The Finnish woman named Sari Annike Gustaffsenn concludes her series. She is getting ready to go back to her native Finland after spending nearly two months in America, where she stayed with her friend, Helvig Gustaffsenn (same last name, no relation). She was planning on being in America for a month, but she stayed longer than planned, thanks to an unexpected accident that left her friend injured. (He is doing much better now.) She writes amidst a torrent of tears as she thinks about her adventures she had while in America.
Hai! Miita kuuluu? Kiitos hyvaas!
This is Sari Annike Gustaffsenn writing again; and I am afraid that this is going to be my last journal entry for a while. You see, I am getting ready to go back home to my native Finland in a few days. I do not wish to go, but I have no choice. I have to go back to my work, and I also have to get back to my family, as I miss them all very much.
I have been in America for the past month and a half; I was visiting my good friend, Helvig, who was born in Finland, but now makes his home in America. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where he attends university. But now I go back home, and all of a sudden, my heart feels heavy and my eyes are wet with tears because I do not want to leave Helvig, especially since he got hurt while falling down the stairs. He is doing better, but he is still not all the way healed; and I will be worrying about him because he lives by himself, and I am afraid that he will get hurt again while I am not there.
I was only planning on being in America for a month, but I've been here a bit longer than planned because of my friend's accident; and I have been taking care of him and helping him with his university studies. (Good way to help with my English skills; my English is still not that good, I am afraid!) Helvig and I have known each other ever since we were little kids back in Ivalo (that's where I was born; Helvig was born there, too, and I still live there now), and when he moved to America, I cried like a little girl. I really missed him, but then he invited me to come to America, and this was why I was in America.
While here, I did Christmas shopping for my family (but did not get their gifts to them on time; I do hope they aren't too upset with me for forgetting; but I have been so busy with taking care of my friend! I guess I will just have to have Christmas again whence I return to Finland!), and I and Helvig took a trip to see the Christmas lights and stuff (but they don't do lights like they do back in Finland! LOL). The lights were wonderful, and the weather was cold. It was almost like back home; and while I was here, we even saw some aurora borealis (but again, I was disappointed; the Northern Lights here are nothing like they are back in Finland!).
I also met this lady who is a nurse (she took care of my Helvig when he got hurt; he had to go to Emergent Care, and this was where I met the nurse lady), and she was very nice. She called me a few times, just to check in on Helvig and see how he was doing; I thought that was very sweet. Her name was Louisiana, and she was very small in size; but she was round like a dark snowman, and she used a cane as she walked. She is married and has a family of many children, and she loves them all very much. She even wrote a book about her family, and she was nice enough to give me a copy. (I will have to read it while I am on the plane back to Finland!)
America was nice, but it was very big, and it was very busy; and there were people there who were from many different lands (including Finland!); and they all spoke different languages. This was very confusing, but it was very interesting, too.
Another thing that I really did not enjoy was that there were not many saunas here. Oh, Helvig has a sauna at his home, and that was nice, but when I first got here, I looked for a sauna, and couldn't find many. I do not like regular showers or baths because the water is too cold for me, and when I come out, I still feel dirty, no matter how many times I bathed or showered! And the water here tasted nasty and it gave me such a bad taste in my mouth! UCH!
And some of the stuff people eat here...UCH! NASTY! My friend, Helvig, for example, loves pizza and hot dogs, but I found pizza too chewy, and the hot dogs tasted like cardboard and looked much worse. When Helvig told me about hot dogs, I would not eat them because I thought they actually were made from wiener dogs! LOL But he corrected me on this, and he got me to try a bite, and I threw my hot dog into the trash recepticle; I couldn't eat the rest of my hot dogs. He also loves seafood, and he loves Cayjun food (I think I spelt that wrong...LOL), which was way too spicy for me. It burnt my mouth, and it upset my stomach; I was on the potty for two days after I had the Cayjun food. It was NOT good! (Give me reindeer meat ANY DAY! OR FISH!)
Well, I must return to my packing; will have to go now. I will write once I return to Finland. It may be a while, but I WILL write, just to let you know how I am doing.
Until next time, my friends, take care of yourselves, and God bless each and every one of you here in America! And until next time, my friends, Nakemiin!
~Love, Sari Annike Gustaffssenn. :( >crying BUCKETS of tears here<
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