Fin

Qu'est-ce que je dois penser? Qu'est-ce que je dois dire? 

Vai pitäiskö sanoa enää mitään?

What did I learn? What did I teach? What did I accomplish?

Viime vuoden elokuussa istuin olohuoneessa yksin, yöllä. Laukut eteisessä odottamassa.

Last august I spent the night of the 27th-28th in the living room alone. Didn't know what to think. Didn't know where I was going. 

The same feeling is here. I'm leaving tomorrow. 

Where?

I'm going home, they say. 

But I feel like I'm leaving home behind.

Même si je reviens, ca sera jamais le même...

I will never again be a Rotary exchange student.

 The adventure of D1790 2012/2013 is over. For most of us.

"Il y a deux escargots sur le mur. Il y a l'autre qui tombe...

Et l'autre qui s'appelle Robert."

I will do a video/diaporama summary of my year later. I will not bother talking about all the things I've done during this year. I don't feel like it now. Just thought I'd write down some thoughts.. But this is not working so well. I feel empty and overwhelmed at the same time. And I'm too lazy to translate everything to three languages so everyone shall be happy with english for now. 

But really -that was a year?

I remember my arrival like yesterday. But on the other hand it feels like it's been an eternity. I was another person then, it was another time. In another life. 

At this time of my life people are asking "so how was it?" and "are you happy or sad to go home?"

That feels like... They don't understand at all. How was it? How was the last year of my life? How was it -the most difficult, stressful, amazing and strange year of my life. It's not any tourist trip. It's not just "stepping out of your comfort zone" as some describe it. It's throwing away the whole idea of having a comfort zone, forgetting everything you know about life, being a child all over again, building a new life. 

Am I happy to go? Yes. Am I sad to go? Yes.

Am I going home? I don't know. But I'm going, and I'll see where it takes me from there.

Would I do it again? Yes. 

How difficult may it be, it's worth it. That's all I can say. 

I learned more that anyone could imagine.

As you've all heard, as they say all over again:

 "exchange is not a year in your life, it's a life in a year".

I've found that to be the best sentence to describe this experience. You may or may not understand why.

At this point, I can just say: thank you.

Merci.

Kiitos.

À bientôt.

Just Paris

Yes, I know, it's been a long time since I wrote anything here... Or anywhere. Or did anything. At the moment I'm really stressed about my final exams in here. I know, exchange is not supposed to be just studying or caring about school, but this opportunity was given to me and it would open so many doors to the future if I succeed in it. So, I'll try. I might fail, but at least I've tried. These are some photos from my trip to Paris a while ago, to see my mother and my sister and the Järvinen girls. It was awesome to catch up since a very long time!

Feeding birds ^^

I like this picture. I like this country.

The line to go to Versailles was something like this. You can't even see it all in the photo... But still, we waited. It was interesting to see how the royal people lived, in a summer place! Think about it.

See you all soon!

Suomi-ilta

Kun vaihdoin hostperhettä vikaa kertaa, kutsuin kaikki kolme hostperhettä mun tokan perheen taloon viettämään iltaa. Päivä meni kokkaillessa, mutta tutustutin ne kaikki Suomen upeaan ruokakulttuuriin!

When I changed hostfamilies for the last time, I invited all my hostparents to the second house to spend a finnish evening. I spent the whole day cooking, but introduced everyone to the fabulous food culture of Finland : )

Alkudrinkki: salmari. Tein sen salmiakista ja vodkasta

For apéro: salty liquorice flavored vodka

Hostäidit tykkäs siitä, yks jopa pyysi reseptin!

Alkupalat: ruisnappeja ruohosipulivoilla ja lohella

Alkuruoka: karjalanpiirakat!

(can't translate all these because they don't have names in english, but enjoy the photos!)

Pääruoka: lohikeittoa ja ruisleipää!

Jälkkäri: vatkattu puolukkapuuro

Lopuks fazerin suklaata, korvapuusteja ja lakkalikööriä! 

Oli ihan parasta päästä pitkästä aikaa syömään suomalaista ruokaa!

It was wonderful to eat finnish food again!

Yhteiskuva kaikista

 Minä ja 1. hostvanhemmat

Me with first hostparents

Ja tokat

And the second

Ja kolmannet! (hostäiti seisoo tuolilla ettei näyttäis niin lyhyeltä)

And the third ones! (hostmom standing on a chair to not look so short)

Kun ihmiset tekevät sinut onnelliseksi

Kuten viime postauksessa mainitsin, erittäin hyvät ystävät Leo ja Henri kävi täällä mun luona kylässä. En oikein tiedä mitä aiheesta kertoa, muuta kuin että oli ihan mahtavaa. Kiitos että jaksoitte tulla tapaamaan, arvostan sitä tosi paljon.

My two very good friends Leo and Henri came here to visit me. I don't know what to tell, except that it was awesome. Thank you for making the effort to meet me, I appreciate it a lot.

Ihan täydellinen aamupala, todella pitkästä aikaa.

Perfect breakfast since a long time.

Leon ja Henrin vähemmän terveellinen, ranskalaistyylin nutella-aamiainen.

Awesome finnish liqueur! Lapponia lakka.

pique-nique!

Ja loppuhuipennus: tältä näyttää kun australialaiselle ja taiwanilaisella syöttää salmiakkia.

(Mara and Jimmy eating the finnish liquorice)