Excitment

2 WEEKS TILL I AM HOME!!!!

Freaky as though.
Looking forward to seeing everyone and my cats. PLus hearing kiwiness all day everyday.

This weekend it was a 3 day weekend and we went to Sweden which is absoultly beautiful!
Just ahhhh... gonna miss my Finnish family so much..

But will finally be able to start planning forward.

Just snow

Well at the moment I am in love with the snow and just found out it will stay at least for the week! Sometimes they do not get snow here till January so I am super happy that they have it now.. Wonder how much I will still like it in 4 weeks...
The photos are taken this morning from outside my bedroom door.
It was amazing on Wens I went and saw Harr Potter came home at 1 in the morning to snow, snowed all the next day. None the next then yesterday it was snowing again! Except it eans that outside is in the negatives. Also I have caught another cold! Grrrr
On Friday the teachers at the nursery well the two main ones asked if I would like to watch Cessi in a play. Turns out I was the only person not from the nursery who went and watched and understood very little. It was great to see Cessi 'acting' though.
Last night I decided I would watch TV. First show I watched was half in English half in Finnish, second show half in Russian and half in Finnish. Finally I found a show just in English called Team Pullman, which was really good.
I have started knitting and am finally attempting to do a big person scarf, will see how it goes.
This morning I went o Facebook and there was a group chat going - made me realise how much I missed the craziness of everyone! Makes me more excited about coming home.

Smiles

had a good weekend!!!
Got to go out to one club (it cost a lot of money just to get in :P) With 9 German girls and one Icelandic. Lots of fun all the songs were in English so I was a little bit confused when I heard Finnish in passing.
Saturday spent the day knitting and tiding and talking to my Finnish family.
Sunday I got to talk to Tabi and then I went out to the Helsinki City Museum and St Nicholas's Church. Was just incredible!!!
TOday has been super busy - since 12 o'clock onwards I have been working or at Finnish Class! Now 9.45pm so tired and did not manage to study yet. Spent along time playing Snakes and ladders.

Nothing

Things are slightly better on the Grandmother front, she gave us all lollies yesterday. She has stopped treating me as a worker as such but more as an adult.

Tonight I am meant to be going out with some of my friends!!!

Bones is back on :)

I got to type to mum today! So hopefully she gets her cord fixed soon so I cantalk to her properly.

Yesterday I got to talk to my sister.

Tomorrow I am meant to talk to Tabi.

IT'S FRIDAY!!!!

Stressed

So the grandmother is here and she is stressing me out a lot.
Can not wait for the weekend!
Next week I got aan interview to get into uni :P Stressed a lot about that!!! Life is on the line.
Woke up covered in spots this morning, really not a good sign least it is just a few more days.
Sounds more positive about going to Stockholm.

Just random

Had a good weekend! On Saturday I went out with the family besides the mum as she was on call. To Helsinki and we went and brought a sofa, then advent calenders for the kids and had Pizza Hut for afternoon tea (After much deciding we where gonna have chinese but the kids wanted sushi but one of them commented I did not like it so we went and had pizza instead.) Then we came home played outside in the dark and then we watched Home Alone - it was my first time ever watching it.
Plus I managed to book my tickets to go see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Excited about that!
Argh on Nov 11th I have an interview to get into uni at 23.30!!! Will need coffee or something that night.
Sunday I got to talk to mum in the morning and then went out to the movies to go see Eat, Pray, Love. With some of the other au pairs which was really fun. Went shopping before hand to. Got something I really wanted to have.
Except now the grandmother is here so life is not as fun as it normally is as the two youngest are home all day for the whole entire week! Oh well this morning on my walk I got one of them to come to so the other one could have one on one time with there grandmother.
It's 7 weeks and 1 day now till I leave Europe not long at all. (Still no idea when I leave Finland.)
Best go to work

19 :O

So I had a super long birthday this year!!! It started by people saying happy birthday at midnight NZ time, then Dad ringing me Thursday night. Then skyping home and talking to Jolene. Woke up Friday morning and was feeling sick argh. But woke up and there were two presents on the kitchen table waiting for me. 19 pairs of socks and a book about Copenhagen!!! Plus an awesome birthday card.
Went and skyped to mum and Jeremy for awhile then and went and caught the bus to the airport to go to Copenhagen!
Great time in Copenhagen 1st night we talked and Rachel and I went out for tea! Had Thai food. Plus had a birthday cake with whipped cream and pineapple lumps :)
The next day we woke up early and headed to Tivoli the amusement park!!!
http://www.tivoli.dk/composite-3351.htm
Incrediable spent all day there but by the end I could not even speak - so no going out that night either.
Sunday more or less just travelled home to Finland - got picked up at the airport! Then everyone else came home at 7pm my friend came over for tea as well and we had a birthday tea. With yummy cake - plus when I got home I had a present waiting for mum on my desk. Had an awesome birthday and felt very loved. Also will be home on the 23rd of Dec around 10am yay!!

