EXCHANGE STUDENT TAG

Hello there! So this time I'm doing my post in English. Or at least trying to. In the future I probably won't be doing posts in English, they will still be in Finnish. But let me know if you prefer English or if I actually have people wanting to read my blog who don't understand Finnish. Thanks!

So I'm going to do exchange student tag. I will do it two times during my exchange year. For the first time now when I'm kind of in the beginning of the year. The second time will come when I'm ending my year. So lets get going!

What is your name, age, nationality and company?

I'm Roosa Takala. I'm 17 years old and from Finland. I came here through Rotary.

Where are you living your exchange year?

Saint Joseph, Michigan, USA.

Why did you decide to be an exchange student?

Okay so, I don't have any certain year or day when I would have been like "Hey I want to become an exchange student." To be honest I have no clue where, when and why this started, but it's just has always been there. I enjoy travelling so much. Just seeing the world gives me like life. So I guess that's a part of it.
It didn't come to my mum as a surprise when she realized that I wanna become an exchange student. She just knew and she still knows that I won't stay in Finland my whole life. That's just not me. I'm gonna see the world and an exchange year is an amazing opportunity for that.
I remember crying when I was on seventh grade or something, because I thought I'll never be able to go out for an exchange year. I thought we wouldn't have the money or I just couldn't do it or something. I wrote on my diary in fifth grade "I hope I'm gonna become an exchange student. Otherwise I'm gonna have to sing 'it was only just a dream.'" Lol. So that's that.

What did you think when you first stepped out of the plane?

Well lets start this story from before stepping out of the plane. So you guys might know the song Empire State of Mind by Jay Z and Alicia Keys. That song was and is my exchange life tune. When I was a kid I always dreamed that when I land to New York for my exchange year that song will be playing. And guess what. I FORGOT. I freaking forgot. I was too excited. I'll never get the chance again.
So anyway, me and the girl sitting next to me in the plane, saw THE New York skyline from the plane and that was it. I was freaking out. All the sadness and depression from leaving Finland was gone for those minutes when I just looked at New York. The excitement started to build up and oh man. I can't describe it. It was just out of this world. Stepping out of the plane was like (excuse my language) fucking awesome. It was just amazing to breath the air of US of A. Holy moly.

What is the greatest thing you've tasted so far?

Honestly the answer is simple. Taco Bell.

Have you done anything so far that you never thought was possible?

I never thought that this whole year was possible. And here we are.

What has been the biggest challenge so far?

Just like adapting in to the culture. That's probably been the hardest part. I didn't have any problems with the language and stuff so yeah.

How do you like the school in your host country?

So you know how there's that stereotypical version of American high school's and everyone's always saying that the school isn't really like on the movies. But to be honest it is. At least in my opinion everything's like straight from the movies and I LOOOOVE IT.

How do people dress in your host country (in your opinion)?

Just like normal people. Okay, you never see people wearing pajamas in school in Finland but buddy they do it in here. But like people dress just like us in Finland pretty much. Maybe Finnish people are a little bit more inappropriate than Americans.

If your exchange year so far was a song, what would it be?

Okay so my main song is, like I already said, Empire State of Mind. But I have so many more too like this Finnish one Maailman Toisella Puolen by Haloo Helsinki. Or Don't Forget Where You Belong by One Direction. Or Alone Together by Fall Out Boy. Or Hall of Fame by The Script. I have my jams people.

How do you imagine the day you're going back?

Ioisfsfsgeo. I honestly don't want to think about it too much yet. Because in the beginning I got way too excited when I was thinking about the day I go back and that's not right. I just came here, gosh Roosa slow it down. Anyways now that I've been here for a little longer I feel like that the day will just horrible. I honestly do. It will be the most perfect day ever and the most horrible day ever. Just like the day I came here but just two times worse and better.