School Dayz

School is taking up most of my time, though it is well spent doing so but it can be a little crappy knowing all I do is work, walk and go see Eero. But the return of exams grades and maintaining 4 and 5's are making all the "urgh" worth it. I suppose it is because a lot of my friends are eramus student's and keep getting to go away as they don't have much on at school, unlike those of us who study full time.  I am loving this renewable energy course though and trying to keep up with the Finnish course.

The Finnish course I love but it is the hardest for me, never learning another language I have to undo 26 year's of bending letters from being a native English speaker. Hard thing to do but most of the time in shops I am understood and natives seem happy you try to learn and speak. Alas progress is progress... I just wish I had more time to listen to my audio cd's.

Dear Santa,

I have been good all year, please c0uld I have more days in the week or more hours in the day?? these days and hours do not have to contain daylight so long as my lights work.

Thanks

P.S

I leave the reindeer carrots and you cake and a drink and it's a deal, right?

Eero, has detected my distress with speaking Finnish and is starting to help me now, just hoping it lasts longer than the other attempts for him to help... one has to hope!

I have however attended all of one subjects lectures then dropped it at the last minute. I could see so me conflict impending with the lecturer and it is a bonus course so I thought I would cut my losses and run.

OF course, exam weeks are approaching again and technically start for me next week with 2 Finnish speaking exams, one is enough lol and another presentation in English... I am excited about them all sadly... I am enjoying exams which is sad!!!

School keeps me walking 8km a day or more and it keeps me busy when I am not there... I am excited about next semester when all my waste management and water management courses start! haha!

Suomi 1

In 17 working days... so intensive is the key word for sure with the course!!! We learnt to speak using slang so we don't sound like talking books, to read, write and listen to people. Below is the official course list of what we have learnt;

Minä
basic information about yourself
greetings
letters and numbers
verb conjugation
asking questions
typical features of Finnish

Kaupungilla
food
at the cash machine
ordering in a resturant, cafe or other common places
partitive case
expressions of time
i have structure

Suomalaista elämää
free time
different verb types
genitive case
describing people
body parts
t plural and consonant change
asking the way
clothes

Tyypillinen päivä
more expressions of time
weather
spoken language and verb conjugation
making an appointment
i have to structure

Tulossa ja mennossa
where, where from, to where cases
buying train, bus tickets
past tense
and grammar

It has been a very intensive course but it has been very well taught and structured. If any of you get a chance to take the Finnish language courses at Jyväskylä university then do so! Even if you have to pay for them they are well worth the money!

Suomi 1 doesn't make you fluent or able to understand every word people are saying but it helps you break down the basics and ask for simple things, order drinks and food, tell someone what you want, or that you are busy and need to do something else. It is a great course! I can't wait to see how much I learn from the second one. Nor can I wait for the conversation courses in January =)

I have exams Friday and Monday. Then over a week to digest the work in suomi 1 I haven't remembered completely. Then bring on Suomi 2, which is over 3 months =)

Also on the huge plus side, Eero has been shocked into how much Finnish I know and is now actively helping, texting and speaking in Finnish =)life is good!