2011 2012 Exchange Student Mahli to Finland

Jan

I've only been here for two weeks but it feels like I have been here for so much longer. The
few days before I was leaving just felt like any other normal day and it didn’t really sink in
until the morning I was leaving, I said my goodbyes before we went off to the airport, I felt
pretty good but it still didn’t feel completely real. When the call came to board I started
feeling sick and from then till Sydney airport was probably the hardest 2 hours I’ve ever had.
It was so hard to leave my family and boyfriend and for a second asked myself why I was
doing this. So after the 2 hardest hours I had the longest 36 hours of my life.
We first had a flight to Singapore, I sat with Sophie and Tammy. I only slept for about 2
hours and once we arrived in Singapore we were all so tired we just lay down and waited for
our plane. Then we had 14 hours to Frankfurt and as we were taking off I feel asleep and
slept for most the flight. I was only awake for about 4 hours and though everything was dark
the lights and towns looked so beautiful!
Once we all arrived in Frankfurt we split up very quickly all on our separate ways to our
different countries. I started to get a little nervous so I went to my gate and waited. Then it
was time to leave. The flight was 3 hours and once I had arrived it was such a relief. I was
over travelling, over plane food and just really glad to be in the country where I will live for
the next year.
My first night in Finland, I stayed with a lovely family for the night in Vantaa. They gave me
food and a bed and I made friends with the two girls Helena and Heidi. They were very
sweet. I got my first taste of snow and it was beautiful. I felt like I had picked the best
country in the world!
The next day it was back to the airport and off to camp. Camp in Karkku was fun, I met lots
of people, made some good friends, had a few saunas, jumped in a couple of ice holes and
snow piles, went sledding, went in an igloo, cooked pancakes in a hut, learnt some Swedish
and found out people are very nice in Finland.
When it finally came the day I was getting picked up, I was so glad to be going home, a little
nervous, but a nervousness I’d never felt, like I was being adopted. On the way home I did
some shopping and got some cool clothes and after that finally arrived home It was beautiful.
I have the coolest bedroom, my host parents Nette and Pasi are lovely, and they make me feel
very at home. I think that they are very happy to have me as part of their family.
When I talked to my parents they told me some sad news from back home which made me
homesick for a few days. I didn’t feel like doing anything at all. In the past few days I have
started to feel a bit better, I miss my family a lot, more than I ever have, but I’m starting
school tomorrow which I think will help me feel better.
Finland is a beautiful place incredibly freezing but very beautiful I’ve made lots of friends
already and already done quite a few things. I know there’s so much more to come so I’ll let
you know about it all next time.
Lots of love Mahli


Feb
Hello Australia!
I have been in Finland for just over 6 weeks now and it is going too fast, people said it would
and it really does! After my second week in Finland crying and being upset, feeling homesick
and like I had made the biggest mistake of my life by leaving my everyday life in Australia, I
finally started settling in. I had finally stopped crying. It was my first day at school and I was
all ready to go, a little nervous but it wasn’t too bad, my host Mum Nette drove me to the
bus stop and waited for the bus with me, then I was off! It takes me one hour to get to
school and my trip includes a 10 minute ferry trip!
When I arrived at school, of course everyone stared, it made me even more nervous than I
already was, and I was doing something I had never had to do before. That day I was
overwhelmed by how many people I met, how many people came and introduced
themselves. I felt terrible when two seconds after I had met them I forgot their names! It
seems so long ago that I was starting school. I start at 8 in the morning and go till 2, though
on some days I finish at 12 and some days I start at 10 and I have a lot of free periods so I
can’t really complain  I do 5 different subjects, English, art, psychology, history and French
and I tell you, if you think 2 hours of history is bad in English try taking it in Swedish! So
anyway.... I made a lot of friends in school and am still making lots of friends. We get a hot
meal in school which is really cool even though the food is pretty bad. We had what the
Finns call there abi-ball it’s for the students that are graduating but I went because I’m an
exchange student it felt so nice to dress up in a big ball gown and have my hair done up all
nice, I stood out in the snow to have photos taken and I really did feel like a snow princess!
The week before last week we had a winter holiday for a week I didn’t really do anything
except on one day I went skiing with my host Mum and some other people from my town
(Nagu) and I only fell once going UP the lift on the first time. Than my friend Fia made me go
down the huge hill and I was trying to go slow and then suddenly found myself going
straight at full speed unable to break so I dropped my poles, covered my eyes and
screamed, turns out it wasn’t too bad though 
People party a lot here and I have definitely adapted to that easily! I really really like my
host parents they are very caring and understanding and I can talk to them about anything. I
have also been spending time with my 3rd host family in that family I have two very cute
little host brothers called Jakob and Elias, they are 5 & 3 years old. Last week I went to my
first ice-hockey game with my 3rd host Dad and little brothers it was ALOT of fun at the start
I thought it might be kind of boring but by the end I found myself standing and shouting as
our team scored but unfortunately to all of our disappointment our team lost.
I really love Finland, and it is already going so fast I hope it slows down because it is just so
amazing here!
Tack
Mahli-Marie Lahene

