Lapin matka

If you throw a group of complete strangers together and a few days later they have become a family for life you know that nothing is more important than connection and experiences. And when you send that group of people on a week long trip to the North of Finland you can be sure they will have one of the best weeks of their lives.

On Sunday the 12th around 11 pm it was finally time. The long waited YFU Lapland trip would start. I spent the day packing and preparing for the 15 hour long bus ride. Antonia and her hostdad picked me up and he drove us to the bus waiting in Korso. With a few other students we were the first ones to get on the bus there. It was only a short journey to Helsinki where we had a 45 minute break and picked up a bunch of other people. It was already midnight when we left but no one really felt like sleeping. Until our second stop in Tampere we threw a small bus party, then we started getting tired. I slept through the next stops in Jyväskylä and Kärsämäki. Almost everyone was on the bus now. Around six or seven I couldn´t fall asleep again but then it was already time for breakfast.
After Oulu and somewhere in the nowhere we had picked up everyone that would join our trip and continued the bus party until we arrived in Rovaniemi where we would visit the Santa Claus village.
I was really thrilled about the whole trip but meeting Santa wasn´t something I was really excited about. But when we entered the house that was decorated Christmas-ish with letters from children framed on the walls I had to grab my friends hand. Suddenly I felt like a small child whose dream comes true and when we actually met Santa, shook his hand, were surprised by his extraordinary language skills and listened to him saying sweet words, I wasn´t the only one who almost shed some tears.
After that a big smile was stuck on my face. I guess it stayed there for the rest of the week.
At around 4pm, after 17 hours on the road, we arrived our final destination. A cozy family owned hostel in Pyhätunturi. We organized our stuff and had dinner and then we were free for the rest of the evening. The first thing we did was putting on our snow clothes and explore the area. The snow reached our hips in some spots and just like meeting Santa we felt like little kids - really happy little kids. After that some people discovered the karaoke DVD in the basement and we annoyed everyone else with a more screamed than sung version of Bad Romance. 
Our program began on the next morning. After breakfast our bus took us to the nearby Arctic Husky Farm. The people who worked there explained how the sleds are used and then we got the chance to make a 1 kilometer trip with the husky sleigh. It was over way too fast, but it was something I definitely wanted to do in Finland and really fun. Everyone got their turn and then we got a tour around the husky farm. The highlight was definitely when we got to pet the little puppies that were only a few weeks old. A small break in the café later we drove to the next place. A reindeer farm. 
Here we started with a ride on a reindeer pulled sled as well. I couldn´t decide which was more fun, but at least the reindeer ride was longer. 
Then we had lunch in a cozy house. It was - of course - reindeer soup and an alternative for the vegetarians and vegans. When we were done with eating one of the owners of the farm, who were all Sami people, so indigenous Northern people, told us about their culture. It was really interesting and we had so many questions but we all were quiet when she sung a so called joik, a traditional song, for us. The joik didn´t have words and the only instrument was a drum that she first warmed over the fire but the feeling it gave us was almost magical. The trip to the animal farms ended with us feeding the reindeers and trying the lasso throw that they use to catch them - I failed horribly. 
For me the Lapland trip could have been complete by that day already - I mean I saw huskies and reindeers! But there were so many more great things to come.
The evening was spent like all the others this week. Sauna, iltapala, talking, dancing and enjoying being together. 
On Wednesday morning our skiing (or snowboarding) adventure started. After everyone was provided with the fitting equipment the different groups went their ways. There were the people who exactly knew how to ski, the total beginners, the cross country skiers, people who wanted to try snowboarding and us - three people who have skied once before and a ski teacher. Slowly we worked ourselves from the children hill to the family slope and got used to the feeling of standing on skis again. I just know that our teacher recognised our bright smiles the second time we went down the hill and I told him I forgot how much fun it was. After we tried some slopes and rehearsed techniques the ski lesson was over and we were free to explore the ski area on our own. 
The day that we spent on the animal farms and Saturday when we drove back to South were cloudy and snowy. But all three days in between were incredibly sunny - I even got a sunburn, believe it or not! - with perfect blue sky and an amazing view from the top of the hill. We spent the days on skis, trying new routes, roasting marshmellos over a fire, listening to music on lift rides and only making pauses for fries or waffles in the restaurant. Me and my friend skiied together most of the time because our skill level was almost identical. The best thing was to see how we improved and could go down the steepest part of the red slope pretty fast at the end of the time even though it took us 15 minutes and a lot of bravery and persuasion the first time. 
The days woud have been great with only skiing but after we went home for dinner around 4pm other really cool things happened. 
The first thing was that we went out to check the sky for Northern Lights in the evening. We had done that the night before and weren´t lucky. Now the apps and the internet predicted a comparatively high chance but the YFU volunteers told us not too get our hopes too high. We walked outside and only saw a weirdly shaped white thing in the sky that could also be a cloud. We were already on our way back when one of the volunteers came outside to check the sky and she told us that it was a Northern Light and in which direction we should go to get the best view. We walked the small distance to the lake where we had been ice fishing the day before. I think none of us had the right clothes and I couldn´t feel my legs anymore. But by the time we walked there the cloud thing chnaged to something that we could actually identify as a polar light. When we stood on the lake we saw a Norhtern Light behind the forest that looked like the earth was glowing and another light on the horizon climbing up the sky. While we were watching they turned from white to green and it was one of the most touching things I´ve ever seen. Later that night and also on the next day we saw even better lights - they are supposed to be the best lights in the last twenty years - not only green but also red and purple, dancing over the whole nightsky. But for me the most special time was this first time we saw them, everyone gazing up in silence, amazed by something that you only know from post cards, speechless and so grateful that we were so lucky to get to see such a spectacle.

