July 26-27

     Tuesday morning me and Lina left for camping (1 night since Lina had to leave for Denmark Thursday morning). The camp was for kids 10-14, and there were a couple of leaders that were around my age. When we first arrived to the camp site, we had to set up our tents and help the younger kids.After that there was a lot of free time, so I spent most of my time sitting, talking to the other leaders, or listening to them speak Finnish. We also rowed a boat in the lake. In the evening, there was a scavenger game set up for the kids where they had to find various items as well as answer questions. One of the questions was: find out where Natalie is from and ask in English; extra points if you know what state. It was pretty funny, since most kids just began learning English in school and the thought of asking an American `where are you from`must of been terrifying. You could tell which kids were about to approach me to ask, since they had this nervous serious look on their face and walked hesitantly towards me as if I was their doom. Kids also had to ask Lina for a piece of candy and she told each one that she would only give it to them if they came back with a phone # of the opposite sex, which was pretty funny too. In the evening, we made sausages over a fire. Although I was excited to eat sausages, after I ate mine, it struck me as rather gross since it had a weird texture and  a flavor of little resemblance to meat (later I found out that it was 39 % meat). Anyways, soon after that we went to sleep into our little tent (there were 4 f us). I have never liked the feeling of being in a tent, and the tree roots in my back the whole night did not help me fall asleep either. In fact it was a long night.
     The next morning we woke up before 8 and went down to eat breakfast. After that, we looked for different pieces of wood in the woods to carve so that we could later attach it to our scouting scarf (kind of like a pendent for a necklace). I didn't make a pendant, just something that would stand up on my shelf which said ´Finland 07/27/2011. I was rather amused that all the kids were able to carve out smooth pendents, as I don't believe anyone in America would give a 10 year old scout a knife. Later, the kids had a competition: which team could row through the different obstacle courses the fastest. I was excited to watch that since I thought that there would be much excitement and energy within the kids as it was a competition. However, it was after the competition started that I remember them mentioning at the Finnish embassy in DC that Finns were not as competitive as Americans, and judging from this competition, it appeared to be true. The kids that were watching were sitting silently or talking with friends, while the ones rowing looked as if they were just peacefully rowing the boat. Only a few boys had the American competeviness spirit. After that, we ate a snack and while the kids were in the sauna, I carved a butter knife; it was quite nice if only there wasn't a split in the middle (now I can't use it for my butter since it is a place for bacteria to grow). Soon after, around 6pm, Anita came to pick us up.

July 25

     Today, we decided to go to town at tourists. Anita and I first went to a spy museum, which was small but quite interesting with different spy gadgets and short biographies about different spies. Then after that, we met with Sandra at the central square (Sandra didn't come with us because she said it was boring) and then went out to eat at a chinese place. After that Sandra left us, as she had some class reunion thing, and then we went back to the central square where there were singers and later a circus act (it was Flower week in Tampere; a festival). Soon after, we went to the tourist information desk and asked what is exciting in Tampere. The lady told us a few things and then we left. We first went to this handcraft exhibition, which was nice. Then we went to the souvenir shop (I asked if there was any place that I could buy souvenirs), but I was more like handcraft souvenirs, so it was pretty expensive. After that, we walked around a few stores and then went to the library. The library was designed by an archeitect to look like a bird from airplane view. Anyways, I got some books to read and then we walked home. While we were walking on a path through the woods, there were many raspberry bushes, so we often stopped to pick them (although they were small, they were still good). As you know, my family lives at the bottom of a big hill, so Anita decided that we walk to the top of the hill and get home by what are known as the Pispala stairs. From the top of the stairs it is a very beautiful view of the houses, trees, and lakes. The stairs had about 250 steps (Anita said it was a common question to ask a Pispala native exactly how many steps were there). Soon we got home around 7:30pm, and after that, I  just read, ate, and other stuff.

July 24

     Today was nothing special: I went to town mid-day, primarily to exchange money (it still hurts my ears when I hear that I get 67 euros for 100 dollars), and since it was a Sunday, most shops opened late or weren't open at all, so I went back home rather early. I, for the most part, sat outside and read until we had to leave for a reception in honor of a conformation. We stayed there a while to eat and then went back home. At home we began to watch a movie until me and Sandra walked to Hesburger (a popular fast-food chain in Finland) at 10pm (we decided to record the movie to watch when we get back). Anyways, when we came back home to continue the movie, it turned out that the whole thing wasn't recorded and it cut of at the most important part of the movie (the part where after 1-2 years the women realizes she really loved the man she met at a vacation and flies to Nigeria to tell him her feelings, and then she knocks on the door, and its the moment of truth, and BNJBJDNKSNX, MOVIE CUT OFF). So I was pretty down after that, cause I really wanted to know his reaction when she showed up at his door.

