"miksi ei?"

my decision to go on exchange was a spur of the moment thing. my dad said, "oh hey...those rotary papers are due next week, you reckon you want to do it?"

"sure, why not?"

and here i am. six months away from home, years older than i was in august. i don't actually know where home is anymore...that either means i'm a real person now, or just homeless. (if you see me swigging mouthwash on the sidewalk, you'll understand why.) i belong to not just one family, but four. "holy shit, i'm in finland" moments have been replaced with thoughts of "hirveä sää, kuten tavallista".

my current family to the left, my first family to either side
 of me, my third family  to the right.

sure, my exchange has made me more mature, i wash my own dishes these days, all that. but i feel most accomplished when i trick shop attendants into thinking i'm finnish - even though to do this i have to speak in short sentences and wear my favorite Hämeenlinna hockey sweatshirt. at least, they pretend to be fooled.

"sure, why not?" continues to serve me well. it has pushed me into the pool for underwater rugby. made me look like an idiot, many times. turned me into a celebrity in front of 25 fifth graders (they wouldn't leave til i'd autographed all of their arms). made me clean a massive dance hall. taught me to enjoy coffee. acquired me a pair of tribal hippie pants. got me agreeing to cook a dinner for twelve. made me several of the best friends i've ever had.

and i'll be saying it even more during my remaining five months in finland.