a painkiller doesn't kill you

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My year was awesome. It was so much more than I thought. It was also very different to what I thought. I grew as a person a lot. I learnt a lot. I met new people, a lot of new people. And now I am sick.

I was sick maybe for couple of days in 2014. As soon as I came to Australia I caught this mysterious sickness and have been stuck with it ever since. Now I’m thinking it might have not been the very best idea to run to McDonald’s at 3am on my last night in New Zealand. Though, I wouldn’t change a thing. I am more than happy that I spent the last hours in New Zealand with my friends. To be honest, I didn’t think we would stay up the whole night but we did and I appreciate everyone for that. I am also surprised I survived the next day: one plus three hours flying which practically meant the whole day traveling, killing time in the departure lounges of couple of airports etc.

And I guess because of that little midnight snack trip I have been sick the whole week. First it started with a sore throat and ear pain. The next day I woke up with a runny nose which was followed by red eyes as soon as the ear pain disappeared. Now my eyes I finally getting better but I’m still stuck with a really painful sore throat. Friday night my nose started bleeding out of nowhere. And boy, the blood just got coming and coming.

First I tried to keep strong. I was telling my host mum I was just fine, that I'm just gonna sleep the pain away every time she suggested I'd take some pills. After couple of days the throat ache got really bad and it hurt a lot just to swallow. That was the moment I gave up and took the pills and simsalabim the throat ache was gone in minutes. I am still sick but at least it doesn't hurt to just breath anymore. Although I will always try to avoid medication I want to learn where my boundaries really are. As my mum has told me about [period] pain "you won't get an award for not taking the painkillers". I'll also have to learn when it's time to go see the doctor. And that Dr. Google doesn't count.

We are heading to Sunshine Coast for four days today. On Monday I’m taking my first ever surfing lesson which I’m super excited about. I’m just hoping this weird sickness dies on the way there because now I just really want to get better.

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2014 recap

This is just a little recap of my previous year. I gathered all the little video clips I'd captured during the year and put them together creating this about a one minute film. I had a great year and I hope you did too.

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last thoughts

Christmas time has been extremely different this year. Of course there are many factors; being an exchange student for example. Also the news I received on Tuesday changed all the plans. The Christmas miracle happened and my Australian visa got granted obviously following that I would, I will leave on this Saturday, tomorrow. Much appreciating my pro-level organising skills I finished the first packing that day. Now if you have ever moved houses you know what I’m meaning by packing in this situation: it practically means packing everything you own. When I think about it I have no idea how I made this happen within just four to six hours.

I have to say I was extremely relieved hearing the good news about my visa. The thing is, if I hadn’t got my visa before Christmas I would have needed to change host families for couple weeks. Myself nor anyone else had no idea where they would find me another host family in such short notice. I was stressing out so bad what would happen to me that I didn’t have any time to stress about Christmas (good thing, bad thing, I don't even know). I was already really tired to all this organising etc. Now, I want to point out that staff in YFU Australia has been more than amazing. They have done all they can to get me to Australia for New Year’s and kept me updated on my visa and other stuff. I want to say a big thank you. You have no idea how important it is to have good people on your side.

As soon as I got my moving stuff sorted out I finally got to the holiday spirit and could actually enjoy the season. I am very happy with my departure date because it pushes me to see people who are important to me around Christmas time (something I am normally really crap at). For a little while I was upset I wasn’t going to get to spend New Year’s with my friends but I banished those thoughts a while ago. Because once you except that you are going you will no longer think what you could have experienced if you stayed. You only concentrate what’s ahead and what that has to offer you.

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Up to the Trig

This week I have accomplished my New Zealand bucket list. I still have the Kiwi Christmas to go but let’s not count that.

On Tuesday my friend generously took me up to the Trig which is the top of one of the mountains in Levin. I hadn’t realised how long the walk is and since I am seriously not in the best physical condition it was a pretty tough trip. Like the cherry on top it started lightly raining in the midway which obviously didn’t stop us. When we finally made it to the top it was already so misty or foggy that you couldn’t really see the apparently pretty amazing view. Overall the trip was fun and a good way to kill time. In addition I could really feel the exercise working.

Yesterday or actually it was today when I went to see the new Hobbit with my friends. It was the midnight screening, 00.01 which, I believe, was the first screening. I have never ever been in a first screening nor obviously in a midnight screening. The whole experience was really exciting. To be honest I haven’t seen any of the Lord of the Rings or the previous Hobbit movies. After this experience I can say I’m more than interested to see all of them.

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A Different December

This is not the first December without snow but it is definitely the first December with the temperature over 15 degrees. It also the first time I wont be spending Christmas in Finland, with my family. I gotta say there is quite a lot to adjust to. I know there wont be any snow or cold, no never ending darkness - at least it feels never ending every year in Finland. I think I'll be just fine over here.

December has a special spot in my heart even though sometimes I wish it didn’t since I don’t really enjoy winter. Anyway, my little sister is celebrating her birthday in December and Finland’s independency day is celebrated on the 6th. This year I don’t have a possibility to light those blue-and-white candles but I do get to celebrate my home country with Finnish power since Anna is visiting me again this weekend. There’s nothing big on program but then again I haven’t really gotten used to massive independency celebrations. In fact, last year we had a lovely Italy themed evening with a friend family. To be clear we have no roots in Italy, my parents had just planned to make a trip there. How patriotic indeed.

There is a lot I’m missing in December this year but on the other hand there is so much new to explore. On Thursday I went to see my friend and found out a lot new stuff about Christmas and how they celebrate it here. Turns out, I had never ever heard of 12 days of Christmas, Christmas crackers nor many Christmas dishes which names I can’t even remember anymore.

I don’t consider myself as a Christmas enthusiast but suddenly this year I see a new spark in this holly jolly season. I don’t know if it is about all the gorgeous Christmas decorations in Farmers or the fact that this time it is summer during Christmas time. Either way I am excited to see how all this turns out and even more excited about jumping to the plane to Australia, hopefully, right after Christmas.

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