Whiskeytown Falls

Hey you,

time is flying. This week is the FUN week so to speak.
I have done my Scrapbook which is turning to be wonderful of course. Sunday afternoon we were hanging at Barne's&Nobles and it was fun. They have a huge amount of books to sell and you can sit there, do studies or read magazines and we got some Strawberry Frappucino to taste, there's Starbucks everywhere here. I mean EVERYWHERE!!

I have been doing quite well with my readings and now doing my book report for the second book and I have to give it back next week so I am early and doing good :D

So today was the trip to Whiskeytown Falls. I certainly didn't here anything about hiking, I just heard about having fun, do some worship or stuff like that. Well, this noon when we hooked up at Bethel and ready to go, WHAAAT?! we are going hiking to the Falls. Okay.
Anyway, it was good trip but it was hard and tough especially for my ankles and I was so ready to quit there and go back. Then I was thinkin I can't quit because these people think I'm a fat looser which is of course wrong from me to even think like that but just thought of others also going drove up there. It was nice place, There were the falls, we sat on some rocks, water passes us by and you can drink it. It was nice, cold and fresh water. I met some new people called Lucy and Mirlandra. ( I love her name). We even thought to do something sometime later when in the evenings there's nothing to do.

Last night I was in this meeting called Women of Destiny.. It wasn't really my thing but I went there with Paule. Anyway, she gave me an idea that maybe on Thanksgiving or so I could go to San Francisco for couple days . It would be great. I have to ask Nelli to give me contact info for the YWAM base where she slept couple nights with Lassi.
I am trying to find a group of people to do that with me. WOuld be so awesome.

Tomorrow we have this collage thing with journals.. I think that's fun and on Thursday we are going to JH Ranch for our retreat. So exciting!!! But I am not hiking there, that's for sure. I might walk little bit but enjoy otherwise of the time there.

Anyway, I am so tired now and my legs and ankles heart so bad so I might go to bed soon or at least I'm planning to do that :)

Love,

S

24th wednesday

hello again. I'm back.

Second school week started yesterday and still excited even though I noticed that I was tired in the class so concentrating was little difficult for me. And it is also sometimes just because of the language, I don't get all the words and when trying to write notes, oh it is hard. But I try take it easy and no panic. I try to remember what it was like when I studied in Joutseno and the first couple weeks just listening to English and writing notes about British history. That was bad :D



Yesterday I started my Spanish classes and I think it will be fun. No notes, no repeating just learning in the enviroment of hearing and experiencing stuff. Sounds new and fun.

I heard yesterday some sad news from Finland. Another school massacre there. Just makes me yell and ask WHY. What's wrong with you people. Has someone done something to you or what.

I just pray for those who lost their family members, friends, school mates, teachers or neighbours over there. I just ask God that you will meet these people, you will touch their lives in this difficult situation.



I have a lot of learning about American food culture. I like it and I don't like it. Like here in our food place, theres lined up soda machines and just different varieties of coke or soda or lemonade. What happened to milk or water. ( Well, you find also those there but like one machine for those.. ) But I have found new friend called chocolate chip pancakes that I like but I shouldn't be eating those, not healthy.. xD

I am already used to have water that tastes like swimming pool water.. Isn't it nice flavor..



I am learning everyday so much. I realize that I don't really need to do anything. Just give my life to God and be in His presence is enough. He takes care of everything else. I don't need to run after manifestations or stuff like that. What comes, will come. And I think I already have that what I need. More is just extra. I think this change of place and that kinda mixed my head up or something like that. Things that I knew already, I faced here like new things and people here just confirmed me things that I knew for sure. So yeah, this isn't that scary place after all :D



Well, I must try to learn again this rhythm of studying and try to answer some questions on my paper. SOon heading to school.



Laters.



S

and more

I just thought to divide the text because since it was so long time ago, there's a lot of text coming.

I have great girls who I share the bathroom with, Tiffany and Naomi. I have been hanging out a lot with Katrina, Candace and Kalia. and Paule, she's from Belgium originally but now from Chicago.
Tomorrow starts my Spanish class, I'm excited about that. yey. Habla Espanol or something like that I don't know, YET. soon I will.

During the day it's warm, more like hot but the nights are cold and I'm freezing because for some reason they have these automatic a/c's here.. WHY???!!!
So many things I still need to learn in this culture here but it's okay. It's normal and yeah, it will be good.
I guess now I should go do some landry. We have here the machines, but still need some money for that. I bought a roll of quarters so I can use the machines. It will be interesting to see how well I understand how they work or not.

Today I hope to finish my book and do some Bible study and stuff like that. Take care my beloved ones.

S

School life and more

Hey guys,
iT has been a while since my last blog here. And a lot of things has happened, I can sure you that.
So after arriving and staying at Sheenas place, she told me that we aren't connecting and that was tough to handle. I haven't even really seen her so much because she has been working and at school. She is doing the 2 nd year. So it put some tears into my eyes. Then I found a new place with some girls in the same complex but just different unit. I paid my part of the rent and moved in but it didn't work out at all and it wasn't possible to stay there alone so I moved out. I was scared do I get my money back and cried a lot. A LOT. but God is good, I learned so much about prayer and worship and yey. It's longer story but that's about it in a nutshell.

