Hyvää Syntymäpäivä // Happy Birthday

Although I wrote on my blog just 10 days ago, it feels like a month has gone by. My birthday was last week, and I was so busy, I don't know how I didn't collapse in the middle of it!
I was living with my first host family for the week because my current host parents were out of the country on respective vacations. We didn't have school last Thursday or Friday, because of religious holidays, so I had a 4 day weekend to celebrate my birthday! Marika and I made plans to go out to dinner on Wednesday, after school. We were going to go eat at a restaurant in Varkaus, a nearby town, but when her grandpa came to pick us up, instead of driving us to Varkaus, he made a turn to the local hotel and dropped us off in front of a summer cottage! Inside, all my friends from the Wanhat Tanssi (that dance we had in Februrary) were waiting for me, with cake and presents and all! I'm still in shock from the surprise party-- I've always dreamed of having one, but it's one of those dreams that you can't really fulfill on your own. Thankfully, I've made some really amazing friends here in Finland who love me enough to throw a party for me. We danced and ate pizza, and stayed up until the sun rose (which was around 3 or 4AM). This is one of those memories that I know I won't forget for the rest of my life- I've had a lot of those this year!

After a "recovery day" on Thursday from my surprise party, I was back at it again on Friday, my actual birthday. I was woken up by a cheerful round of "Happy Birthday", first in Finnish, then in English, and got hugs from all 4 of my Finnish sisters, and my (host) parents. We don't do that at home, so it was really surprising to me when, before I could even brush my hair, people were singing to me. Around 10 o'clock, we left for Kuopio, where we first did some shopping (and I guiltily bought myself some birthday presents), and then went to eat at a Viking restaurant (that was a surprise too!). All the waitresses and waiters were dressed in period pieces, and we had traditional Finnish food from the viking times, like smoked reindeer liver and smoke sauna pork. It was delicious! Once our pants started feeling tight, we left for some coffee, because we're in Finland, and we can always make coffee fit, no matter how full we are. Once we got home from Kuopio, I didn't have any plans, so I called my friend Jenna, and she asked  me to come watch ice hockey with her and her boyfriend's friends. After the game, we just hung out, and then decided to go to the local bar- my first bar experience as an adult! It was fun, although very empty. We ended up going home around two, but it was still a fun way to spend my birthday. I always have fun in Jenna's company!
The next day, Saturday, I slept for a long time, and then headed over to Julia's house, a girl from high school who lived for a time in the U.S. We had all kind of little snacks and flavored coffee drinks, and we got dressed up to go to a bar in Kuopio. That was quite a different experience from the local one, and we just danced all night long. Needless to say, I was exhausted on Sunday! But I still got up to celebrate Mother's Day with my host mom. She's done so much for me, getting up early on a Sunday is nothing if it means I can show her I care! She's really become like my own mom, and, like the rest of my host family, I love her like my own. There's no question that I will see her again in the coming years!
Here's a picture from me and the girls in Kuopio:

Me and Jenna on the lake at a summer cottage earlier this week. <3 

Kevät!

So it's been about a month since I've last made an entrance, and last you heard Finland was still in full winter. In the last couple of weeks though, spring (kevät) has hit us hard-finally. Of course all Finnish people were telling me about how long this winter has been (as if I needed to be told). But now flowers are starting to bloom, I saw the first mosquito of the season, and the temperature has been rounding off at a good 7 degrees Celcius (that's about 44F). The sun rises between 4AM and 5AM and sets just around 10PM. While for most people this means less sleep and longer days, I find it refreshing after several months of utter darkness. The light changes so quickly- in just a couple of weeks the sun will be setting at 11:30 and rising around 3AM. To me, it seems like a miracle. Having lived all my life with "average" sunlight, I realize how precious light is and I've learned to appreciate the sun so much more.
Along with my appreciation for sunlight and warmth, I've come to notice a huge change in myself. Where before I dreaded going outside, opting for the sanctuary of my dark bedroom with a good movie or book, I have started spending larger and larger amounts of time outside. Maybe it's because in Finnish culture, where nature and outdoor life is a major part of everyday routines, or maybe it's because after 4 months of being forcibly kept inside by bone chilling temperatures and snow storms I'm itching just to feel the breeze in my hair. In any case, I know I'll being spending my entire summer outside this year, soaking up the sun (and fighting off mosquitoes).
On another note, my days in Finland are dwindling down. Only about 70 left; the closer I get to the finish line, the more valuable my days become. Although I've been missing home a lot lately, I know that my time here is soon at an end, and I realize how much I've become attatched to this eccentric nordic culture. I hate to say goodbye to what has been such a life altering time, but in many ways I find I am prepared, because of my year in Finland, to face the rest of my life. I realize that I have been blessed in so many ways, and that I have the time and ability to do anything with my life. My experience as an exchange student has showed me so many new things that I know now how lucky I am to be alive.
Here's a few pictures of some stuff that I've been up to lately...
Me and my friend Marika :)

 

Me and a group of friends when we went to a summer cottage (mind you, I call it a summer cottage, but there was still a foot of snow when we were there) :

Me and Amanda, my host sister from the first host family I had in fall. She got back recently from her exchange in New York, and we've been fast friends although we just met recently! Hän on niin kuin oma sisko! <3 :

I went with my first host family to an Easter celebration at their relative's house (yes, it was Easter, and yes, that's the lake frozen behind me, and yes, we walked across the lake that day). Anyway, I got the chance to try shooting a gun-- and got the bulls eye! I obviously have natural talent... I'm expecting a call from the FBI any day now. Or maybe just the Finnish Army (I don't want to get my hopes up too high):

Me and Amanda, and our little sister Loviisa:

Here are some pictures from when me and a few friends went to another summer cottage:

Here are a few pictures from my dance performance yesterday. We've been practicing for 3 months and finally got to show it off yesterday at the spring show. All the dance groups performed, and I was amazed by the amount of talent there is in our dance company! :