Prince Albert

We arrived yesterday for a pretty short visit to Prince Albert, that is because our stay here lasts only around 1,5 days. Yesterday we got to meet our host families, which once again are lovely. I'm staying by Brian and Barb, who have made me feel welcome.

Today we started our day by going to Waskasiu national park, where we walked a nice route in the nature. It was interesting to notice that even though the nature in Finland is very similar to Canada, there are also differences in flaura and fauna, for example here are some trees that we don't have. We also got the see some elks, which were enjoying their time in golf course! :) In the afternoon, we drove back to town and did some shopping in a shop selling First Nation handcraft as well as in one that sells Western style clothing. Now we have some matching outfits also to the distrcit conference ;) Moreover, we got the see the impressive work of the hosting Rotary Club. Tomorrow we hed back to Winnipeg, which will end our tour in Canada.

Prince Albert

I am enjoying Prince Albert to the fullest. I stay with Christina and Keith and it is so nice to meet Christina again and compare our GSE experiences. Yesterday I got to go with them to their cabin at Emma Lake (really a small country, because it was just across the road from where Petra and Henna went with their Saskatoon hosts- what a coincidence). We BBQed, walked around and relaxed in the hot tub, a great evening.

Today we have been up to Waskesiu National Park, driving around and walking a nice trail with a guide. The weather was a bit windy and wet, but we had a great time and as normally some werd things happen around us crazy Finns, so among other things Henna got hot coffee all over her, Ville used the ladies' room, Ilkka went shopping from cowboy jeanss and boots (we talked him out of it though), Petra slept like a baby in her hoody and Karin almost had an allergy attack- just a normal day :)

Tonight I have learnt a new canadian delight- BLT sandwich- and relaxed with the girls (Christina and her sister). Tomorrow we rise early and head down to Winnipeg. We are not exactly looking forward to that 12-hour-drive, but I'm sure it will be fun and it's nice we all travel in a big van together.

Such a great time in Saskatoon

We also went quading with my host Don, who was an excellent quide and leader for our tour. We drove almost 150km with Yamaha Rhinos, I need to get one when I come back to Finland!

Tomorrow we are heading to Prince Albert, so I want to thank people in Saskatoon for a great program and nice time we have had here!

Perfect day

Me and Henna had a wonderful day today. We started our day with quad-driving with the gals. It was fun ! And me and Henna drove too ! :) We visited one lake where was a huge beaver nest. After this muddy driving we relaxed a little bit and went walking by the lake.
After our walk we drunk some cosmos with our hostmum and took a nap. This is because the cosmos made us a bit sleepy. After sleeping we had some BBQ-hot dogs.

Our host mum Cheryl and dog Pilsner have been wonderful and we bet our weekend has been better than anyone has anywhere ever seen. (Aivan..hehehh)

In the evening we relaxed in the hot tube. What a day. Perfect one!
Ps. If somebody is wondering, we do have same stars in Finland.. :)

Henna is having surprisingly fun in hot tube !

By the lake with Pilsner. ;)

Look where we were driving with these quads !!

Ps. Kim, voit ruveta kattelemaan mönkijöiden hintoja, oli sen verran kivaa ! ;) t. H

Ps. Juha, Petra tahtois hot tuben... ;) Love U, P

Flying in Saskatoon!

Now I really did it! I flew with Super Cub tail wheel aircraft the first time in my life. It is really different than to fly a fighter with an afterburner (I think the fighter is easier!).

We took off by my host family's own grass airfield just 100 yards from the house. Frank showed me the town.




Frank is a really experienced pilot - more than 2000 flying hours with this aircraft and even more with others!



It started to rain a little so we came back home. After a while I jumped in the front seat and took off the first time in my life with a tail wheel aircraft! What a nice aircraft. Frank has kept it in a really good shape. It flew so smoothly and the engine sounded like good music.


Do You think I like flying?

I landed in a little larger field just around the corner. I didn't know to pull the stick back right after landing (You don't do that with a nose wheel planes) so it was not a perfect landing! But nobody died and it was fun.

This superman even pulled his aircraft back into the hangas by himself.

What a great day - thanks Frank!

Emma lake

After two days wonderful visit in Melfort we are in a new place again.. This time I found me from Emma lake, near Prince Albert. We are staying in wonderful cabin right next to Emma lake with Henna. Our host Cheryl is taking a good care of us. And the sun is shining ! At last.. :) Tomorrow is time to relax and canoe with kayaks ! On Monday we will visit in University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.

Melfort was a nice town and it is also a hometown of the very best teamleader Gailmarie. Yesterday we played with horseshoes and I scored 5 points to Team Finland. Neat 'eh ! :)

We visit also at Polkafest and danced a little bit.

