A New Year!!

2015 has arrived! The last 5 months have flown by, and I can't believe its already January. For New Years, I invited two other exchange students. The three of us and my host sister went downtown and watched fireworks!!

Exchange Students before the fireworks

Sisters before the Fireworks 

Fireworks!

Fireworks!

Fireworks!

 Finns don't do too much for New Years, but there is one really cool tradition. People melt tin horseshoes, and then throw the melted tin into cool water. The tin cools into weird shapes, then the tin is held up into the light and the person tries to find their future in the shadow.

Before the Melting

My Cooled Tin Future

 After New Years, my family took me to a Ski resort about 4 hours north of Lappeenranta. It was called Tahko and was near the city of Kuopio. It was a really fun few days. I have never skiied much; I fell down a lot. It was really fun despite the bruises I now have.

All my ski gear (Don't worry mom, I wore a helmet)

Outside our little condo

From the top of the mountain

The View was beautiful!!

The ski resort had reindeer <3 Of course I had to pet them and feed them!!

They were so cute!

And excited to eat the Lichen we had!

They were really friendly!

I want one as a pet! This one was named Remu :D

My packages finally arrived! I am only waiting on one more! They were all a little late, but I am glad the got here in the end. Thanks to everyone back home who sent things!

I was really excited about my packages!