Week Number 4

Week 4 already...

I can't believe it! That means only

22896000 Seconds

381600 Minutes

6360 Hours

265 Days

37 Weeks and 6 Days

or just 8 Months and 23 Days left...

If I think about how quickly this first month passed I'll be home in n time. Not that I'm homesick or anything I'm just so impressed by how quickly time passes.

It's really hard for me to write some Blog Posts because I just don't know what to write except that I am so happy how everything turned out. My younger host sister is already like a friend for me even though I try not to be around her in school too much so she has time with her friends and I can find my own friends. 

I already found two crazy brasilian girls that I really like to hang out with. They are exchange students as well but they have such a different story how they got here and hearing about their life in Brasil is so interesting!

You're future presidents... (sorry Finland)

I also hung out with Malou. I met her at the Orientation Camp back in Germany. She lives in Helsinki so we live really close. 

A few weeks ago we met in Helsinki and we went for example to Stockmann and got lost there. We had a lot of fun especially in the Toy Section (yes, we were the oldest there checking out all the toys). And last week she visited me in Espoo. We walked around Iso Omena and got the best milkshakes ever. (I already spent too much money at that bar.) 

But the Highlight was when we went into a Party supply and costume store we found some Bavarian hats and when we got our first Muumi Drinks!

Last week I also started to take Piano lessons and I'm having so much fun because the Piano is my favorite instrument and my teacher is really good and I feel like I'm learning really much!

I also had my first two presentations last week. One was about a conductor of an orchestra and the second was a Song presentation. 

The one about the conductor was horrible! We were supposed to work on it two weeks ago when one music lesson was cancelled but my group mates decided to not do it... So I literally got the text that I was supposed to say one day before the presentation and I was so nervous because I wanted to do it in Finnish but since I only received it one day before I decided to do it in English even tough I already said to my teacher I will try it in Finnish.

Another German girl did it in Finnish and it was so impressive that she literally tried it!

The music presentation was okay because I worked with my partner this time so it went really well but I felt so bad for her because the teacher was asking questions in Finnish so I couldn't help her.

Yesterday I went to a confirmation of my host sibling's cousin, I guess. It was really weird. I am used to catholic churches and messes but this Lutheran was so different. 

First of all the church was really modern and the priest was a woman. The next thing was the whole confirmation progress. It was really short compared to the first communion that we catholics celebrate (the last one I've been to took three hours).

But it was also really interesting to see how a confirmation works.

Today is a Floor-ball tournament here in Espoo and my little host brother's team is participating. They lost the first game but won the second. Their third game will be in 20 - 30 minutes so now I'll get ready to go there.

"It's not right or wrong it's just different" -Experiment e.v.

-Vanessa

First few weeks in Finland...

Hei!

It's me again. I've been in Finland now for a few days and I want to finally tell you something about my new life here. Let's start with my host family.

When I've seen them for the first time I had to cry.

I was so happy to finally be in Finland, meet the people I will live with for 10 months and a wish came true in that second.

I have to say my host family is the best! I like them and I was so surprised that I was confident around them in such a short amount of time. Usually I'm a shy person and I struggle to talk to others that I don't know well. But in that case I kind of started to talk to them and in my opinion we already have a good relationship.

Also they are the sweetest! They already kind of planned out my whole exchange year with pretty cool activities. For example we will do a typical Finnish family trip to Estonia during my autumn holiday.

We will also go many times to their 'mökki'. When we were there last weekend it was so much fun!

We were driving there for about three hours but it was so worth it because the country side of Finland and the lakes are so beautiful!

When we arrived in the bigger town near the 'mökki', we went in to a store but instead of signs in Finnish and in Swedish they were written in Finnish and Russian because we were so close to the Russian border.

After another 20 minutes or so we arrived in the middle of the woods (at the end there wasn’t even a road!).

The little mökki

After we unpacked and made our beds we went straight to sleep because it was super late when we got there.

The next day was way more exciting!

Before lunch my host sister, host brother and I decided to do a boat trip on the lake that their property is connected to. So we went down to the building where the sauna is to get life vests and after that we went to their little boat.

