Off To Finland: Moving families

The 1st of June was my last full day with my first family, I spent most of it with Eeva we were on women's duties and cleaned up the house and made some food. I had to pack all my things up too and that was very hard. Walking through the house removing all my things that showed I lived there and thinking about everything i'd been through in this house that I call home had me choked up most of the day. In the evening we rode to Eeva's sisters place to see her and her daughter who is so utterly adorable. We left early because there was a storm coming and we didn't want to get stuck in it. But guess what, we did. We got stuck in the most terrible storm I have ever seen! It was the first day of summer too so I had just shorts and t-shirt on! It was hilarious, we couldn't see and we were being attacked by hail! At the end of it all though it was such a funny experience and it made me realise how memories on exchange no matter how awfully uncomfortable or horrible they were at the time, you can always look back on them and smile. I got stuck in a very bad storm on a bike with very little clothes on but it was in Finland and that's what counts!

The next day was moving day but it was also the first day that the little cows get taken in to the fields. The young cows have never been in the fields before, the cow house is all they know, so when they get to leave they are SO EXCITED, they around all YAY WE'RE FREE!!! It was hilarious to watch but then as the "little cows" got progressively bigger, quite frightening! We then had to wait for them to wear themselves out and then we coaxed them into the yard. That was bloody hard work, they are the most stubborn things! It took a long time but finally they were all out in the yard and we had to watch them for a while to make sure that they all learnt that the electric fence is actually electric and they shouldn't go near it. We had Pavlova that Liisa had made the day before and it was delicious! Then it was time to leave. I hugged everyone and then got in the car, waving goodbye to what was an incredible chapter of my exchange. I don't want to get too soppy because it just feels strange to write this to the internet but its so much harder leaving a place that you won't be coming back too. When I left Australia, I knew exactly when I was coming back, but when I left my first house I knew I would be back, but it would never be my house again. I got to my next house and I had a tour and settled in to my room but I didn't really unpack, I was too exhausted, too overwhelmed. I will introduce my new family in a later post!

Shoving the cows out of the cow house

This is pretty much all they did and occasionally they would start fighting each other. You can hear me at the start saying ei to the cow which means no.

They were a little scared of me

Going in for a kiss. It was so sweet how much all the cows loved my host dad!

Just waiting...

Liisa's Pavlova

The 4th was graduation day and I dressed up and went to the school to watch them all get their hats and then everyone shakes hands with them all and they get flowers and money and its so full of tradition! We watched on the live stream in one of the classrooms because we couldn't all fit in the theater. Because all the Seniors weren't really at school when I arrived, I didn't really know any of them but it was so great to see it all. I had to say goodbye to Julie after that, I was leaving for Euro-tour and she would be back in France when I got back. It was so terrible, I'd spent almost every single school day with Julie and my god I knew damn well that I was going to miss her like hell. The first few months of your exchange can be tough and confusing and I had Julie to help me the whole time, she made everything so much better and I love her so much for being there for me. If you are reading this Julie, I miss you and KIITOKSIA PALJON! To any outbounds reading this, be nice to your oldies! They will become so important to you!