HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hello everybody!
I had such a good Christmas.It was different but good.
I got to meet a huge part of the family. We celebrated it like three times. And if you want to know what I got for Christmas here's a list or if you couldn't care less, just scroll down lol.

THE LIST :
lots of makeup
lots of bath stuff and lotion
lots of warm socks
leopard slippers
4 cd's
2 pairs of earrings
2 photo frames
candy
a purse
shorts
a shirt
a water color painting thing
$10
a book thing with awesome texts in it
a jewelry box
my cousins old phone :D

Okay so on Christmas day it was raining..raining...and raining..and thundering and "lightninging". And we saw a swamp and deers!

After Christmas on the 27th I slept over at Charlotte and we watched "the odd life of Timothy Green". That movie was one of the sweetest I've ever seen. The sad thing about that day was that it was her last day in Louisiana. The next morning she left. I went to the airport with her and her host parents and our supervisor. Well the flight was late a few hours but suddenly she just took another flight and everything happened so fast and it was so sad. I already miss her!
 
Okay so new years eve!!!  That we spent at April's house (my host aunt)! Carrie, Tyler and I played hide and seek in the dark in the woods haha! So fun! And we ate good sea food! The rest of the night we just played games and made a video...about how bored we were. We didn't go to sleep until 7 in the morning and the next day (same day), we didn't do anything else than played on the phones and watched movies. Today we organized Aprils classroom (she's a teacher).

Anyways..last year was a good year. And I want to thank all my friends, my family and God for making it so awesome! I had an awesome birthday because Ida took me to a concert and we ate out and everything was perfect! I had an awesome trip with my dance mates (Vilma, Heidi, Sara, Rebecca) to Tampere! Not only the competition, dancing and the hanging out with them there but also the time we spent together practicing for those days. And the other jams, competitions and practices we went to together.
And the conference (EC) where I learned a lot, was amazing and also  MVV.
Last summer was one of my favorites. The camp at Jumijarvi was awesome! We made a song and we all got this bond that we never had before. My family including me went to Sweden. It had been years since I was there.
I also had the "byebye" party in my church for my friends. At that time I had no idea where I was going for my exchange year and no idea when I was leaving. But then one sunny Sunday morning I got a call and I had to leave in 3 days. I was excited, scared and mad at the same time. How could they give me only 3 days to prepare myself. I was so mad. The next day I went to Linnanmaki with my friends from the camp. It was an awesome day! Then in a few days I was already in Louisiana. I was so tired and nervous when I came here. I just wanted to sleep. And the rest I've done this year..you have possibly already read about.

So 2012 was an awesome year! And if I learned something last year it was that you should not give up, think more than once before you say something, be your self, you're not better than anybody but they're not better than you ether and that you should never judge someone because judging is God's job.

So Happy New Year everybody! I'm extreamly excited for this year! It's 2013 everybody!

Happy Christmas Merry Hollydays...!

Hello everybody!
It's a regular Sunday and we went to church as usual. It was a good service as usual. It was about not being alone on Christmas. About how we should have Jesus with us not only on Christmas but everyday. We are all sinners. And if we're dirty we can't go inside Gods house. We need to be cleaned up. There's no dirt in his house. I'm not sure where I'm going with this but I just want to say that you should invite Jesus to your Christmas. Btw..Emmanuel meand "God with us". Yeah.. Don't forget that!

So...Happy Christmas and Merry Hollydays!
This Christmas is messed up for me. The only stable thing this Christmas is Jesus.
There's no snow. It is 25 degrees Celsius outside.
One day there's 35 people celebrating Christmas and the next day I'm babysitting two kids.
We ate "enchaladas" instead of a huge pig (and all the other stuff we eat in Finland).
We didn't have any kind of Christmas thing at school. (only a weird concert).
No Santa Claus.
There's no Christmas decorations.
My real family is not with me.
We don't have a Christmas tree, aso..
BUT what we do have is:
Christmas stockings.
Christmas gifts.
Christmas movies on TV.
A fireplace (it's fake but I love it).
Christmas music on the radio.
Jesus.

This Christmas is not what I expected of an American Christmas at all. I thought it would be a huge thing but it's much bigger in Finland. I'm not complaining. I'm just surprised. And it's just a different Christmas than I'm used to. And it's a new experience. I think Christmas might be a bit of a hard time for all exchange students. Because we don't have our real families with us and this is the time family comes together.
This is maybe the hardest culture shock I've had so far because Christmas is important to me. But I'm going to take this as it is and taking all I can out of it.

