Sports

On my application I made it clear that I wanted to continue my summer training while I was with my host family. And without a doubt I got placed with an athletic-oriented family.

So each has a part in Finnish baseball. The siblings both play, and the hb is even a coach. The hd is a coach for two girls teams, which include the hs. And the hm is a manager for the teams.

Therefore, everyday has something to do with Finnish baseball. It's either practice or a game basically. And it consumes the schedule. Life during the summer revolves around Finnish baseball...

It's a complicated game that I didn't get a clear understanding of until it was explained to me in rather broken English once, and once again with another, and better English-speaker.

Firstly, it's different from American baseball because the first base is located to the left, the second to the right, and the third back to the left. Then the pitcher pitches in front of a wooden plate about a meter from the batter. And you don't get out if the ball is a fly ball. And there are nuances in between the rules that I only got a hand of after watching too many games.

I'm usually at every game. As support I suppose. I don't do much except sit in one place, my back aching, and listen to my iPod with an occassional clap to celebrate a good swing or score.

Elsewhere, the house is accessorized with a tennis court. So the first day I got here I played - not so well for it was my second time. And I haven't since. Although there will be fond memories of crazy guys that I've met on that court while watching a match.

And then there's volleyball. There's not net at the house, so we basically cosntructed our own small court. It's nothing serious though. Just for fun. I will add though that I am hella good. Haha.

Here in West Finland Finnish baseball reigns. Down to Helsinki it's ice hockey.

But there are some exceptions. I've met a top Finnish cross country skier in the teen age group the other week and he's my hb's friend. He trains by doing this kind of dry skiing that uses blades and picks just as if the ground were snow.