Christmas..... 1 Week? Miksi?

Hey everybody, I know it's been a while but my weeks have been full. Almost too full but not quite. But things will get better in a bit because christmas will be done. Presents for past family, and current and I'm poor, great. If I may give any advice to any rotarians reading this. Never change a students families in december. Because then we have to buy gifts for people we don't know, but people we are supposed to know. Well that's my little complaining for this week now time to get to the update of what I've been up too, probably the reason you guys still read this blog.

Well it has been a very school orientated week, I've been doing my art homework most of the weekend. Also yesterday I went to the dance recital of my friend Thomas. He is a good dancer. I filmed his dance and it will be up on facebook and youtube soon so you guys should check it out.

I start Christmas Vacation on wensday, I think. I'm not quiet sure because I haven't got a straight answer out of anyone. Finns are very bad for that. Well unfortunately that is it for this week. Not much happened. I'll post again after Christmas. Stay frosty and keep your stick on the ice and I'll talk to you soon from across the Finnish line.
Robert

So It IS a Small World After All

Hey guys, sorry it's been so long since my last update, the last week I have been very sick (like the kind of sick where moving is out of the wuestion let alon blogging) and I went to muonio in the finnish lapland. Also I have made a great discovery about my friend Santu that the boys and girls back home will probably never believe.

So as I said I was sick over the last week. first time in a long time, and afterwords I was so thin it was scary so now I have to hit the gym harder than ever. I started going back this morning and nobody told me my relax class was going there, so two and a half hours with diego then to school only to find out I would need another hour and fifteen minutes. that ought to do it ;) (winky face)

Now the part that everyone reading wants to hear about. Lapland. First off I want to say, I missed snowboarding so much. Even though I can do that one back in the great white north I can still say that it was my favourite part. I was able to snowboard with a south african girl and an american guy who were both pretty good. I also taught a few people how to carve. And on the "jump run" I am pround to say I showed off a little for Canada. We also visited a reindeer farm went on dog sled rides and partied like foriegners (ya a know we are) I love those other exchange students. It's good to have a network of other boys and girls going through the same thing as you, and how I loved to be able to talk to the other Canadians because they are cool and even though we ended up singing bieber on a stage to represent our land we still represented it well. I can't wait to see those guys again and if you all want to see the photos check out facebook they are all there.

Before I sign off I would like to say that little something I found out about my good buddy Santu (to all fins reading this you probably wont get this right away so bear with me to the end please) I was hanging out with Santu and I was talking to his mom, she mentioned that Santu's cousins lived in Canada. I said o cool where? and she replied....... Blind River Ontario!!!!!  (a small town outside of my small town about 15 minutes away!!!!!) I mean holy crap what are the odds? So if anyone is going to Blind River anytime soon and you run into anyone with the last name Repo let them know there cousin is doing fine

Well that's all for now my friends this post will be linked on facebook, and I'm sorry it's so long. I still love to hear your comments, it lets me know people are still reading this thing. Stat frosty, keep your stick on the ice and I'll talk to you all again soon from across the finnish line

Robert

New Post, New Family, New Problem

Terve everybody. Before anyone says anything new problem is supposed to be a play on words, it is to be stretched so it sounds like no. It's a pun there is no problem as of yet. But as My title says I am in a new family, I do miss the old one but I have to move on, that's part of the experience of being an exchange student. We come to leave. The Family is nice. The mother doesn't speak english but this is good because it will get me better at finnish. Finnish as a language is so hard. However I am getting the hang of it. The only problem I am having with the language so far is remembering sentences when people tell them to me. but I will when I get to use them more often. I want to give a bug Kiitos Paljon to Mrs. Margret Yli-Juuti who taught me most of the finnish I know so far, with out her I wouldn't be half of where I am today. Well that's all I have to post for now, I'll post more when I have it. Keep your stick on the ice and stay frosty and I'll talk to you soon from across the finish line
Robert

Harasmies (a gentleman in finnish)

Terve, how is Canada this week? That's great. Finland you say? it's good. Exam time again so as an exchange student I am prepared for failure. I had a math exam today, in finnish, I failed but I tried so I count it as a win. (Lame I know) I have three more exams to do. French, history, and Physics. I don't expect alot (except for history) but I still am trying.

