Joshua (Josh) Williams

2010-11 Outbound to Finland

Hometown: Delray Beach, Florida

School: Spanish River High School

Sponsor: Delray Beach Rotary Club, District 6930, Florida

Host: Kuopio Veljmies Rotary Club, District 1430, Finland

Bio

Josh's Bio

Terve!

My name is Joshua Williams and I'm from Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, Florida. I currently attend Spanish River High in Boca Raton. My parents are divorced, thus I live in two separate houses. I’ve attended a total of ten different schools in my lifetime and I’ve moved either fourteen or fifteen times. So I think it’s easy to say that a new school and new home is not exactly something foreign and new to me.

I have always been a shy and quiet person, otherwise known as the “quiet smart kid in the back of the classroom.” It wasn’t until recently that I actually started to talk more, laugh more, and have more fun. Recently I have joined four clubs; Anime, French, Key, and National History. Also, I have become the HOBY (Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership) representative for my school. In Key Club I have become very active with community service; so much in fact that the club president and sponsor are begging me to run for an officer position next year but as you can see, that won’t happen.

Outside of school I mostly enjoy video games, board games, cooking, and the occasional game of soccer or volleyball with my sister. Besides for that, there’s not really all that much that goes on in my life besides for mountains of homework and studying.

The remaining half of this school year seems to be going by so quickly and that just means that soon enough I will be boarding a plane to Finland. As of right now…all I can do is…study the language and hope I sound somewhat decent in my pronunciation! I cannot wait for next school year to begin and I know that it will be a very fun and exciting experience. Thanks to Rotary and all of my family!

“Make the most out of life because tomorrow you might not have a life to make the most out of.”

August 25

                A little into my first week and I have finally found time to sit down to write my first blog. Clearly the life of an exchange student is always full of activity and is never really dull. But where to start…so many things have happened in Finland within just the short amount of time since I have been here. I guess the best place to start would be a cold, foggy, and rainy Sunday evening, I had just taken a three hour ride by bus to arrive at my language camp in Karkku, Finland. We arrived around 10PM and everyone on the bus was hot and exhausted. All the students were led into a dark building lit only by candles and into the basement where a snack was given. The power was out due to a thunderstorm earlier that day and now the buildings were hot and humid. Shortly after the snack, everyone received their room assignments at the camp and everyone trudged away to their cabins for the night.

            Over the next week, students took part in the Karkku language camp which was filled with activities as well as classes. Each day we would have five hours of Finnish classes which consisted of lectures and Finnish music. Also everyday we would have an outdoor activity which was typically an interesting twist on an American game (ex: hugging freeze tag). Every evening there would be a lecture in the main hall but after that, everyone would be free to wander the grounds and do as they pleased until 11PM. My favorite thing to do was go down to the dock and sit, watch the lake and feel the breeze. Occasionally Alex and I would get either a canoe or row boat and paddle out to the small island in the middle of the lake. But other times were spent just relaxing, talking to people, laughing, and making friends. Evenings were probably the favorite time for everyone because it always meant getting to hang out and truly just have fun.

            On Wednesday, everyone got on two busses and were taken to Tampere, Finland. Tampere is the third largest city in Finland and this is where we were given a tour and got to see so many sites such as a lake overview and a cathedral. After the tour, the students were free to wander the Tampere Keskusta (Center) and shop. I started out in a group that consisted of about 12-15 people but the group dwindled down, especially when we found the Spencer’s of Finland. In the end, it was Casey, Sonia, and me wandering around Tampere and trying to find a place that would exchange currencies. And as 5PM grew closer, we started to make our way back to the bus to go back to Tampere. We did learn some things in Tampere that day though:

1) Do NOT look people in the eyes for too long, it’s weird.

2) Cars don’t slow down ahead of time, be careful of being hit.

3) Talking too loud as you walk down the street either means your Swedish or American.

4) Finnish ice cream is the best in the world!

            Wednesday evening, everyone returned to Karkku only to pile back onto a bus shortly. Everyone was taken to a middle ages church in the country side. We got to walk around outside the church for a bit before going inside. There was a cemetery that surrounded the church and many of the students were taking pictures of the tombstones which probably wasn’t very respectful, but oh well. As everyone piled into the church, we were presented with music, songs, and short blurbs about the church and Finland. It was really amazing, especially when the Finnish Rotex came together to sing a religious Finnish song. It was then that I began to think, I was in a Finnish church, in Finland, and listening to Finnish church songs yet it still did not feel like I had left the United States. Would it ever hit me that I was in Finland?

            A couple days past and camp continued. Interesting things occurred…such as walking in on my roommate making out with a girl. Once in the hallway and once in our room, awkward much? At last Friday came and it was time to take the group picture where everyone held up their flags to represent our countries. The Americans and Canadians were fighting over who was dominant while Belgium was gaining additional support when I stole the Canadian flag. The rivalry between the USA and Canada had intensified, dun dun duuuuun. At last the group picture was taken and people began to take individual country pictures. It was then that something amazing happened. All the American students came together for a picture and began to sing the United States national anthem. We sounded above all the talking outside as we sung our anthem and people took pictures. It was truly amazing.

            At last it was time for Cozy Night. Cozy Night was essentially a talent show where people could sing, dance, etc. For the most part, people signed up in country groups so that every country did an act. Even the Finnish Rotex gave a few performances which were funny, dramatic, musical, and erotic. Then it happened…the United States and Canada finally came together to set aside their differences and dance to…drum roll…the Cha Cha Slide. Many people from the other countries didn’t know the Cha Cha Slide but since the directions are in the song, they joined in as well. As the night concluded, people were allowed to stay up till midnight so a few friends and myself decided to play Uno. It’s not so easy when you have three countries playing and each country has different rules. But in the end, it worked out and we all got Finnish chocolate, yum

            Saturday morning came and all the students were to pack up their belongings and attend one final lecture in the main hall. The lecture went on and it was finally towards the end that a woman named Mimmu said something and it finally hit me, “Welcome to Finland.” She had said the words that triggered the idea in my head that I was at last in Finland. As everyone filed out of the main hall, we all went to pack our bags and get ready to leave. The host parents began to show up and soon it was a mob of people everywhere. I tried to look for mine but was unsuccessful until a woman ran up to me and grabbed my arms, “Josh!? May I give you a hug?” It was my host mother, cheery as could be. I was a little stunned because I was told that Finns don’t like to hug, but I said yes and she hugged me and welcomed me to Finland.

            That afternoon I attended one final lecture with my host family, which was conducted in Finnish. After which my host family went to have lunch as I prepared my bags to leave. I said bye to all my friends and hugged many. The adventure was finally beginning and the excitement had yet to come. As I walked with my host family back to the car and left, I turned around in the car one more time to look at Karkku. It was official, I was now an outbound student in Finland and my year was beginning. So this is where my story begins, right here. A whole year of adventure is ahead of me and it’s only just now starting. To all other exchange students and those who may consider being exchange students, remember this. The point of an exchange is not to get away from home or to have a year of fun, it’s to get out there and see the world. You will realize that there is more out there than just your backyard and your parents’ home. You will learn that your culture is not the only culture and that your culture may not always be superior in every way. There is much to learn and much to see, much to hear and much to do out there and all it takes to see all of that is going out there to see it. So will you too have an adventure and see the world? The story begins…