Hectic Week!

Lifestyle of an aussie:
Amazingly I actually prefer the company of finns to exchange students now...But that doesn't sop me having the occasional fun:



Well it's been a hectic week. A birthday party last weekend and I stayed with the new host family again for the weekend (more dancing for the Kouhias).
The day after this birthday party was an interestin day indeed...
A bunch of australians ( and reps. from canada, South africa, brazil...)had the bright idea of going bowling together.
It seems the bowling area had a cultural theme...I wonder which?

After touring the city of helsinki and nabbing myself some more excellent finnish merchandise from some world athletics competition, I returned home, pleased.

I think these pictures make a nice juxtaposition.
And the man who earnt 15 cents from me with fantastic banjo playing...

At the moment I have now changed families and I immensely thank my family at home for their present...however I have to wait until wednesday to open it...
And it is exams week in my school and I've finished the first one... how did the aussie go?
Only time will tell...
Hope you enjoyed the brief update
davidakarobbie to work!

Bloody Awesome!

The language is almost achieved!!
A roo- from the selection of pictures for Finns

I stayed at a new host family for the weekend because my normal host parents went to a dance comp 700kms away...( They came second!!! Best result they've ever had the competition was hard and they earnt the biggest trophy yet!)

The new family was very nice with the mother (Jeena) and one of the daughters fluent in many languages...I felt at home because they have 4 children! I also watched some muumi cartoons (for children- Sawa you'd be pleased to know that they're in a kind of manga style...)

Went dancing at an authentic Finnish party! Great fun...I danced for about three hours: the first time ever for me (Irish dancing not included!)...I managed to earn some strange looks...


Did two speeches about Australia, myself and Finland
at school on Friday... I think they went down well but Finns don't react the same way as australians so it's hard to tell...

I showed them some pictures...the Australian ones are for the benefit of Finns reading this:
A few Of my home





Hobbies



Aussie beach and water






And of course the fam


Finnish excitement!





I would love advice on whether or not I should show the same pictures to my rotary club next week on tuesday!

Excitement frustratingly difficult to express!!

Spot The Australian

Lack of camera is seriously bothering me...Monday I shall go shopping so await new pictures then!!
Yesterday (Saturday) I was invited to another brilliant dance competition by my host family...
Unfortunately my host sister couldn't make it...it seems Snoop Dogg was for the first time ever touring Finland so she ranked that higher... *sigh* she needs to sort out her priorities...



A BLAST FROM THE PAST! My host sister and father at her "Vanha Tanssi" ("Old Dance"- A Finnish tradition-After the highest class has left the class just below celebrates being the eldest)

My Host parents did amazingly and achieved a well earned second as well as another space in the local paper...I'm starting to get used to seeing their pictures everywhere!



On friday I visited the local hyvinkää chess club and, for the first time, won many many more games than I lost against the best player there!
A sneak preview into the cheerful atmosphere of the Finnish chess players! It's good to know some peoples look less serious than Aussies while playing (I'm serious you Aussies are terrible!)

I must emphasise again how good finnish music is just for the record!
Await a more interesting post!
Davidakarobbie

Much excitement and annoyance!

Moi to all! A few new things
Saturday I had my district rotary meeting...It was fun seeing all the exchange students again, and meeting some new ones and, of course, finns! I have unfortunately possibly LOST my camera at this stage so there could be some trouble... no pictures for a while.
We visited the national museum, an aquarium, and a magnificent church before stopping for a nice lunch, and then going our separate ways around the city.
On sunday I had a very exciting time! I caught a train in the morning (came very close to missing it!) and met some US missionaries...nice people who live in hyvinkää, the father of one is rotary president in his region in the US! An amazing coincidence.
After this encounter I arrived in Tampere and was given a lift by judith's (an australian exchange student) host family...
I WENT DOWNHILL SKIING ALL DAY!!!
'Twas very exciting! I met some exchange students from a different district to me and it was soo fun! I fell over some jumps and did some stunts and we all cooked sausages over a campfire...all in all an amazing day!
Finland is an amazing and exciting place!
regards and terveisin!
davidakarobbie

Engines of Fire!

I was destined, it seems for yet another eventful day!
By chance my host father decided when we were driving home "We go fire station"...and I thought "sounds good"...
And It was brilliant! I was given a full tour!



Me revving up a '59 fire engine...Apparently it's name is "Brisse"...

One of the funky Finnish ambulances...These are all made by Mercedes and have a nice fluoro touch to them...This one is for the elite paramedics who have to do advanced life support...My Host father used to drive this one!

A new fire engine capable of extending it's ladder to 10 storeys...

Me with the Head chief inspector of operations, an old work mate of my host dad's.
Hyvä Hauska! (good fun!)

Stay tuned,

davidakarobbie