SvenschiBenschi

It took me a while to write this, but maybe it’s better that way. 

4 months

43 Blog Posts on Tumblr

81 shared Posts on Tumblr

12 Youtube Videos

216 Facebook Pictures

28 Instagram Pictures

4 Countries visited

xxx new friends

uncountable amazing memories

...

I could continue this to a endless list, but I think the most amazing things are all the unpayable moments, no picture, no video and no blog could express. 

Goodbyes are always the hardest! Though I was pretty happy to get back home to my family, it was hard to say goodbye to all the people that grew friends and family at the same time for the last 4 months. The more confusing it was for me, that I arrived home, and the next day I didn’t even feel like I was away for a while until the day before... And maybe I’m a bit afraid of forgetting that time too fast. 

Nevermind I can’t say “thank you” often enough, to everyone for this amazing time. I hope we will see again one day and you are always welcome to visit me.

This exchange semester was one of the best decisions I could have made. And when I think back of it, I get a big smile on my face :)

But on the other hand I have to look forward now, more is coming hopefully more adventures, more amazing people, more countries, more experiences, more languages ... 

With this I’m going to close my Blog... for now ... 

Kiitos! 

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP8brXCI0pw)

Next to the Train station there is a iceskating ring on Rautatientori. As I love Ice-Skating I defenitel wanted to go, so we went on Friday afternoon. It’s 4€ entrance and 6€ for renting shoes ... but well :D The shoes were super shitty and the ice pretty good, what was a bad mixture, and it was raining every now and than a bit... But anyway it was fun :) 

Afterwards some of us had dinner at “Barbarossa” a 5€ Pizza restaurant... :D I’ve heard that name more often than MC Donalds or something else ;) 

In the evening was the final of “Shazam’s Partys”. Shazam a tutor is famous for his legen ... wait ... dary ... legendary parties. And nearly everyone was going.  But somehow I get even more sad, that I have to leave all those awesome people soon :( 

Joulu = Christmas  Joulupukki = Santa  Santa lives in Rovaniemi  Erasmus is nearly over ... 

So we had a small christmas/ farewell party on Thursday. I came a bit late, because we also had the farewell party in our HOAS apartment in Pasila, where we got free pizza (and nothing goes over free pizza :D ). When we arrived to Pikkujoulu they had already started with a christmas quiz, so we joined and tried our best. Did you now, that in Italy “Befana” brings the gifts, and in Germany “Krampus” is for the bad children... (I guess Krampus is the same than Knecht Ruprecht, but I’ve never heard the word before :D ). 

The tutors, that organized the party, also prepared some christmas delicates... What is really good for me as a german: Finnish people have “Glögi” at christmas what is basically the same than “Punsch” in Germany. (The alcohol version costs 6,50 per cup on the christmas market ... so NOPE). They also have “pipperkakku” (Pfefferkuchen), some kind of gingerbread... Perfect for me to get into christmas mood :) 

We also learned a finnish christmas song (good that I was at finnish karaoke in lapland, so now I’m really good at reading finnish pretty fast and singing haha). Everyone was asked to bring a small gift. Somewhen Santa came and gave us a gift back. In Germany we call that “Wichteln”. 

All the time we were able to see some nice pictures we made during our exchange ... was nice to see some pictures from the summer now in winter ;) 

And in the end we were given some awards (we were supposed to elect someone). Guess who got the award for the fazer lover (fazer is the chocolate factory :D) ME hahaha I can go for that ;) Not to forget Photographer of the semester: Freek, Traveller of the Semster: Martin, Finnish Speaker: Voltan, Party Master: Martijn, HOAS hero Jose (for his amazing skills to open the door in the first week :D ) and the adventurer Nao ;) 

Or Welcome to Winter Wonderland. I’m still totally in love with Lapland, and would really like to go back immediately. This was an amazing experience and I think the best thing I’ve done in Erasmus. 

We started last Monday at 8 p.m. with the bus  I really don’t like driving with the bus, as I can’t really sleep. Even worse when you are supposed to drive the whole night ... On Tuseday morning at 10 a.m. we arrived in Rovaniemi at the arctic circle, where we visited the arktikum museum. After that we headed to the Santa Claus Village and were able to meet Santa. (OK this is totally touristic, but hey I made a photo with Santa AND I got a Santa sticker, because I’m always a good girl *laugh* ). Finally having snow, and the atmosphere with Santa gave me the christmas feeling :) . 

At around 5 p.m. we finally arrived in our Destination the Levi Ski Resort. After a short bus tour through the Resort, we arrived in our apartement for the week Kultarinne. It was a really nice cottage, we shared as 10 people. We went to buy some food and cooked pasta together. Afterwards we wanted to enjoy the Sauna, but somehow we weren’t able to heat it up right :D Though I was super tired, and wanted to bed somewhen we tried the Levi nightlife.. Basically there is nothing without a karaoke bar and another bar. So we neded up in the karaoke bar, with mostly people over 40 performed “Barbie Girl” and had a lot of fun :D 

Wednesday started with a trip to the Reindeer farm for me. We were able to feed and pet the animals and got a short ride in the reindeersleigh. Reindeers are really nice animals :)  We got a really big surpise, as Pascal won free ski passes for our apartment in an instagram picture contest. Unfortunately we weren’t able to get them already on Wednesday ... In the afternoon some went to ride a snowmobile. I didn’t book the activity, but wen’t to the kidsland with the sleigh and had a lot of fun there :D 

Thursday started really amazing, as we wen’t to the Husky farm. It is so amazing to see those dogs at it’s real work .. I’m still totally in love. We took a ride of 5 km and where allowed to drive the sleigh on our own. Unfortunately I didn’t have proper shoes. So I sliped and fell of the sleigh, but hold it as fast as i could. Somehow I managed to jump back up und break, but hurt my knee and the muskles at my arms :D (poor girl).  About the afternoon I was super excited as I tried skiing for the really first time in my life.  So we rent skis and got up on the practicing area. It took about 1 hour with the amazing teaching of Anthony and Michal (thanks) and I was able to get down the slope (more or less :D ). In the evening everything hurt and I was barely able to move :D 

For Friday I didn’t have any activities so we wen’t skiing again. Well I had one panik attack and nearly died once, as they told me I have to go down a red slope :D We went up to the top of the hill, and down a slow connection road what was quite perfect for me as a beginner :D Somehow we came into a snowstorm, but hey, all lthat belongs to skiing, or not? I ended up practicing my skills in the training area again and got more confident in skiing :D I guess I will ski again somewhen ;)  Somewhen I didn’t have any more power and everything hurt. So I was happy that we were able to go to the local spa and I could have stayed there the whole day!  In the evening was a farewell party, and we went to bed quite late :D 

As the only group we had to leave our apartement at 11 a.m. (cleaned!) and had the whole day before us. We wen’t to the spa for dinner, bought some souveniers and waited in the storing room until we were able to go to the bus.  I joined some to the amazing sauna and pool there to get over the time ... and at 5 p.m. we started our way back to helsinki.