Bunch of pictures

Well hello!
It has been while (a huge while) since I wrote last time. I need to say: time is just flying by! I can't believe that I have been here already for three months. I am still really happy I made a choice to be an exchange student. I have had so much fun and good new experiences. I decided to share some pictures from past few months because one picture tells more than thousand words...

Bobbing for apples 

Germans + two Scandinavians

Our school got some guests from Germany for two weeks and my family was hosting two of them, Henrike and Time. We were able to participate their program every now and then. Together we went bowling, to haunted hayride and haunted house and had a nice bonfire and some games like bobbing for apples and baseball. We had pretty much fun!! During their visit we had two field trips from school. One to Amish community and other one to Holocaust museum. I enjoyed both. We had a dinner in Amish home and were able to learn something about their culture. In the museum there was woman who had survived from holocaust and she told her story to us. That was really eyeopening and I learned a lot!

Sooo many good memories

Good day with my team 

SWIAC all conference banquet

I am finally realizing that cross country season is now over. I had so good time and we made so many unforgetable memories that it was sad to be ready with all those races. But now basketball season has started. I play mostly junior varsity because I have no experience but I hope I can improve so much that I can help also varsity. We have had one jv game this far and I really enjoyed it even though we lost by a lot. I think it didn't last long enough. I would have been ready to play an other one haha! I am so excited about our next game which is today.

Listening to the National anthem

Last week I had also birthday and we celebrated it twice with my family. First at grandma's on Sunday dinner when it was also grandpa's birthday and then at home in the real day. We also went to lazer tagging with two of my brothers, their friend and my sister. It was sooo fun, I recommend ;)

Birthday cupcakes... yumm

Grandpa

I love my Norwegian sister!

Trick or treat?

And yeah! It was Halloween and we really went trick or treating. Probably someone asked if we are too old for that but we had fun :D It was cold night and wind was freezing but my choice for outfit was perfect - that camouflage thing was pretty warm!

It snowing here now. Turned from warm fall weather to this winter weather quite quick... Just waiting to be able to go sledding and build a snowman lol!!

- Maija -

Cross Country

Howdy! My six weeks here have been really quick. Maybe fastest month and half of my life this far. Everything has been going at least fine. School is getting easier language-wise and I have got many new awesome friends. I have been able to get to know many new people through my fall sport, cross country. I have had pretty much fun with it and I'm really happy I chose it to my fall sport. I decided to tell more about it and to post a bunch of pictures of our cross country meetings here too! Almost all pictures are taken by Julie Reynolds, mother of one runner from boys' team. Thank you for that!

This far we have had four meetings. Two last week and two this week. Three first ones were smaller and there were 4 to 5 different schools running. Yesterday was bigger invitational and we competed with 16 schools. Distance that we run in meetings 5k or 3,1M. Courses are pretty different but usually we run mostly on grass. There is always parents, siblings or friends watching and cheering for us. I really like it! Usually even other teams cheer for you and it makes you feel better and stronger. Personally I have not been so big fan of running a long distance but running here has changed me in that thing.

During first weeks my legs were quite tired and they felt weird because I wasn't used to run like this everyday. I have learned to enjoy going to run and keep going even when it doesn't feel so good. I have also noticed that my endurance has improved already.

Our first meet was in North View High School in Brazil. It was thundering and lightning so we weren't able to start running when we should have started. We were waiting in our school bus almost an hour. When we finally started the weather was quite nice and actually the waiting turned out as a good thing because it had been so hot during the day that it was little bit cooler when sun wasn't shining so much.

Runrunrun

Waiting means time for team selfies!

The second meet was just two days after the first one. It was called Greene County invitational. Our team was second team-wise and we had three of us in top four individually. The weather was hot hot hot so times were not so good and it actually felt horrible haha.