Merry Christmas everybody! I love you and miss you kaikki Suomalaiset hullut! :)

I'm dreaming of a white CHRISTmas

Hello world!
I have a few amazing weeks behind me and I don't really know where to start.
Okay so thanksgiving and Arkansas is over. I went back to school but I'm getting tired of it. I would rather stay home, sleep in and when I'd wake up I'd turn Christmas music on and do something "christmasy".

So I've done "christmasy" things anyway. Me and my host siblings made some christmas stockings with our names on, that we hung up. And sometimes "santa" (my host mum) puts something in the stockings, or like my sister..she put her shoe in mine haha!
We also went to a christmas play at our church. It was amazing! They showed  parts from classic christmas movies and songs. Like from "home alone"  and that weird green hairy dude who wants to "steal the christmas". Even my hiphop teacher was break dancing in it and I was like YEY! This is how church is supposed to be! Fun but teaching!
There's one thing I do not understand...you're not supposed to say "merry christmas" anymore, You can only say "happy hollydays" That's like taking out Christ from christmas. Aren't we celebrating christmas because of Christ's birth? Oh well..nobody really follows that rule and they can't put you to jail if you say it so it's not that big of a deal. But it's still dumb.

I was to New Orleans with Charlotte on a Friday! Yey! New Orleans instead of school! No I'm not dumb because of that. I've just learned all I learn here before. So the night before we I played "guitar hero" for the first time and I'm already good at it! It's adicting.
So in New Orleans we walked around a lot of places. We shopped at the French Quarter and I got the coolest neckless that says "WHO DAT" haha! funny..! We also ate at Margarita Ville. I ate tasted fried-shrimp, -crawfich and -aligator! Tasty! We walked the whole Burbon street.. full of gangs , shops, music (also live), and things I wish I wouldn't have seen...
Okay it was really cool and I'm totally getting back there some day!
In NO there was a lot of street artists like painters, musicians, those silver and gold "statue" guys (even a transformer guy! he literally "became" a car and drove around) and  a guy who does "magic stuff. That "magic guy was amazing! Never seen a guy that good at the tricks before and he was funny too!
The next day some of the exchange girls had a cupcake party. We made the cutest cupcakes! And we had a little "throwing icing in your face" fight haha!

Then I had a boring school week again until it was FRIDAY!
Okay so let me tell you something important. If you want to have fun at school in Beau Chene High, you need to work for it.
I had sold cookie dough (which tasted like sand). And I sold 8 boxes, so on this Friday, I got to wear jeans! And that's not all! I got to get out of class, get out on the stadium (or whatever it's called) and get inside one of those huge hamster balls!! I'd always wanted to try one and now got to do it! It was so fun and I want to do it again!! ...then I had to get back to class...
After school though, I slept over at Karin and Sofia ( from Slovakia and Sweden). We made these things called "snowman's poop"...in other words oreoballas with white chocolate on. Easy and yummy!
The next day we went to a christmas party for all the exchange students. Our oreo balls was successful! My friend Lars from Germany said they were nasty but he ate the last 5...sorry Lars for putting it here haha!
We had a competition in groups. We had to dress up one person in our group to santa with only red,green,gold and white paper and tape.
Later all the exchange students had to one by one go up and tell about our good and bad experiances we've had till now. The Asian people were so funny! I couldn't stop laughing! I just love them haha!

After the party, Charlotte (Germany),Sofia (Sweden), Karin, Sonja (Slovakia) and me went shopping to the mall! I got a hat, earrings and a necklace...and some christmas presents :D
Then we went to this place called "Acadia Village". It's a village with christmas light everywhere and with christmas music and everything "christmasy". Then we slept over at Sonja and watched videos on youtube of this black dude who answers stupid questions that people asks him. Couldn't stop laughing!
Then we started to watch some movie but we all fell asleep...interesting ...yes...
So! Today it's Sunday! The last day of the week! I finally got to sleep! Charlotte and me had planed to go horse riding but it started to rain like..a shower or like..a waterfall. And there were lightnings and thunders... not a good day to go riding. So we played GUITAR HERO instead! No one can win me! I;m the best! I rule the game! ....I lie..I just changed from easy to medium...and I won like once because Charlotte's guitar had something wrong I guess. But one day I;m going to rule the game!
 Oh! I almost forgot! I skyped with my friend Joanna today and she was so happy to see my face. It made me happy :) Love ya'll! Miss ya'll! CHRISTmas is almost here so be prepared! Don't leave Jesus outside, knocking on your door in the cold, dark night. Open the door and have a blessed Christmas! Would you leave him outside on hid birthday? I wouldn't.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! :) <3

Before, Thanks giving, after!