Great weekend

Friday I finished work early around 3pm - so stayed and talked to my host mum :)

Saturday woke up early - then at 2pm I met one of the girls from my Finnish class and we went into Helsini together. As I needed some shoes, which we went to 5 stores looking for and being me I went and brough the first pair. now though I really want gumboots!

We also went to the info centre and on the way back there were these teddy bears made of plastic that had different designs of countries on them. Just to confuse me New Zealand was not under 'N' so we spent around 15mins looking for it! As it was super light but it was under 'U' I ran up and hugged it and my friend took a photo much to the suprise of the on lookers. Came back around 6pm. Got to have apple pie for pudding to celebrate my host mum winning her tennis match.

Sunday got to talk to mum for the first time since Wens and Jolene as well :) Got completly lost again. Then spent some of the night playing monopoly in Swedish!

Update:

It's been a while since I have updated;

• Started Finnish classes it is a small group but there is another Nzer!!!! Was so excited - had not meet one in Finland so 6 months without talking to a proper NZ accent face to face was great! Cant wait till Monday now.


• I have sent my application for uni to mum, so now it's up to her to finish everything off.


• I wanna go back to Scotland


• Going to Denmark for my birthday with Rachel Triska which should be great!


• There's another au pair in my finnish course from Sibera so meeting lot of different nationalities. Everyone in my course is around 6 years at least older.


• Icelandic family's au pair is nice - and see her at least once a week, plus she is 18!


• 99 days till christmas.


• i may get a chance to go to Sweden as well!


• Rewatching some Friends


• Finally read my Clare Mallory books.

Other then that, still missing people even though the one's I actually still talk to properly have dropped to 3 :( Werid not being at school as well, nearly a whole year without, in saying that I could not go back. Missing my family still a lot and getting to talk to them less and less.

Also what on earth is going on in NZ???

Finally it's Friday so got a whole weekend of nothing to do ;)

Confused

Ok, so once I am again back to where I have no idea what I wanna do next year.
This time it's deciding between courses (alot less decisions then that way last year.)
Primary teaching looks a lot harder to get into - but most likely more job options. Plus, do I really wanna teach teach?
Early childhood is what Kathleen did - do not really wanna copy her... Also some of my friends will be on that course and could always ask Kathleen for help. i do not think there as many job options anymore.. .
Primary is 4 years and Early Childhood 3 years.
Early childhood has more maori papers then Primary.
I have to apply really soon...
Or do I just find myself a full time job work for the year, save money and then apply? argh to many fricken choices :(

7th August 2010

11 Days till my lil sister's birthday. The only one beside's my own that I am not home for!

But no matter what I should be home in 140 days at least!!!

Ok so after not to greater week (just been me and the parents home.) nice and cruisy sure. But the reasons why I am staying finland were not here. Today it was me all day - I thought it would be the whole day till tomorrow afternoon or night. Then at 7pm I hear voice's then "Josie. Josie, where are you?" and in comes Julia all excitied and gives me a huge hug! Made my week.

So pretty much my week has been boring -particuarly compared to the last 3 weeks.

Love hearing the loudness of the kids again - though they will drive me crazy again soon!

Been waching heaps of NCIS

Scotland!!!

My favourite country so far!!!!

It was amazing I went on a MacBackpackers tour for 5 days. There were 10 of us for most of the time including a scottish guide. 3 Aussie's, 1 French Canadian, 1 Canadian, 2 Spanish, 1 Indian then me theonly Kiwi

Just a few things that happened (not just to me but to others on my tour, awesome over 8 people!):

Hiking up many hills in rain,

Sliding down in the rain not once but 3 times!

Falling down 3 and 1/2 times

Drinking

Whisky

Listening to live highland bands

Seeing the Harry Potter bridge

The train Hogwarts Express was based on.

Picked up by Navy boys

Drinking

Shots!

Snoring

Loud talking

Laughing so much your stomach hurt

Walking through a forest and spending 30 mins watching a fishermen attempt to bring in his catch.

Walking through Glen Coe

Chasing sheep away

Seeing Highland cows

Going to school

Education Centre in the middle of nowhere

Drinking

Fish n Chips

Thai Food

Sandwiches

people imitating the kiwi accent

Commando Rolling

Going on a ferry

Stirling

CASTLES

Toliet stops

Swimming in Loch Ness

Washing our faces in river for beauty and good luck

Being the 'gang' with 'our bus'

Hanging washing up on trees

Midges!

Just one of the most amazing things I have ever done and are likely to do. If you like most of those things then I highly reccommend going to Scotland and going on the tour!

Russia 20th June - 21st June

Saint petersburg in Russia was absoutly fantastic 5 of the funniest days of my life!

Sunday

It started off with me getting on the bus at 5.30am on Sunday morning, going into Helsinki and then catching a train at 7.30am to Saint Petersburg! he trip there went fine. My train station was in the Lenin area of town! Managed to get completly lost on my way to the hostel and it took me two hours. GRRR

When I got to the epic Soul Kitchen Hostel I found out Rachel was not there yet :( I ended up reading for a lil then went on a short walk to find a supermarket.

