GIRLS NIGHT OUT!

Yesterday it was finally the end of the week. Although, I did not go to school most of the week as I was at home sick, sadly :(. However, Friday feeling better it was off to my only class Psychology for the day. After school it was back home for a few hours, cleaned the bedroom, then got ready to go out.
Last night I had a girls night out with Emmi. We went for a lovely dinner together at Fransmanni a lovely french inspired restaurant. It was great to have a meal out and just hang out with my girl. We had an amazing dessert of chocolate macaroons and we just talked and laughed. It was a really nice evening!

xxtrueaussiesheila

VILAVSLUTNING

It has taken me several weeks but I finally have some photos of Villavslutning.
Villavslutning is a celebration of the end of summer. It is something that is only celebrated in the Swedish speaking parts of Finland, so lucky for me that I live in Vaasa.
I spent the weekend at my host family's summer cottage with my host family and some other exchaneg students. It was a great weekend and it was especially cool because we got to let off our own fireworks which is something you just can't do in Australia.
We also went, swimming, sauna, in the hot tub, berry picking and just spent some time with eachother it was really nice.

xxtrueaussiesheila

WE DON'T REMEMBER DAYS WE REMEMBER MOMENTS

It is now a new school week, so it is time to be open minded and ready to focus once again. But now before I give you all the lowdown on the past weekend, which by the way was great! It was just what I needed to get over my homesickness and remind myself of just why I am here, having the best experience of my life.
So this past weekend was spent mainly with some great friends. On Saturday it was an early wake up of 6am so I could catch trains and head off to Särkänniemi for the day. Särkänniemi is a theme park in Tampere about 3 hours away from Vaasa. I spent the day there riding on rollercoasters and visiting Angry Birds Land with some greats friends before heading off back to Vaasa to go to my friendäs house warming party for their new apartment. It was a lot of fun and it wa really nice that it was just all us girl's. That night I spent at Susu and Pinja's place. Then on Sunday I was able to wake up late before going into town to do some shopping with the girl's then it was back home for me. That eveing was spent hanging at home with my host family. I had a great weekend and it is something that I will always remember. 

xxtrueaussiesheila

HOMESICK!

I still completely believe that exchange is the best thing i have ever chosen to do. I feel like it is opening so many doors for me, giving me so many oppurtunites and it has allowed me to meet so many incredible people but it has also made me realise how much I really do love and appreciate my family back home!
Exchange has so many rewarding things but sometimes it can be very difficult. At the moment I am currently very homesick and I know that it is normal and a regular part of exchange but that doesn't mean I don't want it to stop. I really miss my family at the moment, but I am really lucky that not only do we have modern technology so I can communicate with them in so many ways, but also that I have a great host family and great friends who I can talk to about this. I know it will get better soon, but for any current, past or future exchaneg students who might read this you all need to know that while exchaneg might be the most amazing experience of your life it can also be very hard!

xxtrueaussiesheila

TIME FLY'S WAYY TOO FAST!!

So as of yesterday I have been in Finland for 7 months! I honestly still can't believe it at all, it feels as if I have only just arrived. But then I start thinking back on all the amazing things I have been able to do in these last 7 months, the incredible people I have met and the memories that I will have forever, it makes me realise just how lucky I am to be an exchange student.
I sadly only have 5 months left in this amazing country before I go back to Australia and wake up from what seems to be an amazing dream, back to reality, but I know one thing for sure, I am going to make these last few months just as or even more amazing as the last 7.

I have also attached a video that I have made of my first 6 months in Finland. This is just a very small showing of the things I have done in Finland as I think a video with everything may last several days.
Please watch and enjoy

xxtrueaussiesheila

SCHOOL IS BACK!

So I have now just finished my first week of the new school year in Finland and it has actually been pretty good. I am really happy with all of my classes. I am only doing 5 courses this module. I have English. Math, French, Psychology and TOK. Although it sounds like I have a lot of classes it is very few compared to a lot of my friends, I am lucky with my schedule and I have 11 free periods each week and only 2 classes on Monday and Friday. It has been an easy start to the week, which was nice but I know it will only get harder now. With the first week completed it is now time for a good weekend, and to start it off tonight I am going out with my host sister. :)

                                              





xx trueaussiesheila

AND AS THE SUN SETS SO DOES SUMMER!

So today the 13th of August is officially my last day of Summer holidays before it is back to 'reality" well just school work and early morning really. I have had an amazing summer here in Finland, it is been very busy and I have done a lot from travelling to Kotka, to Australia, changing host families and spending time with friends.
My last few days of summer were spent at my host family's summer cottage with my host sister. We were able to sauna and swim, as well as do some rowing to some nearby island which was extremely fun but very wet as we had a water fight and came back to the house completely soaked, lol.
Then today it was my last late wake up before tomorrow then we had breakfast and my host mum, host sister and I had a lovely lunch before my host sister and I went to town to do some shopping for school and to have a coffee at Aschan. Tonight we will relax and prepare ourselves for tomorrow morning when school starts again.
Wish me luck!

P.S. Sadly only 5 months of my amazing exchange year left :(

xx trueaussiesheila