It took so long to finally get into the water and when we were finally in it, everything seemed so calming to me. First we went a little bit to the left to look for some really big rock, but we couldn’t find it because the water was too high. For some reason we went back out of the water. That means we were preparing the boat for around 15 minutes only to be in the water for five. It was so funny to me, because it was the shortest boat trip ever!

The way from the sauna straight to the lake!

After we got back to the little cabin my host mum came back from dropping my husband off somewhere for work and prepared lunch while my host siblings and I played some kind of ‘Memory’ but instead of for example animals we had to find old Finnish cities that now belong to Russia.

In the afternoon my host sister and I did some homework and shortly before dinner we picked up some mushrooms from the forest and they tasted soooo good!

After lunch I went with my host sister for the first time in my life to a sauna and it was so weird. First we went in the lake so our hair is a bit wet and then we went in. I thought it would be way hotter but it was the perfect temperature even though it was kind of hard to breath. Especially when we poured some water on the hot stones but it was so relaxing to just hang out there and talk about everything.

On the next day we had to leave again but I really enjoyed the time there and I can’t wait to go there again!

Next topic that I want to talk about is school.

On my first day of school I went with my host sister to the first period, because I had to meet the principal about half an hour after the first lesson started. It was so weird that all the student were sitting in front of their Laptops and work that way. In my old school we had Laptops for maybe a few tasks in a whole week and now I have my own for nearly every subject. Not only because I want to but mostly because my school books are there.

Speaking of school books. In Finland you have to pay for your own books (at least when you’re in Lukio) but after one semester you can sell them again to the book store and get some money back.

I have to have at least five courses in my school so I’m there at least 15 hours per week. At the moment I take the following courses: Music, two different level German courses, Finnish as a second language, physical education and math.

One period lasts 75 minutes and a normal school day goes from 8.15 am until 4 pm. After the first three periods there is a bigger lunch break where you get your lunch for free! Plus you can put it on yourself and even get as much as you like.

What was really weird for me was that the Finnish students talked to their teacher with their first name! I’m used to this really strict relationship between teachers and students… That was always one reason why I didn’t talk to my teachers back in Germany but here the teacher doesn’t seem like an authority anymore. I still respect them but I talk to them more often now, for example when I need help with something.

What surprised me most about Finland/Finns in the last couple of weeks:

1. Finns hate to wait in lines.

2. Finland is such a beautiful country especially on the country side

3. Finns are crazy to go into the cold water after sitting in the Sauna. (Although it was so much fun)

4. 99% out of 100% of the Finns I met yet, are all super nice.

5. ‘Nasut’ is a weird tradition and I’m happy to go to Etelä-Tapilolan Lukio because I only had to embarrass myself.

6. Some of the Finns have a weird British Accent.

7. When you walk about in school during a break nearly EVERYONE is on their phone.

8. The metro and Helsinki are super clean!

9. The Moomins are everywhere.

10. Finns all talk really fast.

See you next Sunday!

-Vanessa ♥

Soft Landing Camp Day 3

The last day in Copenhagen...

After breakfast we had another Workshop. It was the great day where we would see all the plays from all groups. Some were really funny and others were just weird and I still don't get them.
The best one was the one from the group where Mira and Jesse were in! It had everything! Love, breaking the rules and a party. It was just like a romcom in TV!

Well after that we went to Tivoli Gardens and it was one of the most beautiful places I ever visited!

The entrance.

Some of the crazy people I met.

A beautiful palace.

Flowerballs were hanging from a tree and I have no idea how
they did that!

This bridge was just there because of the elevator...

Thank you Mr. Tree for producing Oxygen.
We love you!

Just beautiful...

After that we went to the Hard Rock Café. It was my first time eating something in one and it was amazing! If you never ate there do it! Well there is not much to say about that the next interesting thing was at 7pm.

Jesse told all of us to come to a concert at 7 and that's what we did! We were dancing for two whole hours. At some point it got really crazy and two boys were doing splits... I was so shocked when one of them was just jumping up and did it. Then the other one joined in as well and some girls too but the boys were crazy.