This saturday I am switching host families. Alot to go into on that one so I'm gonna keep it short. New family, new challenges, new everything. I'm nervious. But I'm Canadian I will endure. Hahaha. I will put a better blog entry after I get settled.

Today on the bus today I did something proud to call Canadian. I saw a old woman on a crowded bus (I was also on this bus) so I stood up and offered her my seat. She was SHOCKED. I found it hilarious. I gave her my seat and now I'm here. hahaha Well that has been my recent progress in Finland. Stay frosty and keep your stick on the ice. As I said I'll talk to you later, from across the finnish line

Thoughts on Jenga

Hey guys, I'm just making another update on my exchange year. It's going very well so far. As I told you guys last week I was planning something for rememberance day in my history class. It went very nicely turns out finns don't have rememberance day. Most of them don't even know if their grandparents sis anything for the second world war. Anyway the presentation went off well, I recited "Flanders Field" surprisingly by memory. Then I asked for a moment of silence and then shared some of the stories I have been told. I was very pleased to notice that the people were actually quiet. I wish more Canadian 18 year olds could be like that.

I just finnished playing Jenga with my host parents and I couldn't help but notice that the whole thing was every architects worst nightmare. Imagine you just moved into a new appartment, you are sitting with you significant other when all of a sudden the room shakes and you are picked up and moved to the top floor. Oh look there is Joey. He used to live 5 stories above you, now you're neighbours and then the building falls down and one giant laughs and the other one screams. no wonder you got this room so cheap. Hahaha. I thought that you guys may find that little rant enjoyable

Well that's my update for this week. I hope to recieve comments and if you guys like it maybe I can post more rants like that. If no one likes them then I will not put anymore in. I recieved a package from Canada a few days ago. Skittles, 5 Gum, and Maynerds for the win.Stay frosty and keep your stick on the ice. I'll talk to you all later from accros the finnish line.

Robert

Dancing With The Devil

Hey everybody, It's blog time again. This week I started, with the other Exchange Students a great new way to stay in shape. We started boxing. My rotary councilor has been on the boxing team since he was sixteen so he was able to get us on the team. I'm going with Diego, and Kristian (a Mexican and German respectivley) It is really good excercise.

Yesterday I went to a halloween party, my second one so far this year. I discovered even though Fins don't celebrate halloween all the youth here love it. I should probably take a second to explain the title of this blog entry. The most popular costume for finnish people is to dress up as the devil. As most have you have seen from facebook the first party myself, Kristian and Thomas (French Exchange Student) all dressed up as woman. It was a really funny evening. Yesterday Thomas and myself went as skeletons. It was also a fun night.

That was this week. I hope everything is going well back home. This friday is rememberence day and even though Finland doesn't celebrate it I'm gonna try to talk to my history teacher about doing something. I'll tell you guys about how that goes in the next entry. Well stay frosty and keep your stick on the ice, I'll talk to you all later from accros the finnish line

Robert Kluke

And I Was Net

Terve, well as you know last week I had my Fall Holiday (a random week off school... in October.) It was a fairly slow week, wake up go to the gym come back home play with Ale and go to sleep. On Friday my family and I went to this cool place for the day, we played badminton and I was on a team with my house father VS my host mother and little host brother. That was the day I discovered my host father had knee problems because he had to take breaks every now and then and I had to take on the other two by myself! I was able to hold my own although I was diving everywhere and making mostly hail mary shots. All in all it was a good week, however I think I prefer Canada's just one week off in march, it feels more deserved to me. Mais C'est la vie.

Today I switched out of my finnish physics class and I switched into an english one. It took me three tries but I think I got it right this time, an english first year class. Alot of my friends are in that class so it will be good because if I don't understand something I will be able to bum answers off of them.

Also my finnish is becoming better everyday, I now understand probably 60% of what is said to me and I am constantly thinking in what I call fringlish (french, finnish and english.) Well that is my report for this week, I'm always glad to hear comments thank you. Stay frosty and I'll write again soon from across the finnish line.

