First Day at a Finnish School

Yesterday was my first day at Oulun Lyseon Lukio; and to be honest...it was terrifying.

My host dad dropped my older host sister and I off at the school, and my host sister took me to find out where I needed to be. We went upstairs, to this hall- which literally looked like a museum!

There were all these students sitting in chairs, and I randomly stood in the back, since I didn't want to sit next to someone who was already sitting with all of their friends.

I have no idea how long we stood there...I didn't understand the orientation or anything they were saying. But, eventually they called us into groups, and my host sister told me to go with my group when it was called. We went to this old classroom, and my host sister went with me to tell my teacher I was an exchange student.

After we explained it to the teacher, my host sister left; and I turned around and everyone was completely silent and staring at me...

I randomly sat in the closest desk, next to someone; and the teacher started talking. I think she called roll, and then she counted us off into groups.

Everyone started randomly turning around and talking, and so I turned around too. (I didn't talk, because I didn't know what they were saying.) The teacher went around and asked everyone what the other person said. I was the last person she called on, and I just plainly said in English that I didn't understand.

It was pretty embarrassing.

And yes...everyone was silent and looking at me.

The teacher started talking again, and everyone got out their notebooks and starting writing the schedule she was telling them. Everyday was different, and I couldn't keep up. We talked about it for a good hour or two, and after awhile, I decided to just make a little doodle on my paper...I didn't know what was going on.

After awhile, everyone randomly left; and so of course, I followed along with them. They went down the stairs, and around the corner into this crazy huge line! I finally realized that we were getting lunch.  After I got my food, I really didn't know where to sit...I stood there looking around for a few minutes, and thankfully a girl came up to me and asked in English if she could sit with me, because she didn't want to sit alone.

I think I actually scared her because I was so relieved!

We didn't talk much after we sat down, but im glad that I had someone to sit with!

After lunch, we went back to the classroom, and then we had these older kids who were school guides that came into the classroom. They talked for awhile, and then everyone randomly started pulling their desks to the sides of the classroom...I just followed everyone else.

Everyone got into a huge circle, and of course- I was the last one, and there was no room for me, so I stood awkwardly outside of the circle.

The tutors started talking in Finnish, and I realized only after everyone was staring at me, that they were talking to me.

I don't think ive ever felt so dumb!

I didn't know what to do, so I randomly walked up to them, and cut through the circle...apparently they just wanted me to stand on the other side of the circle.

We were going to play a name game, and everyone said their names SO fast that I couldn't understand! Then, I was called on, and since I couldn't say the other person's name, I was out first.

After the game was over, we were put into groups again; but this time a German exchange student and I were chosen first and put in the same group. We were given a tour of the school, but since I didn't have my schedule yet, I wasn't sure which classes to pay attention to.

After the tour was over, we were able to go home. I called my host dad, and waited in the school yard to be picked up from school.

Overall, it was a pretty okay day. It wasn't bad. Just different. :)

Hopefully I will make friends soon, and things will settle in. What else could you expect for your first day of school in a different country!? :)