Hey everybody! Things are going good here as always.
So last weekend I was on a birthday party for an 8 year old boy! There were kids everywhere and it was crazy and we had a bonfire. I finally got to meet my "host cousin"s again! I love them all! And one of the German exchange students were also there.
We played soccer with the kids and then slept in a huge tent. So it was Carrie, 9 boys in the age of 6-10 and me! Haha!
The next day we went camping to my host mums sisters woods..or property..anyways..there was 4 families I think and we had so much fun! We drove the four-wheelers in the middle of the night and walked in the woods. Then we had a bonfire and some of us talked about the bible and aliens..(don't even ask).
So yea, it was pretty awesome!
Okay so here's the thing. Because I'm an exchange student, I have to do 5h community service. First I was a bit upset but not anymore. On Wednesday and Thursday I didn't have to go to school because I did community service. And it was fun. I slept over at my Slovakian friend (also an exchange student) and we made a speach about how it is to be an exchange student and the whole process before it and the differences in the countries, stuff like that. Then we just watched "how I met your mother" on Karin's I-pad. The next morning we had our speaches in LSUE ( a college) and then we ate breakfast in Burger King and went "mini shopping"! On Thursday we did the same thing but afterwards we did this challenge where you had to look for things on the school area and take a picture of it. It was super fun! Then we ate "budain"!
The sad thing was that when I came home on both days, I did home work for hours! Not fun! At least we had church Wednesday! It was the last for this year. This time we got to talk instead of the pastor :)

Yesterday (Friday) I was babysitting Gams  and her friends kids. Awesome kids! I watched Eclipse also...then Carrie came and we played this game on the TV that doesn't have any "controls"! It was super fun! When the parents came home we went to "my house". It was 2 o'clock in the morning but then we started to plan a trip to Finland! So we went to bed at 4 am.
Today I had dancing in the morning and I finally had my tap shoes! Expensive stuff! (a bit mad...). I am not a good tap dancer compared to the other girls who has danced it for years...so I feel pretty lost there. But it's fun! I feel like I should go learn the basics with the kids sometimes though haha..

That's what been happening... now what's coming up?

Today I'm sleeping over at Karins house after a birthday party (6 year old boy I think). We're going skating with skates that has wheels you know! Tomorrow I'm going to church! It's thanksgiving week so I don't have school for a week now! I'm going to Arkansas with Carrie ! I'm so exited! And after thanks giving Charlotte and I are going to New Orleans! Buja!

Oh and before I forget! If you didn't know, Obama is the U.S president again for the next 4 years..or maybe more if he changes the law about that. Just saying that I have a completely different opinion about him now,than before I came here. Ask me if you want to know why.

And this girl is staying here for the whole June! So guys you have to wait for me a few weeks longer now. Oh well! I love it over here and I don't want to leave!  Miss ya'll Finnish people! And i miss "ruisleipa" haha!

awesome time's!

Stuff has happened since I wrote the last time...I can't even remember everything.
Last Friday I was at Beau Chenes last football game and I didn't really watch the game. First I was just really confused and then I found my friend from my Clothing class. So I just followed her and we sat down and listened to Jimmy Henrix , classical music like Copain and Debussy and random stuff that not many people understand but we do. As usual, BC lost the game! Yes we did.
On Saturday we had this thanksgiving thing for exchange students and I had so fun! The food was awesome! Yes I love food and it's not a secret! Everybody had to cook something from their home country but I didn't have enough time to finish my food so I didn't have anything to bring. I found a girl from Sweden And I was so happy! But then I heard that there's a Finnish girl somewhere here too so I have to find her!

Okay, let me just make one thing straight! I always tell people I'm from Finland but that I speak Swedish and Finnish. So almost everybody thinks I'm from Sweden!  So if you read this and you think I'm from Sweden, there is something wrong with your capability of understanding easy sentences. If I say I am from Finland, I am from Finland, even though I speak Swedish. It's not like I'm from France just because I can speak French! I finally said it and I don't want to hear anyone saying that I'm from Sweden anymore.
I am from Finland, I speak Swedish and Finnish as my two primary languages which makes me a "Finnswed".

