8 days?

Ök, it's been 8 days here. It feels like much much more. Not in a bad way, just that so so so much is new and has transpired.
Well I am safe and sound here in Kajaani. I started school on monday. School is suprisingly good. I have pretty easy classes, I have Russian again, music, philosophy (which I love) and even art.
My Finnish is coing slowly, but surely, my conversation is pretty terrible, but I know many words. Still, after a week, I feel quite proud. Finland itself is so so beautiful. I have taken pictures and will put them up just as soon as I figure out how. Everything is in Finnish on the computers so I work really slowly.
My host family is wonderful, I have two dogs and a cat. My host brother and I have a good amount of similar interests so we get along really really well. Plus, he speaks English which saves me. The host father is halarious and very very friendly. He speaks no english, so we communicate through gestures, broken English and Finnish and translations. The host mother is also great. She is pushing me to learn Finnish which is good. Far too many people speak fluent anglish here and want to practice.
I got to go to one of Finland's many many lakes on my first day here. It was lovely and I will post some pictures of it.
I have a few friends here. All of us exchane students have clung to one another, so I spend most of my time with them. I am becoming steadfast friends with Chisako, a girl from Japan, Lauren who is from Australia and Reka who is from Hungary. I am the only boy exchange student, but I don't mind too much. We all speak english now, but we are collaborating our knowledge to learn Finnish.
My favorite thing so far is the Finnish Sauna. Every evening, I get to go to the Sauna. It's more hard-core here than in America which is to be expected. The house has a Sauna built in which is apparently really really common. It's a giant part of Finnish culture. My host brother said it where Finns talk and bond.
It's already freakin cold here for August. Winter isn't even here yet. I'm looking forward to winter the most though. Especially the snow.

Kiah

First Update in quite a long time.

Hello. I know I have majorly slacked these last months as far as keeping up on this blog goes. I suppose you all know I accomplished my fundraising and I am now going to Finland. Tomorrow in fact. Well I'd like to thank all of those who supported me in my endeavor and expect thank you cards later during the year. I plan on sending a card with a sweet picture of me doing something extreme and Finnish ie) swimming in an icy lake or wrestling a polar bear or something. While i'm abroad, I am required to keep up on my blogging so expect entries monthly-to-every two weeks. I will also be posting many many pictures. Next you hear from me, I will be out of America and on my big adventure!

-Kiah S.