Got back from that then was in the kitchen and started talking to M. Within a few minuetes she invited me to go out for a walk with her and her brothers after she realised I was all by myself. Saint Petersburg just looks amazing it is not very high tech. I ended up buying a bottle of vodka when i was with them and did not even get checked for ID! Even though it was 40% stuff.

We went back to the hostel as we had a game of Mafia to play, but just as we were about to play Rachel showed up!!! with D and her bf.

So went back to D's place and picked up her stuff. Came back to the hostel around midnight and the game of mafia was over :( I was tired so I ended up going to bed.

Monday

We woke up at 8am and bummed around as we got given a buffet breakfast at 9am. The hostel has the YUMMIEST jam!!!!

We then went and got registered (well I did Rach forgot one form) so we had to go back later on - where the was more people from our hostel there. We then went and had lunch. we ordered by pointing at the signs and such. was real good food!!!

went back and got advice from one of the staff of where we should go. so we attempted to go to St Issaccs Cathedral. What should of been a nice simple hour walk ended up in us walking for 2 hours and then we found out we went to St Nicholas's cathedral instead!

We asked direcrions the whole way back! well till we saw the monument which was our guide! That night we played scrabble with to other people staying there - one who ended up spending a lot of time with through out our stay!

Letters day 2

Letter 8-- Your favourite internet friend-- Well i've made two friends through the internet that I have met and spend all my social time with in Finland, so Lucy and Stephanie. Great people to talk to, no matter what Stephanie has let me come and crash at her place, or just hang out.
Letter 9-- Someone you wish you could meet-- Lenin or Ho Chi Minh. I would love to find out how they actuallymanaged to do everything they did. walking from country to country for one thing!
Letter 10-- Someone you don't talk to as often as you'd like to-- Everyone in NZ. I never seem to be able to get a chance to talk as often as I would like. When all I wanna do is talk to you all!
Letter 11-- A deceased person you wish you could talk to-- Claudia Newton.
Letter 12-- The person who you hate most/caused you a lot of pain-- I only hate one person. Bt dad is prob the one who has caused me the most pain.
Letter14-- The person you've drifted away from-- Ashleigh McNae did a lot together and now we neither talk.
Letter 15-- The person you miss the most-- ... nearly everyone in NZ. Now Lucy as well.
Letter 16-- Someone that's not in your state/country-- Most of my friends and family!
Letter 17-- Someone from your childhood--Nikita Cox. We meet at kindy then again at primary school four years later. Would of been great to maintain being friends!
Letter 18-- The person that you wish you could be--Will never happen, may as well just enjoy life as just me.
Letter 19-- Someone that pesters your mind-- good or bad-- C.Go away.
Letter 20-- The one that broke your heart the hardest-- no one
Letter 21-- Someone you judged by their first impression-- Must be someone just can not remember right now.

Letters (copied off Rose)

Letter 1 your best friend: This ones a hard one as I have several best friends. I would not be who I am today without any of them. Through all the crazy times and different countries we still have a reasonable amount of contact. Been friends through drunk times, over tired times, beach trips, camping, days out. So many more I love you!
Letter 2 — your crush:
.... Life's to short.
Letter 4 — your sibling (or closest relative): Kathleen
when we were little and growing up we were super close. I looked up to you, you were the one that was my protecter. The one I talked to about mum and dad splitting up. You understood. As we are now older we are not as close, we have lives that are so different from each other. It's great that you are happily setteled down.
Letter 5 — your dreams:
Pick one and live it. Learn qll you can and go places. Do not let anyone hold you back, or put you into the back light. Talk as much as you like and not let anyone cut in or dictate the conversation when meeting people - you miss out that way!
Letter 6 — a stranger:
"The friends I have not meet yet"
Letter 7 — your ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/love/crush:
Thanks, it was an experience being with you. Hope you have a good rest of your life.

A long time

Well tommorrow I am off to saint Petersburg and to see Rachel!!!

Today though I went with the family and the Icelandic family (besides the mum) to Moominworld!

It was a lot of fun, its not just rides and such it is little stories and shows. Plus models of all the houses and every other thing in the moomin books.

The photos is of Mia, me and Moominpappa. Got told I had to have a photo taken with one, so I picked wise old Moominpappa (who really isnt that wise).

I'm excited about going away tomorrow and will now not see the family till next Sunday or Monday depending on when they are coming home as they are going away for midsummer.

Still loving it here, been going swimming a bit recently as C and M have had swimming school each day.

3 months

Wow I have been in Finnyland for 3 months now! Time on the whole has flown!

The seasons have changed dramtically since I have been here. Now it is gorgeous (for today at least) and summer! What I have I done today? Gone swimming with 3 of my girls, read, had peanut butter on toast, had macaroni and cheese dish for lunch, chicken salad then jaffas and cadbury chocolate!

Just stuff I would have done in NZ, but still.

10 more days till Russia!!!

19 till Iceland

33 till UK!