Credits go to whoever took these pictures. I´m glad there were people who did.

On Thursday evening we departed for a visit to the Northern Lights Academy. When our bus pilot Petra announced that it was about an hour and 15 minutes drive away we were all surprised but then we remembered we were in Lapland and nothing is close. Laying on our backs in a small tent we got a presentation about Northern Lights so we exactly knew what we marveled at the other day. 
On Friday evening, after our last wonderful day of skiing, we left to make a tick behind the last thing on our bucket lists - next to reindeers, huskies, polar lights, ice fishing and Santa: ice swimming. 
Warming up as much as we could in sauna and then dipping into the water and then back to sauna. I have to admit that it felt really good afterwards and I even did it twice but to be honest: it is not my favourite thing to do. 
Even though we were all really tired and our stuff wasn´t nearly done being packed, we stayed in the common area in the basement long this night. YFU had promised a get together in summer for everyone but it still felt like the last time we could be together like that. And it was the last evening of a trip we didn´t really want to end yet. But if there´s one thing we cannot stop or slow down, no matter how much we want to, it is time. So on Saturday morning at 8 all suitcases were packed and we sat on the bus, waving to the owners of the hostel until we couldn´t see them anymore. 
During the 14 hours that it took us to get back to Korso where I left the bus with some other students as the very last, I maybe got to sleep half an hour. I should have slept more but I didn´t want to miss any of the time I had left with these people. There was a lot of crying on the bus ride, a lot of hugging, a big applause for everyone when they had to leave at their stops. A lot of music, memories, laughter and friendship.
When my host mum asked me the next day what the best thing about the trip was I couldn´t name anything. And not because I had to answer in Finnish. "Kaikki?" she asked. "Kaikki." Everything. 

I have written this blogpost days ago but I didn´t upload it because I couldn´t come up with any final words. I feel like it has to be something meaningful, something special, something that worships this trip as much as it is supposed to be. Words that express my gratitude for being able to live that experience, to see and do all these things. Words that express my love for the people that were on this trip with me, who are so important to me and who I will miss so so much (and also all the people who couldn´t be there and who we all missed very much). But I can´t think of anything. And maybe that is words enough.

Maybe this video does better than my words and gives you an idea of how great this trip was and these people are. Enjoy watching. 

(Keine deutsche Übersetzung heute aber das Video sagt mehr als alle Worte)

Wanhat

 (English version and pictures below!)

