Day 11: Arriving in Rauma and Meeting my Host Family!

Hello readers,

Today started out as an extremely bittersweet day as I packed up my bright magenta suitcase to leave my temporary host family, the Toppari's, in Helsinki. I had formed lasting relationships and made wonderful memories with them, and was devastated to part ways.

Kimberly, Caroline, Elizabeth, Kaisa (Caroline's host sister), and I decided to meet at the YFU national building at 1 PM so that we could hang out around Helsinki and grab something to eat before heading home with our permanent host families. The orientation for host families would last until 3 PM, so we had 2 hours to find somewhere to eat. We first stopped at a kebab restaurant for an actual lunch and then a Taiwanese bubble tea cafe!

Pearl milk tea (green tea flavored) in Helsinki!

I could not reign in my tears as I hugged the last of the FUSYE scholars and the YFU Finland prgoram coordinators, even though I clenched my teeth and pinched my thumb (which both usually help me contain my tears). I tried to think of happier things and be enthusiastic about the new experiences with my new host family, but in the moment it was so difficult to think about anything but this past wonderful week and how I would never get to make new memories with the other 11 FUSYE scholars and the Toppari family.

It sounds so superficial, knowing someone for only a week and feeling a great attachment towards them, yet my experiences with them run deep: I still remember first meeting the FUSYE scholars in Washington in the American University lounge and eating dinner at the embassy together, eating at Cafe Ursula after the Ministry of Education visit and posing on the rocks, buying the ingredients for banana cake at the S-market and baking banana cake for the first time with Sanni, touring Suomenlinna with the Toppari's. Usually I don't get emotionally attached to other people, so my sorrow is pretty indicative of the life-changing first week I spent in Finland.

Here's one of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes: "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Because of the people I met this past week, I now have an abundance of memories that I will treasure eternally in my heart . Their presence has added another dimension, color, richness to my life and I am forever grateful to have an opportunity to meet such inspiring people.

Greeting me in the YFU national office was my new host family, the Wendelin's! Kari Wendelin, the father, is a Swedish speaking Finn (which is extremely rare, only 5.4% of the Finnish population speaks Swedish as a native language). I also met my host mother, Marja Wendelin, and my host sister, Camilla Wendelin. Their eagerness and congeniality cheered me up greatly and pulled me away from my sorrow.

They all helped me carry my luggage to the car, and off to Rauma we went! In the car, I was half-expecting the stoic, silent nature of most Finns, but the Wendelins turned out to be pretty talkative and open. We discussed my family's background, their family's background, languages we spoke, what we were going to do this summer, my hobbies, and so much more.

Then we took an ice cream break!

A Geisha ice cream cone! Fazer ice cream is heavenly.

After we stopped for ice cream, we drove directly to Rauma, which was around 3 hours away. As we drove farther away from Helsinki, I noticed the streets gradually narrowing, the forest thickening and lush plants blossoming.

Map of the route from Rauma to Helsinki. 

When we arrived at my host family's beautiful house, I was greeted by a very enthusiastic Vikke (the Norwich terrier) and Charlotta Wendelin, the oldest daughter of the family. She's 21 years old and currently studies Business Administration. I talked a bit to her about my microfinance initiative last summer in Ningxia and financial literacy campaign. The family took me on a tour of their house, and I was in awe of so many things. There is a beautiful sauna, jacuzzi, two shower stalls, a bar, and a mini movie theater on the first floor of their house. My room is connected to a study room, which is filled to the brim with books, in all different languages, from German to Finnish, Swedish to English. The formal dining room is to my right and they have a spacious, well-lighted kitchen area! The third floor is where everyone else's room is.

Before dinner, Charlotta and Camilla decided to walk Vikke around the neighborhood and simultaneously show me some interesting places around their house, such as the beach! Rauma is a gorgeous seaside city and is home to an abundance of lakes and rivers.

There is a beach quite close to my family's house!

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You can see the light rays peeking through the trees and the beach right behind it.

Meet Vikke Wendelin, the adorable 9-year-old Norwich Terrier. He's so fluffy!!!!

While this day started out bittersweet, I am beginning to love Rauma and the Wendelin family! I am looking forward to the next 5 weeks, which will undoubtedly be packed with new stories and experiences.