Continuation of the long-overdue description of my time in Finland

Airport troubles:

Wake up in the morning and throw in some last minute items into suitcase. Realize how simple a life can be packed up into 1.5-2 suitcases. They are bit over the weight limit (blame the massive weight of the bags themselves) but plenty of room within. Shower and emerge to have Brenda waiting for me on our downstairs couch. Momentarily terrified but recover long enough to receive a present from her. Also to listen to my new voicemail from an airport saying one of my flights has been cancelled. Crap. Not a good way to start the voyage.

Run upstairs and have the father figure out the situation. Flight from Minneapolis to Chicago was cancelled. Later find this was more than likely due to Air Force One being in Chicago that morning. Get a new flight arranged and we’re to leave in 20-30 minutes.

Four of us (mother, father, Lassi and myself) rush into car and leave for the airport (picture: Lassi watching the video of Ben and me playing "lumberjack" the night before). Get on an even earlier flight once arriving as there were extra seats available and it’d be beneficial for me due to the temperamental weather of Chicago. Have to leave for the waiting rooms immediately.

Crying starts happening. Blame the mother who started it all. Managed to dry up briefly for some last minute pictures.

Get on airplane, delayed an hour or so. No worries, at least I got this earlier flight.

Arrive in Chicago and my next gate to Munich is conveniently close. No scavenging around the Chicago airport for me. Call the mother to let her know I made it safe. Go online to settle some things, grab a sandwich and trade most of my currency to the Euro system. Get my first realization how drastic the rates have become. Make one final call to HIM. Planned to leave a message but, strangely enough, he left work early. Had a brief conversation and I proclaimed how I’ll miss him probably one too many times.

Boarding time.

Wait, no, have to wait on the runway for 2.5-3 hours. Call the parents again to inform them what’s going on. They brag that they’re at our favorite nearby Mexican restaurant and planning to see a movie afterwards. I’m stuck in a supposed thunderstorm. Turns out to not only be that but a tornado warning as well. Guessing the flight crew didn’t want to inform us of that little tidbit.

Eventually take off. Set watch to Helsinki time to adjust my body and mind a bit early. Watch the movie, “Into the Wild” which I’d been dying to see. Very good...made me miss home. Kid abandoning everything he once knew to start a fresh life? Sort of hit close to home. Sit next to a nice couple who are visiting their daughter who is studying in Germany for a year.

Land in Munich. Tiny inner scream on my part as this is my first time in Europe.

Unfortunately, luck was not on my side during this whole voyage. While meandering through the vast airport (just followed the majority of the crowd) I discover, due to the massive delays, I missed my flight by 20 or so minutes. Get assistance by a woman who, thankfully, brought me over to a service center where the rest of the passengers were not. I’m guaranteed a spot on the flight that leaves in 7 hours but they’ll also put my name on the waiting list for the one that leaves in 3. With nothing else to do I make my way to the gate and sit. Phone no longer working so I purchase some online time (first European purchase) to e-mail the mother my situation. Along with Kanto, the exchange student organization who was in charge of student-pickup (left: going INSANE in Munich. Right: my view of Germany).

Luckily make it on the flight that left in 3 hours. Tired so I sleep for most of the 3 hour flight; awaken long enough for the bizarre food (some unknown green substance which I ate only a couple bites out of) and to land. Get on the bus that takes me to the Helsinki terminal. I’m officially in Finland. Too bad I'm completely exhausted to really appreciate it.

A brief shining of luck was on my side: my bags were the first to arrive on the conveyor belt. Very surprising that they managed to travel with me the entire time. Meet up with the Kanto group; sleep only thing on mind. My tutor is no longer here but I meet my first roommate, Elina. She’s Finnish and also a tutor. Takes me to my home away from home. It's laughable how at this point I was so disoriented on how I was ever going to make it back to the airport in the future; be it to pick up the mother or flying back to the States. The trip seemed to go on forever and more difficult than how I feel now

Meet David. He takes me to the closest grocery store, LIDL, to purchase food in the morning. Appears nice; little do I know at that point how I’ll grow to despise this man.

Briefly unpack...luckily I brought sheets as I finally settled down around 9PM. All the stores would have closed at this point and I would have been stuck with the disgusting blankets previously left in my room (left: the basics of my room and the first Finnish purchase. right: view from my room the first night).

Sleepy sleep.