Vor etwa drei Monaten haben sich alle Elftklässler unserer Schule in der Turnhalle versammelt. Ein bisschen neugierig, vielleicht ein bisschen nervös, haben wir auf die beiden Sportlehrer gewartet. Als sie mit großen Lautsprechern gekommen sind, haben sich Paare gebildet und hinter den Lehrern aufgereiht. Und dann haben wir angefangen zu tanzen. Oder es zumindest versucht. Es hat bestimmt fünf Minuten gedauert, bis mein Partner und ich überhaupt herausgefunden haben, wie wir unsere Hände zu halten haben. Und dann haben wir unsicher und stolpernd versucht die Schritte der Lehrer nachzumachen.

Viele Wochen und Tanzstunden später sind alle in Kleidern wie Prinzessinen, den schönsten Frisuren und Fracks und weißen Handschuhen in die diesmal geschmückte Turnhalle eingetreten und haben 11 traditionelle Tänze und einen selbst ausgedachten Tanz präsentiert. 

Was das alles ist? Wanhat, übersetzt "die ältesten", ist der Prom der Finnen, nur dass es sich ziemlich zu dem Prom unterscheidet, den man kennt. Wanhat tanzen die Eltfklässler, nachdem die Abiturienten ihren letzten Schultag haben, um zu feiern, dass sie jetzt die ältesten an der Schule sind. Wanhat war mit Sicherheit eines der besten Erlebnisse meines Auslandsjahres.

Nachdem sich die Frage "Oh Gott, mit wem soll ich denn tanzen?" als viel einfacher herausgestellt hat, als wir Austauschschüler gedacht haben (am Ende hat einfach irgendjemand dich gefragt, der noch einen Partner gesucht hat oder Freunde von Freunden haben das ausgemacht), haben wir für zwei Monate dreimal 75 Minuten in der Woche in bereits erwähnter Turnhalle verbracht.
Und versucht tanzen zu lernen. Die Laune wechselte immer zwischen "wir werden das nie lernen", "was auf Erden ist das für ein Schwachsinn", "das macht unfassbar Spaß" und "Hilfe, ist  das wirklich schon so bald??", aber alles in allem hatte ich eine richtig gute Zeit in diesem Kurs.
Da meine Gastmama sich mit mir glücklicherweise schon Monate vorher um ein Kleid gekümmert hat, hatte ich diese Sorge nicht mehr.
Doch "Hast du schon ein Kleid? Wie sieht es aus?" war definitiv eine der beliebtesten Fragen unter den Mädchen. Je näher der große Tag kam auch "Gehst du zum Friseur?" und "Was ist mit deinem Make-Up?". Einerseits habe ich immer ein wenig innerlich die Augen verdreht und das alles als ziemlich überbewertet befunden. Aber andererseits habe ich schon Wochen vorher meiner Mama Fotos von meinem Schmuck geschickt und nach Rat gefragt, was ich tragen soll und meine Freundin, die meine Haare machen sollte, halb terrorisiert, damit sie früher kommt und wir länger Zeit für das Styling haben.

Ausgerechnet in der letzten Woche vor dem Tanz sind mein Partner und ich krank geworden und wir haben beide Generalproben verpasst. Aber das hat mir eigentlich nur geholfen, das ganze nicht so ernst zu nehmen und mich mehr auf den Spaß zu konzentrieren.

Am Donnerstag, dem 15. Februuar, schleppte ich mich morgens in die Schule. Denn bevor den Elftklässlern die Bühne - oder Tanzfläche - überlassen werden kann, mussten die Abiturienten natürlich noch einen feierlichen Abgang haben.
Penkkarit heißt diese Feier. Alle Zwölftklässler kommen verkleidet als was auch immer (meine Favoriten: ein Dino oder zwei menschliche Biergläser) in die Schule. Sie müssen den Schulleiter irgendwie zur Schule bringen - hier wurde er thronend auf einem echten Pferd auf den Parkplatz geführt. Dann unterbrechen sie normale Unterrichtsstunden und schmeißen tonnenweise Süßigkeiten. Nach der Abi-Gala, einer Show bei der halbwegs lustige Spiele mit Lehrern und Schülern gespielt wurden oder Preise für den, der am meisten blau macht oder die Fashion Ikone des Jahrgangs verliehen wurden, fahren die Abis auf Trucks weg und zu Grundschulen in der Umgebung, um dort auch Süßigkeiten zu verteilen und vielleicht sogar dem Lehrer von ganz früher zu winken.