Waiting for a gun in Greene County

Me and Mariah finishing, my face tells everything

All Greene County Team

Our next meet seemed to be easy one to win and so we did. It was hot weather and the course was really sunny, no shade at all, so times were not the best but again we had fun together and that's the most important! Boys did well too. There were five Lakers in top 5. I like better when we girls have our race before boys because then we are able to just relax and we don't need to care of getting too tired if we just want to run around and cheer for boys. Cheering for each other is really important here and it really makes difference. It feels good when also other teams cheers for you. It makes the whole competition to feel like big family meeting.

Boys running...

First Saturday meet and big invitational was in Martinsville, an hour from our school. There were about 15 teams which competed against us. I really liked the course, it was fast. Before I was excited because this was the first morning meet and I think I prefer running in the mornings more than after school. It felt good. Weather was also cooler. The big amount of runners made all of us also push harder. We were 3rd as a team and I am so happy and proud of everyone! Boys did great too, they were 6th.

After race cheering for others

Cool down, it was raining which made "cooling" easier (not quite actually)

Too necessary snapchats :D I love this team!

Happy girls Liz and Mariah in award ceremony

Clay and Billy

Individually 25 best ones got a medals. Clay, Billy and Gavin from boys' team

The weather is getting cooler and we are still running in our little uniforms which are not so warming. That means: run faster - "The faster you run, the faster you are done!". After this meet we were really nervous. We wanted to win, of course! But we were not sure if we did. When our coach knew the results he did not told us... that's mean! Just kidding! In award ceremony when we heard the results we were pretty happy :)

Liz is awesome runner and awesome person as well :)

Shayley finishing

Still not knowing about the results...

Sixth meet was Washington Invitational. Just saying; it was not in Washington D.C. (as someone like me maybe thought in some point) but it was in Washington, Indiana, about an hour ride with bus. The weather was even colder but all of us did good: everyone set new PRs. The course was like 150 yards too short, but still if we add something to our times we can be happy! And we got a trophy, yayy!! Afterwards I was so tired. Usually when we go to our Saturday meets we have to wake up like 6am because race starts about 9am. Everyone has their pillows in the bus and the athmosphere in the bus is quite sleepy. I have been trying to learn to take a nap when I come home and I have learned it. I wasn't able to sleep during day usually. But it helps and then I have the rest of the day to be more energetic and awake haha!

Girls' team and our coach

Boys' team and their coach

I don't know about this! They are... well... funny!! I think this is good picture to stop with...

This was really cross country concentrated post but it actually is one of the most important free-time-things to me here. I really enjoy running and spending time with all those great people in the team! I am sorry I haven't been posting for a while. Actually I was going to make this and I was writing this already a week ago but technical problems lol... I will try to write about something else soon!

- Maija -

What's up?!?

Hi! Two weeks of my American life is now behind. I still don't know what to say when someone asks "What's up". It doesn't matter. I have still managed with my English. My host-mom even said that my English skills have already improved. I haven't noticed that. I feel like I all the time when I am trying to say something I realize that I don't have enough words to explain what I mean. But as I said I have managed well. Sometimes trough maybe a little bit awkward moments when I have to ask what someone means when she/he is using some word, but it's just fun.

I love those school buses!!

School has been fine. US History is difficult because there is so much difficult words that are unknown even for them who have English as the first language. I just have to concentrate more on our text book (which is btw as heavy as elephant). Math and Chemistry are getting easier when I'm learning right terms and the ways to learn which they use here. Applied Music is fun. We are learning to play guitar and I finally feel that I can do it! I have always hated to play guitar in school because it has felt impossible for my fingers.

Few days ago hot weather became here. We have practice every day after school and I'm not yet used to 1. to run that much every day and 2. to run in hot weather. We decided to practice some days before school so it's not as hot as after school. Today we had our first morning practice. It was extremely humid but cooler. I really enjoyed it and it felt much better than few other days. I have my first cross country meeting (competition) on next Tuesday. I am so nervous but excited too!

A little article about cross country as well as the picture below, can be found here.