I received a lot of help from people who I barely know and that was also God's way showing His great love for me. Now it's Monday 22nd and I moved here into Simpson University Dorm house on last Friday, 19th. And just being so happy about having my own place, space and room. I heard that this other girl who also was in my second house plannings, tried to ask for a room in Simpson but to her they said it's full so I guess it's Gods great miracle for me.
Food is also included to this rent price, but it's not so good. or healthy is maybe the correct word for it. And I like to go eating when it's not that full there. Have my own quiet time you know.

Last week at school has been amazing. There's about 800 1st year students and our daily classes feel like we are in a conference or something.
We have been divided into revival groups of 70-75. In my group theres 73 studenst and two interns and the leader Sheri. She's really nice and you can see Gods love in her.
Everyday I meet new people, I have met a lot of students from Scandinavian countries, Sweden but mostly from Norway and some Icelandic guys.
Theres 4 of us from Finland which is great of course. I have seen little bit of Redding and in two weeks we have this retreat thing where we go to this JH Ranch, couple hours west. We stay there for two nights and yeah, I'm waiting for that.

2nd in Redding, CA

Wow,

Now it's tuesday 9th of September and time is 13:47 so it's afternoon here in Redding..



Let me tell you what I have been doing lately.

So last Friday night we went with Anne to this diner place called Tropicana where I had the best fries with this chicken wrap. We were already full of food but still needed some dessert so I took this New York cheesecake and Anne took some short cake which she didn't like at all but my cheesecake was the best. Even though I couldn't finish it but it was good.



On Saturday we went to the Hope Center and there was this Matthew's house thing, like a food pantry. We gave food bags to people who had been registered to get those bags. After that we went to Manhattan by train. In Elizabeth it was hot, humid but not raining. In Manhattan it was raining, a lot. So we saw something but not much. On the way back, from the trains window we saw these floods where care were stuck. But on Sunday it was dry.



On Sunday we left early to go to Times Square Church and it was good meeting, we got good seats. Row 14 in the middle, the best place. I was just so tired of everything so time to time my concentration was weak and I realized my eyelids going down.. Anyway, we did some shopping and went to see the Statue of Liberty from this Staten Island Ferry and I finally met Ester and David at Central Park. Together we went to the Trump Tower and the Disney World Store and stuff like. IT was nice to see, I think I haven't seen David in 5 years.. That was when his family came back here. I heard that his family isn't doing so great financially so it's something to pray about. SUnday was so sunny day and I got my I love NY t-shirts that we were looking so hard. I took a lot pictures that I got to put on Facebook..

Sunday evening I packed my stuff, everything went into bags, even though it looked so full.



monday morning Anne drove me to the airport where I checked in. There was some probles with my check-in, I thinkg just the workers didn't know what to do or what was going on but I was able to leave my bags..

From the early morning my ankle had been hurting so bad and it's still feeling sore and I need to eat painkillers. Same kind of pain than with my right ankle but worse and it's left ankle this time.

ANyway, nothing more about that, my flights went well. It was like 5 and half hours from Newark to Portland. I didn't realize it before boarding the plane. The plane was crowded and the seat was kinda small. But I was able to sleep little bit which was good.

In Portland I had to wait couple hours and in Newark the staff told me that I need to check-in in Portland but I didn't show my boarding pass to anyone until Boardin and everything went well. They said something about United Airlines and I was like okay, but I did what I felt so it went good.. And Flight to Redding was about an hour and half. I was seated next to this young man who lives with his family in Redding so he told me little bit about it and the staff in the plane was so friendly than what I haven't never seen before in planes. So nice.



It was so hot when I arrived to Redding. I got my bags fast and then I went outside to wait for Pamela, Sheena's mother, to pick me up. I think I waited about 15 minutes or so. It felt longer actually. Anyway, she picked me up. We drove to my new home, 1390 College View Drive apartment nmb 27, and I was able to leave my bags here. I met Sheena quickly and then we drove to Target, ( Sheena works there) I got my adapter, we met Sheena and bought this cover sheet for my bed, I bought some food, just bread and juice. We also went to this grocery store, it was huge. I think I need to go there with better time to see what's there really. Then Pamela drove me back to home. I started to settle down. Changes sheets, put some of my stuff in the drawer, still getting used to that here isn't closets.. Just drawers.

My wireless internet wasn't really working yesterday but now I'm here downstairs and it's working at least better now. Thank God.

Then I took a shower and waited for Sheena to come from work. She was here about 10.30 pm and I was tired.. I noticed that here's a lot of hugging and saying I love you, Sweetie, etc.. Something I am not used to at all. It will be difficult.