Some blogging may be done in this time but as of yet I am not to sure but I have two memory cards so I can take around 1200 photos! Since I have the miracle of a laptop and a hard drive it will be deleting photos from one place and then on to the next!

YAY

I got my laptop up and working again :)

Mum sent me a parcel full of lots of yummy goodies like peanut butter, pineapple lumps, JAFFAS and other great stuff!

So reasonably happy at the moment and to top it off I go to Russia in 12 days and see Rachel!

Lifes pretty slow at the moment as the mum is home. Plus the two girls are going to swimming lessons.

The mum came home today and all she said was "Josie your thing has arrived" So I went straight off (after meeting the new kindminder nextdoor) To get my awesome parcel. So spent most of my time on my laptop oopps.

Awhile

I have not been on here in awhile!

My laptop cord has still not arrived which is why.

15 days till I go to Russia and see Rachel :)

No one else is home at the moment so I get the computer all to myself for once! (It is in the lounge and very hard to get on to with a 5 year old around)

Meeting a girl called Lucy tomorrow. She is 5 months older then me. Will be nice to be around someone so close to my own age again.

I have 5 epic weeks lined up soon! and it all starts in around 2 weeks! Its uber exciting.

Just out of curiosity who does still read my blog? Or am I just talking to cyberspace.

I have to say not having my laptop feels a bit like having an arm chopped off.

Reading alot though. crack up as. Going for around 2 walks a day as well - mainly through the evil forest.

Haha but you dont look when Finnish builders get out of the car as they may just be in underwear. Not sure who was more suprised Cessi or I.

Family's home so I am off bye!

OMG

Yesterday I was wondering around the libary and in the kids section I found a Margret Mahy books!

They have managed to be sold all the way into Finland!

was having a bad day the other day but got letter from Rachel along with a picture, it really made my day!

Then we had a squirrel inside as well.

Raining hre at the moment started yesterday, hopefully it does not last to long.

Being overly homesick at the moment. Does not help that the girls are overtired so they are acting up. Today will be fun!

Read 'Angels & Demons' by Dan Brown.

Going to buy tshirts in the weekend I think!

Carefree

Do you remember when you were yonger and you could more or less day to day witout worrying about much?

I wish ife was still like that now at times.

Having parent who are constanty there - thinking they will always be there.

Life is good now too I guess just in different ways.

Just at times it would be nice to stil have the protection blakets of not needing to worry about a thing.

I love the kids I look after and the older sister Olivia (who has taken a liking to giving me lots of hugs.) But is freaky thinking I am not coming home for another 7 months. Im going to be screwed if I have to pay for the ticket myself...

7 months is such a fricken long time!!!

It becomes a case of living it day by day.

Whats hard is when a dicussion is going on and you would like to hear it but dont understand cause it is in another language.

My laptop is now broken too. So am using a swedish computer that tells me every word I spell is worng.

On a happy note as long as Rach gets her visa soon I will get to spend 5 days in Russia with her and her birthday! Then we are going to come back to finland together! In 26 days!!!

Which is not to bad... Except soon the mum will be home al the time so I will not ave te house to myself in the mornings aymore.

Lake

Had Jasper home the whole day today!

As he is a bit sick. So will have him home again tomorrow so he gets better.

We went to the lake to feed the birds 2/3 of the kids fall in! Sure that is a record.

1 month 1 day till Russia.

8 working days till Ulrika is home for 6 weeks... Shall be interesting having their mum home as well when I am babysitting. A lot different to what I am use to Im sure. But most likely easier then it being her mum. Also within in that time as long as we can find a place and such we should be going to Iceland!

Argh got red dots like I got last year when I was being allergic to school...

I DID IT

I managed to get TO the Russian consulate today - my visa is currently being processed *yay*

At the consulate in line I meet two Korean guys who are going to be studying in Russia one was at high school the other I think university. As at there high schools they have like 20+ subjects apprantly...

A Russian person only knew 3 English words - "I love you"

I meet a German who is travelling through lots of countries on his moterbike. Sounds like lots of fun to me!

Now I have my plane ticket home (gotta pay Rach back). Accommodation booked. Now I just need to get my visa back and buy my train ticket there!

It is happening and in just over a month yay!!!

UK Tour is getting there. Just working out accommodation... what tours to go on etc. Then will just need to book.

Not to sure what is happening with Iceland but will find out closer to the time.

Loving Helsinki! Finland and my forest.

Getting really hot like 25 degrees!

Today

Today I attempted to get to the Russian Consulate - did not work out to well...

Next time I am taking a map with me! Good fun though...

Saw a nun dressed in a brown robe. An old lady with her white hair dyed purple.

Missed Kathleen's graduation :(

Missing, Tabi, Rach, Rach, Mum, Kathleen, Jeremy, Jolene, Kitty, Max, Keryn (I get no hugs anymore besides from a 3 year old), Becca, Rose and more!

Danced with Olivia and Cessi tonight. Have done two nights in a row but just for a few hours - got an ice cream (glass) last night!