Shakamak high school girls cross country team: me, Mariah, Liz, Shayley, Kinsley, Brooklyn and Kaitlyn

I have been in church now twice, on both Sundays. We go to the Baptist church. It's quite close to my religion, Lutheran. Main points are the same. Going to church is just a lot different to Finland. I feel like it's more relaxed here and people are not so silent as I am used to. It might be so because people go to church usually very often. A part of service is "prayer requests and praises". Then everyone gets opportunity to ask others to pray for something or every now and then someone thank those who have prayed and something good has happened. I think that's interesting how freely people tell so personal things to whole church.

I have gotten to know many new friends and I'm looking forward to see new people. It's quite easy here because with whoever you are where-ever, you can be 120% sure you will meet someone, who the person with you knows and of course she/he introduces you to him/her. That's the one of many pluses of little town.

I already feel like this really is my other home.

- Maija -

The First Day of School

Yesterday I had my first day of this American school. Simply, I really liked it. Most of people were so kind and came to talk. If I was waiting for something and just standing in the hallway, there was always someone asking: "Are you looking for a classroom?" I absolutely felt like I am welcome to this school!

I go to Shakamak Jr./Sr. High School. I'm junior. The school is pretty small compared to usual American schools. I find it great because then it's easier to get to know most of the people and it feels more like an other home. It's also harder to get lost when school isn't so huge!

Everyday I have seven classes. My school day starts at 8 am and ends 3 pm. I chose my classes in the school office few days ago. I took Chemistry, Maths, Advanced Music, Study Hall, English, US History and Advanced PE. 

Chemistry and Maths are some kind of college classes. Now in the beginning they seems quite difficult. I now what topics we are talking about but when I don't know the right terms I'm little bit lost. But luckily just a little. I'm sure everything will be clear when I learn more!

In Study Hall we have opportunity to do our homework etc. Yesterday we didn't have any so we were allowed to chat with each other. Well then I really got the chance to learn a lot! Like not about any school subject but speaking English in real life. There were few boys and it seemed like it was the meaning of their lifes to ask questions! It was fun. I didn't got all (lol any of them) the jokes but that's fine. Now I'll understand more than before. I feel like I'm learning something new all the time.

Advanced PE is my last class everyday. There is actually just two of us! Me and then one senior boy. But there is freshmen's PE at the same time so we will do something with them and if we don't feel to be doing the same, then we will simply do something else.

After school I had cross country running practice. I was surprised how fun it was! I have never run in that kind of woods. We ran in the Shakamak state park which is quite near our school. It was beautiful and air was fresh!

I'm happy to be able to attend this school! Can't wait for Monday!

- Maija -

The Beginning...

My name is Maija. I'm 16 years old high school student from southern Finland. Next year I'll be an exchange student in Indiana, United States of America. I'm writing this blog especially for my family and friends who stay in Finland. I'll write in English to improve my English skills and so that my host-family and American friends are able to read this also.

I'll live in small town about 200 km from the capital Indianapolis. There I'll go to school which is located 5 km from my host family's house.

Before last Autumn I hadn't never thought about going exchange myself. I had just heard about other's experiences. Then I started to think what if I'd go. I was thinking that for a while and I was sure I WANT to go. As YFU's motto says (freely translated): "it doesn't matter where you go if you at least go". I wanted to learn about different cultures and language skills would get better at the same time. I decided that my first choise is USA, Great Britannia would have also been good but many organizations don't do student exchange there. My second choise was Germany but I thought I'd rather improve my English skills. Of course Germany would have been great too.

In Autumn I started to search information about exchange and I applied trought few organizations. I think I was little bit too late because in many countries there were no more places for exchange students. Luckily I still got mine. If you want to be an exchange student, I recommend you to start early, like in August or earlier. I have been filling in sooo much papers and stuff but I'm sure this year will be worth of it and much more!

Information about my host family came in April. I was so happy because I had no idea when they will come. It would be possible that I'll be flying to the USA and have no information about my host family. But I was lucky!

In the beginning of summer I was just really excited about next year. A month ago I realized how much I will miss everything in Finland. Well, now I haven't yet realized that after one week I won't be here anymore for ten months. I'm still very excited. I know there will be ups and downs but I know that this won't be just a year in my life, this will be my other life in a year.

- Maija -