July 22-23

Sandra, Lina, and I went to town to see this museum that was like a little complex were people lived during the 1800´s up to the 1900´s. It was quite interesting, although Sandra said it was kinda boring (but it really wasn't, some people just don't appreciate history). Soon after at 2pm, we met up with one of Lina´s friends and went to eat at a vegetarian cafe. Since Lina is an unofficial vegaterian and my host family doesn´t really eat meat at home, my host sisters joked around that they are trying to make me vegetarian. Aharhar never. Even so, the food was good. Eventually Lina and her friend had to part since they planned to donate blood and the place closed at 4pm. Then me and Sandra left to meet her friends at the lake. It was nice and I think I tanned. I think it was because I didn't but on sunscreen. Anyways, we left around 6pm since Esko was coming home to Tampere with one of the cousins from Ruovesi and then together, we went overnight to their other cousins on the other side of Tampere. Much English was not used while we were there, so I spent most of the time pondering my day and thoughts. Oh and not to forget, we also went midnight swimming at a lake. The water wasn't too cold.

     The next morning we ate breakfast at 12:30pm. (I was reading a book for 1.5hrs before that because no one was awake). Anyways, we left their cousins at 2pm. Then around 6 we left for a going-away party for a girl that was leaving to California as an exchange student for the school year and met up with one of Sandra´s friends, Saana (forgive my spelling Sandra if you read this). The party lacked a tad of excitement but we had to leave at 7:30ish anyways to meet up with another friend of Sandra's who was away at NYC for 2 weeks. We met downtown and then went to see this regea festival/dance/event thing in a nearby park. It was very interesting to see people dance to regea music, as I have never seen such dancing. If you've never seen regea dancing either, then I will tell you that its more like slow motion dancing where you are almost spiritually connected to the music. Anyhow, at 9:30pm we went to see the Harry Potter movie (Lina joined us) in 3-D. The movie was good, but I was just slightly confused at some parts since I never really followed the cronicles of Harry Potter. After the movie, we all parted ways and went to bed.

July 20 - 21

    We left the summer cottage during the day and left for anita´s parent´s summer cottage. There, were the 5 year old twins that were with us on the cruise to stockholm; so there was a lot of energy, screams, laughs, and similar stuff that would result from over-hyper 5 year old twins. Anyways, Sandra and I used the sauna and before you knew it, we left for the house of Anita´s sister were we would spend the night.

    The next day, we ate breakfast and went to the town center of the little town were their relatives live (a population of about 14,000), and we visited the market place and did some shopping. Soon we left for home in Tampere.

House in Ruovesi (July 16 - July 20)

July 16

We arrive to Ruovesi late. I think I ate 10 pounds worth of strawberries.

July 17

• picked blueberries and made blueberry pie (yummo)
• went out rowing with Sandra in the evening: we rowed to this little island called maggot´s island in the center of the lake and explored it (it was maybe 7 feet long, 3 feet wide). But let me assure you that this was no easy task as when we were nearing to the island, birds began to squack loudy and fly above us (I sappose that they were feeling that we were trespassing in their territory). Anyways, I am 100% sure that if we stayed just a minute longer, they would have dove in and ate us alive. Then we rowed around this fairly large island close to maggot´s island and then went on it cause there was an old cottage that we wanted to explore. Unfortunately it was locked and we couldn´t find the key(jk we werent planning to go in), so we decided to get off the island and row back.
• made a fire and grilled sausages and bread at night, I also had this delicious fish, common whitefish, that Esko caught in the lake and smoked. It tasted similar to salmon, and had the flakes like salmon, but they were thinner, and was white.

July 18

• finished reading the Kite Runner
• went to see Sandra´s cousin´s baseball game (quite different than American baseball, for one, the pitcher stands next to the home base and throws the ball up for the batter to hit it)
• ate ice cream (2x)
• made a fire again but this time grilled chicken and then for dessert crepes filled with whipped cream and strawberries
• went moose hunting (drove around in a car through the woods and fields) -> saw a baby moose

July 19

• watched Sherlock Holmes
• picked blueberries -> made blueberry muffins
• went out to eat at a little port 
• watched the Pianist

July 15

     Today Arely (one of the other exchange students) came over from somewhere about 2 hours east of Tampere. We met up in downtown Tampere a little after 12 (although it did take a while to find eachother). We, for the most part, walked back and forth on the main street until about 6. And actually, we had a lot of fun: we talked about our experiences so far, sat by the lake/river, walked around the different shops, and ate food. Also, in the center of the town, they were giving out free pizza if you played a game, free drinks if you took a picture, and crackers if you just walked passed them (for advertisment), so we spent some time there :). Anyways Arely had to drive home with her host mom and sister at 6 and we said goodbye to eachother. Then I walked around a bit before I boarded the bus back to Pispala (the neighborhood where my host family lives in Tampere). OH and I must not forget to mention that this was the first time that I rode the bus to and from downtown alone, so I was just a tad proud of myself. Anyways, while I was riding the bus home, I met this nice fellow that moved from Iran to work for the red cross in Finland; we talked a bit. And then I came home, ate, read, took a walk alongside the lake (which was very relaxing), and then went to bed.