getting used to school... !

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Yesterday was my first real day of school. I am taking Biology, English (to help out) Music, Math, and Art. Art is definitly my favorite class so far. the teacher barely speaks english but she gesticulates a bunch pointing and nodding and waving her arms until i know whats going on. today we used bailing wire to create a person. the assignment was to add an element of ourselves into our creation. it was a windy day today and i was longing to fly a kite so i made my figure flying a kite! (pics!!!) we also made a list of a few things we would like to learn in this class. i mentioned the potters wheel on my list and now she is having me teach the class! speaking of teaching classes...English is an INTERESTING class! haha! i am in a beginners english class some days and the advanced class others, depending on my schedule. Its great, on Fridays (perjantai) i only have three classes and one is art! I made a few new friends, besides Veeras old friends, Lotta and Siaja! their names are Tatu and Daniel. Tatu was the only person in english class that felt like showing off his english to me! we are planning to play a game of chess our next free period. Daniel is my art class buddy. Again, the only person in the class helping me out, making sure im not sitting alone. This is tricky business trying to fit into a school that is totally different then yours, when you know now one and you dont speak their language. Everyone is so shy to talk to me even though they are constantly staring at me in the halls and in class. I guess im kind of getting used to it though. I just smile. Mimmu (my language camp Finnish teacher) gave us a great idea for meeting people: you write a finnish phrase spelled wrong on a piece of paper and you go up to someone you want to meet and ask if you have spelled it write, presto, now you are talking to a Finn! It seems that everyone at school knows who i am but no one is brave enough to talk to me. I think a total of 16 people have talked to me so far, and i think i started the conversation with 12 of them! They are fully willing to talk to me and help me out and such, they just need a boost! Yesterday after dinner i went out to the park with Lotta and Siaja! we talked a bunch and looked at pictures! Then i sauned again! gosh i love it! Ema and i were joking yelling that we burned our faces in the sauna because Leena poured SO much water on the rocks it felt like an oven! i think my lips were sweating! Well i have to get off, im leaving for Turku with Leena!

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Photos

wire woman
this is an awesome picture!

wire woman
i love art class.

Comments

[Beanca]

hey!
hey! your art assignment is way cool!!! keep smiling :D

[Mike]

art class
Hey Steph! Sounds great and very exciting over there! I got a new kite too, so your wire kite creation and I should hang out sometime! Art class is good for you, I know this because I see that you have also decorated your hand :) don't worry people will start chatting it up with you... it is probably just a little culture shock for them, and they are wondering how you are so well adjusted. keep those lips well lubricated and sweat free! Have fun, learn a lot, and keep on keepin' on! Mikie

[Michelle]

love and kisses
Stephie! I can't remember when I have ever enjoyed so much reading an adventure story! I have laughed so hard this afternoon enjoying your way of describing the "staring" of students and the "reindeer meat?" and the jumping off the dock. My dear, you truly know how to throw yourself into your exchange and it warms my heart to know that even though the water is freezing you are jumping in from 15 feet up anyway! I have a funny feeling you will be the first one with a date with one of those boys on that dock, if they learn how to talk that is! Thank you so much for keeping us so well informed and entertained at the same time! Write to me if you need ANYTHING! Please give my email to your host family, in case they need to contact us for any reason. Michelley