Das mit den Trucks habe ich jedoch leider nur aus Snapchatstories mitbekommen, denn wir sind früher gegangen, damit auf jeden Fall genug Zeit bleibt um uns fertig zu machen.
Anne (tuusulaandme.wordpress.com) und ich hatten unsere zwei persönlichen Stylistinnen, die einen wundervollen Job mit unseren Gesichtern und Haaren gemacht haben und auch als Fotografinnen bestens funktioniert haben. Ich habe mich am Ende wirklich nicht so verkleidet gefühlt, wie ich gedacht habe.
Mein Gastvater hat uns zur Schule gefahren, wo auch fast alle anderen schon da waren. Wir haben ein paar Bilder gemacht - die Jungs waren nicht sehr ausdauernd, bei Minusgraden vor verschneiten Büschen zu posieren. Dann hatten wir den letzten Durchlauf, bevor die Zuschauer kamen. Mein Partner und ich hatten so ziemlich alles vergessen und es war mehr so "welcher Tanz kommt jetzt?" "Keine Ahnung, mal sehen was die vor uns machen". Doch es ist besser gelaufen als gedacht.
Nach einer kurzen Ansprache des Schulleiters und Saft aus Sektgläsern, nach dem letzten Mal Nase pudern und nachdem ich mir noch von meiner Familie ein paar liebe Worte abgeholt habe, ging es dann los.
Ganz offiziell sind immer zwei Paare hereingelaufen, die Namen wurden angesagt, es wurde sich verbeugt, beziehungsweise ein Knicks gemacht und alle haben sich für ein Gruppenfoto aufgestellt.
Und dann wurde es ernst. Auch wenn ich mich ziemlich konzentriert habe, möglichst nicht so viel falsch zu machen, hatte ich Spaß und habe nur zwischendurch vergessen zu lächeln.
Am Besten war der Tanz am Ende, der sogenannte Oma tanssi, deren Choreographie ein paar talentierte Menschen entwickelt haben. Die Jungen hatten sogenannte fast glasses in ihren Frack-Taschen und mit Anspielungen auf verschiedene Memes haben wir zu 80er Jahre Hits und Gucci Gang getanzt.
Zum Schluss gab es einen Walzer bei dem man Familie oder Freunde auffordern konnte. Danach haben wir ein paar Bilder gemacht, meine wunderbare Familie hat mir Rosen geschenkt und wir sind unfassbar erschöpft nach Hause gefahren.
Doch das ganze war noch lange nicht zu Ende.
Am nächsten Morgen kam ich in der Schule an, in Jogginghose und T-Shirt, mit unfrisierten Haaren und ungeschminkt. Etwa eine halbe Stunde lang versuchte ich irgendwas aus mir zu machen, was nur halbwegs dem vom vorigen Abend gleich kam. Dann verzweifelte ich und rief meine Freundin an. Zum Glück waren einige meiner Freunde auch schon da und es hat sich mal wieder bewiesen wie toll sie sind. Meine eine Freundin meinte nur, setz dich, ich kümmere mich. Sie hat meine Haare gemacht, während eine andere beruhigende Worte übrig hatte. Und schließlich ist ein Mädchen, was eigentlich im selben Raum ein Nickerchen gehalten hat und mit dem ich noch nie ein Wort gewechselt habe, zur Hilfe geeilt und hat mich geschminkt. Überall wurde gegenseitig Lidschatten aufgetragen, Haare frisiert oder Kleider geschnürt. Es war zwar nicht mehr der große Tag, aber trotzdem würden wir nochmal zweimal tanzen. Einmal für Grundschulkinder und einmal für die Schüler unserer Schule und der zugehörigen Junior High School. Von Tanz zu Tanz haben die Leute weniger ernst ausgesehen und schienen mehr Spaß zu haben, nach den Tänzen wurde teilweise gedabbt, als die Reihenfolge verändert war haben wir nur gelacht und am Ende sind wir mit den Kindern fröhlich herum gehüpft. 
Zwischen dem ersten Tanz um 10 und dem zweiten um 12 konnten wir Mittag essen. Danach mussten wir einer anderen Tradition folgen und einmal mit unserem Partner durchs Lehrerzimmer laufen, den Schulleitern die Hand schütteln und uns vor dem Rest verbeugen. Ich hab nicht wirklich mitbekommen, wieso wir das machen, aber es war sehr förmlich. 
Beim letzten Mal tanzen war ich fast ein bisschen wehmütig, dass es jetzt vorbei ist. Aber als am Ende "Shut up and dance with me" gespielt wurde, Glitzer geworfen und wir uns alle in die Arme gefallen sind war ich auch unglaublich froh, dass es dann vorbei war. 
Danach hatte man die Möglichkeit, zu einem fancy Mittagessen zu gehen, auf das ich aber verzichtet habe. Ich bin ganz gemütlich mit Freunden zu McDonald´s gegangen und dann nach Hause um ein wenig zu schlafen, vor dem endgültigen Abschluss der ganzen Aktion  - jatkot, die Afterparty. Bei einer Freundin haben wir uns fertig gemacht und wurden dann zur Feier gefahren. Es war tatsächlich für eine Weile ziemlich lustig. Die Finnen, die sonst doch reservierter sind, wurden offen, haben plötzlich problemlos Englisch geredet und einen dauernd umarmt, auch wenn man sich vorher noch nicht gekannt hat. Nach einer Weile wollte ich dann aber doch nach Hause.
Ich war unglaublich erschöpft am nächsten Tag, aber es war alles in allem einfach eine einmalige und so schöne Erfahrung. So etwas haben wir in Deutschland nicht und es war einzigartig, hat viele neue Freund- und Bekanntschaften gebracht, es war mal etwas ganz neues und ich werde diese Tage bestimmt so schnell nicht vergessen. 
Ein großes Dankeschön an jeden, der diese Tage so wundervoll gemacht hat. 

