Home sweet home (for now)

 This is the building my apartment is in. I'm on the third floor.

 Our hallway. I live with two other girls. We each have our own room, then we share the kitchen, bathroom and shower.

 our kitchen

 view from my window

 The first few nights I slept at Ida's house and rode in to Turku with them. Then once I got the keys to this room Ida helped me move in. This is how it looked for the first week, before my parents brought more stuff from home.

 

with my junk :) Not sure where to put it all.

Ludi, tasting a lychee we had gotten at the store.

dinner :)

Mom took me to Ikea this week and I got two little bookshelf-thingys. I spent some time trying to screw the screws in..

I was too strong for it :) Fortunately it didn't break bad and it's in a place where it's not noticeable.

finished product

 Here's what it looks like now

 It looks cozier with the curtains shut and lamps and candles burning.. :)

Ensihoito, emergency nursing

 On August 30 I started my emergency nursing studies at the Turku polytechnic school (AMK). There are 22 of us in my class, 12 guys, 10 girls. So far we get along great :)

 my school

I've completed the first month now. Only 4 more years to go...!

Inspired!

 At the end of August about 35 of us young adults got together for a wonderfully inspiring weekend at Kallioniemi. Most of the weekend was cold and rainy, but the messages we heard warmed my heart. 

 Tihi Lazic, from Serbia, shared real experiences of God working and intervening. The stories were incredible! He also sang for us and with us :)

 Sabbath afternoon we hiked up to Multamäki in a drizzle. There are 304 steps. I counted.

 Our struggles up the hill were rewarded with this view :) Usually you can see the lake and hills and forest out there. This time it was gray...

 Game of ultimate

Sirpa & Jukka Iivari

 Once upon a time... 

 ... a girl and a boy went to school together, went their own ways for a long time, then found each other again and were married on a beautiful day in August :)

 Markku and I took pictures of them beforehand. Markku's pregnant wife Riikka is holding the shade.

 The Happy couple with Sirpa's sisters and brother-in-law.

 Newbold people :)

 Leena and Anita, from Australia

 Craig, from SA

 Ermira, from Albania

 Palma and Tamas from Hungary

 Elsa :)

 Anita with the bouquet, Craig wearing the garter ;)

...and they lived happily ever after :)

August

I spent most of August at home with my Kisu :) working and getting ready to move. On the 10th I got notice that I was accepted into emergency nursing in Turku. On the same day I reserved a flat, without really knowing where it was or what it looked like :)

 Laura left for Ontario to study theoretical physics for a year. She left Turku right when I was to move there.. But hopefully she'll be back next year!

Fredrik and Victoria stopped by on their visit in Finland. We spent a nice few hours playing Ligretto :)

 Ludi got her hair cut

 Lilli, my companion in the woods

 Kisu...

Peaceful lake Saimaa and Ristiina

...

 Celebrating Allu's 17th birthday :)

a delicious! cake the birthday girl baked for herself

and cupcakes

an afternoon of games on the front lawn :)

 One evening Mom and I hiked out to Astuvansalmi. It was gorgeous. A perfect evening, calm, no mosquitos..

Mom, worried about me falling off the cliff

Astuvansalmi