Name:  Erin Mairose 
Hometown:  Kimball
Age:  16
Grade in School:  11th
Country & Town Where Exchange Took Place:  Liperi, Finland
When exchange took place:   June-July 2011

Host Family Information:Paivi and Pasi Voutilaninen were my host parents and Kaisa and Idia were my host sisters. They lived in the country and raised dairy cattle. They also raised hay, oats and barley.

What are some of the projects/activities you are involved in within 4-H?

Public speaking, special foods, sewing, FCS judging, and many community service projects with my 4-H club.
Are projects/activities similar or different between the countries and culture?
One of the projects of the Finnish 4-H club in my town was a pony equestrian class where the 4-Hers learned how to saddle and drive a pony cart while properly handling their pony. My host sister and I were given a pony to practice with.

What did you enjoyed the most about your exchange experience?
I really enjoyed going swimming almost every day with my host sisters. The lake near our house was crystal clear as the water came from natural springs and it was beautiful! I loved doing everything outside:  hiking, picking berries, fishing and helping on the farm.

What were some major culture shocks/differences?
The food in Finland is very different. A typical breakfast would be rye bread, cheese, cucumbers, and of course, coffee. Finland is the second largest consumer of coffee in the world and Finns drink coffee after every meal. Most Finnish households have saunas that are about the size of a small room and my house actually had two saunas, a small one and a very large one. Many families own summer cottages or cabins.  I got to go to my family’s cabin in Lapland and go hiking for a week. The woods in Finland are very luscious with patches of blueberries, raspberries, and cloudberries.  I was in Finland during the height of blueberry season so I got to help my host mom pick buckets full!

What have you taken from your experience?
Going to Finland was my first trip overseas and I loved it. I think it made me more outgoing and independent. It was interesting to be a foreigner in a different country and see how other people view the U.S and our customs.