My room

This post is about my last room in my last home.

This is the view to the frontyard from my windows.

And not only did I get a great new room, I also got my own bathroom and toilet.  For the first time in my life I have my own shower, my own bath, my own toilet; MY OWN!  :D

I'll be leaving to Newcastle soon because after having dinner out with my host parents, my friend is having a concert with her Norwegian band there.  Looks like it's going to be a really good night (:

Got my hair cut today,

Liisa

Swimming carnival

My first and probably last ever swimming carnival, wohoo.  I should have gone into the water but I didn't really know what it'll be like before today so I wasn't fully prepared.  Well after today I know it's lots of fun, should have something like that back home as well!  (:

Photos above from Lindsay Reid

And finally we got a sunny day, what a great timing!

3 more days and I'll see my own family,

Liisa

P.S. My friends back home are doing their dancing thing tonight (like a deb ball here but bigger), so super good luck to them, have fun and feel special in your pretty dresses and gorgeous hairdos.  (:  I'm a bit upset missing out from the princess day but maybe I'll get to do it here.  Though today I asked one guy and he refused to dance with me soooo...  :P

Army base

Today I went to the army camps with a Rotary person from my club.  We got to shoot and go to the new museum which is not even open to public yet. I still haven't made up my mind whether it's a good thing they are doing or not, but today was interesting day for sure. 

Good night,

Liisa

Last Saturday

One more post about our Sydney trip.  So on Saturday we took ferries around the Harbour and went to Taronga zoo which is a big one in Sydney.

The trains weren't going during the weekend so we needed to take a bus back.  It left half past four and was in Maitland a bit late, around half past seven.  After that the Rotary person from my friend's club drove me home so I got to have my last dinner with my second host family; late one, but one anyway.

Had a great Sydney trip (and finally moving to other topics),

Liisa

Last Friday

Okidoki, so this is Friday.  I'm sorry but everything will come a bit late this week; there has been so many nice things happening lately.  I'll post about my new home soon, immediately when I've got this Sydney trip from the way.  :P  

So after sleeping in a tent on Cockatoo Island we spent a day going around Sydney. As we have both been there before, we decided to do something either of us hadn't tried so far.  So: after taking lots of ferries everywhere and having nice lunch and all that stuff we ended up going  to the Sydney Tower.  It's the highest point of Sydney, and the second highest building in the whole Australia.  

In this photo you can see the Tower in the background.  It's the skinny tower with the rounded bit on the top almost in the middle in the photo.  It doesn't look that high, but believe me it is!

And one more thing, they have a 4D movie theater in it.  I was actually quite fascinated of trying it once, and as we surprisingly got to try it we of course did.  It's pretty great, though the movies are like 5 minutes long.   

Snuggling to my new comfy bed,

Liisa

Last Thursday

After I caught the train from Singleton 6.55 and changed at Hamilton, we got to Sydney at 10.33.  When we got out from the station we had a really nice lunch in the harbour and then took a ferry to the Cockatoo island. There's not much there, but the location is great; peaceful spot with great views just out from busy Sydney.

So this was Thursday.  I'll put more photos about the rest of our trip later; probably tomorrow.  (I was busy moving to my last family today so I didn't have much time to spend on the computer).  And I'll have to make one post about my new room as well!  I'm loving it here, and already after one day I can tell these are going to be GREAT four months!  Looks like I wasn't getting exited without a reason.  :) 

Really happy,

Liisa

Ready to move

I came home late from Sydney tonight and had the last dinner with my current host family.  Tomorrow morning I'll be picked up by 11.30, last time moving houses.  Next time I'll pack my bags I'll be going home.  :| 

This is what it was like in November when I moved last time...

... and this is the situation now.  Eh.  

And all caused by Christmas and bit of studying.  Ok, and shopping. Hopefully my family will take something back with them, otherwise I'm in big trouble in July.  :P

Last night here,

Liisa

P.S. I had awesome time in Sydney, will update about that hopefully tomorrow; we'll see how the moving goes.  I'm getting so exited!!!  :)

Off to Cockatoo

I guess I've already told you this, but it was so long ago that I'll write it again; bit more specific this time though.  So originally we were meant to do this trip before Christmas, but as it was called off and then moved to the start of the year, we'll leave tomorrow.  So I'm going glamping with my Norwegian girl and her Rotary club; this is the plan:

"We will travel by train to Sydney on Thursday, 9th February.  The train leaves Singleton at 6.55am, and we'll after changing trains at Hamilton, we'll catch the 8.11 am train to Sydney, arriving at 10.33 am.  Once there we will catch another train to Circular Quay – where all the ferries arrive/depart. Then we catch a ferry to Cockatoo Island – about a 10 minute ride under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

When we arrive at the island all the tents will be ready and are 2 person capacity.  We will sleep in the them Thursday and Friday night and we have to leave the island by about 10.30 am on Saturday.  For the return trip, we will need to catch a train to Central (main Sydney rail station) and because there is “track work” on the Saturday/Sunday we will travel by bus, leaving Sydney at 3.15pm and if we were travelling by rail we would get to Maitland at 6.19pm and Singleton at 6.51pm – however the buses will be slower than the train. 

The island has had a number of uses over the years, lastly as a naval dockyard during World War 2 and you are able to walk around the islands and have self-conducted tours."