I know this post is really short but there is not much to say about it, even though it was my favorite day at the camp because all of these stranger became my friends in such a short time.

This camp was just as amazing as my orientation camp back in Germany. It just showed me that I can step out of my comfort zone and that people like the real me. It seems to me now that these days were so long ago, but it's been just over a week...

'It's not right or wrong it's just different!'

-Vanessa

P.S. if you want to see more pictures of my journey check out my Instagram!

Soft Landing Camp Day 2

The second day was more interesting than the first one.

After breakfast we had our first workshop. We started out by saying our name, our age, where we come from and the country we will be going to.
It was so interesting hearing that so many people from all around the globe are here in Kopenhagen to go to one of the nordic countries.

The first task was to draw a map of the country we will be going to. It was harder than I thought it would be. But my group had the best one I think because all the other ones were so weird. So my group had to present our map I got up, walked all the way to the front and presented it. It was a huge step for me, because I had to step out of my comfort zone.

After that we had to pick two questions and ask some of the other student for example 'What traditions would you like to show to your host family and why?'
That was pretty interesting even though I only talked to people I already knew.

Then it got interesting because we had to go into groups and find five things we all have in common. I'm not gonna lie it was pretty hard. We ended up with:

1. We all like Pop music
2. We all eat our ice cream in a cone
3. We are all single
4. We've all been to a beach before

We've got six things but I already forgot the last two.

Anyway after that we got into other groups and had to prepare a play for the next day. Our play was a good idea that actually could happen to an exchange student but it wasn't the best. It was really fun though.

After the workshop we had a few minutes to grab our bags and get ready for a walk through Copenhagen. At first we had some free time to get some lunch and then we all got on a boat for a little sightseeing trip. It was so beautiful! Just driving there on sea and seeing all the different parts of this amazing city. It was at that moment when I fell in love with Copenhagen.

When the boat trip was finished and we were at the beginning again, we followed the Explorius staff members to the houses of the royal family. For the first time in my life I saw these guards with the funny hats. I was so surprised to see them in Denmark! I always thought that only the guards of the royal family in England have these weird hats!

Behind us you can see the house one of the danish princes lives in.
You can see that he was at home, because of the flag on top of the building.

Soon we were back at the hotel and we talked again to so many different people from all over the globe about were they come from, about all the differences between for example America and Europe. So if you have the chance to go to such a thing... DO IT! It is worth it!

-Vanessa

Soft Landing Camp Day 1

So on Wednesday I arrived at Copenhagen with Mira who’s also going to Finland.

After we got picked up at the airport we took the metro to the Hostel where we will be staying the next few days. It was already really different than the metro in Germany. Here in Kopenhagen they have this glass barrier before you enter the train.

Anyhow we had to walk like 5 minutes  to our Hostel and then we were there. It kind of felt weird because I knew now that yesterday morning was my last day in my home country for 10 months!
But everything turned out being great!

When we arrived at our Hostel there were already so many other people from our group that all seemed to know each other. So we were just sitting there talking to wach other. At some point we started to talk to the other ones. It was so awkward because after introducing yourself, you didn't know what you should talk about.

We sat there for about one hours, I guess, but it felt like 30 minutes. I got into another room as Mira but I liked it because I would get to know new people.
But when I entered my room it was empty. So I just sat on one Bed all by myself. It was so awkward because I knew Mira wasn't alone in her room. I texted her and she was like 'Come on over!' At first I didn't want to go because I didn't want my new roommates to see my suitcases and wonder where I was but I got so bored that I just walked over to her room.

She had these two girls in her room from Taiwan and they gave us some really good Taiwanese Snack. I don't know how it is called but it was like dried noodles and I really liked it!

Then I got back to my own room and a girl with a pretty big suitcase tried to enter my room. I helped her with the door and then we sat down at our beds... We tried to talk about some stuff but no one had to say something after a few minutes and it got so awkward! Luckily another girl entered after a few minutes of complete silence.