March

Hello from Finland!
There is so much to tell , I don’t know where to start, last month after my last report, I started
to really settle down, and now I feel like finally I’m part of this family and I already have to
move to my next family, I can’t believe it. Its going too fast, but then there are days that seem
to go so slowly, but I just can’t believe it’s already April. Last month me, and my host
parents took a trip over to Sweden, it was so much fun! I met some really cool people. I feel
like being on exchange has given me the courage to introduce myself to people I don’t know
and it’s a really good thing to be able to do except that it means I meet so many fun, nice,
cool people and then have to say goodbye to them knowing I may never see them again. But I
guess that’s life. I and my host parents spent one day in Stockholm looking at the “vasa”
museum and shopping, it was a really nice day and we had lots of fun. We went back over on
the boat that afternoon and I met some more amazing people! I even went clubbing! It was so
much fun. Once it was all over I was so tired but had such a great time I decided one day I
would come back and do it with friends ☺ last month I went to dinner with my host parents
and met my next family. They seem very nice, the parents are lovely and they have 3 kids, a
17 year old girl, 14 year old boy and an 8 year old boy. Their house is pretty big and they
have a bathtub! Yay! They have a summer cottage on an island where I will visit which is
really cool. I’m excited about having brothers and sisters and being really close to town and
school, it will be much easier to do things not being so far away from everything like I am
now. I think it will take me some time to get use to a new family as I have just gotten used to
the family I’m in now, it’s sad to leave them I really love being in this family, but I will come
and visit them ....lots☺ so on the 16th of April I will move to my new family, the “Rosins”.
Last Thursday, I went on a trip to Russia, it was amazing! We were in St Petersburg and all
the buildings where old beautiful palaces built hundreds of years ago. We saw traditional
Russian dancing which was so cool. We saw lots of old palaces and museums. We went
shopping, and saw the Russian ballet, it was so beautiful! Than on Sunday morning we left
Russia and drove back to Finland, it took a long time and by the end of it I was so tired and
ready to be back home, I had this last week off school because they had a test week, it was
good to relax and I’m back to school tomorrow! I’m really settled in now. The snow is
melting and it is getting so warm, I can’t wait till summer comes! I already feel like this
exchange has changed me, I feel more mature and courageous, I still have days where I
would do anything to hug my parents and sister and taste my Mum’s food, smell the fresh air
of Dairyville, and see my friends, but I know that this year is going to be one of if not the best
year of my life so I push through the homesickness and remember everyday where I am and
what I’m doing, I’m so proud of myself and wouldn’t change this for the world ! Anyway
that’s all for now,
LOVE MAHLI ☺

