Preacher in Pitt

This is something that most propably would not happen in University of Jyväskylä or any other part of Finland. Preacher came to Campus and started to preach against Alcohol use, homosexuality and light sexual affairs. But that's not even the biggest thing what surprised me, what I found particularry interesting was the reaction of American students. They gathered around the preacher and started to demonstrate against him, one person even started a petition to get the man out of Campus. I disagreed with the man, but I would still not sign a petition that would be against freedom of speech, and I was thinking that so many Americans think they are so pro-free speech, but so did so many sign the petition. It seems like Americans are easily insulted and hurted, if one silly preacher can get that kind of huge reaction.

The preacher was even provided with police officers because the demonstrators got so aggressive and started to throwing "rocks" in Christian metaphorically speaking. The preacher was judging, but the audience were no better. Insults were thrown from side to side and I found it kind of embarrassing that students were so eager to yell mindless insults.

Picture of Finland

In the picture there is non-Finnish person, propably American wearing hat with Finland's flag and name of Finnish Formula driver Räikkönen. This is the first Non-Finn wearing Finnish things I have seen here.

More broadly, I have tried to listen what kind of picture Kansasian people have from Finland. And here is some list I have noted: They make good guns and tractors, brand Valmet (a barkeeper), They have high quality of life and they fish a lot (a geography student), Ville Valo is from Finland (many people), when I ask if they know Nightwish, many knows, but don't know as often that it is from Finland also.

What comes to Finns I think many people kind of like Finns here, or at least nobody haven't said they wouldn't like Finns. What I have heard about myself is that I'm not easily approachable and I'm too quiet and too serious. I didn't like that this is how many people view me here, since I have all time here put effort of being easily approachable, tried to talk to people and tried to meet many new people. But maybe the reservedness of Finnish culture is so deeply rooted in me that I just can't get rid of it even if I wanted. But on the positive side, I feel I have got more courage here in social situations, because people are much more easily approachable and welcoming than in Finland. They are not as closed groups in here as they are in Finland.

Hostadoptionfamily

First orientation days there were possibility to register to get a host/friendship/guest family for international students. I weren't present when the this possibility was offered and didn't fill any forms. But I still went to this hostfamily meeting with one of my Chinese friend Miya and some of her other friends.

Everyone else was registered so I was put on hold and had to wait alone outside of the others on a chair. I was the only orphan. Then the arranging persons said I could go to hang out with some family and I went to sit with Miya and her hostfamily. The Miya's hostfamily didn't seem too excited about me and luckily the arranging person announced that I was without hostfamily and then one woman said I could come to her another gueststudent. The woman was Marianne, who now was my new hostadoptionfamily's mother. In the family there was, addition to Marianne, son Jack, daughter Anna, daughter Rosa and the other gueststudent Janice from Taiwan, whom I already knew. At the picture there is from left to right: Jack, Anna, artist and Doctor Smith from Spanish language, Marianne and Rosa.

When I was lingered for a while with my new hostadoptionfamily I felt I was very lucky to get such an wonderful and lovely family. Everyone of the family was very friendly, nice, kind and intelligent. I could have not even wished for a better hostadoptionfamily! I'm very grateful how the things went and that I got the one I got. I'm the second Finn in their family, they had student named Anne, also from Jyväskylä, before me.

I have already been watching presidential debates, visited art gallery opening, concert and Art Walk with the family and there is plans to go to art museum in Kansas City. I have heard from my friends that some families don't even have had the effort to make first meeting after introducion.

I was very hesitant and bit afraid first at going to the introducion meeting because I hadn't registered, but I'm so very happy I did!