Been really tired this week.

Tomorrow (Thursday) is

Ascension of Jesus day. So I get the day off plan to go Stephanie and continue planning London. Where I may go to Lacock and see the church place HP was filmed....

My laptop charger is breaking. I need someway to get a new one.....

Tired

Argh nearly 9 hours with constant looking after of 3+ kids is very tiring!

Had to start getting them ready for bed as well! Thankfully Julia helped a lot and got Cessi and Mia in their pyjamas and teeth brushed. Read a few stories to them... in english :)

Hmmm after a certain amount of time with them, they can be very fustrating. Often it is easier for me just to go and clean up there messes myself. Saves a lot of arguing!

Russia visas are very anonnying to get!

May end up staying there longer though.. but it means Rach wont come back to Finland with me...

Got a letter from Gran and Grandad today it made my day!

Rain

I love rain - good excuse just to curl up inside and read all day. Not so good though when you have 3 kids to amuse for 4 hours or so...

Squirrels really do look cute, one lives outside my room.

Currently reading Harry Potter and the Half blood prince.

The forest just down the road from is is great! Really green (lots of moss) and has cool looking paths.

So scary how it is May already! nearly been gone two whole months only 8 left then.

Playing scrabble with mum, not good as she is smart. She has won all fricken 9 games so far and just managed to score 91 points in one game....

May Day Eve

Had a pretty epic day yesterday.

Went to the forest with my darling 3 children. Came back at 4pm and the dad was home - with decorations for May Day Eve.

I went in to Helsinki to see the washing and capping of Havis Amanda in the market square garden. With 5 other au pairs, you could hear wine bottles being popped every few minutes. Students had overalls on depending on there major at the uni - along with little patches.

They whole place smelled of alcohol. Students then tend to go to pubs and restaurants. We went to the Aussie Bar, not many students were in there... As we were not there for long, with leaving early at 9pm as they have age restrictions at most pubs of 21 but if you go in early they don't check your id.

When it came down just to being me Anna and another girl we decided we had not eaten in ages so we went to McDonald's for some food.

cooking

Whats really confusing is doing a normal activity like cooking, or reading - then to find I'm in Finland and not in NZ. It's upsetting, I know I choose to be here nothing besides the whole money thing is making be stay - and the fact that when I am not thinking I do enjoy myself. Which is quite a bit of the time now, just yea. It is hard to explain, such simple things. Like doing something and realising that you cant just text Tabi or Rach and tell them what just happened. Or come home after working and argue with Jeremy or talk to Jolene and mum.

Just having people around my own age constantly who I can talk too - face to face.

ANZAC Day

Well today started off by talking to mum, she had been to the Dawn parade in Feilding. While trying to get on to hotmail I was on the MSN and saw that a helicopter had crashed on the way to a service killing at least 3 people. A truck in australia hit 6 war veterans thankfully none died.

I went to Stephanie's and made ANZAC biscuts, he over friend Michelle was there as she ws half Australian. After we managed to work out what the ingredients names were in Finnish - that took awhile!

Had Garlic bread.

Then managed to catch the two buses home! Was very proud of myself for managing it.

Swimming

Yesterday I went swimming in the pools here for the first time!

I took Mia and Cessi with me. At the start you get given locker keys without paying for them, the changing room is huge and everyone is standing next to their lockers.

Then you go through the shower/sauna room to get to the pools. Then often people get out at different points go have a sauna then come back to the pools. Then when you get out you have a shower then another sauna then another shower then you run up to the changing rooms to get changed.

Very different from the NZ experience!

Flowers

Ok so this is what happens when you agree to make stuff with kids. You become a pretty good maker with flowers! Had a great day - kids happy the whole time, watched moomin and space trainers with them. Space trainers is a swinglish show, so I understood a little.

Played outside in the rain for an hour, took them ages to want to go home from nursery as I was pushing them on the swings.

Spent 8 hours more or less constantly with them and still loving it!

Thursday 22nd April

Been here over 6 weeks now! Defiantly the longest I have ever been away from home!

Yesterday I had noddles for tea, I forgot how much I like them! Got them specially cooked as Olivia and I had not eaten yet. Where as everyone else had, had leftovers.

Including an icky fish soup and this pasta with an icky sauce.

Their dad goes away nearly every week for a few days on business trips - so just me and Ulrika as more grown up people in the house. Which is great cause it means I talk to her alot more.

Gonna go see Stephanie this Sunday to make ANZAC biscuts.

didnt get to talk to mum on the phone yesterday so was rather sad about that.

Rainy day today so will have to spend most of it inside with the kids - so fun!

Harry Potter

Well in a really big Harry Potter mood at the moment so luckily for me the family have the books in English. So I am rereading them again. Up to the second one already.

Not much else happening, working as normal they now have a tramp up which will be one of my new fav things. As the kids can spend literally hours on it which is great.

Argh not a good morning.

Oh well will be 'working' which is not that bad really fun normally - well on a good day. So the kids are great at distracting me. May be helping around 9pm tonight as both parents are playing a sport. So should be fun.