April

Well it’s already May! I can’t believe it, I keep thinking that next month is the sixth month of
the year and then I only have half a year left, and this half has already gone so fast that I
know time is just going to fly by now. Which sometimes I say I’m glad about but then I think
about how once this year is over. It’s over. So I realise there is no point it wishing it will go
fast because then I’m only going to wish it went slow. So I moved to my new host family,
and I have had some challenges. It has been both good and bad at different times. But it is
really good to live close to school and town. I live really close to the beach which will be
really good in summer when it is actually warm enough to swim. I don’t know if I could call it
a beach anyway. I’m still making plenty of good friends. Last weekend there was this Finnish
weekend called “vappu” where everyone celebrates finishing school, even if they finished a
long time ago they all put their graduation hats on and drink champagne, me and my host
family drove to Espoo which is near Helsinki, and we had dinner with a family there. The
father in the family was an exchange student in Australia, so being in the “exchange student
club” we had lots to talk about. On Anzac Day I made Anzac biscuits and hung the Australia
flag out. I had my first sun baking session about 2 weeks ago it was amazing, and yes sun
baking, real, in swimmers, outside sun baking, it was AMAZING the spring is here and some
days I actually hear myself say “I’m so hot!” and I love it I say it over and over and over again
☺ in school me and the other Australian girl are doing two 45 minute long speeches and I
have never been so nervous in my life, but I know that the practice is going to be really good
for me. On the 14th of last month we had a District Conference in Turku (the city near where
I live) and all the exchange students in my District went, I had quite a lot of fun, we swam in
the pool, ate nice food, talked and stayed up till 4 in the morning just laughing and having
fun. Next weekend we have a school party and I can’t wait because it means dancing! And
here’s a fact: at parties Finns NEVER dance and I really miss dancing. I have made a really
good friend called Dana, I would probably say she is my best friend here in Finland, I can talk
to her about anything and we really get along. Her Mum works for the “Silja Line” which is
the company that does boat cruises to Sweden and back, her Mum said that me and Dana
and her could all go to Sweden, which would be the most amazing thing in the world, but
my Dad says he “considering it” but I will try my very very hardest to convince him to let me
go ☺ I’m going to visit my last host family as soon as I can. I really miss them, and I really
want to go and stay with them for a night. Yesterday I went in this motorbike parade, church
thing with them, there were 2000 motorbikes and it was amazing to see. And on the way
home I rode on a Harley Davidson!!!!! I was so excited and I rode with a real bikey guy, like
tattoos, leather gloves and everything. It was so amazing. There isn’t a whole lot more that I
did this last month, but I’m still having an amazing time, loving everything about this year
and enjoying my friends very much. So until next time, that’s about it. ☺
Lots of love from Finland ☺

May

I’m sitting here, outside, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I think the
heat is killing me. I never knew the weather could be like this in Finland. It is so
hot. And it’s only getting hotter. I have never experienced such a beautiful
summer. I finished school about 4 days ago and now I have 10 beautiful weeks
of sun. It is such a long holiday compared to the holiday we have in Australia
I’m going to need to find plenty of things to keep me occupied. On our last day
of school we had a graduation ceremony for the students in the last year,
everyone dressed up nicely, the boys wore suits and the girls wore dresses and
high heels. Then in the night everyone went to the main park. It was SO much
fun. There were hundreds of people that had finished school on the same day.
One day last week, me and my host family went to my family’s summer house
on their island. It was a pretty nice day, really relaxing and peaceful.
Unfortunately it wasn’t too warm that day, otherwise I MIGHT have swum. On
my second last day of school, I went on a trip down into this huge quarry in my
town. Adults seem to think it’s very important that I see it. Even though it was
just one huge, hole in the ground. I guess it was kind of interesting. Later that
day, everyone from my school went to the park and played volley ball.
Apparently I’m really bad at it too. This week my host sister went away to work
on an island. One of my host brothers went away to confirmation camp, and
my other host brother is going to sports school. My host parents work every
day, so I’m home alone. It’s quite nice; I sleep in, get up, tan, eat and relax. But
I have decided now that during the holiday I’m going to study my Swedish and
do some school work and study. In four weeks I’m moving back to Nagu, which
is the place I lived when I first came to Finland. It’s an hour away from where I
live now. So I won’t be able to see my friends that live here as much as I do
now. Or easily do things in town. But I’m looking forward to being able to
become closer with my friends from Nagu. Everybody always repeats the same
thing “ Nagu is a really really beautiful place in the summer” so I’m sure it must
be true. There is a small “beach” and a where “rich hot boys bring their boats”
so there’s another thing to look forward too. : D and of course I’m really
excited to live with my next family. I’m sure I have mentioned it before but I
have 2 little brothers called Elias and Jakob, and they are both very cute. I can’t
wait to have them as my little brothers. I will also be very close with my first
family, which will be really good as they can always help when I don’t feel the
best. I’m hoping to go to Sweden during the holiday with one of my good
friends and her Mum. Or maybe my host Dad. And I’m sure that after the
holiday I will have ALOT more to tell you about! But for now I can’t think of
much else...
LOVE MAHLI ☺


