The week is over (2 more weeks left!!) and I think I have spent it well. On the nice days I have sat and read in the park that is a few blocks from my apartment. The grass is very lush and together with the sun, often induces sleepiness. I love falling asleep outside...its a really fabulous feeling to wake up from a doze in the warm sun and hear everyone around you laughing and talking. Must do this more when I get back to NYC. Aside from sleeping, I have also written a lot of letters and postcards to you folks back home. I have even managed to finish reading several books (including Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy which is hilarious...although youall would know this because I am apparently the only person in the world who hasn't read it yet). Anyways...

More news of the day...
*Apparently I know something about international hockey. In celebration of the Hockey World Championships this past month, some members and staff at Suvimaki put together a sort of hockey pool (like we do for the NCAA basketball tournement). You had to decide who would win each game and then in the end which teams would be the top three. I know hockey teams even less than I know basketball teams, and thats saying a lot. Therefore, I guessed my way through the pool. I guessed based on countries I would like to visit most, for instance, I would like to visit the Czech Republic more than I would like to visit Belarus. Sorry Belarus:(And it turns out that guessing works! I, along with two other members, took first place in the pool. Needless to say, I was astonished. Yesterday, the folks who had put together the pool gave the winners each a certificate saying they had gotten first in the pool and a bag of Finnish chocolates (yum!). Everyone is convinced that I was understating my knowledge of international hockey. Sadly, nobody has asked me to be a part of the World Cup pool yet. Now soccer I know!
*Also yesterday, I also finally got up the nerve to help lead the afternoon meeting. Everyone was so pleased that they all clapped everytime I wrote someone's name down correctly. And after the end of the meeting, they all stood up and cheered. Gah! I was really embarrassed. Fortunately for you all, there is once again documentation of my humiliation in the form of a photograph. Thank you Suvimaki!
*Tomorrow night I am going with a group from the Clubhouse to a Finnish dance hall. I will be tangoing and waltzing all night! More news (and most likely pictures) of that next week.

Hope you all are well! I love you and miss you all...

P.S. My friend is getting married tomorrow! Woot!! Congratulations to Shannon and John!! I am so happy for youall:)

P.P.S. Tomorrow is also the anniversary of the first day of the best year of my life. I love you...