***

Approximately 3 months ago all the Second Graders (people from eleventh grade) gathered in the gym. A bit curious, maybe even a bit nervous, we waited for the two P.E. teachers. After they arrived with music speakers, we paired up and built rows behind the teachers. And then we started to dance. Or we tried to. I guess it took me and my partner at least 5 minutes to even figure out how we have to hold our hands. And then we tried following the teachers steps, unsecure and stumbling. 

Many weeks and many dance lessons later, we walked in the exact same gym, that was now covered in glitter garlands and paper snowflakes, the girls wearing the prettiest princess dresses, with most fascninating hairstyles, the boys in tails and white gloves. And we presented 11 traditional dances and one own dance.

So what is all that about? Wanhat, translated the old, is the Finnish prom, except that it is pretty different from the prom you probably know. Wanhat is danced by the Second Graders, after the graduants leave the school, to celebrate that they are now the oldest. Wanhat was definetely one of the best things in my exchange year. 

After the question Oh God who am I dancing with? turned out to be easier than we exchange students thought (in the end someone who was still looking for a partner just asked you or friends of friends arranged it) we spent 75 minutes three times a week for two month in this already mentioned gym hall. 

And we tried to learn how to dance. The mood constantly changed between I will never understand this to What on earth is this? to Well, this is actually quite fun and to Is it really already so soon? but overall I had a really good time in these classes. 

Because my hostmum luckily made sure that I bought a dress months ago, I didn´t have to worry about that. 

But Do you already have a dress? And what does it look like? was for sure one of the most populaar question around the girls. The sooner the big date came, the questions whether you are going to get your hair done professionally and how you are doing your make up also came up. On the one hand I occasionally rolled my eyes (only on the inside) because I thought everything was kind of overrated. On the other hand I sent my mum pictures of my jewellery weeks ago, asking for advice what to wear and I almost begged my friend who was supposed to do my hair to come earlier to my place, so that we would have more time for it. 

Just during the last week before the dance my partner and I were both sick and we missed the final rehearsals. But this actually helped me to not take it too serious and concentrate on the fun I would hopefully have.

