Off to Suomi! (original) (raw)
After patiently waiting for months now, I have finally received my host family! Thankfully they're a permanent family and not a temporary family! Since receiving their information, I've communicated with them via-email, Facebook, and of course their host family letter to me! They honestly seem like such a great fit for me, I couldn't be happier!
I have two host parents, a mom and dad. Their names are Vesa and Anu. My host dad is CEO of a European company and my host mom is a researcher at a university in Finland. I also have three host brothers. Pyry, 22 years old, Teo, 21 years old, and Christopher, 12 years old. From the host letter and family information my two oldest host brothers, Pyry and Teo, aren't around continuously because they're studying abroad in London, England (Pyry) and Lund, Sweden (Teo) and so they leave in September, however, they come back during holidays from school. My youngest host brother likes computers and spending time with friends and socialising. My family also enjoys sports, spending time with one another, and watching movies - again, I feel like I'll fit in perfectly!
Current Location: Jefferson, Wisconsin
Current Mood: excited
Yesterday was the YFU Orientation in Germantown, Wisconsin for the students that will be leaving as foreign exchange students in the 2012-2013 school year. The orientation was a LOT of fun and I have to say that for being six hours long, it didn't nearly seem like it was actually six hours. It went by really quickly and our presenter, Thayre, was extremely nice and shared stories about hosting foreign students of her own as well as stories from when she was a high school student in Japan.
Throughout the day we started with lectures about the importance of things such as blending into their culture, not having high expectations, being safe, what not to do, etc. It sounds bland, but the way Thayre presented it was very good and wasn't dry and boring to listen to.
Current Location: Jefferson, Wisconsin
Current Mood: ecstatic
Moi ja Tervetuloa!,
For starters, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Cameron Bingham, I'm 16 years old, and this is my LiveJournal. I've had LiveJournals, online portfolios, and miscellaneous blogs in the past before, but coming up in August I'll be leaving my small town of Jefferson, Wisconsin to Finland for 11 months as a foreign exchange student through the YFU (Youth for Understanding) year program. Not only did I want a blog to post my thoughts about school, life, books, movies, music, etc., but somewhere where, once I begin my 11 month journey, I can document my life as a foreign exchange student. I know that when I was contemplating whether or not I really wanted to take that next step and become a foreign exchange student it was the blogs written by either past or current exchange students that gave me that push to really want to travel abroad. Seeing what it was like from the months prior to leaving to the day they were already going back home, I want to be able to give back and I hope that other teens, or people in general, thinking about travelling abroad can benefit from this journal.
Current Location: Jefferson, Wisconsin
Current Mood: excited