Hey,
I'm so sorry about the the lack of blog entries for the month of February. The funny thing is that I did so many things this month. Instead of my usual boring blog I actually have something to say. This month has gone by so fast. It's already the last day of the month. I can't beleive that half my exchange has already flew by. In a way i'm really excited to come home and see everyone but I don't want to leave all my friends and I don't want to turn 19 :S. haha.
Anwyays, at the begining of the month it was koeviiko (examweek) so I went to Turku and visited a few of the other exchange students to help pass time. I had a week off and I couldn't hang out with my friends because they were all studying hard to pass there exams :(. I had lots of fun in Turku, the city is a little bit like Saskatoon. The week after my new period at school started. So far everything is fine but my schedual is a little bit boring and I wish I had more classes. I can pick more but at the same time there isn't any point in sitting in class that you can't participate in.
The third week in February was very busy. At school everyone was very excited. On Friday we had the Wanhojen Tanssi (old Dance) its to celebrate the 2nd years being the oldest in school. The Third years had the Penkarit to celebrate leaving the school. The whole school was decorated in this years theme 'the jungle.' All the third years wore costumes and threw candies at everyone. When I said threw I meant chucked candies at everyone. It was like Halloween. :D. I participated in the Old dance. I was very nervous because we were having trouble remembering all the dances but in the end it all went well.
After the dance weekend we had our February break. During the February break I went to Estonia for 2 days with my host Family. We travelled by ship across the Baltic sea. We went to the capital city Tallin. We stayed mostly in the orginal part of the city where all the buildings are very old. I loved the city, it was so beautiful. I felt like I was really back in the old days. The second day we were there was Estonia day so there were lots of parades.
The rest of the break I just stayed at home and visited some friends. I also watched a lot of the Olympics. It is so exciting to watch Canada win so many medals. The anticipation for the usa vs. can mens hockey match is killing me. I really hope we can win. :D Well thats all for now! I love you all and may God bless you!
Sophie

Hello Everyone!

So I'm glad to inform you all that I am surviving the Finnish winter! I guess that should be obvious because living in Saskatchewan I've seen some pretty horrible winters. Its funny because for most exchange students winter is a whole new experience. I have had a few people ask me if it snows in Canada. I just laughed! I really like the Finnish winter because the weather is much more milder and there isn't as much wind. The trees are permanently covered in snow which makes everything so beautiful. 

In my last blog I had informed you guys that I had switched host families. I have finally settled in. Its weird to think I've only been them 4 weeks. Now I only live 1 km from the school which is nice because I hate biking long distance in -20. Now I appreciate my big yellow bus back home. One thing I really miss is being able to drive :(. Its strange to always have to ask, but its also a good thing to learn to walk and bike more. I bike everywhere now and its a habit I hope to bring with me when I come back.

I know I'm not coming back yet but I don't want to leave Finland. I love it here and I have so many great friends that I can count on. I already know its going to be difficult leaving. :(. I'm already at the half way point of my exchange which is hard to beleive. I remember at this time last year I was freaking out about not going back home for the holidays. :D 

School is going well as usual. Koeviiko (Test week) is coming up on Friday and all the 3rd graders in my school are leaving. Its sad because I won't get to see a lot of them after because they will be busy with other things. I don't know what I'm going to do during test week because I think I only have one exam. My Finnish is finally getting somewhere. I can understand a lot now and I can say a few things but as usual speaking is the difficult part. 

Last week I was in the middle school almost every day making presentations in French and in English about Canada and a little about my life and my exchange. I was really surprised by the response. All the kids seemed to be very interested and asked a lot of questions. It was nice because I wasn't nervous at all. The only thing I wish I would have done differently is having a something to give them. If I have any advice to an exchange student is to pick wisely what you bring to give away. I obviously didn't think about it enough :S.

This weekend I went to Lappeenranta to visit a French exchange student Manon. I had lots of fun just hanging out.

Soccer is going well too. We aren't the best team but we are doing better then we were in outdoor. I wish I could be in a more competitive team but Hamina only has enough players for one team. I guess people aren't all that much into sports here. Also for sport I have been going to Uuperi a lot with my host dad. It is a down hill ski place. Its about the same size as Wapiti but steeper. I really enjoy this because it gives me something to do on the weekends.

Well that's all the news I have for this time! If your reading my blog please let me know and feel free to ask questions. :P

Love you all! Mimi je t'aime et j'mexcuse pour l'autre jour  <3

Soph. xxx  

My new room and bed.

My new house.

Hello Everyone! 

I hope you all had wonderful holidays with joy and love :). I had a great Christmas! On Christmas eve we went to mass and sang songs. We then went home and ate a lot of finnish Christmas food. I have to admit it wasn't my favorite but I survived :). After that we opened presents. It was so beautiful outside that night so I decided to go for a walk to think. It was so nice the city was so peaceful and cnadles were lit infront of many houses. It was very calming. 

After Christmas my host family and I went to my host grand parents house in Imatra. My host dad and brother left early and my host mom, sister and I stayed back. It was very nice and relaxing. 

On new years, my host family had a few friends over and then I invited a few friends. We went outside when the clock struck midnight to light fireworks. It was very nice. 