The time has gone so fast ! In this point of our journey is time to thank my wonderful hostfamilies. You all have a special place in my heart. So, Barbara & John, Erica & HP (my wonderful Swiss family !), Kerrilee & Stephane, Allen & Francis, Mike & LeAnn and Cheryl & Keith. Many thanks for your kindness to having me stay your homes and lives.

Pusuja hanille, pian nähdään..

Melfort in our hearts

Yesterday was a day full of different visits and activities in the City of Northern Lights. We started the morning at city hall, then saw the icehockey rink and the swimming pool. Those were nice facilities for a city that size (I wish Jakobstad would have a similar pool).
Next we drove out to St Brieux to visit the agirculture industies Bourgault. We had luncg at the golf club and then continued to the local high school and Cumberland College (nice to be in a school environment again) and then saw the Parkland nursing home. We had a nice break at Dairy Queen before going to the airport where we got to go up in a small aircraft, which I had never done before. It was very exciting to sit next to the pilot and follow how we made our journey over the flat land.
In the evening we toured the museum, had a nice BBQ outdoors there and played horseshoes Canada against Finland. We did alright, because it was a tie. Before finishing the day we went to see the Polkafest and some took a long desired Finnish sauna before going to bed.
It was a great day and we hope to see many of our friends from Melfort at the district conference.
Today we are moving on to Saskatoon and the sun is finally shining.

Regina to Melfort

I want to thank my wonderful host families so far. Again I had the most wonderful time in Regina with Phyllis and Don and their family. I got to spend a whole day at Univeristy of Regina with Dr Cooper which was nice and I felt at home in an ESL classroom with students from overseas . In Regina, I also enjoyed the flexibility and the many nice meals and exercising with my hosts. Thank you again!
Yesterday we went to the Sound Studio and Royal Canadian Mounted Police and we saw a parade with the cadets. We have lots of nice pictures from there and from the interesting heritage museum. (Pictures will be published later). We also had our Regina presentation yesterday and the evening was really nice and a former Idols finalist sang Oh Canada which was cool.
Today we moved over from Regina to Melfort up north. While driving the 2,5 hours you could notice how the trees got less and less green. We do hope for some warm weather here before we leave Canada.
In Melfort we had lunch at the Salvation Army and had a tour there of their recycling and second hand shop and then we visited Plus Industries Ltd. where mentally challenged people produce different products and do different tasks for their activation and social life. The place and our hosts were wonderful. We visited their shop downtown and cunldn't resist buying a few things for ourselves (although our suitcases are already much too heavy to survive weighing at the airport).
This evening we went to Melfort's Rotary Club meeting and gave our presentation. It was nice to meet all the Melfortians (?) and they seem really nice and genuinely interested (as all Canadians), so our expectations for our next couple of days are high. Tomorrow we will fly again, this time in small aircrafts and I so look forward to that!
We all send our regards to all dear ones at home that we are still alive :) although our mobile phones don't seem to work up here for some reason or another... not because of Nokia, but becasue of our Finnish operators' Canadian partners. A Finn without his mobile is like a Canadian without his big truck.

Regina, Regina

We have had a great time again, now with our host families in Regina. I started my stay with my host family with a very relaxing way: they took me to a spa! Moreover, I have had the chance to get acquinted with pet stores, pet grooming services and animal shelter as my vocational interest as well as with farming and countryside here. Together with our group, we have been to Legislation building, Natural history museum, Wascana center, and today in Royal Canadian Mounted Police parade and center. Indeed, we have learned a lot of Regina's (and Canada's) history and present day... and had a great time! Once again, I have been happy to have a marvellous host family. Pat and Doug are all full of laugh, so me being "the giggling one", I fit very well here! In Neepawa I was hosted by Doreen and Ernie, who made me feel so home. As they had been farmers, we found many connections to my parents and farming in general in Finland. In Gimli, I was priviledged to live with Colleen and John, who have had an exciting life! I'm just waiting to know what occupation they start next!

Some memories..

Now we are having our mid break in Regina. Here are some photos from our journey so far.

Greetings home. :)

Murals...murals...murals!

We saw amazing murals all over our trip.

Here are some examples from Kenora:

Regina at Night

There are also nice night clubs in Regina! The pics are as blurry as the people in there

;o)

Pictures from Neepawa

Rotary Park at Neepawa

Ilkka was interviewed for NACTV

We also managed to see buffalos at the national park.

The nice bookstore was not perfect: there were no books from Finland. We corrected it, now the store is perfect!

Mid Break- Mixed Pics

We are now enjoying our mid-term break relaxing, shopping, exercising and dancing.
I put in some mixed pictures from our trip so far- enjoy!