After many months of frustrations, orientations,
excitement, tears, fears, and laughs, I have made it to Finland. I am currently
writing this in Karkuu, a city 3 hours north-west of Helsinki, where I am
taking part in a language camp for all of the Rotary exchange students that
will be in Finland this year.
I went 31 hours without sleeping. WHAT?! Crazy,
right? Somehow my body refused to let me sleep on my 11 hour long flight, and
all the shorter ones as well. When I finally got to go to bed, I had to set an
alarm for 4 hours from then. In the past 49 hours, I have slept 4. How am I
still alive?
I tried napping a few minutes ago but it didn't work. I will try again now and see how it goes…
SUCCESS! Anyways…
My second flight, the one from Seattle to Amsterdam,
was delayed by about 45 minutes and my layover in Amsterdam was a total of
about 1 hour. About half way through the flight I had come to terms with the
fact that I would miss my Amsterdam/Helsinki flight. I did end up making the
flight (I had to book it across the entire Amsterdam Airport, which is
unrealistically big, AND go through security in about 20 minutes) but half of
my baggage did not. I am currently looking at my suitcase full of gifts and
trinkets and wishing that I had spread my clothing evenly throughout the two
suitcases instead of putting them all into one. I don’t know how long I can
live off of the same pair of jeans and t-shirt. They smell awesome.
So far my Finland experience is quite like visiting Vancouver Island, except the signs are really funky. I have yet to be engulfed in the Finnish culture and people and language, but that is coming soon. I hope to update this after my first day of school,
which is on the 12th of August.
Until then, hyvää yötä/ huomenta/ whatever time it is where you're from,
Claire
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