Our Year: A Finland Story
Hello everybody, I have yet to go anywhere but I have set up this account for two reasons; a foreign exchange (Pray it happens) my senior year and for being able to keep up with my friend's (An exchange student in Estonia) blog.MISHA of NM
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I feel a bit nostalgic at reading that message above (As it was created about a year ago from the current year (2009)) so I shall leave that up there.
Anyways, I have started this blog a bit early, but if you are reading this then, I was accepted into an exchange company. So, yes, I am a foreign exchange hopeful; particularly to Finland.
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At this point in time my applications are in AFS and YFU, I was rejected by Rotary only because of funds and deadlines, and my foot is in the door for Intrax.
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At this point I have been accepted on both the US and Finnish side of AFS. I have my host family, the Haaksios in Helsinki, and am bound for Finland in the middle of August.
Travel Blog Posts
December 3rd 2010
Today was just another day. Except it was the graduation ceremony at school today. Unfortunately, I was not feeling in the mood to attend. While a good exchange student would have gone for the experience, I don't figure I'll look back and regret for the rest of my life not seeing a Finnish graduation. There's always youtube. Anyways, my host sister was all pissy with me today, lol that's new?, but I'm starting to not care what she thinks. While I wish that we get along, and this is her house, these are my last 6 weeks in Finland under my AFS semester. I still don't feel like I've accomplished anything, and feel almost pressed to get out there and be social; but my dumb depression is getting in the way. I will explode with anger ... read more
December 2nd 2010
I am starting to feel the pressures of being among these people. It is painfully evident just how different we are. I find myself wanting to relax quietly in my room, but the others just eye my suspiciously and try to arrange activities for me to be doing; they follow each other around like they'll die without company. I am starting to get irritated by my host family's voices. It is so bloody squeaky and whiny! They are also very rude here and have no qualms against standing in the kitchen outside my room and talking loudly. I am so sick of hearing Finnish; its annoying and ugly! I digress. I am finding myself snapping at anything and everything. I just want to be home. But home has financial problems and all that jazz. I just ... read more
November 23rd 2010
Hello dear readers, I apologize for how late this entry is. Truth be told, I have just been to emotionally and physically busy to think about writing a blog. I have reached the half-way point of my exchange and I am already feeling the effects of homesickness and excitement to go home. I have been keeping track of most of this in a diary, and will post more later. To sum things up: I've met Evanna Lynch and Matthew Lewis, the actors of Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom, got their autographs, a picture with Matthew, and got to small talk them. They were really real and nice people; really kind and responsive. On that note, I also saw the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 premiere; it premiered on Wednesday November 17, two days ... read more
October 7th 2010
Dear readers, This was not meant to be my first post actually. I have not been posting because things have been really stressful and bad. To be honest, I have had culture shock since the moment I stepped off that plane. I will post at a later date my diary entries but, to keep it simple, my first family was emotionally neglectful towards me. They were so bad that AFS said they could not host again. My host dad lost his temper at me, and I apologized, and flipped out; all because he opened -MY- green chile can without permission or mention at all. Anyways, AFS sends me to Sievi, Finland; a 'town' of no more than 1,000 people. This severely exaserbated my anxiety attacks, and I found myself unable to live there. However AFS Finland ... read more
August 11th 2010
Hello everyone! As of this post I leave for New York in 7 days, and Finland in 9. It is quite a funny thing, exchange. While it is a great opportunity for growth and development, we must realize that we can only grow by hardships. That being said, it makes me a bit fearful for the semester. How can I change if not through trails? But avas, I am already on course and so.. it cannot be stopped now. I am not inherently sad about leaving, really. I know that I will come back, and little will have changed (and yet lots will) as my family is a pretty boring family. I will not miss anything that much as I never really attatched myself to anything here; other than people. The only thing that makes me ... read more
Hej! Jag heter Michelle
Published: August 8th 2010North America » United States » New Mexico » Rio RanchoAugust 8th 2010
Hej alla! Det är mitt första blogpost på svenska! Jag heter Michelle, men du kan kalla mig shiro. Jag bor i Rio Rancho, New Mexico och jag kommer från USA:n. Jag bor i en litet hus ligger nära en skolan. Väder är ibland varmt och ibland kallt. Det kan bli 36C på sommaren och det kan bli 1C på vintern. Inte många växla växer här: och det växla att växer här är ful. Jag gåde till Rio Rancho 'gymnasium' för ett år och sedan gåde till Independence för ett år. Jag ska bli universitetstudenten. Jag älskar kulturena och språketerna mycket. Jag har studerar kinesiska för ett år, och älskade det. Jag är inte flytande på nån språk, men min svenska är okej. Jag studera svenska i skolan på Rosetta Stone. Jag har studerat svenska i ett ... read more
July 13th 2010
36 days until I leave New Mexico. 39 days until I'm in Finland. 151 days until I'm back. 36 days of wishing I could never leave New Mexico. 151 days of wishing I would never come back. 151 days of great memories. 151 days of bad memories, that will fade faster than the good. 1 lifetime of change. 1 lifetime of friendships. 1 lifetime of language use. 1 new family. 1 journey. 1 semester. 5 months. 1 great opportunity. But whatever the numbers, whether some must be added or subtracted, the product will always be 0 regrets. ... read more
July 13th 2010
Hey guys, yet another update! My friends have blessed me by fundraising and purchasing my domestic ticket ^^! I depart NM 6AM on the 18th and arrive in NY at 3:30PM. I arrive in København, Denmark at 7:30AM on the 20th, and then finally Finland at 12:15AM. I will be in Denmark for two hours! I am so excited to hear real, native, and live Danish; in person! That's kinda it. My host family hasn't been making much contact with me; their English is limited. Although their daughters are on Facebook and have good English so, I talk to them. It's cool because one of my host sisters is a Christian and she watches Joyce Meyer so.. : 3 hopefully that is something we can do together! There isn't much to say because there is so ... read more
July 13th 2010
So, I never thought I'd be faced with such great drama again. I figured I'd left it all behind in high school, but no. These exchangers get on my nerves. To sum it all up, I'm going to just post one of my journal entries from a website. - Ya, I'm ranting now. I hate the other exchange students; they don't treat this like it's serious. They don't care about Finland. Liking the music doesn't count. This bitch posted: Is anyone else going there not knowing more than two words in Finnish? I, personally, think it's a better way to adapt to the language. I will be teaching my 4 host sisters English, though they seem to speak it well, and they will be teaching me Finnish I'd rather get there, not knowing anythign about the ... read more
A small little rambling
Published: June 25th 2010North America » United States » New Mexico » Rio RanchoJune 25th 2010
Lately life has been very crazy! One minute I want to go more than anything, the next minute I want to stay more than anything. I think I feel more comfortable in feeling both ways, simply because I know it's gonna happen and I don't have to worry about if. The life of an exchange student is not as glamorous as it seems. There is so much stress! Being a pre-departing exchangie has its own ups and down as well. We are all at a stand-still, just waiting for our trip to happen. Things have begun to unfold, we all are starting to get our host families, for some study the language, get our school, and just general stuff like that. It's so real and close but its not. I have so much to do! I ... read more
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