Those last two week was just perfect. Last week was our syysloma, meaning fall break. I had a week of vacations, and I took it to have some fun, and visit some of my friends around Finland. On the first weekend, I went to Pietarsari to visit four exchange students (two german girls, a brazilian girl, and one american boy). We met at our trip to Kuusamo, and we decided we would meet at that weekend. It was my first time on a train. Pretty cool, much faster and safer! I got there on friday and had sauna with the girls, tippically Finnish. We were awake up to late that day, just talking about how things were going with each of us. I was the only one of the 5 who was living at a big city (110 thousand people is enormous for Finnish standards), and we were just comparing our towns, families, and all that. The next day was just awesome. We first went to a soccer game, and I got this XL finnish supermarket shirt, with the autograph of one of the players (We are still trying to figure out something cool to with the shirt). After the game we got home, and decided to go swimming at the beach (it was something like 5 degrees celsius that day). First we went to the forest to get some wood, so we could make a fire at the beach. David Took his guitar,and we bought some sausage on the way. It was just awesome. We played, sang, and ate Makkara at the end. The girls still wanted to go swimming. David and I didn't go. Me, cause I was sick, and Dave, well, he is not that crazy. We went back home, and had a sauna. It is the most tipical thing in finland. People have even bussiness meetings at sauna over here, and everyone is naked, but usually they have different saunas for men, and women, but not always. The next day we packed, and a finnish girl who went to germany came to see the german girls, and we packed and went home.

After that I went to Kuopio, where a brazilian friend of mine lives. I met her friends, and her school, and we went to a cafe (which also happens very freqently here). At night we met her friends, and talked for the whole night. On Thursday and friday I did my extended essay for the school, and n friday afternoon my friend from Kuopio came over, and we went bowling at night with my friends. After bowling was over, we rented a movie, and went to watch at this girl's house, we were awake up to 8 in the morning talking about exchanges, and stuff. 

When we were going back home it started snowing, the first snow of the year. It's around -2 or -3, and I'm already freezing. All the finnish people say it's nothing, cause it gets up to -30 degrees celsius over here. I'm not only in Finland, but i'm in North Finland. 

The next day we went for a party at night. She left on sunday afternoon. It was a great holliday for me. I did everything I needed to do, and saw many people I wanted to see. In the middle of the week I went to visit my second host family. They seem to be awesome. I have a host sister, who is my age, and she is preety cool. She has snowboarding as hobbie, and, well, guess who will have to learn how to snowboard now? Little florida-brazilian girl, who went sking once, and was a disaster. Well, its a lot of fun, even if you go there, and all you do is falling, it is still a lot of fun. And I have to learn it. I'm very excited with my new host family.

This weekend I had a trip with the school. We had a cruise to Sweeden wih our Theory of Knowledge class. It was just great. I got to know many people who are around finland. We debated about globalization, and on our way back we had a party just for the students on the boat. I danced all the way until 3 in the morning.

Today I don't have class in the morning, but I came earlier to school to finish my extended essay.

In three weeks I will be moving. I have 3 families over here. I'm also planning to go and visit Mauri, for the new inbounds, Mauri is a former finnish exchange students who was in florida last year. I have talked to him, and we plan to meet one day.

Well, that was it for tose two weeks,I hope you enjoy wherever you are as much as I do here. I love Finland. Take care you all

Mariana Paes