Today I moved into my second host family. It was really sad to leave the first one because I had been living with them 5 months. I really liked them but I know that I can go visit there anytime I want. My new host family are the Paavo and Immi Rönkö. They have two boys Oscari and Samuli. They are both in the rotary club of Hamina. I still live close to the school. I think everything will be fine here they are also very nice people. I have to thank God for putting me in such great hands :).

Other then that everything is fine. I start school again on the 7th. Friends are great and I'm not feeling homesick. I miss you all a lot and I hope that you are all doing fine. 

Je vous aimes. Priez pour moi!

Moikka!

Predicting my future on New Years.

Finnish Christmas Food.

Joyeux Noël! Merry Christmas! Hyvää Joulua!

Thanks to everyone for the cards and gifts :D So far Christmas has been wonderful. God bless you all!

Hey Everyone!

Well the ones that are still reading my blog. haha. I see the numbers of views have gone down. I guess I haven't been writting anything to intersting latetly. My life here is just starting to become ordinary which is a good thing. It means i'm really getting adjusted :D. The only thing that could make my exchange better is if I could just learn the language. I thought it would be easier then it is but really finnish is so much different, and I guess its difficult making myself learn it because I don't really have to speak it. Of course i'm learning a lot of new words and I understand a lot of what the people are saying its just that I can't find all the words to express myself. I speak a lot of Finglish :P. Christmas is in only 4 days! I can't beleive its already time. I thought the coming of Christmas would be so difficult but so far it's not that bad. I guess all the holidays so far are celebrated so much differently here that I don't even think of it being the same holiday. 

The weather here has cooled of a lot. Last week it was +1 and now its going from -5 to -20. I guess I shouldn't complain much because I heard in Saskatchewan you have been getting -40. BRrrr. Not missing that at all. haha. I still wish I could be in a warm country at the beach sometimes but instead I get to skate on the frozen sea beside my house :).

School is going great. I had my last day on Friday. I like having holidays but I think I will find it long. After the break I move into my second host family. I'm really sad to move because I really love where I live and my host family is so awesome. I know that things will be great with the next host family too though. Its just that I think it will be difficult moving. I guess I can't complain it's not like i'm moving in with a skinning knife collector. haha. 

Well anyways I hope everyone is enjoying themselves and take care. Pray for me!

À la famille: Je vous aimes de tout mon coeur!

Soph.

Lapland!

So i'm very sorry, I know its been really long since my last blog but I haven't forgotten about you! I just get really busy and forget to write sometimes. I've done lots of new stuff but what I want to tell you about is my trip to Lapland. At around 17.00 on the 27th of november we left for Lapland. Little did I know the trip was going to last about 18 hours. The bus zigzagged around the coutry picking up exchange students. Once we arrived in Muonio it was already day again so we hit the slopes at around 14.00.  It was so horrible having barely slept on the bus and then going skiing the whole afternoon was tiring. Later in the evening we had an outdoor candle lit dinner. It was very beautiful but very cold. We had warm salmond soup and bread, and for dessert we had blueberry pie. On Sunday we finally got to relax a little. We went skiing in the morning but we had almost all afternoon to relax and visit. We were aloud to go to sauna of course and then we had another very good supper but this time it was inside. :D On Monday we headed out to Pallas tunturi and to a reindeer yeard where we learnt a bit about the lappish customs and traditions. We then got pulled by the reindeers in a sled, we also went dog sledding and snowmobile sledding. The days were nice and long filled with lots of activities but unfortunetly we had to leave on Tuesday. I was really sad to leave the exchange students but I was warmly welcomed back to Hamina by my friends. 

School is going very well and everything else is going ok. I will for sure miss christmas with my family but I know it will be a good experience to learn a new way of celebrating christmas.

Miss you all.

God Bless!

Soph xxx

Päivä!

Hey everyone, yes im still here! Sorry I haven't been writting much, its just that my life can get pretty darn boring too sometimes :D. I don't want to write a paragraph about how I go to school every morning, do my homework and go to practice. haha. Well lately things have been slowing down but not for long because christmas is already almost here! 

Things in Hamina are going quite well. I haven't been homesick so that kinda scares me because I don't want to forget about home....Don't worry mom I still miss you! :P The weather in the south of Finland has been pretty good this past month. We have gotten a little bit of snow here and there but nothing temporary. The temperture stays around +3 to -3 so its quite warm still. 

Last Monday and Tuesday I was sick and missed school but it wasn't anything too bad. The flu is going around in the whole of Finland and as soon as someone gets sick everyone thinks they have the swine flu. I think people are over reacting a little ;). There have been many cases in Hamina and people are starting to get vaccinated at school and stuff. 

Soccer is still going we had our first indoor practice yesterday which was quite nice because before we had to play ouside in the dark and in the snow. I am really excited because they have changed the days of our practices so I can maybe take finnish classes outside of school :).

On Septembre 27th all the exchange students are going to Lapland togeyher for three days which will be really fun because we get to experience and see many touristic things. 

I hope every thing is going well back in Canada!  Eat a lot of cheddar cheese and drink a lot maple syrup for me. Don't forget to keep the igloos warm for when I come back :)...haha

Miss you guys lots!

xxx

Sophie