Uudet Harrastukset (New Hobbies)

First of all, I have to apologise to myself and everyone who is a loyal follower of my blog. For some unknown reason, I have been refraining from writing a new blog for three or so weeks. anyways… Because it’s been such a long time, I’m just going to write about some activities I’ve been up to. This post won’t necessarily be written in chronological order. For your information, I am already past the halfway point of my time in Finland.

The bowlers: Cindy, Anna, Vincius, and me

On the fourteenth of January, there was an exchange student get together in Seinäjoki for all of the exchange students in my Rotary district, 1380. It was the day after all of the “oldies” had gone back home to the Land Down Under. So this left only eight students in my district, of whom four came for this event. I caught the train and Vinicius, a brazilian, was on the same train. When we arrived in Seinäjoki, Cindy, a Californian, was waiting at the train station. We went out for coffee. Both Vinicius and Cindy live in Swedish speaking areas so I did a little bit of translation of the menu which was completely in Finnish. Then we went to the bowling alley where we met up with Anna, a German. We waited until two Rotex students (rebounds, both of whom went to Australia last year) because Rotary was paying. None of us were very good at bowling, but it was still fun. We then out for dinner at a Mexican restaurant (Los Gringos Locos).

In January, I have started a couple more hobbies in Kauhava. Every Tuesday night, a Rotarian name Reijo drives me to Ylihärmä to play in a wind orchestra so I can play my oboe. There are about 12 or so players every week. I play flute music most of the time because there is no oboe part. My first rehearsal was so painful. It was the first time in about six months that I had really played an oboe and my lips felt like they were going to fall off of my face. In subsequent rehearsals and practices at home I have improved and I feel like I can actually play again. Interesting fact: in the Finnish language you don’t “play” (pelata = to play) an instruments but instead “call” (soittaa = to call) an instrument. The music we play isn’t very advanced. I would compare it to maybe the music my concert band played in grade 9, but at least I’m playing again. I have also on my own time started learning an oboe concerto.

After an afternoon of skiing. (my gloves are in my pocket)

I have taken up cross-country skiing as a new hobby. For the past few weeks I have gone at least once per week. In my PE class on Wednesday mornings, I go skiing with a small group on a track near the school. Most of the other people in our class spend the time playing hockey (ice hockey or floor hockey). I am getting a lot better at Nordic skiing; I can go up the biggest hill on the track without stopping and without walking up like a duck (having the skis as a big V). On the weekends, I have gone on a couple longer ski trips. I have been told that I make the best hot chocolate and I am on cocoa duty for the rest of my year here.

I have also joined a musical theatre performance group. We have started rehearsing a musical that is very locally themed. Here in Etelä-Pohjanmaa (Southern Ostrobothnia), the locals speak with a very funny dialect. All of the dialogue and lyrics use this strange accent to its fullest extent which means I have a very hard time understanding anything. Sometimes, the cast argues about what should be said: the choice between two words that are non-existent in proper Finnish. I play the very small role of an “angry man” with no speaking part, but I sing in the large group numbers. The “ensi-ilta” (premiere) of the show will be in May. Then during June the show will perform in Helsinki and then in the fall it will have more shows locally. I can only be in the May show because during June I travel on a Euro Tour with rotary (9 countries, 19 days) and then I go home at the end of June. The director insisted that I stay in the show for the time that I can because I am on a cultural exchange and being in it will give me a real taste of the culture of this area.

The final board

I played a game of scrabble in Finnish with my host parents and my friend Kalle. I’ve never really been a great scrabble player in English. I think that Finnish scrabble is a bazillion times harder, not only because I don’t yet speak it well, but the rules state that only perussanat (basic words) can be used… so even though I can make a real word I can’t put it on the board unless it is in its most simple form, and as some of you remember there are something like 16 different cases of nouns and adjectives but you can only play the nominative case and for verbs only the infinitive. But I’m probably boring you with this rant…I got third place of four; I got more points than my host father.

Me as a high school graduate.

One day a couple weeks ago all of the second graders went to an upper education institutions information fair in Seinäjoki. There were several different university and trade school booths to help the students decide their futures. Because high school is optional, there was a booth set up for the lukios in the area. When students graduate from lukio, they get receive a hat which is worn every labour day (May first). All in all, I walked away with a full stomach from all the fee candy, and a bag filled with other freebies like pencils, pens, pins, et cetera.

Henri's birthday dinner. Fyi, I have the only smile with teeth.

On another weekend, I went to Seinäjoki with my friends for a birthday dinner for Henri. We ate at the other Mexican restaurant (Amarillo). Most of my friends this year will be celebrating (or have already celebrated) their eighteenth birthday which is the big one here in Finland. At eighteen you can get your drivers license, you can buy alcohol (<21%), you can buy cigarettes (hyi!), and you can vote.

Pretty much the only campaign signs in Kauhava

Speaking of voting…Finland is in the midst of a presidential election. There is also a Prime Minister here, and they are like Canada’s Prime Minister meaning they are the leader of the equivalent of the House of Commons. The President however is the head of state. I’m not completely sure how duties are divided between the two politicians but I think the Prime Minister is more internal affairs and the President is more international affairs. In regards to the presidential election, all eight of the official political parties select a candidate to run for the presidency of the country. If after the first round of voting, no single candidate received more than 50% of the vote, the top two candidates advance to a second round of voting. The first vote took place and Niinistö of the National Coalition Party and Haavisto of the Green Party are advancing to the second round after receiving approximately 35% and 18% respectively of the first vote. Interesting fact, Haavisto could become Finland’s first gay president. I’ve noticed that there have been almost no signs, flyers, and other election paraphernalia trying to convince Finns who they should vote for.

So, if you have any questions remember you can always comment below and I’ll try to answer them in my next post (which I promise will not be another three weeks away!)