Rob

Cheaters

Hey everybody, it's been a little while I know, but it's been a busy couple of weeks. First off I think I should explain the title. Well on sunday of last week I went out hunting with some finnish people. We got a bull, it was big by finnish standars but it was actually pretty small by my (Canadian) standards. We sat in tree stands for about 8 hours before the closest guy to me shot the bull. That sounds normal I know but, when it comes to hunting fins are cheaters. They use dogs. They send the dog(s) in at the begining of the day and the dog chases the moose all day. Normally it only takes a couple hours, but the guy who had the first shot missed.

Second thing is that I just spent the weekend at my second host family's house while my current one was out of town. It was really fun we watched the new "Nightmare on Elm Street," my review 7 words. Good not great, the original was better. I had a lot of fun on the weekend and I think I'm going to enjoy  living there, when the time comes however right now I'm happy here. Also my second host mother doesn't speak english and my brother isn't the best at it so I'm going to learn finnish really quickly there. :)

Last thing is by far my favourite. To everyone in Elliot who laughed at me because I started school about a month before you guys did take this, next week is fall holiday, like the march break, but in the fall. Here we have a fall holiday, a winter holiday and March break. hahaha mina voitan, I win. Now I've got to go to play bayblades with my host brother, ya I didn't think they still existed either. I'll update soon, you know because I'll have time to because I have the week off school :P. Talk to you later from across the finnish line

Robert

Finally Finished My First Period

Hey everybody, sorry that it's been so long since I updated my blog, but it was the test week this week so I wanted to wait until I officially started my second period (semester) before I updated my blog. I have 5 classes this period, music, physics (lower level), french, history and math. I am looking forward to them because I believe they are going to be a good way of learning finnish. Other than that not muych has really happened here lately. I had a party last night that was really fun. It was a bush party called tikala, I had a blast there and can't wait until spring when we are going to do it again.

My photos are coming, they have been taken however facebook doesn't want to let me upload them for whatever reason. I'm probably going to try again tonight or tommorow but they will definately be here by the end of the weekend. Now I'm going to go eat and play hockey with my little brother. I'll post again soon from across the finnish line.

Nahdan

Robert

Officially Lost (First Time For Everything)

Moi everybody, so as this title suggests this weekend I was officailly lost for the first time. I was visiting a friend in a part of Kuopio called Savolainiemi. I took a bus there and was planning on taking a bus back as well. I began walking back to the bus station and after an hour of walking I came to a highway and realised that I took a wrong turn. I decided it would be easier to walk home than to turn around and try the bus stop trick again so I kept walking. After an hour and twenty minutes of more walking I decided I was completly lost. I called my host mother and she came to pick me up bacause I was very near a store that she knew where it was. When she picked me up we drove for about twenty seconds and I saw a big sign that said "Sarkiniemie that way" (I live in Sarkiniemie.) I stopped less than fifteen minutes away from my home. I was so mad 2 hours and 20 minutes of walking and I stopped less than 15 minutes away. Arrrrgggg.

Well as I told myself several times during that two hours, I was in a strange part of the strange part of a strange city of a strange country of a strange country, so I'm allowed to get lost once or twice. So That was my excitement for the week. Also this week I met my second host family, they were very nice. They have a son who is my age. He told me he's teach me play a bit of guitar and violin and possibly a finnish instrument that I was looking to learn to play during my exchange. So that will be nice. I am meeting my third host family sometime within the next few weeks.

Well that's my update for now I'll write again with some pictures soon, I started taking pictures today but it got dark to quickly to get enough so they will be coming soon. Well I'll talk to you all soon from accros the finnish line.

Robert 

This One Time at District Camp...

Moi everyone, well another weekend has come and gone and this weekend I went to district camp with all the other exchange students in district 1430. It was a blast, it was so nice to see all the other exchange students again, and to hear how they've been doing so far in the first month and five days (thats right it's been a month and five days, honestly it feels like a week ( :  ) Everyone has had a good month with ups and downs, same as me. I probably got 45 minutes of sleep that entire weekend and when I fell asleep I slammed my head off the wall. Now doesn't that just sound like me? Also one of the Rotexs there needed her windshield wipers changed and nobody new how to do it so yours truly had to sit down and figure out how to do it. I figured it out in the end after maybe two minutes. It was cool to be the only one who could do something.

