Day 8

Today I have been in France for a week and I'd like to tell how has it been, from the flight to today.

Flight

My journey started at 6:00. I was so tired and exited. I put my red dress and my blazer on and waited. I said bye to my sisters and me and my parents started to drive at seven to Helsinki-Vantaa airport. At the airport I ate this delicious filled sweet croissant.

I had a bit of problems with my check-in, but I asked flight attendants and it all went well. I aslo brought my guitar with me and I had to pay it at the air port, so I went from a desk to another, first to drop my luggage and guitar, then to pay my guitar and then to check my stuff that comes with me to the plain. It might not seem so much, but to me it was... :D

My parents also bought me this Finland-moose to my blazer. I love it!


The moose is on the bottom right with other things

So the flight to Paris went well. I was a little bored, but putting that aside, it went very well. At the plane I didn't really kow how to feel. I was happy and exited, yet a bit sad. I mean, who wouldn't be? You have to leave everything you know and start a new life somewhere.

At Paris airport CDG, I was so nervous to find the terminal. I asked info desk, but I didn't quite understand him, so I wandered for a bit, and then I found this securityman and asked him. He was so nice, he walked with me for a little bit.

I found my gate at 13:05 and the flight landed to Paris at 12:16. My departure would start at 15:15 and the flight would leave at 15:40, so I had so much time before my plain leaves. Sadly, I didn't find any rotarians while waiting, so I just waited and ate chocolate that I bougt in an airport shop. I was so happy when they called my flight because I was so bored and ready to go.

In the plain to Toulouse, I was so tired I slept almost the whole 2h flight. When we landed, I was exited to meet my family in France, but before that I had to wait for my bags, obviously. After I received my bags, I went to see my family! At the airport there was someones from rotary club, not my but they were happy to see me there and made me feel welcome. It was very nice thing to do. From my famiy, there was my first host-mum and from my second host-family, host-mum and host-sister. There was also an austrailian exchange student, Ruby, who helps me alot to survive out here! :D Thaank youu Ruby!

First day in France

My first day we went to the grocery store with my host-mom and Ruby. There was so much cheese! alsomost four times more than in Finland! After that Ruby tought me some french and after we went to her counselor to eat. The meal with everyone was so nice! We ate otside, and met another exchange student from India! Later that day, we went swimming to a lake. The views were so amazing, so different from home!

The next day I saw more people from my family, and some family friends. It was also so much fun! We talked and laughed and it was wonderful. Everyone has been so welcoming!

Rotex weekend

From Friday to sunday, we had this Rotex weekend and I met all of the students in my district. Sadly, I was sick almost the whole weekend so I didnt have as much energy that I normally would've had... But I managed to sing in front of everyone, even if my voice were a bit funny. It went so well, but I forgot the last verse, but it didn't really matter, I have performing fear and I beat it! I also played guitar. I also messed a bit up in that, but then again, I pulled through my fear so it didn't really matter. Of course it bugs me but what can you do. On Sunday, we went to this castle, Chateau de Murol, and it was so beautiful. It was on the top of a hill and the views were so nice and calming. We had a guide that explained things about this castle, but he spoke French so I didn't understand what he said, but it didn't matter, because the way he explained things were so lively and fun to watch.

Yesterday was a bit boring day for me, at the start, but turned to good when Ruby invited me to come to her house and make Pavlova with her. We talked and had ice cream on the way to her house. At her house we just talked more, and Ruby taught me a French song. It is really catchy. I taught her finnish song. I stayed for dinner to her house and it was so nice. You could say that I had a really good day!

Thank you for reading and have a nice day! 


My school



Days left: 9

Days left: 9

Our inbound arrived!

Yesterday was a really exiting day. We went to pick up our inbound student from Karkku. His name is Théau and he is from France. I was so nervous and exited to meet him, and now that he is here, I'm even more exited to go myself! He got my room, so I'm staying in our ''random stuff room'' my parents cleaned it up for me.

Today

Today I have only 9 days until I leave. I'm so exited and the more I think about it, the more I'm exited about it.

Today we drived around and were ''sightseeing'' Salo. We went to Plaza, the market Place and Vuohensaari. We also drived around and went by my school, Salo Highschool. Near the birdwatching tower in Vuohensaari we saw a bunch of birds that flew at the same time in the air, and we went up to the tower to watch why all they flew at the same time. We saw on the way a man who watched the birds and we asked him about it. He said that there is a Sea eagle that tries to get food. After we talked to him, we continued our way to the bird tower. when we got up the views were amazing! I'm not a good photographer, but I'll put some pictures down. After that, we went to a cafeteria in Vuohensaari and ate something little. I ate an daim cake, it was so delicious! At home we played Mölkky as we waited to sauna to get warm. Mölkky is a Finnish game, similar to bowling, and I had so much fun while playing!

Thank you for having interest to my exchange year!

Here is the pictures from the birdwatching tower :) P.S. I can't put the pictures beside one another so if you know, please tell me... Thank you :)

My Rotary jacket arrived!

My Rotary jacket arrived!

This is a little intro for this post.
So if you didn't know, I'm going to France with the help of Rotary here in Finland and of course Rotary in France. I'm very grateful to them that they trust me so much that they let me go and come to a foreing country. Thank you so much!

Rotary jacket

This jacket is like a uniform. Every Rotary exchange student must have one. To that jacket exchange students can collect pins from other exchange students, or other stuff, and puts them into the jacket. So hopefully when I come back, my jacket is full of pins and other random or not random stuff. I hope that I explained it well...

This jacket is also very comfortable and it looks super nice. We also got a name tag that says our name, ''Rotary international'' and ''Youth exchange''. I think that name tag is really cool!



Note: The jacket isn't dirty, it is the mirror :D

This jacket is also one ''evidence'' that I'm really going. I think I haven't really grasped the idea that I'm going to be away from home here in Finland for a year. This jacket and pins that I make and other stuff, like talking with my first host mom and learning to speak French, just shows me that I'm really going. And don't take this the wrong way, I'm really really really exited to go, I haven't just realised it properly yet, but I'm sure I'll realise it soon. I don't know how much this makes sense but I can't explain it better.

I love it!

                                                                         



 Thank you for reading!  ( 48 days! <3 )


    

Hi, I'm Fanny

Who am I and where am I going

Who am I?

Hi, my name is Fanny, 17-year-old girl and I'm going to be an exchange student 2016-2017.

I am a huge music fan. I can listen to almost anything and enjoy it. My favourites are Ed Sheeran, Troye Sivan and 5 Seconds of Summer.
I also play two Instruments, the guitar and the piano. I take guitar lessons and I play the piano by myself. I also sing in a choir and I love it!
If you asked me what is the most important thing to me, I'd say probably my guitar.

I also like to draw and read. My favourite book is Lucian, by Isabel Abedi.

I have two best friends, whom I have known for almost four years now, and they are so important to me and I can't imagine my life without them anymore.

So, where am I going?

That is a fantastic question! I'm going to Brive La Gaillarde, France. It is almost in the middle of France, but a bit to the South.
I'll be living with minimum of three families. I already know my first family.
I'll be attending a local high school named Arsonval and I'll study in French.

What are you expecting from this year?

I don't want to expect anything. I'll only be dissapointed if my expectations don't match the reality. I want to live one day at a time.

I'm really exited to go abroad and learn more about life's high points and low points. Of course I'm a little scared and I'm sure I'm going to be even more scared when I'm at the airport, even the night before I'm leaving, but at the same time I'm sure I'll be happy and exited about this new journey.