I also realized that her mother comes here often, she makes her food and takes care of her laundry. I also found out today that there's no washing machine here. So, yey.. Tomorrow I will sign the lease for this place and talk about money. I think tomorrow we go to get me local phone and clothe drier hanger thing. I think I also need a printer for my self.. If I find a cheap one it would be great.



TOday the 2nd school year started so now Sheena and her mom ( who lives in different address) are there at Bethel. I went there with Sheena just for a quick visit. I managed to go inside but kinda freaked when seeing so many people there and 2year students.. So I went outside and walking back home. I just got out of Bethels drive way when this car stopped by and this young fellow asked if I need a ride. He already passed me but he felt that he needed to come back and ask. So nice of him. His name is Ben by the way, from Alabama and I found out during our drive that Saara and Sami, my new friends from Finland lives in the same complex as he does. Isn't it small place or what. So he drove me here and now I have been on the internet in here downstairs where it works better.

I'm making a list of all the things I might need or I really need for to buy and get.

I'm still thinkin about getting that bike but will see what happens.

Today Sheena and her mom got these folders from school where inside some info papers. So waiting for to get mine. I freaked little bit when really realizing how much work this school needs and am I really able to do it. SO that's also a thing to pray about.

Now I think I'll start reading more about my school book that I need to do a book report from in two weeks. It's called "When Heaven invades Earth".

Be blessed you all, I hope to find some time to come here and write what happens here..



S

in the USA

So here I am. I made it. I'm in the USA. wow. in a way it's still hard to believe even though I'm already here.
I have been here 4 days. I arrived on Monday so this is my 4th day.
I was happy to notice that everything on my way here went so smoothly. Happy about that :)
I also noticed that it is hot here, for me this is summer. To these guys here, not. ALmost like in India, the weather is moist. So on TUesday when this Austin came to pick me up from the aiport we went to to hope center where I waited for Anne and soon they came and I started to do the dishes. So perfect way to start my year in USA, isn't it? ;D After that we came to the house, dropped my stuff here, met the family Rich and Dixie ( the couple who started this work here). The evening we spent walking around little bit, went to the stores, saw some cheap clothes because here you don't have to pay taxes from clothes. .SOunds gooood. I didn't buy anything but Anne found some tops and then we went to eat at Wendy's and gossiping about Finland :D
She is so happy to have a friend visiting, although she is going to Finland in less than two weeks.

Wednesday is the day at hope center when the team spends time together, have some teaching, worship etc. It was also the last day of Saara, this girl from Finland who lived in this room where I stay now. She was also working for this nycr. Then the bus team had a meeting of some kind and then we started to clean. I helped with vacuuming, mopping the floors and carrying some stuff. Let me just say that oh, I was tired after that because I was already tired before it.
But after the day we went to the Jersey Gardens Mall. It's so huge place, and usually it's like full of people but that day it wasn't that much because schools just started and it was in the middle of the week. I bought two pairs of pants, my size and then this cool t-shirt that I would liked more in pink but white was more fitting. I still have so much to learn about these size scales here. At the mall we ate at Johnny's something diner type place, where they have looshes where we sat and these waitresses whit white uniforms came to serve us. Coool. It was loong day.

Yesterday we went to Bronx. Before that we prepared the soup, ice tea and all that. So there was a lot of work before even going, luckily this lady with her kids came to help us. Then we were divided into two teams, bus 1 and bus 2. We both went to BRonx, My team bus 2, we went to Treamont park. It was busy day. First I was sharing information about housing etc. It was good time and I was able to pray for people and talk with them and help with that. Then me and this Maria ( also girl from Finland, actually a girl whose room Nelli rented) switched places and I went to the kitchen to give food for the people. iT was hot and busy day. We were there around 10 am and we were there till 2 pm. I think around noon we ran out soup and around 1 pm we ran out of ice tea and then it was only bread to give really. It was good. I already saw Manhattan skyline from the bus. It looked sooo nice :D From Bronx we drove back to the center and did the dishes and oh, my back hurted so bad but before 4 we were ready and around four we got a ride from Steve to home. IT was so nice to have a shower after that and just rest little bit. Then Anne cooked our dinner, I also met Welda, Richards mother who came from Cali where she had been for two months visiting her daughter. SHe lives in this same house. Anne made us some rice and chicken with some sweet'n sour sauce. Really good. I noticed that here people don't eat that much and everything is so clean and oh, I have to be so precise.

I just found out that on Monday when I arrive to Redding 16.25, my new friend Sheena who is supposed to pick me up, starts her shift at work at 17.30 so it's busy.. And looks like that she thinks that I am ready to go to her work and wait there until 22.15 when I'm ready to go home. As if. But just have to remember to say that to her. I think I just want to go settle down.

Tomorrow I'm supposed to meet Ester and David at Manhattan and they will show me around little bit. THen Anne comes there and we can go to places :Dso cool..

I am excited to be here. YEsterday evening we went to Calvary Tabernacle, it's a church where Anne goes. I went to this prophecy room where these people prophecised for me and it was taped and I got the tape. Nice. There was good stuff and stuff that we must see what comes :D

Laters!

S