..enough with that. Next weekend we're going camping and we're also going mud driving again! I could not be more exited! We're also going to see the newest Twilight movie haha! And I'm going to New Orleans with my German friend some weekend before Christmas! So many awesome things are going to happen soon and I am just having such a great time! :D

Today I talked to my family on the phone the first time here! It took us three months! I'm glad it did though because if I'd call them all the time like most of the other exchange students, I would be home sick. I'm a little though but not badly!
One thing I miss the most (other than people) is the dancing there. It's not the same here. I don't really have anyone here that could practice it with me so I have to do it by my self. And I miss my piano! It makes me crazy not having it! I haven't played piano in three months and nobody has one!
Another thing that I miss is walking! Like listening to music and just walk outside by my self for hours! It's impossible here. I miss my school and the freedom we have there. School here is almost like prison. Not really but compared to my school in Finland, yes, kind of.

So Halloween just passed by and I was in church that day. We had a bonfire and made these yummy things! You warm up/melt a marsmellow and put it between two honey cracker's and you also put a piece of Hersey's chocolate in it! So tasty!
One Friday we went ice-skating and it was really fun!
I told you I had done a lot of things and I can't remember everything! This is getting too long so I'll stop it here. I miss you guys and I hope you don't freeze to death in Finland. It's like summer down here! :D

Homecoming weekend

Hello my dear friends!
Yeah...my weekend was awesome! And I am tired.
On Friday I was shopping with Carrie and Gam and then we ate at a place called something with buffalo..and wings.. it was so good but so messy! Love it! I eat without a knife and a fork pretty often here and I would never have thought that would have happened.
So after that messy meal we went to the movies to see Pitch Perfect! I laughed so hard! I recomend it for everybody!
The next day I went dancing and I hate that I have hip hop only for 1 h in like 2 weeks! But I do it to the fullest when I have it yey! Anyways..so then unimportant stuff happened and then I suddenly was at Paytons house! We fixed us for the homecoming dance and then ate Mexican food! Yummy!  I was so exited for the dance at school but when I was there I was a little disapointed. I had fun but the music wasn't so good and I didn't like the way they danced. So I was a bit confused and like ummmm...okay... sorry guys, I'm not doing that but I hope you have fun! :D And so I danced my own way and walked around saying hi to people I knew. The funnest part of the day though was when I slept over at Payton and we were kind of tired. Things in the kitchen flew around and we couldn't stop dancing. We cooked food at 1 in the morning and when we finally tried to sleep my dear friend just couldn't shut up! Payton you're awesome! :D

On Sunday after we finally woke up and danced a bit more, we went to the mall. So I finally got a lot of clothes and jewelery! And then nothing super important happened!
Today I had my ballet class and we only stretched and did muscle things..so now I'm pretty stiff and I won't be able to walk tomorrow.

Okay enough for today. Love you guys and I really don't miss the coldness of Finland when I sit in the heat of Louisiana! Haha! But I still miss you so don't worry!

It's homecoming week guys!

Hello everybody!
You know how computers sometimes just "die"..,well this computer died for two weeks.
Anyways! This week my school (Beau Chene High School) had the homecoming week!
We dressed up differently every day. We had pyjama day, camo day, decade day, wacky tacky day and tomorrow's spirit day!  This week has been fun! This saturday we have our homecoming dance at school and I'm really exited!
Tomorrow me and my friends are going to the mall and to the movies. It's going to be awesome!!
I'm now teaching hip hop to younger classes with my dance teacher. It's fun and I learn new things even though it's really easy.

I just have to say this one thing about the church I go to. It's amazing! I love it! Every time I go there I learn something new and I get those "aha" experiances. My favorite song we sing there starts with the words "Take the world, but give me Jesus". I don't think I have to explane what it means. Ask me if you don't understand. 

Last night I woke up in this loud thunder and in lightnings! It was crazy! I could feel the house shaking! And I see lightnings very often here! It's cool and I love it! :D And they also have a lot of dead animals on the roads so last night we drove over a dead dog! We freaked out! It was creepy!

I'll try to get some pictures for you soon! Miss ya'll so much!