School again

Second day back: done.  I was afraid to start school this year because I had a lot of holiday homework to be complited, but because I didn't see it being a priority I didn't really end up doing anything.  You can say that that's pretty lazy, but to be honest the reason I'm here is not to study hard. The goal is to get to know a lot people, travel and see Australia and the most important of all, have good time. 

This year the timetables are really full and we are meant to be busy all the time.  Last year of school and soon time for the big exams, makes sense.  But is it my last year; no, is this what is in my syllabus back home; no, am I getting advantages of these studies back home; probably no.  So getting almost the same amount of work as everyone else in my year was in my consideration a bit unfair.  Now my host families, Rotary and even the principal of my school agree with me, so this half shouldn't be too bad.  :) 

There are a lot of changes in my school this year, so even though I've already been here for six months there's still something new to get used to.  The biggest change, which affects to pretty much everything, is that before the students were on different sides of the road; kindergarden and primary school on the other one and we here, but now everyone is on this side.  900 people, others in age of five, others 18.  For me it seems to be a really weird solution because back home this is exactly what they try to avoid; huge schools with hundreds of people in different ages.  Kindergarden, primary school, secondary school and high school all in the same; I personally can't see many advantages in that. 

And because we are all in the same area, there are different bells going for people in different ages.  Luckily the youngest ones are having their breaks mainly on different times so it's not as crazy as it could be.  But to make that possible, instead of our seven 45 minute periods we're now having six 52 minute ones.  52 minutes is quite random length, so due to that our day starts at 8.58 and because we're not having a roll call in the mornings we have to be on time in the mornings to avoid the trouble of going to the office and getting it all explained.  So starting at two to nine means that our day goes like this:

Period 1:  8.58 - 9.50

Period 2:  9.50 - 10.42

Recess:  10.42 - 11.02

Roll call:  11.02 - 11.12

Period 3:  11.12 - 12.04

Period 4:  12.04 - 12.56

Lunch:  12.56 - 1.36
Period 5:  1.36 - 2.28
Period 6:  2.28 - 3.20

Quite a few random times to remember!  At least we get to eat a bit earlier... :D

Getting ready to go to the lesson starting 28 past,

Liisa

Excitement!

Today I had the fullest day.  Or maybe I wasn't even that busy thinking back my great Newcastle time; I guess this is just a normal day being an exchange student.  I was actually asked earlier today when is my next free weekend for catching up, and my answer was "There's a change for free weekend in mid March".  Haha I like doing so many things at the same time; got to enjoy it now because it'll be so different when I get back.  

But about today, I started school, the first 'first day of the school year' day in Australia, how exciting!  I definitely wasn't looking forward that, but I have to admit it was good to see people.  We have a lot of changes in my school this year, hopefully I can tell about them soon.  But after I got home from school I started getting ready for my second Rotary presentation.  In Singleton the club has split in half, and the other one wanted to get to know me as well so I went down today.  It was really nice evening and my presentation was a success again. :)

Pleased hearing that I'm very good ambassador for my country,

Liisa

Day trip

We spent yesterday in Morpeth, and at eight o'clock we started a torch tour in Maitland jail.  Morpeth was a cute little place full of tiny shops.

The jail tour was quite interesting because the guide was an ex prisoner.  Maitland jail is the place where they used to put all the worst criminals, but obviously the guide wasn't a murderer or rapist; anyway he had been in three times so he knew what actually happens inside. 

We visited all the different wings and cells while the guide told us stories what had happened and where the Australia's biggest criminals were kept.

So now I know how to make a knife out from cigarette, how to kill someone with pen and how to tie someone to bed with toilet paper.  Eh.  

Knows couple of dangerous tricks now,

Liisa

Flights back

I got my flight details this week!  To be happy or not to be, that is the question...

I checked my old blog post about the flights to Australia;  how weird it is to think that that moment was just a bit more than half a year ago.  How I was so unsure what's there to come, I was waiting for the big adventure to begin.  I don't regret anything I've done so it's not like I wanted to start again, but it makes me kinda sad that soon all of this will be over.  But on the other hand, there's still half waiting for me, the busy half, the more adventurous half with less school.  Doesn't that sound great! 

