July 2nd-july 10th

Well the last week or so of my exchange.  I have done a lot. Been to Vaasa a bunch to see friends. Spent most of my money there haha. I also went to Seinajoki to see some football friends before I left. I've been to a Finnish baseball game and even bought a jersey. I've hung with friends and even had a small " party" with them. On Saturday the 6th I had a going away party for families  and rotary.  It went great. Food was good, people were nice. My first family sang to me and then all three presented me with a bracelet based off of Finnish folk lore. I absolutely loved it. Yesterday I went and saw 3 of my best friends for the last time for a while. Yet I didn't cry. I don't know why I didn't. I honestly don't know how I feel about this while going home. Because what is my home now? America or Finland?

june 2nd-july 1st

Well I woke up June 2nd  feeling pretty bad. I finished packing and then left for Jurva to meet up with 3 other exchangers to catch a ride to Turku. We left at 12 for Turku and in sat for 4 hours in the back of the van in what I called  the prisoner cage" because that's what it felt like. We got there around 4:30 and sat around hugging and greeting people we haven't seen for a while as well as meeting the newbies. We started boarding the boat at 7:30 and left at 9. Dinner was as soon as we left and it was really good.We chilled until I think midnight and went to bed. June 3rd we were up at 5 A.M Swedish time ( 6 Finnish time) and started getting ready to left off. When we got off we started out drive through Sweden. We stopped at 3 places on our way to Denmark. At an old castle which overlooked the sea and some farms which was cool. A nice restaurant for lunch which had an amazing view of the sea and farms below the hill. Then finally a candy store which rolled its own candy. Was pretty cool. We got on the ferry to Denmark and that took half an hour. We then drove to Copenhagen and went to the hotel. After we dropped out stuff off we went to a amusement park called Tivoli and there I conquered my fear of high and fast moving rides by going on the drop, an airplane that went in circles and spun and then flying swings. June 4th we were up at 7:30 and had a good breakfast. Left at 8:45 to have a tour and some free time in the city. while stopped at a gift shop my roomie Cesar got lost and we ended up leaving him by accident. I then had to run back and find him and we barely made it back to the group in time. We then saw the royal guards, which I talked to( carry Canadian m16's) and saw them change the guard. drove/floated to  Bremen Germany where we had dinner, and then some free time. There I had to share a bed with Cesar. was weird. June 5th we were up at 6:15, had a good breakfast and left at 8 to Holland. In Holland we stopped at a clog/cheese factory where we saw how clogs were made and sampled some cheese. I ended up buying some smoked goat cheese which was awesome. From there we went to a coast town and went shopping and then had dinner. From there we went to Amsterdam where we saw the Anne Frank museum and toured the city by water bus. Was very nice. We then drove to the hotel and relaxed for  while. June 6th we woke up at 5:45 because of the hotel, had a good breakfast and left for Brussels. toured the city and even walked a bit in a protest parade. Then we had a nice lunch of chicken in fries. After lunch we drove to Paris. When we got there we were a little worried because it wasn't the nicest area but it turned out fine. Had dinner on our own, and I went with three tutors and two of my friends to a little bar where we had steak and soda for us kids. June 7th we woke up at 6:30, had a nice breakfast with a view of Paris then Visited " castle" Fontainebleau at 10. At 12 we had a city tour and from 5-11:30 P.m we had free time. At around 10 we caught a metro back to our hotel which was an interesting experience. June 8th woke up at 7:15, had breakfast, and left at 9 for the Effile tower on our own. From there we went to the Army museum were we saw French military history as well as Napoleon's tomb. After that we had lunch in a park then headed to the Louvre. I was inside for a while then went outside to see my French friend Charlotte. When she left to go back home to her town I cried because I knew I wouldn't see her again for a long time. After that Cesar and I tried to go to Notre Dame but got lost so instead we ate dinner. I had snails which were really good. then we headed to the hotel. June 9th we woke  at 6:45, ate breakfast then left at 8:10 for Grenoble, France. We stopped at a place called Sisterone for lunch and it was beautiful. the town was around 400 years old and even had a monastery. We arrived at Grenoble at around 4. We then had negotiations for  the hostages each bus had. Then we had dinner. June 10th up at 5:45 and gone by 7:30. We drove through the French alps to a place called Grassa and went to a perfume factory. Then we drove to Nice. We had free time in Nice so we walked around and then a few of us got Kebab. While eating we met a guy from NYC which both Nick and I new was a New Yorker just by his accent. So we talked to him for a bit then went back to the hotel. At 11:50 I was just turning off the shower when Rotex knocked to check our room. So I stepped out of the shower and slip on the floor. I hit the floor and I'm like " gosh darnit" except not as clean. I open the door to talk to them and my roomie and the rotex are on the floor dying, Just can't stop laughing. So they then left and we went to bed. June 11th was up at 6:45, ate breakfast then explored Nice. at 11 had a guided tour of Nice, and Monaco-Monte Carlo. Then we drove to Genova Italy where we walked around a bit. June 12th we were up at 7:30 and gone by 9:30. we drove to Verona, Italy where we stayed 2 hours until going to Lido DI Jesolo. We had free time and I swam in the Mediterranean. June 13th we woke up at 6, ate breakfast and left at 8 for Venice. Spent 7 hours in Venice, rode a gondola and went into the big church there. Came back to Lido and spent an hour trying to find a laundry matt and couldn't. I hand washed some clothes, ate dinner then went to the store. At the store I saw Hitler Bier. was funny. June 14th We woke up at 7:45 and ate breakfast. After that I was a either the beach or in my room doing laundry. At 9 we all went to a club and danced and on the way back I bought a rose and gave it to Andrea from Mexico. June 15th we woke up at 6:15, ate breakfast and then left at 8:30 for our hotel in the alps. It took 4-5 hours to get there. Along the way we stopped at a place to get some food and it took FOREVER to get a sandwich.  At 2 we took a " hike" in the alps which was really pretty. Came back, ate dinner, and then I gave 3 massages which was a lot at one time for me. June 16th we woke at 7 and were gone by 8. We drove for hours then stopped in Innsbruck, Austria for 2 hours. Was a very nice town. We then went on into Bavaria were we stopped at a little town to get dinner. Before that we video taped us doing the " banana song". Dinner was very German. It was schnitzel and fries with Bavarian dancing and singing. The ride to the hotel was terrible. I was coughing a lot. When we got to the hotel in Nurnberg we had an oldie meeting to plan the going away party. June 17th we were up at 6:15 and were gone by 9:15. We went to the Nurnberg war museum. It was a cool museum and while there I flirted with some German girls. Then we were going to lunch when we got stopped by some traffic cops who decided to fine our buses for there mistake. That put us back a couple hours. We got to Berlin we had our going away party which was really sad. June 18th we got up, ate breakfast and saw Berlin. We then went to the  airport, waited a while then got on a plane to Helsinki and got there at 10 p.m. Everyone said there goodbyes and I waited there until 12 went I flew to Vaasa. I didn't get home until 1:30. From then until now I haven't done much. I went fishing with my friend Joni and caught a nice pike, went and got ice cream with my two best friends Tuuli and Saara. then Today I sent out the boxes I packed. Cost me 253 euros.

