Aloha Hawai'i

What a great experience! I went on a one week exchange student trip to Hawaii’s main island, Oahu. Like our leaders told us on the first night, Hawaii is a magical place. There is no explanation for that, you have to go and feel it yourself. My experience of Hawaii and it’s culture was wonderful and unforgettable. So if anyone’s looking for a place to spend your holidays, I would totally recommend Hawaii. 

The sunset in Hawaii is special  
One of the most beautiful beaches in the world  
Proud to be a Finn 
 
This local girl wanted a picture with the foreign girls!  
This is called pu. When you blow in it, it makes a sound and informs the harbor that the boat is returning.  
 A-L-O-H-A 
 
Honolulu city, the capital of Oahu  
Matching Hawaiian name bracelets  
International friends  
The surfer's beach, North Shore  
The world's best pineapple  
Finnish girls representing, the flag's upside down  
Our group on the North Shore  
Can you see the magic?  
I was so glad to see this girl again!  

We learned a lot during this trip and I found my new favourite sport! The Hawaiian people are extremely sweet, happy and I have to say this, good looking. The language reminds me of Finnish in a funny way. We had a lot of fun pronoucing the name of the state fish: Humuhumunukunukuapua’a. I think us Finns did very well! I also learned that besides hello and goodbye Aloha means sharing the breath of life. Alo means face to face and ha means sharing the breath. Did you also think that hulahula dance was all about the hips? At least I did, but I learned that hands are the most important part. In hulahula dance, you’re telling a story with your hands! 

Polynesian cultural center  
After a hulahula lesson  
This other dance was all about the hips  
This is the size of a surfboard for beginners  
And this is how you rock it  
I touched a sea turtle!! So cool  
Still excited about it!!  
Hiking to the Diamond Head  
The winners who made it to the top  
 Kayaking with this Swiss ku'uipo (sweet heart)
 
Jumping to the 'Queen's Bath'  
Ukulele lesson  
We're all about that beach life  
Already missing these guys

I bet that there’s no Hawaiian woman who hasn’t worn a flower in her hair before. For a tourist it seems to be just a cute accessory, but there are actually rules for it. If you wear it on the left side, it means you are taken. If it’s on the right side, it signifies single, ready to mingle! If the pua (flower) is on top of your head, it just means that you are confused or the situation if complicated. A good way of remembering this rule is to wear your flower on the same side as your wedding ring.

Going to Hawaiian party  
Another unforgettable sunset 
 
 He taught all the things you can do with a coconut  
 Saw old ones and made some new friends  
 Honolulu city on the background  
That face is called 'the happy face'  
 We love Hawaii 
 
 Like I said, they're good looking  
 Their dance show was so hilarious!  
 Pearl Harbor Day 
 
 USS Arizona Memorial  
Selfie stick as it's best
 
 "The cure for anything is salt water. Sweat, tears or the sea."  
The last night in paradise  
 Extremely happy 
 
 Beautiful lights in L.A, going to see those better in 36 days!


My travel back to Wisconsin was an adventure, because we had a snow storm and everything was cancelled for a while. Luckily I have a caring host mother who proved her powers and got me safely home. Even though Hawaii was perfect, it's good to be back home in WI. 

I hope you enjoyed the pictures and didn't get too jealous! Mahalo (thank you) & aloha vau ia oe (love you)

- Heini

Holly Jolly Christmas

Oh wow. I knew that everything in America is bigger but I did not expect that about Christmas! It was amazing and now I realize what my host mom Heather meant when she said that Christmas is her favourite holiday. I am so blessed to spend the Christmas time with this family. 

After Thanksgiving, you are allowed to put up Christmas lights and that’s how the waiting starts. There are beautiful decorations on the main street in Platteville and Christmas music comes from the speakers for the whole month. On Saint Nick’s day we put shoes in front of the fireplace and in the morning there was a little gift on each shoe. The Connolly’s Xmas ornament tradition was one of my favourite things! Everyone gets one ornament every year and it’s about the big thing that they did in the past year. After getting the ornaments, the family decorates the xmas tree together while eating Grammy’s Xmas cookies. When we finished the tree, Hannah sang Oh Holy Night with her beautiful voice. That moment definitely got the Christmas spirit going on. 

Family Ornament 
 
Silly kids 
 
Christmas lights park, it was amazing!  
Ugly Xmas sweater day in school with McKenzie  
Early Christmas with relatives  
So many presents and it's just a start, they said!  
That's Papa style, he likes duck tape!  
Papa happy about his present 
 
They know how to make me happy

On the 24th we went to Church and sang all these Crhistmas songs. At the end we made a huge circle where each one of us had a candle and while singing Silent Night we lit up all the candles. On Christmas eve, we put up milk and cookies for Santa and we also got radar pajamas, so that Santa can find us. There is a little ‘tracker’ in the pajamas so when you wear that on the Christmas night, Santa will know where to deliver the presents. ;) Before going to bed, Mike read The Night Before Christmas for us (Alyssa fell asleep on my lap). 

Radar Pajamas  
I love being a big sister 
 
 I love her 
 
 Story time 
 
Gingerbread houses, mine has the Finnish flag on top

Here we celebrate Christmas on the 25th which is one day later than in Finland. The kids woke me up at 7am (yay), we had a competition of finding one special ornament that was hidden in the Christmas tree. After that we started to open presents each one on our turn. I was amazed to get so many gifts, I guess I have been a nice girl this year! After all the presents, we still had some candy in the stockings in front of the fireplace. The grandparents and Aunt Sherry came over and we spent a nice Christmas together. I had a holly jolly Christmas and I hope you did too! Enjoy New Year’s Eve & take care! 

Presents waiting under the tree  
She is happy of her deer earrings
 
 Pikkuveli = little brother 
 
 Some bunny loves you 
 
My face when I saw that Santa got me beats  
She seems pleased 
 
Our little Elf got her first tablet 
 
Yeeah, he's got the beat(s)  
Thank you Santa, I love you  
Christmas lunch  
A little different from Finland, but I still got the ham  
I have been a good kid  
Favourite ones  
Tomorrow is the last day of 2014, hope you had a good year!  

Ps. Thanks to Mama bear (Heather) I got this new post done, she made this blog the task of the day for me. So when others are doing dishes & laundry, I am working on my blog!

Love, Heini