the college of my dreams, I explored a bit more of Finland, I've had Starbucks, I've grown.

Emmi, I, and Tuuli the day I changed families

Olivia and I

Emmi and I

Neea, Nora, and Veera

Emmi, I, and Neea

Helsinki Cathedral

My 2nd Host Family and I

Halloween isn't very much celebrated here so Charline and I went to Helsinki walked around a bit and went to a party at Hard Rock Cafe. I did get a bit homesick during this time, as nothing was festive there were no Halloween decerations nor any Halloween movies playing during October. It was just more or less a regular day.

This upcoming month includes Thanksgiving and my Rotary Trip to Lapland, I am very excited for these things but I know also that I will feel a bit homesick on Thanksgiving. 

Until next time, 

Hailey

District Camp

        On the weekend of September 26-27th my district had our district camp. We had to be at the Helsinki train station by 10:30, where we were met by the district Rotarians. At about 10:50 we went to the parking garage where we all piled our bags into one of the Rotarians car’s and left the train station. We went to a place where they produce the national Finnish newspaper I believe? We walked through there for a short time one of the Rotarians gave us history on the place and then we left for the Church.  We walked to this Church (which I don’t remember the name of) and the Rotarians told us the history and the importance of this church. I don’t remember much of what she said but I believe she said something that many people did not want the church to be built. I honestly don’t quite remember. After, we had about 20 minutes to walk around and take pictures of the church. When we decided to take a group picture, all of these old Asian people came and sat on the bleachers with us and started taking pictures with us. It was quite funny, it lasted for about 10 minutes until they were done taking pictures with us.

The wonderful Cora

Then we headed to the Natural History Museum. We were given a tour of “Finland” as we explored parts of Finland and animals which live there. This lasted for an hour, and we were all tired of walking and hungry so we really didn’t listen that much. After the museum it was time to eat! Though we had to walk for about 15 minutes to the restaurant that we were schedule to eat at. (The restaurant was called “Mama Rosa’s” but I don’t think it is like the “Mama Rosa’s “ back home.) There we ate and got re-fuled for the rest of the afternoon. 

Cora, Jose, and Emily

Bambi!

After eating we headed to the olympic stadium, where the 1952 summer olympics were held, we   didn’t get to go into the stadium but we went to the museum. In the museum it held many uniforms and medals of Fins who have been in the olympics. It was quite interesting. 

The Olympic Stadium

Next stop was a cafe, we walked to this cafe which was stationed in a very old victorian styled house. We all sat outside and got a view of a lake and Helsinki. We then had to basically power walk to the ferry for Suomenlinna, as we were running behind. Unfortunately we did not make it and had to wait 40 minutes for the next ferry to arrive. Once we caught the ferry, it was a ferry ride of 20 minutes which during this time Charline (Belgian) and I listened to music and watched us float away from Helsinki. When we got to Suomenlinna it was less then minute walk to where our hostile was, when we got there we set down our bags and went to eat dinner.  

          After dinner, we were told what room we were in and had to put our stuff in our rooms and make our beds. I was in a room with, Emily (German), Inge (German), Kirzy (South African),  Karen (Chile), Jade (Brazil), and Kellar (USA). After we made our beds we still had time till the Rotarians wanted to meet with us so we took pictures with our flags and peeps from our country.  The Rotarians talked with us and then we had free time, which our Rotarians had us play a strange game and then after we hung out. We had a bed time of 11pm, which is quite lame but we obeyed. 

The next day I woke up at 7:30, got ready, ate breakfast, and packed up my stuff. I then went on a little walk with Emily, Kellar, and Jade. Kellar found a scooter of a little boy who hid it in the bushes so Arthur who lives in Suomenlinna of C52 if you’re reading this, we found your scooter put it in a better hiding place next time. At 10 we went back to hostel and got ready for our tour of Suomenlinna, we took lots of pictures many times people were getting left behind because they were taking a picture. After the tour we went back to the hostel and ate lunch and then it was time to go home! I had a wonderful district camp weekend!

This week is fall break, so I’m going to Olivia’s until Wednesday and then we are coming to my house and she will stay until Sunday! On Saturday we are making an American dinner for my host family since it will be my last weekend with them. 

-Hailey