I am finally in Finland. My trip was really interesting. Luckily, I found everything ok and only one flight was delayed, but I did not have too many complications. I met people at each destination, which not only gave me entertainment but help as well. I flew from Memphis to Chicago, Chicago to Warsaw, Poland, and then Warsaw to Helsinki, Finland, my new home for the next five months. The flight from Chicago to Warsaw was crazy! I flew LOT, a Polish airline. Therefore, they said everything in Finland and English. I sat next to this Polish lady who didn’t know any English, and of course I didn’t know any Polish. Let me just say I made a lot of hand gestures when needed. I was lucky to have a man sit next to me (which reminded me so much of Mikey from Casa MAMi for those who know whom I am talking about. In other words, Rebekah and Ms. Kathy is you are reading this.) who answered the questions I asked. He had to be a patient man considered my question asking skills. The flight was 9 hours long!!! I crocheted, watched an awful movie with Richard Gere (not sure of his spelling) and this bed and breakfast place. Because the plot made no sense, I tried to go to sleep…. Which did not turn out very well. Although those neck pillows are good for flights, they still are not comfortable. The sweet Polish lady next me slept almost the whole time! I was jealous. Anyways, let me just I did not get much sleep. The food was gross too, it reminded me too much of Mexico! But, like Mexico, I was hungry so I ate. Once in Warsaw I met a couple exchange students as well, and my first Finnish person (besides Sanna). This flight was not very long compared to the other. Once in Helsinki, I met the girl that took me home. She also took home two other exchange students. Raful is from Poland (Grandpa I have told him too many times that is where you are from.) and Francesco is from Italy. Luckily we rode in her car to our apartments. Usually they take the bus and you have to walk from the stop to the building.
My room is small but very neat. It reminds me of a hotel mixed in with a retirement center. I will try to post pictures of it. On my way in I saw a girl wearing Virginia Tech pants, so I just American!! Her name is Emily, and I have been hanging with her a lot. We don’t have internet yet in our rooms, so she walked with me to the McDonalds down the street for free WiFi.
I have been meeting so many people. Ruful, Francesco, Emily, and another American names Joanna (who knows Anne McKee’s daughter!) all walked to the store today to get food. Good news about the store, you have to pay for bags. Luckily I brought my own! I have my own kitchen, but no pots or pans. Although, my first day my neighbor who is Malaysian lended me pot. There is also this room filled with things past exchange students don’t want, so it’s a free for all. I got a pan and an extra pillow (which I washed!) and some utensils and hangers.
I am sorry this is so long, I have just been through so much. The city is really safe, so I walked by myself to McDonalds earlier at 9:00 pm, which is unheard of back home. It is snowing too! Not as much as I would have thought. It is cold too though, but also not as much as I expected. They say it will get colder.
I just keep meeting more and more people though. Tonight in one room there was the boy from Poland, the boy fro Italy, the two Americans, two girls from Latvia, one from Estonia, one from Holland, one from Scotland, and then one from Japan. We have all just been talking about the differences. It seems, which is kind of obvious, that we Americans are going through the most culture shock. All the other Europeans have cell phones that work here, and most don’t need converters. One advantage we have is English. The whole international program is based on English. One of the girls was saying that she will have trouble reading for classes in English.
I think that is all I have to say for now. Tomorrow is Orientation where I will hopefully figure a little but more out about what I will doing this next semester.
Oh, one last thing. There is an ice skating rink in the middle of the town, which is really close to my apartment! I am looking forward to that.
My room is small but very neat. It reminds me of a hotel mixed in with a retirement center. I will try to post pictures of it. On my way in I saw a girl wearing Virginia Tech pants, so I just American!! Her name is Emily, and I have been hanging with her a lot. We don’t have internet yet in our rooms, so she walked with me to the McDonalds down the street for free WiFi.
I have been meeting so many people. Ruful, Francesco, Emily, and another American names Joanna (who knows Anne McKee’s daughter!) all walked to the store today to get food. Good news about the store, you have to pay for bags. Luckily I brought my own! I have my own kitchen, but no pots or pans. Although, my first day my neighbor who is Malaysian lended me pot. There is also this room filled with things past exchange students don’t want, so it’s a free for all. I got a pan and an extra pillow (which I washed!) and some utensils and hangers.
I am sorry this is so long, I have just been through so much. The city is really safe, so I walked by myself to McDonalds earlier at 9:00 pm, which is unheard of back home. It is snowing too! Not as much as I would have thought. It is cold too though, but also not as much as I expected. They say it will get colder.
I just keep meeting more and more people though. Tonight in one room there was the boy from Poland, the boy fro Italy, the two Americans, two girls from Latvia, one from Estonia, one from Holland, one from Scotland, and then one from Japan. We have all just been talking about the differences. It seems, which is kind of obvious, that we Americans are going through the most culture shock. All the other Europeans have cell phones that work here, and most don’t need converters. One advantage we have is English. The whole international program is based on English. One of the girls was saying that she will have trouble reading for classes in English.
I think that is all I have to say for now. Tomorrow is Orientation where I will hopefully figure a little but more out about what I will doing this next semester.
Oh, one last thing. There is an ice skating rink in the middle of the town, which is really close to my apartment! I am looking forward to that.
No comments:
Post a Comment