I thought maybe I could talk more to her or ask her the questions I already asked Clerie (the girl who entered first) .  The second girl was the girl Mira told me about so I texted her and she came over. Then we went down to get some Water.
It was my first time using danish crowns and they were so different then Euros. I put a 50 DKK bill into the change machine and 5 coins came out of it. I was like 'What that can't be 50 DKK!' But it was. And the coins that are less than 10 have a small hole in the middle! It was so weird but cool at the same time.

The dinner was sooo good! I even tried some meat.
I'm a vegetarian but I said to myself that I would try some meat or fish if it is a traditional finish meal, but I didn't want to try it at my new home so I tried some together with Mira (also a vegetarian) and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I just had to overcome the feeling that I can't put that in my mouth.

Then it was time to go to our rooms at 9.30 pm.

Keep a positive mental attitude!

-Vanessa ^-^

Scholarship?

Today I'll write a little about scholarships!

Of course an exchange year costs money. It depends on the country you want to visit and how long you want to stay. For example if I would want to visit the USA for a whole school year I'd have to pay more than 9.000€ or for the Scandinavian countries about 6.500€

Not everyone can pay that but I wanted to travel the world anyway so my organisation told me to try get a scholarship and that's what I did!

I applied at the 'Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung' for a scholarship.
I had to write a motivational letter in which I had to explain WHY I want to be an exchange student and why I want to go to the country I want to go.

In the end I got it and I was so happy because that meant that I can go to Finland!

So last Saturday I travelled all the way north to Berlin because the foundation that gave me the scholarship had a small party for all the students that got a scholarship!

(https://www.instagram.com/p/Bkw5HCLjx_E/?taken-by=kreuzbergerkinderstiftung)

It was amazing not only because I got to travel to Berlin but to see and meet all the people who made it possible for me to do the exchange year in Finland!

I again had the chance to talk to people who feel exactly the same as I do! Like I talked to some of them and they don't have a host family yet as well... Now I'm more calm because I know there are many more who also are patiently waiting to get a call or an e-mail from their organisation.

A little highlight for me was that I met a Finnish girl who at the moment was an exchange student in Germany!
We didn't talk much but she told me that she's glad that a few students will go to her home country because there aren't much like for example in America.
That got me waaay more excited than I already am!

So if you really want to do an exchange year but you and your parents can't afford it, there is a way and I hope it'll turn out for you as good as it did for me!

Stay positiv!

Vanessa ^^

Orientation camp 24. May - 27. May 2018

A little late but now I'll write a little about the Orientation camp in my home country.

When I sat in the train to 'Kaub' (a really small village in Germany), I was super nervous because I only knew names of the about 30 other exchange students that would be in my camp.

The 'Teamers' (volunteers who guided through the camp) were amazing! They all were an exchange student themselves and they shared a lot about their experiences with us and explained everything we will need to know through the whole exchange!

I am not allowed to give any details about these days but I will tell you the main topics the orientation camp was about!

1. "Who am I?
    Where am I from?
    Where do I go?"
I never really thought about who I am before and what makes me me. Then I got to see what differences there are in the world. There are so many different cultures and maybe the same things mean different stuff in different cultures.

2. "Expect the unexpected!"
I learned that there is always something that you can't know about the future and especially about my exchange year.

In the End I can only say that these few days were the best I could have wished for! I learned so many new things that I will need in my exchange year and the best thing... I met so many new people who I would call friends by now!
I even will fly to my 'Soft Landing Camp' in Copenhagen with one of the people I met there! She will also do an exchange to Finland but there will also be other girls who I met at my orientation camp.

It also helped me to realize that I don't have much time in Germany any more...
43 days from today!

I'm really excited and my friends who live near me do not get how I feel but if I text or talk to the ones who I met in my orientation camp I feel like they do because they go through the exact same!

So if you think about an exchange year look for an organisation who also gives orientation camps because you get to know people who go through the exact same situation as you do and you can stay in touch with them and talk about everything, even when your in your host country and after your exchange year!


Let me know if there is anything you want to know about my experience so far!
See you soon!

Vanessa ^^