Sounds really good to me, can't wait1

Preparing to wake up half past five,

Liisa
P.S. I packed ALL my stuff today!!!!  what a HUUUGE job, but luckily it's all done now, phew!  I'll send you a post about my moving process during the weekend. (:

Meanwhile in Finland

This is what I see on my back yard at the moment...

... and this is what I'm used to this time of the year.

Thank you for my dearest brother for sending me these photos.  :)  I miss you a bit.  And the rest of my family.  And my friends.  And our winter.  And snow.  And going for a walk in the dark.  And seeing the stars.  And home. And my room.  And my bed.  And our hot tub.  And sauna.  I guess that's it.

I'm not too badly homesick, I just decided that I'm allowed to miss some things for two weeks.  Then I'll meet my family and when they go back I better stop missing things.  That's the plan.

Looking forward all the great things coming,

Liisa

Nelson Bay

Today we went to Nelson Bay, because the other one of my current host sisters is sporty and her touch team was playing there.  We also drove through Port Stephens.

After her games we went to a toboggan ride which was pretty cool.  

So that's how I spent the last Sunday in this family; unbelievable that I'm soon moving to my last one.  

Time flies,

Liisa

P.S.  At the moment I can see four kangaroos eating grass on the back yard from my bedroom window.  I really am in Australia!

Nice nature

As I told you a minute ago, there was a ridiculously huge moth on our external wall.  So usually they are like little butterflies, no bigger than 25 millimeters, but  look at this one!  About 120 mm!!! :O

Maybe there's after all a really good reason why kids are not allowed to go out when it's dark... :P  

Amazed,

Liisa

Countdowns

There are many exiting things coming

- 1 day and Finland votes for a new president

- 2 Days and my last week in this host family starts

- 5 days and I'll go camping to Sydney with my Norwegian girl

- 7 days and it'll be the last night in this host family

- 8 days and I'll move

- 9 days and it'll be my first day in my last family

- 9 days and I'll start a 5-day-school-week (rarity this month :P)

- 16 days and my family comes

- 28 days and they'll fly back

- 40 days and I'll go to Warren for a big Rotary district conference

- 73 days and I'll be off to our safari trip around Australia

- 80 days and I'll see the Great Barrier Reef

- 86 days and I'll see Uluru

- 92 days and I'll be in Melbourne

- 94 days and I'll be in Singo again

- 154 days and it'll be my last day in Australia!

- 156 days and I'll be home

- 157 days and I'll have a HUGE sleep in, and oh, my normal life starts

- 218 days and I'll be 18

7 hours, 46 minutes till I have to wake up,

Liisa

P.S. Today was a good day; I went to the gym after a long break.  And saw a GIANT moth (normally they are like small butterflies).  Only the end for the day was stupid; a mean ant stung my neck and it still hurts. :(

Meetings

I've been telling you that I'm attending Rotary meetings, but I guess I've never really explained what they are.  In this post I'll try to fix that.

So in Singleton there are two Rotary clubs, but I'm part of another one of them.  It is a nice club with lovely older people, but when I have a change I try to get to know the other one as well.  I was giving a presentation for them earlier this week, and I might start going to their meetings sometime soon. 

You might think that it's really boring to be there as everyone is way older than I am, but I actually quite enjoy it.  Everyone is always really nice to me and wants to know about my life here.  So simply it's a change to wear high heels and meet delightful and interesting people; sounds good doesn't it!  :) Though  I have to admit sometimes there are parts which are a bit boring, but mainly I enjoy spending some of my Thursday nights that way.  Older people have the greatest stories and experiences to share.

So in this club the meetings are on Thursday nights at 6.30 pm, but they might as well be 7.00 am in the Sunday mornings; depends on the club and the time they've decided is the most suitable for the members. 

At first there's time to get drinks and chat with people before sitting down for a dinner.  After eating there's some money collected as 'fines' (so people tell about funny things that have happened to themselves or to the other members) and information shared about the upcoming events and projects etc.  After that there's coffee and tea served and possibly a questspeaker has came to tell about something.  Last night's speaker was telling about the work they do with disabled people.  We are meant to finish the meetings  about 8.30, but usually (probably because it's very Australian) we go a bit overtime.  After the official meeting has finished people stay for a while to chat. 

So if you get the impression that it's a social event I've expressed myself well enough.  :D

And one more thing which has nothing to do with Rotary meetings though; I got my student card yesterday!!  Finally...  I was trying to get it before the holidays started, but people from my school office said that it's a government thing and as I don't live here I won't get it.  That was a bit upsetting, because I do live and study here, not permanently but still.  The last school day I was taking a train to Newcastle (first of those million trips) and the lady there said that I should definitely get a student card, every exchange student does.  But during the holidays there was unfortunately no way of getting it, because it must be done via school.  So every time after that the lady said 'Oh, aren't you the exchange student?  The poor one who wasn't given a student card.  I remember you.  Sorry.'   And then I paid almost 10 bucks.  But anyhow,  I definitely don't regret spending a fortune to my Newcastle trips, that was probably the best decision so far; just makes me a bit annoyed that instead of spending over 100 dollars I could have paid the normal 3 dollars a trip.  So it was worth every penny, but good that travelling is a fair bit cheaper for me now.  Looking forward testing my new card when I travel to Sydney next week! :)

Getting exited about all the cool things coming,

Liisa