On Thursday, the 15th of February, I dragged myself to school. Because before the stage - or the dance floor - could be left to the second graders, the third graders of course have to have a solemn departure. This celebration is called penkkarit and all the abiturients come to school dressed as whatever they want to. My favourites were a dinosaur, beerglasses and these two guys here:

They bring the principal to school - in our case he was lead to the parking lot sitting on a horse. Then they disturb the classes by throwing tons of candy around. After the abi gala, a show where they played more or less funny games with teachers and students or gave prices for being the person who skipped school the most or the fashion icon of the grade, the third graders leave the school on trucks. They drive to the local primary schools, where they also throw candy and maybe even see their teachers from the very beginning. 

Unfortunately I saw the whole truck thing only on Snapchat stories because we left earlier to get ready.
Anne (tuusulaandme.wordpress.com) and I had our two personal stylists, who did a great job with our hair and faces and turned out to be great photographers as well. In the end I didn´t feel as dressed up as I thought I would. I actually felt like myself, and that was really good. 

My host dad drove us to school, where we many others already met up as well. We took some pictures - the boys weren´t that sustained to pose in front of snowy bushes with minus degrees outside. 

the exchange students were the ones whose dresses didn´t match with the other ones, but I guess that was fine

Then we had a last run through before the audience came. My partner and I had forgotten almost everything and our attitude was basically What dance is next? Let´s see what the people in front of us do but it went better than I thought it would. 

After a short speech from the principal, juice out of champagne glasses, a last time powdering the nose and after I got to hear some lovely words from my family it started. 

Two pairs always walked in together, bowed and their names were announced. It was really official.

We lined up for a group picture and then then it got serious. Even though I concentrated on not making too many mistakes, I had a lot of fun and only forgot to smile occasionally. 

The best part was the last dance, so called oma tanssi or own dance, a few talented people came up with the choreography for. The guys pulled fast glasses out of their pockets and with references to different memes we danced to 80´s hits and Gucci Gang. In the end there was a Waltz where you could ask people from the audience to dance with you. 

After all the dancing, we took a few photos more, hugged a lot of people, my wonderful family gave me flowers and we drove home exhausted and tired. 

But it wasn´t over yet. 

I arrived in school the next morning, wearing sweatpants and without any make up. I tried to make something half as fancy as the day before out of me but after half an hour I started to panick, gave up and called my friend. Luckily they were in school too already and it was another prove of how great my friends are. One just directed me to sit down and told me, we got this. She did some magic to make my hair look neat, my other friend had calming words and even a girl I never spoke to before interrupted her nap to do my make up. Everywhere people tied each others dresses, braided hair or applied eyeshadow. 

It wasn´t the big day anymore, but we would dance two more times. One time for the children and teachers from the primary school and one time for our own school and the Junior High School. From dance to dance people seemed less serious. Some started dabbing after the dances and in the end we happily jumped around with the kids. Between the first dance at 10 and the second at 12 we had time to eat. Before the last time we danced we had to follow another tradition and walk through the teacher´s room with our partners and shake the principals hand. 

I almost felt a little wistful, dancing for the last time. But when Shut up and dance played in the end, glitter was thrown and we hugged each other I was also really happy that it was over now.

Then we had the chance to go to eat in a fancy restaurant, which I didn´t do because I thought it was too expensive. I casually ate McDonald´s with friends and then I went home to sleep a little before the very end of the whole thing - jatkot, the afterparty. 

I got ready at my friend´s house and then we went to the party. It was actually really fun for a while. The Finns, who are usually more reserved suddenly became very talkative, spoke English to us without any problems and hugged us, even though we didn´t even know each other´s names. Maybe it was me still being quite sick or me not being used to party anymore, but after some time the only thing I really wanted was to go home and sleep. 

I was so exhausted on the next day, but all in all it was a unique and wonderful experience. We don´t have anything similar in Germany and it was so nice to not only see this part of Finnish traditions, but really be a part of it. It was something that brought a lot of new friendships, I learned completely new things and I definetely won´t forget it that fast (also because my lovely host grandparents taped everything and made me a whole video from the dance)!
A big thanks to everyone who made these days so awesome!