3 MONTHS IN...

I know that I am 3 months late to start a blog but you know what they say 'Better late than never!' So here it goes...

My journey to Finland started on the 22nd of January 2012, I flew out of Australia with 13 other exchange students from my district as we said goodbye to everything we knew, to begin our year abroad for an opportunity which ultimately will change our lives forever. 

3 months in and I am already able to say that I have already had some of the most amazing experiences possible and have met so many wonderful and astonishing people from all over the world! I have been places that I before only ever dreamed about visiting, I have experienced a whole new culture and way of life and have woken up to how different the world can be if we get out and actually experience it for ourselves. 

Swimming Hole in the ice

Some of the things I have experienced already include:

Winter Palace St. Petersburg Russia

• Swimming in an ice hole
• Rolling in the snow 
• Finnish sauna
• Finnish school's 
• Visiting St. Petersburg Russia
• Experienced temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius
• Meeting people from all over the world
• Mämmi (a traditional Finnish Easter food which is made of rye flour, malted rye, and dark molasses)
• Ice fishing
• Finnish food (consisting largely of bread, potatoes, milk)
• Seeing the Northern lights from my bedroom window
• Salmiakki (salty liquorish)
• Visiting Helsinki, Oulu, Lahti, Pihtapudas, Karjalohjan, Tampere, Karkku plus more
• Wanhat (Finnish prom for the 2nd graders)
• Penkkarit (Final school day for the 3rd years)
• Vappu (1st of May celebrations)

This is just some of the many wonderful things I have done so far. If I was to mention it all you would be here for days just reading about it all. I will let you know the many more experiences I am sure to have throughout my year in Finland.