It is currently 14 degrees outside which is great.

so nice warm weather. which am starting to love :)

Leaders

So in a group of friends as a general rule most people think there should not be a friend. How then as a group of friends do you do anything? In most groups of friends there is often one person who stands up and says 'we should go and do...'

For a small think such as a party or a day trip, does not take to much organising, depending on what you are doing.

But getting a camp done, several times for a whole week - that would be a challange. You have to put yourself out there, be bitched about for not being nice. Listen to people complain how things are not fair and all that sort of stuff. Thing is though, once you have been such a strong leader within a group it can be hard to step back and not be so bossy. Everyone soon forgets that they were the awesome person who organised the camp, prob soothed out many arguments. As within a group particuarly a big group that is classified within a school as 'social outcasts' and what not people are at many different levels of maturity, have different backgrounds, so are completely different types of people.

Having a big group keep together over so many years is pretty rare, without at least half of them at least leaving. Only way to keep together is often do the big things which need a leader. Just dont ever forget what they have done for you in the past as likely they would do it for you again in a second.

AHH! Happy

So not to much happening, everything seems to be going good between me and my kids, the parents like me I think.

Starting to really like Finland and the family. Spending more time out of working hours with the kids.

spending alot of time outside, as it's becoming spring. Spring fever.

They have a sandpit, and strawberries are growing, snow is melting.

Squirrels and birds are out.

Swings are useable, freaky to find out that I was standing several feet above the ground on snow!

Still missing everyone like crazy! But is good as Mum, Rach, Rach and Tabi have skype so can talk to them :)

Just happy happy!

Suprisingly I have had no sugar today, besides fruit. As my family are very healthy. Lollies and cakes and such are for special occasions only.

Oh may get to go to Iceland in August with the family!

Naww just got dragged out of my room to 'eat' the food Jasse and Cessi had made for me and Ulrika.

Saturday 10th April 2010 - Been here a whole month now!

Ok so great day today, talked on skype to Tabi, played games with mum on skype.

Ate pineapple lumps with the family along with Karl Frazer chocolate and some yummy peppermint candy that I do not know the name of.

Around this time it was 2pm, so I was saying bye to the parents the conclusion of the conversation was that if the person I was meeting was strange and hurt me or whatever I was to ring them up straightaway. Which is so lovely of them!

Caught the train into Helsinki again, met Szandra. Walked to the harbour where the water is horrible looking. Not clean New Zealand blue mucky green, well water there was as it was all frozen. Went to the muumi (moomen) museum. Which as I think I mentioned before a popular cartoon character here. Szandra took some phtos, she is lovely and from Hungary 22 years old and has 4 kids. Well looks after them she as an au pair in Espoo. Got a new SD card. Had bird for lunch which I did not like. Had an african type fish thing for tea which was yum!

10 Friendship commandments as stated by Creme

Thou shall always remember their birthday
Sometime friendships are about the big moments - how you react when they're going through tough times, how you handle your first fight, how she picks you up when you are at you lowest point - and sometimes it's about the little moments. Remembering your bestie's birthday or another important dates shows that you pay attention to her life and you're thinking about her. Those are the kind of little details that can make a big difference.

Thou shalt never be a fair-weathered friend

A fair-weathered friend is someone who sticks by yourside when things are going well for you but mysteriously disappears whenever you are going through troubling times. You don't ever want to be this kind of friend. Friendship isn't always fun and easy, sometimes it's sticking with someone when they feel like the rest of the world is abandoning them and being there to brighten their world.

Thou shalt bring cheer to a best friend's life

At the end of the day, the two biggest things you want from a friend is:

a) Someone who is unfailingly kind and

b) someone who makes you laugh so much you snort water though your nose.

If you've got a friend who excels in both of those categories, grab onto them and never let go!

Thou shalt indulge thy friend's never-going-to-happen crush

So, your friend is in love with Glee's Cory Monteith and 100% convinced the two of them belong together. There comes a certain point in Crush Land where logic no longer applies and in this case it's best you just nod and agree. There's no harm indulging her.

Thou shalt never date their ex-boyfriends

You can say, "It's ok, I've asked her and she says it's fine," until you're blue in the face, but you know what? It's rarely, if ever, ok to date your bestie's ex-boyfriend and chances are, she's totally not okay with it. At best it's going to be awkward at its worst, it's going to make you look disloyal. Move on, and find someone else!

Thou shalt always keep in contact

If you've moved away from your bestie or if she's gone to a different school, it can seem all too hard to maintain your super-close friendship now that there's a distance between you. No,no and no! Technology has made keeping in contact easier than ever, so don't get lazy and start drifting apart. Make your friendship a priority and get creative - remember the awesome times you had together and always make an effort to stay in touch.

Thou shalt never talk behind their back

Loyalty is the most important qualities a friend can have, but it's one of the rarest out there. One easy way to work out if what you are saying is appropiate? Ask yourself if you'd be comfertable saying it about her if she was standing next to you. If the answer is no, either rephase or let it go!

