Finland 2012-2013: July 2013

I went to Helsinki in April with my host mom, her friend and her friends daughter, Alisa. We visited the city but unfortunately it was raining the whole weekend so I don't have many good pictures. Helsinki is pretty small compared to Toronto but it is so much different. The city is NOT a grid, which is the most confusing thing. I had no idea where we were at all. I went to Helsinki for a day again in the beginning of May for a Rotary thing but I didn't take very many pictures then either cuz it was raining AGAIN. I'm convinced it rains in Helsinki all the time.

In the end of April, I went to St Petersburg, Russia with the rest of the exchange students. It was a great 4 days and Russia is really beautiful but I was so glad to be back in Finland.

Vappu in my school. The day when the retired teachers have a celebration and the whole day is like Labor Day in Canada but its more of a celebration. Its the biggest drinking holiday in Finland, other than Midsummer. These are all the teachers in my school with their white caps (which students recieve when they graduate).

On Vappu, I went to the highest waterfall in Finland with my host parents. It's May 1st in this picture and theres still snow on the ground.

My host parents at Korkeakoski.

Weather started to get warmer in the middle of May!! Since then it has been friggen hot. It was 33 one day, which is REALLY hot for Finland. Usually it is 23-26, at the warmest. In the end of May, Finland was the warmest country in Europe!!

Aku's house

Host brothers jumping on the trampoline.

My host family!

Julia (Aku's niece)

Sunset!! :)

Aku, Markku and Arja. They are like my 4th family.

Reetta, Aku's sister.

Anna, Aku's other sister.

I don't know why this is upside down but me, Finja (Germany) and Mara (Italy), my two best exchange friends from my school.

Me saying my goodbye speech at school. :(

Me swimming in the lake with Julia (2 years old)

We had our district conference in Kotka, Southern Finland. All of our districts exchange students were there.

Sarah and I sitting on the dock, Lucie and Maddy making the heart.

Rotary Jacket is pretty full!

Sarah. I swear this girl might be my long lost sister. Living just in New York State, we plan to meet up often. We have a theory that we are sisters and were born in Niagara Falls and then separated at birth and I was adopted by Canadians and she was adopted by Americans.

Our whole district. I'm not the only Canadian but one went home early and the other doesn't have a red jacket because she's from an American/Canadian district.

Sarah, Lucie, me and Maddy <3

For Juhannus (Midsummer), which is the longest day of the year. I went to Kajaani with my host family. We had a typical finnish night. Food, sauna and sunsets. We went fishing at like midnight. the sun set behind the trees for about an hour and then came back up again.

Lettuja, like Crepes. These are a VERY popular finnish summer food. cooked on a grill outside and eaten with ice cream, jam, or chocolate sauce.

Aku and I fishing. I tried to get him to take a picture with me but i just ended up taking them of myself :D

We caught like 40 small fish and then Aku's mom made Kalakukko. Fish pie. You cut off the fish heads and then cook them inside this bread for a few hours. ITS DISCUSTING.

The best part about Finnish summer, BERRIES!!!

and sunsets :D

This picture was taken at 11pm, watching the sunset on a lake near Roosa's house.

This is at the top of the ski hill in my town. We went up there at 2am and stayed until like 3, watching the sky and the lakes and the view. Then, the mosquitoes were too much to handle and we had to leave.

Slept in a tent in Roosa's backyard.

Celebrated Canada Day in a Smoke Sauna at my Rotary President's house. Basically, you make a fire inside this house during the day, let all the smoke sit inside all day and then you go to sauna in there. It smells really bad but feels really good.