009 Roads untraveled

Hello everyone! It's been long since I last told you anything relating about my coming exchange year. I'm pretty sure I'm the last one of us Finnish Rotary youth exchange students to tell you about the outbound briefing in Lahti on Satuday 26th of April. I was supposed to do it the next day when we got back home with my mum and godmother, but I kind of forgot it, and after that I've been too busy to do it. But now that I'm back from Croatia (I will tell about that in another post - soon, I swear!) and I'm sick, I have plenty of time to tell you everything I remember from that big day.

Trust me when I say no-one had a clue where to look at..! You can't see it but there was at least a dozen cameras were shooting us at the same time. We felt like celebrities that paparazzis had just discovered!© Micaela

Let me you begin describing the OB-briefing day with the words "finally", "laughter" and "this-is-really-happening". I mean, I was surprised how funny I was, throwing jokes all the time especially in the beginning. I was just so excited to see all the other exchange students from Finland! We had counted the days until the briefing for almost 5 months and it was finally there, happening - you can't blame us for being super enthusiastic when we saw each other for the first time and hugged the hell out of the other person.
The actual breifing didn't exactly bring that much new information for us who have done our research, but it was still good to go through every single thing just in case. Rules, things that are expected from us, souvenirs, pins, insurance, other good things to keep in mind... Some of them were not that interesting, but they were and still are important things, nonetheless.
Yet the most interesting part was when the amazing Rotex people took over. They are the happiest, most confident, helpful, international and open people I've ever had the pleasure to meet, and they sure convinced me for the second time already to join their bubbly and unique group after my exchange year with a lot of my fellow exchange student friends! :)
One other great moment was when we got to try our Rotary jackets. I felt so official when I tried them on! They are going to empty when we leave to the journey of a small lifetime, but full of pins when we get back... I wonder how we are going to pass the airport's security scans, haha!
I just remembered it but I also got the flag of Finland I ordered earlier finally during the briefing! It's so cool and I went to take pictures with it the very same evening with my mom, godmother and her other goddaughter. I also bought a Rotary hoodie from the briefing and boy, am I in love with it because it's so warm and soft ♥

Ignore the dirty jeans. I was climbing on a tree before this photo was taken...

After the briefing a group of us exchange students went to eat to a nearby restaurant and talked about tons of exchange-related things. It felt so good to talk with people who are going through the same thing I am. Yes, everyone in my school and family and friends keep asking me how things are going regarding my exchange year, but it's still different to talk than to discuss and have a mutual conversation with other topics than just when am I leaving or am I nervous. Don't get me wrong, I love to answer everyone's questions no matter how many times I've heard them already, but it's still relieving and actually quite mood-lifting to really exchange thought about various things that have crossed my mind, and nut just happy things but also the negative things and fears. It's good to hear that I am not alone with them, that they are normal and should not be ashamed or hidden.

And onto a totally different subject: I got my exact flight information a couple days ago. Safe to say I'm pretty freaking excited about it, because now there's a real, concrete day to wait. I want to tell you about a lot of things that have been going on through my mind lately, but I've been thinking about making a video. I don't know how that's going to happen, since I do have a camera but not a proper computer or a program to make it... But still, I would very much like to use this chance to make a video. I don't think I'm going to do it in English, but if you like I could put either subtitles to it or write a short description of the things I talked about in the video. Tell me what you would like!
Just a quick add to the end of this post. I found out today that there's going to be actually two other Rotary students that are going to live near me in Argentina: a girl from France and a boy from Canada! Neuquén and Cipolletti are going down... :D

Well, that's all for this time, folks. ~~Hope you are having a lovely time where ever you are!~~ ᵒʰ ᵐʸ ᵍᵒᵈ ᴵ ᶠᵒᵘᶰᵈ ᵃ ᵖᵉʳᶠᵉᶜᵗ ᵍᶦᶠ ᴸᴼᴼᴷ

gif taken from here

Time to go to sleep off my flu that conveniently started right when I left to Croatia and bothered me the whole time there... Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!