So this was the route FROM FINLAND TO AUSTRALIA:

Tuesday 19.7. Helsinki - Copenhagen   (this flight takes 1h 40min)
Tuesday 19.7. Copenhagen - Singapore   (this flight takes 12 hours)

Wednesday 20.7. - Saturday 23.7.  time in Singapore

Saturday 23.7. Singapore - Sydney   (this flight takes 7h 45min) 

And the route FROM AUSTRALIA TO FINLAND:

Sunday 8.7. Sydney - Singapore   (leaving 15.15, arriving 21.40)

Sunday 8.7. Singapore - Frankfurt   (leaving 23.55, arriving 6.35)

Monday 9.7. Frankfurt - Helsinki   (leaving 11.45, arriving 15.10)

So because of the time differences it takes me almost exact 24 hours to get home.  Home.  Hihi I'm actually kinda looking forward that.  

Enjoying last holiday weekend in a while,

Liisa

Last Monday

This post is about our Monday in Newcastle.  After bowling (I didn't win so no more about that :D) we went to a special beach one of us knew.  It was full of shells and there were no other people there. 

Photos above from Bec, my best Norwegian friend, whose blog you can read from here! :)

What a great day that was.  :)  Tomorrow we'll make a little day trip which will finish by a visit toMaitland Gaol.  I'll tell you more about it tomorrow, or in case it's too late, on Sunday.

Can't wait to go to the jail,

Liisa

Australia Day

Happy Australia Day!!!  So instead of the traditional beach + barbie, I had a bit different Australia Day.  (Not saying I was the only one not going to the beach, thanks to the amazing weather...) Anyway, I started my day by waking up at 5.45, skyping to my family and getting ready to the Rotary breakfast.  We started cooking at our Civic center at 7.30, and kept going for good 1,5 hours.  After that there was a ceremony for new and rewarded citizens where I sat till till 11.45.  After that we came home, and I enjoyed being the only kid in the family as my host sisters were in Newy and Sydney celebrating with their friends.  After the lunch we decided to go to the Vineyards with my host mum; what a nice trip! :)

And I bought two more cards to add to my collection! :)

Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi,

Liisa

P.S.  Tonight (just to make sure that everything is as nontraditional as possible) I cooked the dinner to my host family for the first time!  And if you were wondering, everyone's still alive and relatively happy considering the situation.  haha :P

Rain, rain, rain

After that you may understand why umbrellas have quickly became my number one accessories... No but seriously, without trying to be mean at all, this is not the summer we were promised.  No sunny, +45 degree days.  I'm ok with this weather, it's just like Finnish summer! :D

I have to wake up early tomorrow morning, because it's Australia day, and I have to participate a Rotary breakfast.  Cooking from 7.30, yay!  Usually everyone goes to the beach on Australia day, but I don't even mind spending half a day in rotary commitments after I've seen the forecast...

Waiting for THE summer,

Liisa

½ a year here

What has actually happened in half a year?!  

When I was travelling to Newcastle yesterday we had the greatest conversation with one of my favorite exchange friends.  With her we talked about the differences compared to Scandinavia, and  what we've experienced so far.  It's great to have someone who's fun to be around and thinks in the same way.  After that discussion I'm finally getting over my ridiculous problem with the outbounds leaving; I guess it's talking that always helps. :)

I'm actually surprised that I've already spent half of my year; where are the disasters I was promised?! Haha, but really, it has been way easier than I expected it to be.  Only problems so far are in my head.  Sounds so stupid but your emotions just get wild!!  It's hard to explain, and I bet really hard to understand as well if you haven't experienced this.  One day you feel that you've never been happier, the next day you are close to be depressed and just want to cry.  One day you feel like you belong here and you never want to go back, the next day you feel ready to take the next plane home. One day you love the people you live with, the next one you get annoyed because they don't understand anything.  Or doesn't even need to be the next day; next minute is ok as well!!  And one more thing: sometimes you just feel like you'd give anything to have a day alone, to do nothing, talk to no one and just be.  That's something which would make me happy back home.  Just have some time to myself, go for run and watch TV.  Waste time. But no, once you get a day like that here, you think too much and end up feeling like you've never been as alone, and you miss home so badly!!!  This is the first time I'm admitting this, so believe me, it sounds really strange to me as well. :D  But this is the truth, so why wouldn't I share it with you.  Thought after this it might be hard to believe that usually I'm mentally pretty steady... :P