Schools still going well, we have our exams next week, I know there semesters are really short, and I'm pretty sure that I am excused from them. If I'm given the choice I'm going to skip these ones because I have no idea about any of my classes, but I do plan on taking either the next ones or the ones after that.

That's basically all that has been happening other than that it's been the same stuff, going to parties, making friends and spending hours on end sitting in McDonalds. I'll post again soon AND I finally got my camera working so there will be photos coming up soon. Talk to you all later from across the finnish line

Robert Kluke

Proud to be a Redneck

Moi. As I promised This is my post after the cottage.  The cottage was really fun. I spent my entire weekend doing one of three things. Sitting in the smoke sauna, playing with my little brother or practicing axe throwing. Honestly I must have spent 5-7 hours throwing that axe at that tree : ) I even showed my little brother how to do it. Also I taught Ale how to cast a fishing rod and the little dude hooked me in the shoulder, (little brothers eh?)  And now I think I may have caulght some kind of bug so I have a cough and a runny nose. Arg it sucks but I'll get over it. I also visited my host grand parents. They are very nice people.

So today I started my Finnish lessons today, found them by accident but I'm glad I did because it will be very helpful in the end. And today I found what is now one of my new favourite songs (it's english) it's called "My last name" by Dierks Bentley you may have already heard it but I like it. I find it discribes my relation with my family nicely (especially the second verse, the one where he's talking to his father)

Well thats my update for today I'll have pictures soon, I just figured out what was wrong with my camera (dead battery arg ; ) )I'll talk to you all later from across the Finnish line

Robert Kluke

Longest Meeting Ever

Hey everyone, thanks for once again reading my blog, and thanks everyone for the comments. It's really nice to see them after a long day at school or where ever I may be. Now, I know what you're all thinking. "What long meeting?" well today I had a SEVEN HOUR ROTARY MEETING! I left at 2 and got back at 9. It wasn't anything bad though really this weeks meeting was just an 18 hole game of golf. I'm alot better at golf then I remember being. I also got to drive a golf cart. Now before you say anything I was driving with the Rotary club president, she asked me if I wanted to try it and I was sure to ask if it would be breaking a D. She said it wasn't so I did. It was pretty fun.

So this weekend I'm heading up to my host families cottage with my hosts. Looking forward to a good old fashion smoke sauna. We're leaving really early tommorow morning so it's early to bed for this Vaihto Oppilas (thats exchange student in finnish in case you were wondering :P)

So right now I'm listening to this really cool CD one of my Rotary contacts bought me, it's basically finnish country music. It's AWESOME. I can understand alot of the words but I still have no idea what this guys talking about hahaha. His name is Jarno Sarjanen check him out if you want.

Today I tought a group of Fins to play the card game "cheat" I have never had so much fun playing that game in my life. No one could get the hang of it, it was so funny. The one game lasted for about an hour then everyone quit and we played a finnish card game, not as much fun but still pretty good.

Well thats my update for the next few days. I'll be sure to post again on monday after I get back from the cottage. Take care of Canada for me my friends. Talk to you later from across the Finnish line.

Robert Kluke

We all bleed red

Hello again, once again I'm putting out a post for you guys. Tonight I'm babysitting my little brother while my hosts go out to a hockey game. I'm cool with it, my little brother is a really cool little dude even though he doesn't speak any english. When I look around my school now it's wierd but everyone looks framiliar, like people I knew a long time ago. I don't know how else to discribe it.  It's wierd. The more I get to know people the more I realise no matter where you're from we're not all that different. We all laugh, we all cry, we all bleed red, In the end we're all people in the end no matter where you came from. It's actually funny when you think about it. (Maybe not but to me it is ha ha.) Well thats all I have to say for tonight I'll update again soon. Nahdan Pian Kanada.

one fine day in the middle of the night club

Moi,
 Sorry it's been so long since my last update. Well as the title suggests, this week I went to a night club. Don't jump to any conclusions now, it was what they call an under age night club for people 16-18. No alchohol involved. It was really fun. I went with a few friends from school but ended up loosing them on the dance floor and meet a couple new people.

