Days 13 & 14 in States – two weeks gone, at least 12 left

Beautiful campus area today 🙂

Day 13: Second study day of my exchange

At the morning I had two classes: Healthcare Management and American Popular Culture History. Interesting topics, very interesting. 🙂 In Healthcare Management course we have a lot of speakers from different organizations, couple panel conversations, presentations… In Culture History we were just talking, the teacher has own “story time” there. He was just shitting in a chair and having an interactive conversation of popular culture. I’m not too much into two hour Power Point slideshows that we have a lot in Finland so studying here is refreshing out of the box studying experience. Returning sheets

I explored the Sports Center by walking around and doing some powerlifting and fitness exercise. When I went back home I did some stretching while studying.

Presentation of famous photographer. I had a creative day so instead of just writing something (that we were ought to do) I did a Power Point slideshow. Nice looking slide show with funny effects, couple photos and video. I just love Power Points. I could do another blog about them. They’re fun do, they help me learn, they’re visually nice, they are kind of art that help you to represent you’re ideas. Would you like to read about how to make perfect Power Points? 😀

Day 14: Third day of my exchange

Beautiful campus early morning and buffet breakfast. I’m never able to eat everything I take in breakfast buffets. I love and hate them ’cause I always think that everything looks tasty and I’ll eat it but to be honest I don’t like to eat huge meals at the morning. Maybe I learn use that breakfast buffet without wasting a food until spring break?

My morning included breakfast in MacIntosh, International Management Class and studying.

Studying American popular culture can be a lot of fun (or I just have horrible sense of humor). Site from your course book (Popular Culture in American History – Jim Cullen) about what is popular culture: “’the beliefs, behavior, language, and entire way of life of particular time or group of people.’ That covers a lot. But there are things it doesn’t cover: the weather; the properties of magnesium; the sexual reproduction of penguins.” Pretty useful. Maybe I remember not to write about penguins’ sexual life or magnesium in finals (big exams at the end of each semester)? 😀

Preventative Medicine Class

Oh my what an instructor. 😀 We have too of them – the regular one and the one. In my opinion on it’s superb to be able to laugh in class. That instruction was telling little bit of her background but actually it was like 25 minutes comedy show – she was making fun of students, her background, education and little bit of everything. The most important thing in this course is having fun and forming own opinions, and maybe also learn about speaking to people and preventing diseases.

I think I’ll love this course and actually whole semester, whole States. This might sound cliché and honeymoon, American dream blablabla but I’m actually already working hard but I am more happy, more free and more myself here. In Finland I’m always the weird one, the loud one, the one with oddly big ambitions and too big smile. I admit it’s sometimes hard to communicate with non-native language and understand Midwestern people but I’m sure I can deal with that. And actually professors from north are worse ‘cause they speak fast, superfast. Yes, I understand English but please do not say ten words in second, in particular if I’m tired. 😀

Studying, studying. What else a student could do during afternoon? I continued with culture course after lunch.

And the presentation. Huh, it’s done now. I don’t know what happened. I was super nervous and I forgot couple things I was going to say (couple funny things that I didn’t write anywhere ‘cause I was sure I remember them). Right after that I felt quite horrible but in the end it wasn’t that bad and I’m actually clad that I did it. You cannot be perfect without practicing. I just have to carry on, speak and listen more and work on my pronunciation. Fluent English will open me so many new doors and make it easier to get new friends.

I’m very motivated to learn even thought it’s sometimes frustrating to be unable to be perfect now instead of next summer. I have realized that I’m actually able to understand about everything I hear and read. Moreover I’m quite good what’s comes to my written English. But speaking – it definitely is my weak spot. And unfortunately it’s the one you need most, it’s the most important part of knowing other language because it makes it possible to have fun with friends and deal with everyday situations. In Finnish I’m always the one saying spontaneous fun thinks and the friendly one who loves talking. In English I try to be the same one. Most of the time I succeed but sometimes I forgot words and pronounce things very weirdly. My goal for this semester is to be able to speak native level English with neutral or a little American accent (not with the Midwestern way though!).

PS. I’m still surprised how healthy food you can actually eat on campus

PSS. I got a seat from Modern Class || course. That means I’ll study dancing in American university at least next four months. Dreams can come true feeling ❤

PSSS. Until this Tuesday I have always felt that I have had only few dance classes during my life but when I started to list them, the was quite long (actually, I’ve danced almost 7 years). Is this some part of Finnish identity that we are unable to think “I have done a damn lot and I am good in this”?

My background with dancing:

– 1 year aerobic and dancebic (3-6 hours a week) 2008-2009

– 1 year cheerleading (6-10 hours a week) 2009-2010

– 1 year zumba (once a week) 2014

– 0,5 year show / modern dance (once a week) 2014

– 2 years pole dancing (3-15 hours a week) 2013-

– 1 year ballroom dancing (chacha, salsa, slow walz, quickstep, jive, samba) (once a week) 2014-

+ some classes in ballet, country, Bollywood, etc