Thou shalt always let them know you love them

Don't ever put your friends in a position where they have to question how you feel about them. They should always know how much you love spending time with them and how much fun you have when they're around. Feeling like you're been taken for granted can kill a friendship pretty fast, so never miss an opportunity to tell your bestie how lucky you feel to have her.

Thou shalt be honest when it matters

There are certain situations where honesty is defiantly the best policy. It may not always be what your bestie wants to hear, but part of your BFF job description is to stop them from doing things that you know are going to end badly. Whether she likes it or not, she's still going to valu your opinion and if she's doing something wrong or acting in a way that's going to hurt her, make yourself heard. As Dumbledore says, "There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."

Thou shall never let a boy come between you

Both of you liking the same boy or you neglecting your bestie because your new boyfriend are pretty awful situations, and too many friendships end over a boy. There are plenty of fish in the sea, so why risk ruining your friendship over some guy? Boyfriends will come and go but best friends are forever - learn those words and live by them!

Care Package

I have the most amazing mum ever! Her and her friends Carole sent me a care package which arrived today. Today I have been out of New Zealand for a whole month! So was rather great getting it today.

I got pineapple lumps, socks, lindor choc, peanut butter, a magazine, and 2 mocha sachets..

Is very excited. I really needed sock but they are extremly expensive here!

Argh

The SD card for my camera is broken :(

Julia went to the confectionery factory two days ago so she brought some to take it home. Naturally she shared some, tutti frutti lollies!

Was Olivia's Birthday party thankfully the 10kids who were just her friends went to an adventure park or something with Lasse. They came back for cake and lollies, which the whole family shared in.

You cant begin to help but love the family though, particuarly the 3 kids I take care of all the time.

Later that day

Yea decided I dont think I could handle being a mum.

Seeing kids crying and not being able to help is a bit to hard... Happened to me alot today. There was nothing I could do...

The 3 children that ate their snack today managed to all spill it, Cessi was naturally why she was being naughty. She was not impressed when I laughed at it.

Wednesday 7th April 2010

Monday I did not do much mainly watched movies which was great fun!

Also watched a movie 'with' Rachel T! We both had Alice and Wonderland (new one) playing at the same time, while commenting to each other.

Yesterday I woke up at 6.30am, got straight up to. Went for a walk and got chocolate! Was raining during my walk cause that makes the snow melt! They do not have peanut butter here though :(

Managed to work 6 and 1/2 hours! from 11.30 - 6pm as the Dad's away and the mum had to work late.Made a 'telescope' also watched my first muumi who is the famous lil kid show here. Been around for 65 years. Ulrika encouraged me to still go for my normally night walk a lot later though then normal so I did.

When I got back I found out they had a death in the family. Well wording was they had an unfortunate incident in the family, Olivia was the only one in the room so I instantly something had happened to her...

So I did all I could to help as I am no good at what to say when people have just lost someone.

Got to watch a movie again with Rach though!

And a episode with Bones

Snow actually looks like the snowflakes you make when you are little! It's snowing again today :) Rather annoying though as it finally finished, I can now walk safely most places.

Managed to open my on door and walk outside from it today! All the snow is more or less gone from there.

In the second photo you could not see the wood when I first came!

Easter Sunday

6.22pm

Home alone which is good cause I am not really in the mood for people. a homesick unfortunately!

Yesterday I talked to Tabi which was great on msn for a lil while, miss her alot at the mom. She sounds like she has finally found someone that is worth half of her.

Been talking even more to Ulrika as it was just and the youngest two home, finding that good.

I attempted to catch the 1.03pm bus but missed it by just 20second. Thankfully Monday -Saturday buses run every 15 mins. So I just caught the next one.

At Helsinki I got a new Pandora bead, so I now have 5 :)

Posted the journal of to Rachel T, at the post office and most stores here you do not line up. You go up to this ticket thing, out pops out a number and you wait for that number to be called and then you can go up.

Managed not getting lost this time when I went to Kamppi, were I caught a bus to Steph's.

Went to the grocery store with her - which mean two more buses!

We watched nearly all the Harry Potter movies in a row, besides the last 20mins of the last movie as I was starting to just fall asleep.

Got to have a cat sleep in the same bed! Eeyore swapped between me and Stephanie most of the night. We planned a bit of our UK trip to. Looking forward to that!

Still wanna go back to NZ now... oh well hopefully it passes again soon.

Good Friday

Well it has been, no work. Only 2 kids at home. Cessi and Jasse as the others have gone away to their grandparents with Lasse. So just four of us at home.

Had teddy bear pasta for lunch - which Jasse does not seem to like eating, so he plays with it instead.

Sometime after this I went for a walk, through a very slushy forest. Not the smartest idea, ended up knee high at one stage in snow. Feet soaked through from falling on the snow and going straight into the water. Was great fun though! Saw 2 squirrels playing and saw several birds...

