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Emma Tikkanen
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2006-07 Inbound from
Finland
Hometown:
Siilinjärvi
Sponsor: Siilinjärvi Rotary Club, District 1430, Finland
Host: Gainesville
Rotary Club, District 6970, USA
School: Gainesville
High School
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Bio
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October 20 Journal and Pictures - "I
have some friends who haven't ever seen snow! That's a weird idea for me,
that someone hasn't ever seen snow, because in Finland we have always so
much snow!" |
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January 5 Journal - "Even though I'm in
Florida now, I haven't actually tanned (the curse of the Finnish pale skin
!! @o@~~). Some of my friends joke that I'm the palest girl in our school." |
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March 28 Journal and Pictures - "In the
last days of March it is so hot, it's like the best summer days. This is so
different from home, but that makes the experience richer, who misses snow
anyway?" |
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Emma's Bio
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 Hi every reader! My name is Emma and I'm 17 years old. I live in
Siilinjärvi with my mom. I have two little sisters. I love arts like drawing,
painting, sketching etc. I love my friends, I love to make new friends ! ^0^ I
love music, cute things, colors, entertaining movies and travelling.
I'm a person, who is not so good writing how I feel and
what I have done. But I find pictures really nice, so pictures coming!
And I hope that I enjoy my exchange and this year would be
one of the best years of my life ! (*u*)/ |
October 20 Journal and Pictures
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Hello! Soon I have been here already 3 months, it's not easy to
believe that. Time has gone so fast !!
I'm now living in my second host family. ^u^ ... My family
= me, mommy, & daddy [they are really funny!]. I like my new family ! I'm
happy to live with mommy and daddy.
I have had really funny, happy, amazing times here and I
hope it'll be like that in the future too!
I go to Gainesville High school [GHS!] I take a school bus
to go there, 30 minutes at the mornings and 10 minutes after school. I don't
like these school buses too much, because they usually don't have air
conditioning, so in a bus I feel like melting... But the weather is getting
cooler, and I really like that. I think I will love Florida's winter! In the
winters it doesn't snow here, in Florida. And that's why I have some friends
who haven't ever seen snow! That's a weird idea for me, that someone hasn't
ever seen snow, because in Finland in winter times we have always so much
snow !! @_@
My subjects in school are; 2x English, Drawing&Painting
II, Ceramics&Pottery II, Am. Sign language and Am. History. My favorite is
Drawing&Painting II and I like lunch too, because it's always so much fun!
Before I went to school, I was very afraid that I wouldn't
make any friends. But my first school day turned out to be a really
marvelous day, I made many many friends ! [I already had made some in school
orientation.] And I make new friends every week, I have so many friends and
I know so many people. So I often go to movies with my friends, or go to
friends' house, or go to the mall or just hang out. I simply love that.
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January 5 Journal
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It just turned to be 2007. I have been here now more than 5
months. It's hard to realize how long I have really been here and how
little time I have left anymore, but I don't want to think about that because it
makes me bittersweet...
It weird, I thought I was going to put on a lot of weight,
but really I haven't put on hardly any. haha, good for me ! And even though
I'm in Florida now, I haven't actually tanned. (The curse of the Finnish
pale skin !! @o@~~) Some of my friends joke that I'm the palest girl in our
school.
So we have had these two unforgettable Rotary trips !! To
Daytona Beach and Disney. (Thank you Rotary !!)
Daytona was interesting and I learned many new things
about moon and we saw many cool places, like the speedway. For weekends we
had host families. I stayed in a host family with Cee and Srushti, the
family was really nice and funny. And they took us out to eat many times !!
(Thank you !!) But the coolest thing of all were the motorbikes in the
downtown at midnight, it really was worth of seeing ! And basically Daytona
was... HOT !
In November we traveled to Orlando, Disney World!! And
that one was one of my favorite trips ever. I think my favorite of the parks
was maybe Magic Kingdom or Epcot. In MK there was many good rides. But
Epcot's countries were really interesting!! Everything in Disney was so
pretty and perfect, it's a dream world. And on that trip I made many new
exchange student friends, that was great!! I hope I can see them again. ^_^
I had so much fun! of course I spend quite of money there... One of my
favorite things were those beautiful fireworks, you really can't see that
kind of fireworks anywhere else. Hmm, what else ? Oh,,, we ate and swam in
the pool, and we slept a little bit too. (I was so tired on that Monday
after Disney trip, haha...)
I really like American holidays. I wish we had those we
don't have in Finland too, like Halloween and Thanksgiving.
On Thanksgiving week I was just basically eating and
relaxing, I tasted first time some American foods; American-style apple pie,
Thanksgiving turkey, corn bread etc... And I went to Thanksgiving sales. On
Halloween I carved my first pumpkin, that was a lot of fun ! I went to two
Halloween parties as well, and to trick or treat with my friend!
Christmas was different. In Finland we celebrate at
24th... And we have white Christmas!! <------ That's why it didn't feel like
christmasy. =D I bought many presents, and I received many presents too,
thank you! Americans really like to decorate their houses for Christmas,
both inside and outside. I saw many decorated houses, actually my host
parents took me one night to see some of the town's most decorated
neighborhoods and houses. I enjoyed the Christmas break, I watched many
movies, listened to music, hang out with friends and host family of course!!
But then it was just really hard to get used to school life again...
Come to think of, I haven't been homesick, life is good !!
=)
Happy (late) new year 2007 !! Moi moi ! |
March 28 Journal and Pictures
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Hi guys !!
How are you ? I'm doing great !!
Last month the temperature started to go up again, that's
crazy because it's supposed to be winter in February !! And now in the last
days of March it is so hot, it's like the best summer days. This reminds me
again that this place is so different from home, but that makes the
experience richer. no complaining, who misses snow anyway ?
So, in the late days of January we went to the Seacamp,
one wonderful adventure more to my collection. The bus trip to south was
pretty long, but that's ok, because it was fun, a busful of friends. when we
get there I felt like I had just hopped into some traveling magazine's
page... pure white sand, hot sun, and clear sea water and palm trees of
course, so beautiful ! in the camp there was many things to do, days were
full and food was great too. and my favorite things were the disco and
snorkeling (it was my first time !). and we met one exchange student group
from Disney trip again !! thank you Rotary and Seacamp workers !!
On March 1st me and Joran went to the Rotary wild game
feast. Good music and delicious food, I ate for example alligator, water
buffalo, frog, some weird bird and some other meat I wasn't sure of what it
was... haha.
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