Today I woke up early and made french toast for breakfast for everyone! here are some pics...of me..looking like a total disaster, cooking. in finland! :) [View Full Entry]

---

---

These pictures are from three different trips to Finland (about 8 weeks total) in 2008. If you like the outdoors then I can't think of a place on Earth that is better. The whole country is one big forest with many, many lakes spread throughout. It is a runner's and hiker's dream with trails everywhere! Most of the pictures to follow are from central and eastern Finland along with some pics around Helsinki. Helsinki was an interesting city to visit. I was especially excited to see the Olympic Stadium and statue of the great Paavo Nurmi (namesake of my dog). I [View Full Entry]

---

---

Last weekend I changed host families! Now I live with the Fagerlund family! Tom, Hanna (yes, tom and hanna are my host parents names AGAIN!) Nea, my 14 year old sister, and Anette my 18 year old sister! Today we went to the Caribia spa in Turku to watch a Salibandi game! It was great, even though Naantali lost! :( a couple of my friends from school played on the team too!!! [View Full Entry]

---

---

Tomorrow I switch families so tonight we went out for dinner, then had a jolly good time playing with my "moving away" gifts..which inclueded a classic...black rubber rat...some awesome lady bug hair ties...which i use almost every day, a couple beautiful scrap book pages and a finnish cook book! We went out to dinner at the Kylpyla Pizza restaurant in the spa hotel! It was a TON OF FUN!!! Definitely a fabulous night!!! I miss them like crazy! (ok so this blog is basically an ODE TO THE PALENIUS FAMILY!!!!...and the pics include ones from my last night, AND from all [View Full Entry]

---

---

I've finally gotten around to writing this entry. Now that I'm sick and all I have plenty of time. So, on Tuesday, April 8, I made the 5 hour train journey to Helsinki. I got there and met Mom at the train station. It took me awhile to find her (being by the "big brown doors" is not very descriptive when there are about 12 sets of big brown doors). She was very happy to see me and of course I was very happy to see her too. We lugged all of her luggage, mostly crap for me, to the Omena [View Full Entry]

---

---

När Viking Line bestämde sig att locka kunder att storspendera på deras imponerade fartyg med 11 däck och 2500 hyttplatser med casino, pub, bar, sauna, minimart etc, plus en invardrar-arbetskraft med uzbeker och afganer, allt för att klara av den tufffa konkurrensen, räknade de nog inte med en sak: snåla folk som jag. Som deras nyblivna medlem fick jag åka gratis och t.o.m. en 4persons hytt då jag reste ensam. Alltså, genom att ha mig som medlem så har Viking Line tjänat in sammanlagt 0 kronor, plus förlorat inkomster från 3 andra kunder. Det kändes nästan lite kriminellt när jag låg [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hey everyone. Wow, it's really been awhile. Sorry, I guess I've just been busy. It's really hard to find time to write in here these days. Between school, basketball, and hanging out with my friends I feel like I'm always busy. Anyway, here it goes. On March 11th I went to the theater and saw a really cool show. It was called "Kvinna på halvtid" (Part-Time Woman). It was what is known as physical theater which is where there is more movement and sort of dancing type of stuff than talking. At first I thought it was going to be really [View Full Entry]

---

---

This past weekend was our rotary district conference in Turku! We have 23 exchange students in our district, but Ellen was in Germany so we had 22 of us! Rick came over from Aland Friday night and stayed over with me at the Ahti's house. The next morning Lapa, our treasure, and Ossi picked us up and drove us over to the ICT building in Turku for breakfast and a meeting at 9am! All the exchange kids met there, and after eating we got a couple hours free time in the autitorium where we were supervised by two awesome swedish speaking [View Full Entry]

---

---

Huomenta Kokemäeltä... Viimeiseen asti on pakattu, sekä laukkuja, että tänne muutettuja tavaroita kaappeihin. Kahdeksalta on sovittu että Pappa tulee hakemaan meitä. Mummu pukee täällä Lauria, Henkka voimistelee lattialla, Juha pistää viimeisiä tavaroita talteen. Se on menoa sitten. [View Full Entry]

---

---

Ama and I walked around A LOT this past week and visited Muumiworld! We also went all around the harbor and Hanna Aiti found a guided tour for us around the harbor and old town!!! It was a lot of fun, and I LEARNED A LOT!!! :) [View Full Entry]

---

---