This week I have started listening to finnish music. I have two songs that I would like to share with everyone who reads my blog. Han by J. karjalainen (Han loosely translates to she)  and Maailman toisella puolen by haloo helsinki (that name translates to on the otherside of the world) 

So thats my update, not much happened this week. Now my little brother has a hockey tournament this weekend and I slept in and missed my ride there. Ha ha ha thats life. so now I have to find something new to do today. Well I'm signing off now. I'll make another update hopefully soon
Talk to you all later from across the finnish line
Robert Kluke

It's different, not wierd

Well this is different, first of all this is my first time home alone in my host families home. I finally have time to think about everything I've done in the last 12 days, so many new things that I've tried so many people I've met so many new things that I've seen. However everyday my mind always finds time to shift back to my family and my home. I miss it of course, but I'm having so much fun I think it's worth it.

So I switched out of geography into physics, ya we'll see how that goes. It's funny the day I switched out of geography 3 different people came up to me in the halls and asked why I wasn't in geography. Guess I'm becoming the popular one. I also went to my first real Finnish party last night. By 8:30 I was one of the 4 sober people left. It was actually alot of fun.

I got a cell phone the other day. I know, I know. it has come in handy a few times although I still don't know my own phone number. Thats about all thats happened to me recently talk to you all soon, keep my home town safe for me talk to you all soon from across the Finnish line
Robert Kluke

Exhange STUDENT

Well I've started school, the Finnish school system is very... different than the Canadian one. It's odd it feels more like class than school (I hope you can understand that reference). Well school is, as I said different, I have, this semester, Geography (In finnish) Art ( I can't draw a straight line with a ruler) Math (numbers are numbers) and English (Basically grade 9 english easy stuff). I think I'm going to switch out of Geography because I can't understand a word of what they say because it's in Finnish and it would be a waste of both my time and the teachers if I took it now, I may take it up again later. I've already made some friends, today I went for coffee with some after school. And on thursday I'm going to a party with some friends, not like me I know but hey, nothing ventured nothing gained. Well thats it for today I'll post again after the party on Thursday. Talk to you later from across the Finnish line
Robert Kluke

All settled in

Well I'm here, I'm at my new home and I'm all settled in. My new parents are very nice my little brother is also very nice however he doesn't speak english very well, actually my finnish is better than his english. hard to believe I know but it's true. The camp was really fun and I met alot of very nce and interesting people from all over the world. I'm sorry my latest blog was late but there were so many people on the internet et the camp that it was too slow to actually do any blogging. So a few days ago we visited the Finnish city of Tampere, as I posted earlier it was a beautiful city. In that city I tried some finnish foods and they were great, the finnish people really know how to cook that is with out question.  I am currently sitting with my host mother Tarja watching an old gangster movie with finnish subtitles, it's funny. I think I'm going to like it here it's a very nice country and the people are shy, but nice.
I'm signing off now, I'll check back later. Blogg again soon from ocross the finnish line.
Sincerly
Robert Kluke

Sorry about the wait

Hey everybody! Sorry about the wait the internet in heathrow and helsinki was too slow and if I'd have posted I'd have missed my plane/ bus. You guys understand. So I am at the orientation camp right now and may I say it is great. The people are very nice and I've made alot of new friends. The airport (of course) lost my bag but they found it so that got sorted out. we went to a finnish city yesterday. the people keep to themselves and there aren't many washrooms (hahaha) it was a good day and the food was great. sorry to cut this short again but if I don't go now I'll miss ameinan (breakfast). Post again soon. Robert
P.S. I'll post some pictures when I get a chance.

Sitting here in Toronto

Good afternoon everyone

It is currently 6:05 PM and I am sitting in Toronto airport waiting for my plane. I will be taking off at aprox. 8:50 PM (Our Time) and landing at aprox. 8:40 AM (London Time). This will be my final post from Canadian soil until this time next year. It's wierd how fast time flies. Well I guess that's just life. My next post will be from heathrow airport London and then.... FINLAND!!!!!!!! post again in a couple of hours. See you all in a year. Bye

First Blog Entry

Hey Readers

This is the first of many blog posts to come. Most of you probably know this already but I'm gonna say it anyway for those who don't. My grade 11 2011- 2012 school year will be spent abroad in Kuopio, Finland. As of now I have not left yet but it's only a matter of time, Aug. 7th and once I'm gone I will post on my blog once a week. Talk to you all later,

Robert Kluke, Finland Exchange Student