I'm sure I've made it really clear that I had couple of hard days; missing some people a lot.  No, they weren't my family or my friends back home. Just Australian people I've known for couple of months.  It sounds incomprehensible to me as well.  But while talking to my friend yesterday I'm pretty sure we realized the reason; it's so different to be an exchange student and meet people than to be back home, to be the same as everyone else.  At first you meet way more people here than back home. Then you learn to trust people really quickly, that's the only way to get anywhere and do anything.  It's not that we are putting ourselves into danger even though it might sound a bit like it; everyone has a connection to Rotary so you can expect people to be nice and reliable even though you don't really know them.  I mean back home I would never even consider to go to a sleepover to a guy's place who I've seen once before.  Here it's normal thing to do, and that's clearly when I've had the best time and enjoyed myself the most so far.  That's how you get to know people so quickly and have great time.  That's just how we do it here.  And I'm not complaining; that's when you do the best things, create the best inside jokes and get to know the awesome people (the people you can't stop missing 10 days later when they're gone...)  But that's the way it goes.  Great time and Goodbyes.  That's exchange.


And then there's the thing I've already wrote about earlier.  Probably one of the reasons making people so emotional; how you always have to be happy. It's not like 'rotary says I can't be sad or angry' but the truth is that if you don't behave, be happy, excited and active at all times people won't like you as much.  I classify myself as a mainly happy person, but still a year smiling is a lot to ask from anyone.  And when you are already a bit annoyed, angry and sad, the smallest things make you want to yell and cry.  And you just kinda have to be really thoughtful all the time because you're like a guest in the place you live in.  I can't be mad even one day, otherwise people say I can't behave.  I can't fight with people I live with, because it would just all turn against me.  I guess the best way to put it is that people like me as long as I'm likable.  My mum and dad will love me even if I had thirteen bad days in a row, here I would just be in a huge trouble, people trying to get rid of me.  That's the difference. 

Even though some Rotary people reckon it's not good for my year, I can't wait my family to come here!!!  Even a thought that I'll see them soon makes me happy, opposite to what some say; that they would make me feel like going home.  NO WAY!  I don't even miss them too badly, I just can't wait till I can be as real as I'm used to.  Not that I wasn't real at the moment, but it is sooo different with your own family!  I can't wait to tell the truth about everything and gossip if I feel like it and yell if something's wrong!  Sounds like my family will really enjoy coming over doesn't it hahahaa.  No really, I'm not that bad, but no one can ever be like your own family and that's why I miss them; my own original real actual family! :) 

To cry or to laugh,

Liisa

Changes

Last week I was asked how do I think this year changes me.  I had to think my answer for a good while, but it ended up being that I won't be scared of new things, and I'm more likely to cope on my own while being satisfied with who I am.  May not make sense, let me explain a bit.

There are couple of values I listed more than a year ago when I applied for this year; goals I wished to achieve and values to develop during my year overseas.  Independence.  Self confidence.  Courage.

I'm quite sure that I'll be more independent when I get back home.  Even though I have a lot of caring people around me here, I still have to take care of my own things and be responsible.  Not that I haven't been before, but I guess after this year I should be better in doing things on my own and finding the solutions to problems.  So living my life without someone always telling me how.

I've never been really self confident, but after meeting a lot of great new people I feel better about myself.  I owe a huge thank you for those few people who have made me think differently.  It's not like when you are an exchange student you go from hating yourself to loving yourself in one day, but I feel like I'm going the right way. :)

Then hopefully I'm able to be more social and get along with different people even better.  Moving to a country where you know no one, starting your life from scratch and then making good friends using different language should be an experience which makes anyone stronger.  And living with people who you don't even know when you move in teaches you to get along with everyone, liked them or not.  So I guess I can say without lying that during this experience you'll become better with people.  Or at least polite; no matter what they are like, keep smiling and be nice 355 days out of 355.  :D

And my last value: courage.  I have never been the shyest person, but definitely not the one always ready to do the craziest things.  Before we left home we were told one rule by old exchange students; always say yes to everything.  Obviously you can think by yourself as well, and I've said no to some things I really didn't want to do, but still this rule changes significantly the way I think.  Even though something doesn't sound like greatest fun, it'll most likely be a good experience and at least you don't end up thinking "Oh should have done that and tried that!" afterwards.  I guess this is something that has made my exchange year really different to my life back home.  And I love it.

So; I'm not saying that before I came I was scared to do new things or talk to people I didn't know well, but after this year I'm way more confident doing so.