June
Hey everyone!
Since my last report allot of things have happened... the first weekend after my report my
host brother had his confirmation. It’s something that they do with the church and I think it
basically means you can get married in the church, so I and my host family all dressed up in
our nicest clothes and went to watch his confirmation. Afterwards there is a confirmation
“party” for all the family and friends to congratulate the person on their confirmation. It was
good that my really good friend is Erik’s (my host brothers) cousin. It’s not the most exciting
party in the world. But we made our own fun. The weekdays were quite boring as my host
parents were working every day, my host brother was away on confirmation camp, my other
brother was in “sports” school, and my host sister was away working. Also allot of my
friends where working so I felt quite lonely on some days, and I couldn’t find anything to do.
On the 24th June there is what the Finns call “midsummer” it is the biggest event in Finland
all year. And “everyone” goes to this one particular town called Nagu and spends the evening
there, most of my friends where there and I was a bit disappointed I couldn’t be there too, but
my host family decided we would go to their summer cottage on an island about half an hour
from where we live. There was only me and my host brothers who I don’t talk to SO much,
so at times I wished I could have been in Nagu but I just enjoyed being on the island. I went
walking, and swimming and rowing, and sunbaking, and writing, and watching the sunsets, it
was quite nice. As I was getting to the end of my time with my last family, I was feeling a
mix of different feelings, relieved, excited, sad, and happy. But 3 days ago I moved to my
new family and I absolutely love it! I have two beautiful little brothers and don’t want to put
“host” in front of it because I never want to have to leave them! It’s so nice to see people that
appreciate me being here so much. They love me being here, and treat me like I’m there older
sister, and that’s what they call me. I’m already so attached to them and still have 3 months
with them. The parents are also very nice people and I think I’m going to have a great time
and be really happy living here with them. I have an exciting few weeks ahead this Friday I
will go by boat with my host Dad and his sister and her daughter and her friend to a festival
called “Ruis Rock” there are meant to be 15, 000 people going and there I will meet my
friend and I’m sure it’s going to be LOTS of fun. The weekend after I have another festival to
go to, there is meant to be about 8 000 at that one and that is also going to be ALOT of fun.
The Monday after that weekend me and my family will drive to Helsinki and then catch a
boat to Sweden and spend the day there, I’m so excited because I know how much fun the
boat is! Also there is cheap good shopping and hopefully I get the chance to buy some nice
things. I’m also looking forward to a trip to Norway in the beginning of September I have
heard Norway is a very beautiful place, and then when I arrive home after that, my parents
will be waiting to see me! So I have many things to look forward to and I couldn’t be happier.
After being here for 6 months it feels like I really should make the most of the rest of my
months and DO THINGS. Because I know how fast it goes, I still have those days where I
miss the people from Australia but for now, I’m trying to let them stay out of my head and
focus on all the AMAZING things I have right in front of me I’m so grateful for being here,
everyday there is something new and beautiful to experience. My life seems perfect!
LOVE MAHLI


July

Hello!
Yep! And the countdown begins! Only about 5 months to go. I must say, after getting
further and further into the year, things start to be a regular pattern and not that many “out
of the ordinary” things happen. So sometimes it’s a little difficult for me to find something
interesting to you tell you. But I’m still living with the family with two young boys.. and I
won’t lie, some days they drive me crazy, but they are so cute, and we all have a lot of fun
together. There are still the days where I feel like I could go home. But then I think about
how disappointed in myself I would be, and I know I would regret it so much, and then the
opportunity would be gone, and in less than a month I will see my parents! Which I’m
sooooo excited about, I’m so glad they get to see what it’s like over here. Now that I know
I’m counting down, it seems to make me feel a lot better, as I enjoy everything about this
year and love my friends and families and the place in general, I feel like lately I start to miss
Australia in general, but I’m constantly reminding myself “ this is an experience of a life
time”. The other week , I tried sailing for the first time, it was a little bit scary at first, or
rather at the end when the storm came over, ☺ but after a while I began to get used to it, it
was quite fun and I hope I get the chance to do that again. I had my second visit to Sweden
as well, that was great it was a little different this time as I had my little brothers. But we got
to explore the ship a little and I even got to sit in the captain’s chair, I was steering a boat
with over 3000 people! On Friday night my family had friends over for a Swedish speaking
Finns cultural “thing” where basically, you eat yabbies and drink... it was an... interesting
night I must say, I was a little scared to taste something I haven’t even thought about eating
before, and I did NOT like it one bit. But everyone else loved them! That night I left to go see
my friend and came back to a “not as sober as when I left” table full of adults. Lately it’s
been a little hard for me to fit in with the kids that live here because they have all been
friends for so long and sometimes I just feel like a bit of an “outsider” but I’m continuing to
try and I’m sure, eventually I will start to fit in a little more. I have one week and 3 days until
school begins again, I’m a little nervous actually to go back to school because I know this
time it’s time to really put my head down and study, but I will do it because I know what I
want in my life now and I know it requires hard work and we can’t just get the things we
want without hard work. So all in all, some day’s my emotions are like a rollercoaster and I
go through ten minute periods of wanting to go home, and never wanting to leave, so when
I don’t know what to do and I don’t know what to say, I just put on my big Rotary smile and
say “ it’s all part of the experience” ☺
Thankyouuuuu ☺
Love Mahli


