Nothing happened week fifteen that is worth mentioning other than a Rotary Halloween party, and it isn’t really worth it’s own blog post. plus  I’m really far behind on writing.

At the beginning of the week about fifteen students from Greece, Romania, and Slovakia came to my school for a school program I was involved in. Monday was devoted to showing the school and learning about their countries.

Tuesday we all delivered presentations on the theme, rhythm, and how it is integrated in different aspects of life. Our presentation on rhythm in language went really well. That afternoon after school a lot of us went to Helsinki to walk around and see the city. We joked around and all became friends in our time time in Helsinki.

 Wednesday we went to Estonia together to observe the rhythm in architecture, but the trip turned out just to be a time for us to hang out and have fun. We were separated into groups for the day and I was with Jason (Greece), Sergiu (Romania), and Flavia (Romania). We went to the over look in the city, walked around, took tons of pictures, and visited tourist shops. Later in the evening we met up with the other groups and went shopping (Estonia is much cheaper than Finland). On the way to and from Estonia I mostly hung out with Jason and the two Finnish girls (Milla and Jenna). It was overall a great day spent in Estonia with my new friends.

 Thursday we went to a workshop near our school. We created buildings out of clay to add to the “Happy City” exhibition. In the afternoon we had a tram tour of Helsinki and went to the Amos Rex museum.  We had our own “Thanksgiving dinner” at a burger place in Helsinki and some of my Rotary friends came to join. The evening spent with my friends helped me not think about the homesickness that my other friends had been experiencing getting closer to Thanksgiving. I stayed up very late that night trying to pack for the Rotary trip to Lapland so I could stay almost all day Friday for the program.

Friday was the last day, we had more programs including a rhythm in music workshop, and then a going away party for all of the students in the evening. I had to leave after an hour into the party to get on the bus to Lapland. When it was time for me to leave I was crying so hard saying goodbye to everyone, it was crazy how close I had become to these people I had only met on Monday. The week was busy and amazing, surrounded by great new friends.

(I will write about the Rotary Lapland trip in a separate post)

With students from Greece, Romania, and Finland

The Christmas market in Tallinn

My Helsinki sign with my friends on Thanksgiving

All of the students involved in the program and their hosts.