Monday, August 3, 2009

Present Recollection

Since I've been on the other side of the world in the land of Fin, many people have asked me: Why did you come to Finland (of all places)?

It's a question all of the exchange students have encountered, and all of us have different reasons. They range from: "My friend traveled on the same scholarship a few years ago and suggested it to me," to the blunt answer: "For the nature."

Whether or not there was a lot of reasoning involved - and whether the reasons are connected deeply with the country itself - we all earned a national, full scholarship. 14 fortunate ones out of how ever many applied for this chance in a lifetime.

My reasons are clear. Complicated, perhaps. But I usually give the short answer out of my list of reasons. That would be: "It's the summer before my senior year, which means college apps. And I am doing whatever I can to stand out. And Finland is the country that would stand out from an American point of view."

That is very true, and a prime reason why I choose the country of a few million, difficult language-speaking, and too many trees.

But there's more to it.

I wanted to study abroad when I was introduced to the opportunity as a student ambassador for the World Affairs Council of Northern California. I wanted to explore the opportunity and my interest in internationalism as a possible career route. I wanted to get away from the life I was so accustomed to and find out how other people lived. To observe the lifestyles and customs and cultures of a what seemed to be a polar opposite people would give me what I needed to fulfill those wants, and more. Life was getting tough, and this gave me that escape for two months.

As I blog now, I realize it has given me more. I know that I have grown and learned and matured. I know that I have figured things about my future and continued to battle with others. The changes seem to be subtle. I can't determine to what degree change has come. But the city boy that once was a short month and a half ago wouldn't have dared to venture into the life he has now if he knew what he was getting himself into: the wilderness, preying mosquitos, absolute flatlands, homesickness, etc. Only time will tell if returning back to the city, Starbucks, malls, friends, whether or not the change in me is a continuity, and not just an adaption to the phase. I am growing, and feeling, so accustomed to Finland that it does feel like my home now and that I've accepted it. But like the change that has come across from being here, perhaps then, logically, the change will come across back from being home, in California.

Besides a different me, I've learned more about life. How cultural nuances exist. How we see life differently, in different shades of light. How Finns are not timid to go nude in a public suana. How Americans are willing to go skimpy, but not completely nude. How Finns are friendly, but turn away small talk. How Americans are loud and can talk to anyone.

But when in gets down to the essentials, the issues that plague the planet, we share the same pod. Global warming, teenage drinking and smoking, international conflict. It's the same. Maybe the degrees and extents vary a little, but these problems exist worldwide and have no clear solution. Together as a global populace can we hope to change the current situation.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Finnish Baseball Camp

Well it's not exactly what us Americans would call a camp. Instead of the tents and wilderness, it's a tournament that brings competitor teams from the West and East of Finland to duke it out against each other over the course of six, long grueling days that include at least 10 games.

This camp, for the lack of another official word, was for the under 17 (years old). About 1500 players were there for the week-long competition.

It was actually complicated to understand at first. There are various and numerous amounts of camps throughout Finland, throughout the year. This camp was for my host sister, and it was her last as the camps have age limitations.

The girls were docked in a school building in Nurma. Classrooms served as their "dorm rooms" and the girls had to bring their own mattresses. There are a few restrooms, the size for small children of course, and a separate shower for boys and girls, although I believe only three could shower at a time.

While my host sister was in the isolation of teenage girls and boys (who also occupied the building and often walked past the hallway, across the room half naked to go to the showers), my host bro and I shared a comfortable Sokos hotel room in the nearby city Seinäjoki.

I attended many of my host sis's games as a supporter, but I can honestly admit that I can't bear to watch so many games in one day, and definitely not back-to-back games. It's just too much, despite these games being exceptionally shorter than normal games due to the amount of games and teams that must play on a limited number of fields.

It was a difficult week. Everyone in the family had a part in baseball, and my host bro is also a coach for one of the competing teams. So I knew they were udner a lot of stress and exhaustion, and gave them their space. But that also meant that I was alone and by myself often with nobody to talk to.

I did use some spare time to go shopping and walk around the (small) city center, but that got boring quickly since there is nothing to do. I found myself watching tv alone most nights...

But needless to say there were highlights! KaMa 1 (or Kankaanpää Maila), the team my host dad coaches and my host sis plays for, finnished in a respectable fifth place out of twenty "level 1" girl teams. There were of course more girls' teams, but like I said, it's confusing - "level 2" are the majority who play for fun and aren't as good, thus they have their own division.

And there was a sign that I have watched too many games. I helped as a scoreboard attendee, or whatever you would call the dude that changes the numbers and puts up the signs for outs. And I did a damn perfect job I'd say. I knew what was going on and what to do, even without the referee's whistle calls. And my host mom, who was also helping out with the tracking sheets, said I did very well - better than a lot of other people. =)