New Beginnings

Almost two months since I have updated and lots has happened. November was a good month, lots of snow and very cold. That of course is something that November has in common with December, and January, and Febuary for that matter. The best part of November was the Thanksgiving dinner I cooked for my host family. It was my first undertaking of such a huge menu, not to mention my first turkey. I got up around 9:30 to get the turkey ready and into the over by 10. I spent pretty much the rest of the day up to 18.00, when we ate, cooking. I cooked turkey, candied sweet potatoes, gravy, lingonberry sauce, mashed potatoes my host dad did, sauced asparagus, and... other stuff. I can't remember what all it was, but that is the main gist of it. It was a lot of work, but it was all ready to eat on time and none of it was raw or burned! I have to say I am still pretty proud of it. It was a really nice dinner, and I think my host family enjoyed the American tradition. After that I ended up going to a dance club with some friends which was another experience all on its own.

Christmas and the whole season was a fantastic way to get to know the Finnish and their traditions even better. First off, because it is SO DARK, and I really mean this, what with the sun setting around 2:30, people kept assuring me that with the Christmas lights and deocrations things wouldn't seem so dark. So I was expecting the stellar light show we get each year in the States with houses becoming little lightbulbs. I was extremely surprised to find that my defenition of Christmas lights and the finnish defenition are a bit different. They employ a moderate method of one string of lights on the roof, maybe, and some festive candles. The candles are beautiful so nothing wrong there. But for me it still seemed a little dark and less festive than I anticipated. Most houses don't get the Christmas tree until relatively close to Christmas. Decorations are very nice inside, although once again a bit less extravagent than what I am used to. Christmas Eve is the big day in Finland and we celebrated then. My host family prepared a large dinner, delicious, including ham and mashed potatoes and salads and so on. It was very yummy. After dinner Joulupukki visited and dropped off his presents. And I mean this literally, I have the picture with him to prove it! We opened all our presents on Christmas Eve and I was wonderfully surprised with some amazing gifts. Christmas day my host family and I went to a church service at 8 in the morning... it was... cold. My host family was telling me that in recent years it has become more popular to attend the Christmas Eve service than the Christmas morning. That seems natural to me but I guess in years past the church was usually full up bright and early Christmas morning.

A few days after Christmas I switched to my second host family. It was sad to say goodbye to my first family but exciting to meet a new one. I had already met my host sister in school and I had been introduced to my host mom and brother a time or two. My new family lives about 10 km out of town. Their house is the cutest thing, I love it. More than loving the house though I am loving this family. It is good to have siblings again and nice to have some change. I have been with this family a few weeks now and it has been going great. My only complaint is that I have to ride a bike, in the snow and ice. I hate riding bikes, add that to negative degree weather, snow, ice, and early mornings and you have one unhappy Dana. But alas, it is just another experience and it will be a good story to tell when I am old... super exciting. I have not fallen off the bike though so kudos to me.

My finnish is coming along. I think I have really been improving these last few weeks and hopfully with the increase of lessons and speaking with my family I will get that much better. All in good time. From now it looks like I am going to be leaving on July 13 or 14. I told Nancy that the first things I want when I get back are a Dutch bros coffee and an Oregon Burrito from Muchas Gracias, and a side order of beans and rice from them as well. I am craving Taco Bell and Burger King and all those unhealthy fast foods. Voi ei!

Well I promise to not procrastinate this long before I write again, but until then!