Starting to love this again,

Liisa

P.S. I'm off to Newcastle today...again.  Looks like my life continues (surprise) even though almost everyone from Newcastle left the day before yesterday.  I'm happy when I finally got myself to realize that.  :)

Hard times

Yesterday the outbounds started their adventure.  It is great that we all got the opportunity to do this, but I'm already missing them a lot.  I don't even know how, but some of them became super important to me in just couple of months time.  But I haven't missed my friends back home too much, so I was really surprised how hard it was for me to let these new friends go.  I guess it's because we are all in the same situation doing the same thing so we understand each other better than people usually would, and on the other hand we are never going to see each other again as a group.  Though we have already started planning a gathering when we inbounds get back home.  At least all the European people could see each other then.  But still!

I'm not getting depressed or anything, I've just had couple of surprisingly hard days lately.  And yes I do know better than well that I should just be really happy for them, but losing, even though only temporarily,  half of your friends is not fun.  Don't get me wrong, I wish all the outbounds the greatest experience possible, hundreds of new friends and thousands of happy memories.  It is the start of their amazing exchange, and they sure do deserve the greatest year ever.  

I know that there are still a lot of inbounds here who I love spending time with, so it's not that I'm left totally alone.  I just can't get over it that half of our group just left.  Means less fun, less action, less everything.

Finally got to write all that down, phew starting to feel a bit better.  I seriously can't understand my problem here, because there obviously shouldn't be one! The next post won't be this dejected, I promise :D  

Trying hard to be happy for the last week of holiday,

Liisa

Sydney again

Just came back from Terrigal, phew!!  After the last farewell party I caught the train to Gosford, where from my host family number two picked me up. After spending the Thursday in Terrigal we drove to Sydney on Friday morning, and spent the whole day there.

First we went to the Luna Park, which is an old amusement park in the harbor.

From these photos you might be able to realize the location.  So in the first one Luna Park is in the left , then there's Harbor Bridge and in the right side you see the Opera House. 

After couple of hours there we went to have dinner, and then to the Sydney Observatory.  The night was really cloudy which was a shame, but I still really enjoyed the visit.  Through the A1 class telescope we saw Jupiter and its four moons called the Galilean moons (As you see I seriously focused!! :P).  I love the stars so I would have wanted to see them through the telescope, but we had a really good guide, so instead of seeing them I heard a really interesting presentation.  Almost as good.  :)

Pretty good view from the Observatory hill!

Sydney night life! :))

I'll write you more tomorrow,

Liisa

P.S. Exactly one month before my family comes to Australia!! :))

6 / 12 = 1 / 2

HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !
HALF A YEAR AWAY FROM HOME ! ! !

that's a long time.

Mostly happy,

Liisa

Surfers

Say hi to the best surfers Australia has seen in a while!  :P  I've been really busy lately, so I'll just quickly tell that I'm alive, and then jump to bed because I'm soooo tired!  So I had the greatest week in Newcastle, I love all my exchange friends!!! This is what we did on Friday morning with one of them. :)

Beach...

+ Two enthusiastic Scandinavian girls...

+ Surfboards... 

= Heaps of fun! :D

Notice my teacher supervising :DD

It was a good try, but seriously, I was so bad! :D

Heads to bed after such a great time and no proper sleep in two weeks,

Liisa

P.s. The exact HALF WAY TODAY!!!  :)  :(

Bits and pieces

I GOT MY FLIGHTS!  Couple of days ago I told you that I booked the flights back home, and I got the ones I wanted, hooray!  So I'll be flying back on the 8th of July, only half a year away!

This week turned out to be really busy, but I'm not complaining.  What would be better than seeing heaps of lovely people before they start their amazing year abroad; not many things.  10 more days and they'll be gone :(

I've spent a lot of time in Newcastle lately, because that's where we usually catch up.

Last week:

Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday

This week:

Monday - Tuesday

Wednesday- Thursday

Friday - Saturday - Sunday
Next week:
Wednesday - Thursday

I didn't even realize that I'll be there every single day this week, oooops :DD

Loving my time here,

Liisa

After the party

We had a really nice party in Maitland last night.  8 of us stayed the night, and as I was the only one not taking the train back, we had a lot of time before the Rotary couple came and picked me up.  What would be more logical thing to do than go horse riding!  I've never done it before, so I can add  one more thing to my 'Things I've done' -list, yay!

What a great end for such a great day. :)

Will miss all the outbounds way too much,

Liisa