Terve,

Today we had are first snow! It was raining all day and then it started dumping at aroud 5:00 pm. The days are getting quite short already. The sky begins to get dark when I leave school and by 5 its already dark. The weather is a little wet and windy but I think its normal for Syksy (spring) in Suomi (Finland). Love you all! xox

Pictures of the snow in my yard.

So beautiful :)!

HEy Everyone! 

  Where to begin, well since thanks giving nothing to excting has happened until I went to Oulu. During the month of october some schools have a week break because of starting the year earlier. My school had a week off so I decided to go to Oulu and visit Anni-Maija and some rotary exchange students. Although the trip was long and expensive, it was really worth it! I left on Saturday, October 17th and came back on Friday the 23rd. The first day I was there we went for a walk around city center and through the park. From our walk we met Anni's parents, her borther and his wife at a restaurant. On Monday, we met Lotta, Anni's cousin and Adrian a mexican exchange student and went for coffee. After that we went home and ate some really good smoked salmon :). On Tuesday, Anni had driving and a dentist appointement so we just hung out and I ate reindeer for my first time. It is a little bit strong and smells bad :(. haha. On Wenesday, we went around the city center to shop and then we went to eat at chinese restaurant. We then went to the movies but we were about 1 hour and a half early so we just sat in the place waiting for the movie :). Thursday was my last day so we went to visit some of the other exchange students some from different programs than rotary. After that Anni and I wnt to a catholic mass in Oulu it had been so long and it was so nice to go to church. On friday I left at 10:05 am and it was really sad to leave but life goes on. On Saturday, I went to Helsinki with a whole bunch of other kids on a bus to watch a hockey game. The game took place in the largest Arena in Finland. The teams playing were Helsinki vs. Laperrenta. It was a good game near the end. During one of the breaks they had some little kids go on the ice and it was the funniest thing I have ever seen. They were falling on the ice and then when they would score everyone would clap it was so cute :). 

Well I hope everything is going well back home! I miss you guys lots but I will see you soon. On november 3rd I will already have been here 3 months. Time goes by fast...Make sure to give me a message when you time! Its nice to see that people care...It makes a bad day good :). Well I wish the best for you all and take care! GOd Bless!

The little kids playing in Hesinki.

The park in Oulu.

Hey Everyone!

 Well I thought it was time to give you guys another update. Lately I've been missing home like crazy, I often feel bored even though I participate in every thing I can. Right now, I'm kinda to the point where I am figuring out who are my real friends so its quite difficult. Also winter is just around the corner and nobody wants to go out because it is getting cold. I heard that its been snowing in Saskatchewan which isn't good because you guys never had an autumn and my Dad isn't done combining.

  Anyways, today is thanksgiving but people in Finland don't celebrate this holiday. I'm just trying not to think of my family eating some nice Turkey or chicken without me. haha. Other then that school is going well I am now settled in all of my classes and I like them. I have also joined the Hamina senior choir and I have practices every wenesdays everyone there is very kind and singing in finnish helps me learn more words. 

 So far, my finnish is very bad I can sometimes understand but speaking is difficult. I know a lot of words but I can't make proper sentences because the sentence structure is very strange (different). Yesterday, I attended my host rotary club's anniversary dinner. It was very nice there was a singer there and a few flutests. One of the exchange students living near Hamina also came to keep me company. Well thats pretty much my life in the past weeks. I hope everything is going well back in Canada! Happy Thanksgiving! Love you all :).

Sophie