School and Visas!

Finals are starting, and I thought that before things got a little crazy I should update my blog by writing a few points of what has happened in the past few days:

05/31:

This week my Rotary club's meeting was held at Memorial Park. Both of my town's rotary clubs were there (Noon time and Early Birds) as well as the Kiwanis club of my town. We were all held together there for a meeting for the dedication of the park that the clubs had created together. The clubs have worked to build a new playground and provide brand new play structure equipment for children to play on. The mayor of Newberg was there, and it was cool to be able to be a part of my community and be there with the other Outbound Student from my club (going to India) and the Inbound (From Japan). We had fun playing on the playground together while everyone took different club pictures. (Even though it was rainy and freezing outside!!!).

The cutting of the ribbon

 

My amazing Sponsoring Rotary club! :)

 

06/07

So far this week has been super crazy! On Tuesday I flew down to LA for an appointment with the Finnish consult to get my visa! Unfortunately, I didnt have all of the documents I needed, because we were unaware that we were missing documents for our student visas.

BUT: It was SUPER fun to hang out with two other outbounds from Oregon going to Finland! I woke up at 3am to get ready for the 6-something flight to LA, and we all road together on the same flight to LA. (However, we pretty much just slept on each other during the flight because it was SO EARLY.) Afterward we  took a taxi after we landed with our travel agent (who met us at the airport), and then we went to the  Finnish Consulate.

The appointment was super awkward; but really cool at the same time! I went for my appointment first, and I walked into this little room, and things were kind of quiet as a girl from the Finnish consulate went through all of my documents for my visa. The appointment was pretty quiet, except for an occasional question or two. But it was cool when she would occasionally turn around and speak in Finnish. (Although it was super confusing, it was really cool! :) ) I tried to pick out a few words...but It didnt really work.

After all three of our appointments were done, we took another taxi with the agent to the Santa Monica pier. (Since we were wearing our Rotary Blazers and skirts/dresses, it was super hot!). We walked around and got lunch, and then spent the next 3 hours sitting on the beach. It was actually a REALLY nice break. We eventually got bored of just sitting in the sand, so we got up and ran into the water! (Yes, I got my skirt wet...but it dried, and it was totally worth it!)

Then we all took a taxi back to the airport, and one of the girls from another district had to catch her flight to Southern Oregon as another girl from my district and I ended up waiting a few more hours for our flight back to Portland. It was over-all an EXHAUSTING day; and unfortunately I didnt get my visa. (I still have to turn in the last few documents before I get it.)

But at least some very exciting things happened this week! :D