Too Happy to be Homesick: How I Was Adopted By the Finns

Six months, minus thirty degrees, and a whole lot of coffee was how our relationship began, and now, my dear Finland, after all that we’ve been through, how will I ever learn to live without sauna?

I have submerged myself into the culture by using my pale skin as a camouflaging mechanism and thankfully the Finns have accepted me as one of their own. I may need to introduce myself by saying “MOI, MINÄ OLEN MACKIE JA OLEN KANADASTA SIKSI PUHUN NIIN PALJON!” (hello, I am Mackie, and I am from Canada so that's why I talk so much) but I think that they appreciate the honesty and get a good laugh from my accent.

School-wise everything is going very well, I completed my 3^rd exam week, which sadly means my school year is more than halfway over. My exams went very well and I’m pleased that Spanish, Finnish, and French are progressing nicely. Our new jakso has started also, I am taking Russian, Spanish, Chemistry, Physics, Math, and Ethics, it sounds like a heavy course load but you all know how I feel about math and science. For anyone that forgot or didn’t know – math is my life. I’m glad that this year I will be able to keep up with my studies and prepare myself for university next year.

I went on another skiing trip this January with my first host family, it was so nice to reconnect with them and enjoy the winter in Levi. We spent our time skiing and also visited one of the Finnish spa that was located there. At the spa I met a Rotarian from Tampere, who told me that his club also had an exchange student! Sometimes I think as a foreigner I attract conversation, but every time it makes me realize how relevant the quote “it’s a small world after all” has become, in my life. There was also a fencing competition that weekend so my host sister Linnea and I helped set up the equipment and watched the competitions. It was an amazing weekend of relaxing, skiing, fencing, and socializing!

Also we had our Wanhat presentation! The day consisted of hair and makeup at 8:00, then we had our first dance at the sports hall near our school at 12:00. My partner Andrea and I had an amazing time and I think the audience really appreciated our smiling faces, we enjoyed every minute of the presentation. Afterwards we had enough time for some quick photos and hellos then we were off to Ouluhalli for our second presentation at 15:00, I think that everyone was feeling a bit tired, but once the music started and all 1000+ people were dancing together, the entire hall lit up and the presentation was spectacular.

My weather report consists of a neighbour’s car being stuck in ice for the past month. Each day on my walk to school I would check to see if the car tires were still half frozen in the ice. About three weeks ago I noticed a man trying to chip away the ice, but I figured he was unsuccessful because the car was still there the next day. The plot thickens as of Friday, a whole +3 degrees, the ice melted enough, and on my way home from school I could hear some extremely strange noises, and I turned the corner and there was a smiley man in his car, finally driving down the street. Maybe this is a good sign; the end (of winter) is near.

I also tried winter swimming, this is a rare hobbie even for Finns, but I was lucky enough to have a winter swimmer in my Rotary club, so she invited me and another exchange student to go swimming with her. We planned the event one week in advance, therefore I had seven days, to prepare myself. Now I know you’re probably thinking “how does one prepare themselves to go winter swimming?”. Well I did it by taking cold showers, slowly decreasing the temperature as the days progressed. Friday came way too quickly, and before I knew it I was nervously standing in my boots and bathing suit convincing myself to get in. Once I finally built up the confidence to test the water, I realized my cold showers did not help at all, the water was much colder than anticipated. But I did go in the water and even swim around a bit before instantaneously climbing out and screaming for my towel. Afterwards I couldn’t help but feel proud that I went swimming in February, maybe I can put it on my resume?

Yesterday my host-family and I took a family road trip to Kemi where we visited the Ice Castle/Hotel. The artwork and architecture was absolutely stunning and I was so impressed that it was all made completely out of ice. The entire castle was so well done, it was hard to believe that everything was just temporary and I can’t imagine how the contributors will feel when it melts away.

Today I went ice skating and horseback riding. I have a good friend that does both of these activities really well, so she has worn off on me and I have picked up two new hobbies! (not that I needed any more, right mom? #busygirl)

Over the past month I’ve had more cultural experience than one can ever imagine, and I’m glad that finally I have taken a step back to give everyone back home, and abroad, a small glimpse of the my home away from home.

On that note, here are some pictures/videos.

Mackie