From Connecticut, to Manhattan, to Brussels

So this past week has been, well to say the least - interesting. Went to Connecticut, did the whole New England thing (which was AWESOME!). Visited Mystic Seaport with Lee. Walked aboard the oldest wooden functioning whaling ship, the Charles W. Morgan. Learned how to eat lobster (the appropriate restaurant way). Went and visited Yale in New Haven. It was almost a little depressing to walk around and seeing how beautiful their campus is in comparison to Georgia Tech.

On Friday, we went to Manhattan for the day since my flight left for Brussels that evening. Picked up sandwiches and had a picnic on a rock next to the pond in Central Park. What more could I ask for. Then we went downtown to see the construction of the Freedom Tower, walked around Battery Park and saw the Statue of Liberty. Perfect way to end the spring in the Americas before jet setting to Europa!

View from our picnic in Central Park

The flight to Brussels was good, no complications. I of course am not used to flying to Europe with such short distances (I usually leave from Atlanta so that buys me a couple more hours on the plane) but this flight was 6h 45min. That's cool and all, but I needed to finish my homework!!!! Like it was the first time I was legitimately a little upset about how short my flight was...

Anyways, made it safely in one piece to Gare Central, met up with the rest of the students and off we were to have lunch together and go home for the weekend with our families. I live in a French speaking family, which was intimidating at first, but I have yet to speak English! We went on a guided tour of Brussels yesterday so I am slowly catching on to how to get around here. It's crazy how I have very little sense of direction here, but put me in Paris and I can find my way home without a problem.

Belgian Waffles at the Cinquantenaire

Today was our first day of class (at ULB) and we went over very basic things. The history of the EU & European identity. We only have lecture this week, so it's hard to cram a semesters worth into 4 days. Today I decided to be lame after class and go running. My host brother asked me if I wanted him to show me how to get to the park... stubborn Jonna said no and went off on my own. I got lost. Go figure. I went running around in Etterbeek though, the neighborhood that I live in. There are some reaaaally nice houses!!

School is off to a good start so far! Day 1 down.

Finals are over, time to pack.

Finished my final French assignment today so it's time to switch gears!! I am leaving for the longest time ever, 3 months away from Georgia Tech!! I have confirmed my internship in Brussels, just received my itinerary for the school portion, planning out my trip to Finland, get to spend a day in NYC. I thought nothing would top summer 2011, yet I think it already has and I haven't even gotten on a plane yet.

MY NEW BACKPACK!!!

Also, the most amusing part of all. I'm leaving for 3 months and bringing one backpack. (Last year I brought a HUGE suitcase, duffle bag + huge purse for 2 months.) But I'm really excited to see if I can do this!

But there's also pre-trip homework. Just opened it up and well, let's just say I'm not going to look at it again until Monday. I need a weekend off from school work. :)

Trailblazers ASB 2012 - Nicaragua

First of all, I want to say that Nicaragua was possibly the most amazing Spring Break I will ever have! I'm kind of upset that I have one more, because I have no idea how I will top this off next year! (CNN's bucket list #1? Learn to fly?)

I had a successful volcano boarding experience. I went 54 km per hour! Fastest in my group! Go team Finland!!!

I also learned how to surf, speak Spanish, jumped off of a 10 meter cliff... Met some amazing people... Farmed... It was just amazing. 

Our courtyard at the farm from where we stayed. 

Gigi, me & Alison after Volcano boarding. We conquered Cerro Negro!!

Alison & I on one of our hikes at the top of the mountain. (Yes, I'm vertically challenged)

We also did some horse back riding. I hadn't done that since about age 11, and of course since I'm so short I could barely reach the stirrups (#shortpeopleproblems). Nicaraguan culture was awesome, everything was super cheap - until we got to the airport, but that was to be expected. 

It was so hard to come back to school. It's on the countdown side for sure though. One more semester almost down. 

Spring Break 2012

I can't believe that it is almost spring break! I have been drowning in my school books so much that time just flew by. Fortunately, my spring break didn't suffer from this as plans have been made since week 2 of the semester.

It's off to Nicaragua!

I am going with an organization from school, to work on a volunteer program in the middle of the country. It's a reforestation project that other universities have participated in (such as FSU over winter break). I was not a part of this organization until I found out about this trip, so I don't know anyone. Thankfully my friend Alison is in the same boat as I am. Last summer, when we were in Paris, on our last days we sat down in the halls of the MIJE and looked up places around the world where we would go spend our spring break. Back in July, the plans consisted of Eastern Europe or Africa, but then Nicaragua popped up in January because of a poster I saw somewhere on campus. So now instead of backpacking through Eastern Europe for a week, or going to see the wildlife of Africa, I am going hiking in Latin America and working on a farm for 10 days. No internet. No cell phone. This will be new for me, but I am so excited. I don't think I have been disconnected from the world like that since... well before I can remember! (I got a cell phone at the age of 9 in Europe, so the term "crackberry" came to be because of people like me. I go no where without it, and feel lost if I forget it at home on school days- thank god for laptops and internet in that case).

While I am excited to see the beautiful landscapes Nicaragua has to offer, I am excited to experience a new culture as well.

The Agua Azul lagoon outside of Leon Viejo, Nicaragua

But as far as bucket list experiences go, I will get to see my first volcano! (Scratch that, I've been to Hawaii so I am 99% sure I saw one there, but I was little, don't remember, and didn't have my own camera to take pictures of it.)

That's not all though. I also get to go volcano boarding! Essentially sledding down the side of the volcano! You can take the Scandinavian girl out of the snow, but that doesn't mean she's not going to go sledding!

"All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

♥  Jonna 

Epiphany

Epiphany weekend - first weekend in January. And here's what I have learned in 2012 thus far:

1. Wearing fur hats during prime Russian tourist season makes you look like one.
2. Sales in Finland = take American price and multiply by 120 %
3. Finland's got the weather right. If it's cold, let it snow.
4. I haven't seen the sun in a week.
5. I'm coming back for next new years. For sure.

Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas Eve in Finland, a.k.a., time for me to celebrate. In Finland, Christmas celebrations begin on December 24th. I am making joulutorttuja tomorrow morning (my favorite Christmas dessert, that I ALWAYS over eat and end up getting sick) and then at noon begins "Christmas Peace". This is a time, that until Boxing Day, no fighting is allowed in the family.

But speaking of Finland, that brings me to my next topic. I will actually be visiting for the New Year. I can't wait to start 2012 over there! 6 days until my departure!! And since I will be in Europe, I will be updating my blog again.

Already planning the return

"Everyday is a Journey, and the Journey itself is Home."

Been back in the good old USA for a couple months now, and I sat still just long enough to figure out where I'm going next...

Summer 2012

Brussels, Belgium

+

Paris, France

+

Berlin, Germany

+

Krakow, Poland

=

European Union Studies 

I can't wait! I've only been to Paris out of those places, so I will actually be able to experience new places (and even knock off two countries on my world map). I've only flown through Belgium, which I guess you can count those, but I have never been to Poland.

♥ Jonna