Came back and had mumee, a malt and rye easter pudding as well as minature easter eggs!

Have had the two lil ones in and out of my room.

Had pasta and some yummy cheesy bacon pasta sauce for tea.

Now my room has become a part of the play area!

Thursday 1st April 2010

Had a great day today!

Well for the most parts had two major low points but that was just kid related and yea...

Had a pancake with bacon cooked in it with jam on top for tea.

Got given lots of drawings today :) My room is starting to become messy because of the children.

Serious as an au pair you get paid for only certain hours but you are joining a family. So naturally kids treat you like an older sister.

Not to many bruises just yet thankfully.

Weekend is starting to look good should be doing a harry potter movieathon, joys of having one friend in Finland.

The snow is now turning into slush, and I swear is alot more dangerous then snow! Cause the ice underneath it crack and what not. All slippery.

Picture is of my lil devil at times Cessi.

Made cheese scones today with Julia. Had this big panckae type thing with bacon cooked in it and jam on top for tea. Was cooked in the oven.

Love you all

Wens 31st March 2010

Had pasta (spaghitti) with a sauce which contained meat tonight for tea, yum!

Helped make a castle, and is offically a jungle gym to Mr Jasse.

Rained today, took 10mins to get the kids out of the nursery not that I am complaining ;)

Nearly had snow and ice fall on me twice now, rather scary!

Umm...

They are having a witch easter party tomorrow at the nursery.

Talked to a German on Facebook, was very hard to understand. As I said normal things in english but she took them in a completely different way.

Later that day

Had spinach soup for tea :( with hard boiled egg. So I had toast afterwards.

Bad day working...

5 year olds do not like having au pairs in their homes by the sound of it.

Being an au pair is not an easy thing, worth it but hard.

For starters you shift to a different country; to join a family which sometimes like mine may not have an au pair in awhile and if so it is hard to become a member of it. Which can take awhile to join.

Secondly children do not always easily accept someone new to be in charge. Lots of uphill and downhill work there.

I'm sure there is alot more but can not think at the moment as I am tired.

30th March 2010 an average day

Well mum complained I did not put enough on my blog. In my opinion I am not doing interesting enough stuff as of yet.

I had my first pre cooked meal with the family last night it was rice, LIVER and rasins. I decided I dislike liver.

I am slowly starting to understand swedish (I know Im in Finland but they speak Swedish at home - besides to me.)

I am trying many different types of food. Such as deer. The pork tastes different here.

My average day goes I wake up around 8am, so 6pm NZ time now. Stay in my room till everyone has gone normally around 9am. But not today for some werid reason. Have breakfast, talk to mum on skype, then go have a shower and unload the dishwasher and hang up the washing. Come back and talk to mum for a bit longer and then go get Cessi, Jasse and Mia from nursery.

We normally then play outside for half an hour or longer on a good day 2 hours. Otherwise we then go inside and play games or make finger puppets or do something. Then I prepare a fruit snack at 2pm.

After they stay playing inside and I play to till whatever parent comes home first between 4-5pm.

I then generally go for a walk towards the city center or train station wwhich are in the same direction so I do not get lost and this walk takes an hour :)

Often I have been posting a letter at the same time.

I have no idea what I am going to do for easter as it sounds like I have a 4 day holiday...

Generally though my day is good.

Helsinki

Is so awesome!

Lots of old archeiture (sp)!

McDonalds (which has McFlurries), a pizza Hut.

Huge shopping centers, a place thats very easy to get lost in. Trams everywhere.

Jewllary stores that give you wine with out asking for ID

No snow well much just lots of rain!

Oh well good fun

Wenesday 24th March 2010

So not to much happening...

Working and going for walks...

The grandparents leave tomorrow so that will be good.

Can go back to last weeks routine then :)

Then I will be able to pick all the meals I eat besides tea! Some of the food the grandmother has cooked on the whole has been nice... Just not what I have wanted at that point and time.

And I will then be able to start working properly again!

Watching LOTS of Digimon and Friends...

Love you all

Olivia's Birthday

Today is Olivia's birthday... I gave her a kiwi which is one english word she said on her first try.

Been rather busy, meet an Aussie the other night and they have buses here that go a 1.20am!!!

Yea I actually went on it, was pretty fun lots of people were on it to.

Here they have to join the army when they are 19 for 6 months at least. Part of the uniform is this hoodie thing, and they still wear the old uniform hats for snow like the Russians.

There is a forest just down the road from were I am living, you have to stick to the path otherwise you end up thigh deep in snow.

Went on the train for the first time, was pretty cool. I had to ask how to pay as they do not have ticket people you just have to swipe your travel card.

I am finally now not getting lost and even managed to get all the way to a shopping center by myself :)

The snow is slowly melting and turning into slush. I made my first snowman to have Jasse sit on it a moment later. He likes trying to make me lose my temper. Which has not worked yet.

Photos from the 19th

outside the train station in Helsinki

Cessi and Mia with their colour cooridnated dolls

and again

snow first thing in the morning :) winter wonderland