Meeting the Host Parents!

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hey all! im here at my host parents house in Naantali! the first day i got
here i went on a boat ride to a couple islands with my host parents, went
swimming in the sea and dived off the dock near my house, and went out to
eat dinner at a finnish resturaunt at the harbor. i really like naantali. it
is so pretty and green. my house is only a 2 min walk from the dock where i
can swim...even though is it really really cold water 😊 i got used to it
really quickly! my room is on the second level of my house. it is kind of
like a loft. really pretty and colorful. i have a window that looks out to
the neighbors house and the road to the dock. i cant see the water though
because there is a rocky hill before the water. i went shopping yesterday at
the Mylly with my host sister Emma yesterday. that was fun! she was laughing
a lot when i was reading all the signs out loud. yesterday i also met all of
Veera´s friends. they all seem really nice but everyone tells me that they
are the popular girls at school that wear nice clothes and makeup to school
every day. ill have to see when school starts tomorrow! ahh yes. school
starts tomorrow! im so nervous. i know how to get there but once im there im
lost! i hear its a small school, only 5oo students but i dotn even have a
schedule yet! hopefully my rotary counsler will give it to me tonight when
we meet at dinner! i have been so busy since i got out of camp. (leaving
camp was so hard!!! i miss everyone already!) last night i went to sauna
with my host mom and then we ate sausages! so typical finland! today
everyone is away from the house so im home alone. emma is at school and
Erkki and Leena are at work! its nice a quiet. finally time for me to sleep
in...until noon! woo hoo! that was great! the day before yesterday was the
warmest day all summer in naantali! 28 degrees! i went for a walk yesterday
down the path to the harbor to visit the main town shops. you wont believe
how many things have moose on them. i took a picture. (attached) this
weekend my host sister and Tapio, (her boyfriend) are taking me up to their
summer cottage in lapland! we are going to fish! i hear there are a ton of
mesquitos up there though so im bringing a LOT of repelant! (thanks for
packing it mom!) i also have a cell phone now. it works
internationally,,,but i dont know how to use it yet. when i figure it out
ill surely call home! its a nokia! haha! im still working on figuring out
the webcam too. this house doesent have wifi so i cant use my laptop, and
this computer im using in my room is in finnish. the neighbor henry is going
to come over and help me change it later today i hope! he is going to help
me get to school tomorrow with veera's friends! hope all is well in NM!
school has started! ahhH! hope everyone is having fun! rakastan sinä! ( love you)
-stefani!

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Photos

host parents on boat
Leena and Erkki docking the boat at the "gas station" on an island near Naantali!

the dock near my house
this is the dock at the small beach near my house! the water is so cold but refreshing and now too salty!

me casa
the top window on the red house is my room!

little dock
another pic of the dock near my house!