For me the last two weeks have changed a lot. During the last two weeks I have felt so happy, even when I have felt stressed or I have had no motivation to do something. I have been happy. About one week ago one person asked me when I'll go back to Finland. I said that in about 2 months. And I realized that I time is really flying I should not wait for doing the things I want to do, I just have to do them now!
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| Please stop the time and let my fly! // Sion |
This year has taught me a lot. Really A LOT! It's not just about the language (even if it's really hepls you a lot when you know the language) but it's about all these experiences... The good and the difficult ones. Just till christmas it was pretty different, I have to admit. It wasn't really difficult for me but often I wasn't the happiest me, I wasn't able to enjoy be the person I wanted to be, myself. I was maybe scared of something, maybe I thought that if I do the things I want I will lose something or someone.
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| Fribourg💚💙 |
About my host country, Switzerand I have to say that really it's a wonderful country, so beautiful, so rich (and I don't mean only the economy but cultural richness). And I'm 99,99999% (I can't say 100% because I haven't try the other options) happy thay I that I'm doing my exchange year here. But still it's not maybe the easiest country if we think about doing your exchange year. What for?
- It's pretty hard to know if people here want to be your friends or not... They are all polite and nice to you but they don't still take contact, it's you who have to go and take contact.
Library in a park // Soleure - In Switzerland there are a lot of people from the other countries. They are not that interested about you because you are not so different. And Im pretty sure that more than 80% of the people from my school don't know that Im an exchange student. (Maybe for in some case that's a good thing but maybe not)
- Even if you are pretty similar to Swiss people and you are not really special, you don't still belong here. You are still not Swiss. You are still the new one. And that's sometimes pretty frustrated.
This is Guy. He is funny (strange). Im gonna miss him. - Almost all the students here make effort for school. And that takes their time. Of course we should understand that, but for exchange students it can be a little sad and integrating can be more difficult. At least if your like me: you don't want to be annoying and ask all the time help because it's disturbs the concentration and I often feel like Swiss doesn't like if you know something better them because "you are just an exchange student" and also swiss don't have that much time to do things with you.
- And the last thing that I don't like here at all. It's so EXPENSIVEEEE!! Like if you are coming to Switzerland and you will stay here for long time, BUY GA or AFTER 7 ticket for train. Like really it maybe costs a lot but I did that mistake that I bought only Half-price ticket, so I have to pay "only" half price if I take a public transport. But I say it to you now, more than 80% of the money that I have spent here, I have spent it for train tickets. So buy that GA travel ticket and travel whenever and wherever for free! Or the cheaper option: After 7 ticket and travel for free between 7pm and 5am.
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| Im a really big train fan 🙃 |
And now when everyone think that Switzerland is so bad country I have say that all those things that I wrote are just my thougts! It's not always like that! Anonce again: Switzerland is an amazing country and I love it! It just makes you stronger when it challenges you sometimes but I have done so many good, better, the best memories of my life.
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| When you haven't slept sso you start taking selfies with horses and indians in a shopping mall😎 |
But like right now when Im the happiest me ever... Why I don't want to go back to Finland? So here just some reasons:
- My best friends are here. Of course my best friends are also in Finland, but the difference is that I know when Im going to see them, I knew all the time that we will see again. But when I will leave from here, when my exchange student friends will leave from here to the other side of world, I won't have no idea if we will ever meet again. And Im crying when I even think about that.
I love that Vampire Hanna❤ - My home is here, so are my family and my school, my life is here. And it's never be the same again.
- I have changed so much. Also physically (+10kg👐👐 all muscles right 🤔) but mostly I mean the way I think. I appreciate so much everything. I live in the moment. I don't worry if something is not going how I would have liked. I take riskes and even if I'm scared, I trust that everything isbgoing to be better. I enjoy. Of course I still stress and feel sometimes bad but fast, it goes away.
I really like buying chocolate, and eating is even nicer! - The exchange student spirit. Something that I'm going to miss so so so so much. The feeling when you are going somewhere with exchange students. With the people that you know maybe already well, maybe it's the first time you meet. You take the train, you eat, listen music or speak or take photos but in every case you are happy. You have that feeling. You feel how the others in the train listen you, your accent. They look at you, your smile. And you just feel so happy. The feeling of being part of a big exchange student family. One of those hundreds, even more, thousands exchange students who share the same problems, same passions, same feeling and also they are all different and you can learn so so much from them.
Night selfie exchange student style - The feeling of being free. I can do the things. Of course with freedom comes also responsability. People trust me, I won't do the too stupid things. (Just a little stupid things😎) And no one will juge me, no one really knows me, they don't except me to be some kind of person. Or if they do, it's their problem, I don't care, I enjoy.
Free to travel ( and to spend money🙃) - Making new experiences. Even those, which you are afraid of. When you now you have just fixed time to do things, you really act for making yours dreams come true. You want to enjoy, so you do it. It so much about your attitude. I have done so wonderful experiences and visited new places and just want to do more.
I took so long time to visit Bern the first time, now been there more than 5 times in a month... - Learning new. Every day. And from many new, different people. Also learning to know myself, my goals, my dreams. To learn trusting. Believing myself, that I'm strong enough.
So yep if ever someone reads this text and think (even a little) about going on exchange, I say you: Go! Do it, don't be scared, you will spent your money but it's really worth it!
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| I spent 70 francs for train tickets just for that night... But it was worth it, don't regret at all!! // Luzern❤ |
P.s last weeks I have been so busy (happy). I have spent time with exchange students, my family and talked with my class mates and other people. I have bought a gym "ticket" and so started to go to the gym. So much more motivation to do sports!! I have also bought more than 1kilo of the best chocolate in the world at same time. (It's all about the balance😉) I have spent an amazing night without sleeping (okay I slept for 1 and half hour) and the day after was do nice too! I have met more exchange students and been happy. And ran my first 16km (actually 10miles) ever. The ambiance was so awesome that it wasn't even that bad. And the feeling after doing something I have done never before is something very nice.
So, "La vie est belle!" Or something... Everything is fine, except the fact that I have to go back to Finland... But happy to have at least my last 6 weeks here. Even the text in the end of the email "home coming letter" I got a few days ago, didn't make me feel better. But I'm going to write it here in every case, because I find it still pretty reasonnable... so here it comes...
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| Grand-Prix von Bern!!🏃🏃 |
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| I also have normal version of this picture but this picture doesn't lie... // YFU girls |
So, "La vie est belle!" Or something... Everything is fine, except the fact that I have to go back to Finland... But happy to have at least my last 6 weeks here. Even the text in the end of the email "home coming letter" I got a few days ago, didn't make me feel better. But I'm going to write it here in every case, because I find it still pretty reasonnable... so here it comes...
"It's not over - it's just the beginning!"
Until now I have done 9, 13, 15, 18, 22, 27 (already before) but also 5, 7, 12 (ok it was just different not so radical so it's not very well done), 20, 23, 28 (I'm not sure if I really can say that it was a sleepover but at least spending all night with friends). So 5, 7, 9, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23, 27 and 28 of the things to do "before I leave Switzerland"
done!
Until now I have done 9, 13, 15, 18, 22, 27 (already before) but also 5, 7, 12 (ok it was just different not so radical so it's not very well done), 20, 23, 28 (I'm not sure if I really can say that it was a sleepover but at least spending all night with friends). So 5, 7, 9, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23, 27 and 28 of the things to do "before I leave Switzerland"
done!
