April

So 2 months have whizzed on by and I haven’t blogged at all! I’m sorry to all you who actually like reading my blog, April and May were very busy months and everything was normal to me that it felt strange sitting down and writing about regular day to day things. I will recap some exciting things that happened in April and May though because I want this blog to be a somewhat overview of my exchange. As some of you may know I just returned from the most amazing trip around southern Europe and there will definitely be more detailed posts about that soon! 

On the 9th of April I swapped banners with my club. My host president doesn't speak any English but he gave a little speech and my counselor said that he asked me to tell my home club that Kiuruvesi Rotary Club is the best in the world! Who ever said the Finns aren't funny! 

Pasha

We ate outside for the first time in mid-april, it was freezing but it was still nice to sit outside and sort of enjoy the sun. 

I made ANZAC biscuits!

And my host mum made delicious peach pie. When she cooks, she just goes by memory and throws stuff in, I said that it would be terrible if she got it perfect and couldn't repeat it to which she replies "I always get it perfect!" Its very true!

This same day I went on my first bike ride in Finland, I still had to have my winter coat on but it was nice to ride around the city and actually explore a bit. 

In my test week I went to Iisalmi to see my Tutor, Reeta and we hung out with 2 of her friends who were also ex-exchangers and we had a great time chatting and shopping. The roses were from one of the political campaigns going on at the time. 

Collecting twigs for some traditional Easter crafts

Ready to go!

Adding all the decorations

Finished! 

There was some special sort of "knighting" thing we had to do with them. 

If you go to a Finnish University you get student overalls that you can put patches and things on, sort of like a rotary blazer. Liisa had been waiting for ages to get hers and then they finally arrived! She thinks she looks a bit like the purple tele-tubbie, I have to agree. 

We were in Oulu for a graduation party, the dinner was in this really neat old building. 

You could really start to notice it getting lighter this month, this was taken at almost 10 at night!

Looking for eggs on Easter morning.

Sucess! Chocolate eggs are pretty serious business.

Tiina's collection

We went down to the beach in the evening and the lake has completely thawed out.

A Lada, made in the Soviet Union. 

At the end of the month Eeva dyed my hair. It was a deep sort of red colour and its so subtle you can only really see it if its really sunny.