August

The last month or so has been the best time I have had over here, everything seems to just get
better and better, I have made friends that I know will always be close to me, I have realised
who my true friends over here are and I have more fun with them than I do with anyone else.
My Swedish has improved a lot and I try as hard as I can to only talk Swedish with everyone
over here. I’m really impressed with myself and enjoy speaking another language. A few
weeks ago I went back to school and as the summer ended the town I live in got very empty
and quite. Everything started going back to normal and I’m back into a regular routine. The
weather is constantly rainy and starting to get cold. Last weekend I went on a Rotary trip to
Norway it was an amazing experience Norway is a beautiful country and it was great to see. I
went with some people from my Rotary Club, some people from a club in Norway, my host
Dad and a school friend. It was a lot of fun and we went up into the mountains to a hotel, we
stayed there for two nights and spent a day walking up a mountain, it was a hard walk in
about 0 degrees wind and rain. After I arrived back in my home town my host Dad drove me
to my first host families house where my parents were waiting for me after a long trip to
Finland. So the last few days I have been catching up with them after not seeing them for
over 7 months we have a lot of things to talk about and a lot of things to tell each other. I will
spend the next few days showing them the place I live and introducing them to some of the
many amazing people I have met over the last 7 months. It’s amazing to see my parents and
they have told me about a boy from Norway who is going to live with our family when we
are all back home in Australia, it’s really exciting to know that I’m going to be on “the other
side” of things and that instead of being the visitor I will be the host. I’m already planning
fun things for us to do. I don’t have a whole lot to write about at the moment. So that’s it for
now ☺
By Mahli

September

It’s darker than I could have imagined. The trees are constantly blowing in extreme winds,
the rain is falling fast and when it isn’t rain its hail, and I watch the brown, yellow, golden
and red leaves fall from the trees. I’m sitting and looking out the window I’m warm inside.
When I step outside it feels like winter but it’s just an average day in autumn here in Finland.
This week we have test week. We have one week where we go to school every day for an
hour and a half and do one test. I like this system very much, it makes sense. When I wake up
in the morning it’s so hard to find the motivation to get up and go, it feels like 4 am when I’m
leaving at 7 am. It’s a really unusual feeling. But I just keep telling myself to get over it
because it’s only going to get worse.
Next Sunday I’m moving families, I’m sad because I feel like where I’m living now is
perfect, the friends in this town are better friends than I have ever made, I have a great family
with two little brothers that I love and it just feels right, sometimes it feels like when you just
start to get used to being in one family, then it’s time to move again. But again, I guess that’s
all part of the experience. I’m going to put everything in to these last few months because I
know that once this year is over, there will never be anything like it. I have been spending
lots of time with my best friends. I’m learning to sing and play guitar with one friend. I had a
nice time with my parents visiting I was happy they got to see and experience what it’s like
for me over here and I’m glad they got to meet my families and some of my close friends, we
did a few fun things together, and I know that they both really enjoyed being with my first
family for the week. Saying goodbye to them was hard but it was easier this time as I know it
won’t be so long before I see them again. School is going well I feel like my marks are
improving and I’m learning more and more every day, I’m speaking only Swedish with my
host family and friends most of the time.
 I love speaking another language and knowing when I go back to Australia I have a skill not
so many others have. I talk quite a bit with the exchange student that will live with me and
my family when I’m home, I’m excited to see what it will be like to host someone instead of
being the one that’s being hosted. Sometimes I talk Swedish to him and he talks Norwegian
and we can understand which is pretty cool. It means that hopefully when I go home I don’t
lose all the Swedish I worked hard to learn. I have a test next month to see how much
Swedish I have learnt, I’m actually looking forward to it because I think I’m going to do very
well. Apart from the constantly rainy and gloomy weather, Finland is just as good as ever. I
am so happy. I have amazing friends and I think I’m going to move here someday. Can’t
think of much else to write so we will see what I have to tell about next time ☺
Mahli