1st of june

Well yesterday the 1st of June was a pretty crazy day. It was the graduation day for the 3rd years so at 11 I went to their graduation and then congratulated everyone. After that I went to 5 graduation parties and then went to Vaasa to hang with a bro. Him and I hung out until 1 when I went home ad started packing. In less then 6 hours I will be getting on a boat to Sweden to start my Eurotour. 7 countries, 18 days, 74 exchangers. should be crazy.

28th-31st

so the 28th-30th I didn't do anything except go to school for lunch and then chill at home. Today the 31st I went to school for a banana eating contest, which I lost. Then I had a meeting with the principle and my English teacher/councilor about my grades and my experience here. I also got two gifts from them which made me very happy. Then I went and had a burger for lunch in the school cafeteria. Then I watched my little sister Sirke dance with the ninth graders in a mini dance. I then got a picture with her. I came home and chilled for a bit then went to Vaasa to chill with a couple bros. I came back, got some meds for my allergies and then hung with some more people. As soon as I came home I started laundry and have been doing it up until now. I am gonna start packing for my trip on Sunday now  because tomorrow I will be out pretty late with my friend Ben who graduates tomorrow.

22nd-27th

Well I know it's been awhile since I've posted and I am sorry for that. Well on the 22nd I really didn't do much. I went and worked out and that is about it. The 23rd I spent all day writing an essay for religion class about Mormons. Friday the 24th  I had to turn that essay in, and the chilled at school until lunch. At 2 I caught a train to Vaasa with a friend to go watch Fast 6 which is the newest fast and furious movie. I also met a guy from Seattle with his wife on their way to Helsinki  Saturday I was supposed to go to Vaasa and get some new clothes with a friend but she " had something come up". I've tried texting her the last two days and have gotten nothing in return. Sunday the 26th I did some yard work, and took one of the dogs for a walk and that was it. Today Monday the 27th I went to the gym, and then had kebab for lunch. At 5 I went to Rotary which was a meeting that involved food and sauna so it was  good relaxed meeting.

20th-21st

Well the 20th was a Monday. It was my last regular Monday of the school year so it was kinda a sad day. It went normally. The weather was beautiful, and I played pesapallo( Finnish baseball) with the first years. That was the moment I realized it wasn't my sport. At 5:10 I went to Rotary and had a nice meeting. Then came home, did some homework and went to bed. Then today Tuesday the 21st was a good day. I was able to sleep i and got up at 8:30. The weather was perfect and on the way to school some little kids( like 3) waved and said hello which made me smile. The school day went fast, lunch was hot dog sauce and potato's which is always good. After school I came home, took a nap because I had a headache. Then woke up, ate and did homework. Now I am getting ready for bed. Tomorrow is the start of the test week which means boring days for me.

17th-19th May

Well on Friday the 17th I had school at 9:35. The day went fast until sports. In sports we had our running test. We had to run 2k(1 mile) in under 14 minutes which is no problem but I learned how out of shape I am. I ran it in 12:15. Pretty slow and I wasn't happy which mean's I must work harder. Then Saturday the 18th my host family and I went to my host dad's uncle's and wife's 70th birthday party. It was fairly boring because it was mostly little kids, middle aged, and old folks. We left in time to watch the U.S lose to the Swiss which made me unhappy. Then today Sunday the 19th I helped my host mom wash our gazebo. I also walked around for two hours taking pictures, and got some good ones. Then I took a nap while USA played Finland for the bronze medal( which we won). Then my host mom and I ate pancake, whip cream and berries an then I showered and have been getting ready for school and listening to music. Tomorrow is another normal day but one of my last normal school days.