2016's Here

 - MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!! - 

Hope that every one had a very nice Christmas and New Years, with your loved ones, having a good time and a big smile. :)

Who did even notice, time went by so fast. Christmas is already before yesterday and a whole new year ahead.

I had a really awesome Christmas and New Years, it was a little bit different compared to what I am used to, but still so amazing and memorable.

Christmas and New Years for me usually mean to spend time with my family, celebrate 24th of December having a good time listening to music, eating while waiting until its 12 o'clock at the middle of the night and then start to open all the Christmas presents and after go to sleep and then wait till its New Year to be the whole family together again, dance the whole evening, eating more and more food until it's 10 seconds till midnight, do the countdown and hug every body then start doing something we call in Colombia for "augueros" and that means that in our culture we do some kind of 'games' so the next year comes well , for example to eat 12 grapes, making a wish for each month of the year or run with a bag 3 times around your house for more traveling dure the year, etc.

While here in Australia I experienced a little bit different, what actually made it even more great than the other holidays!

Starting with the fact that the main celebration of Christmas is the 25th of December. What maid it quite fun because while I was celebrating here I was still able to wish my family in Merry Christmas the 24th in Colombia because of the 15h difference.

In the morning of the 25th to wake up and go directly to open the presents under the tree and the ones that "Santa" left on the boot. After the whole bunch of really nice presents where open was time to get ready to go for Christmas lunch with family and friends. When ready and with some extra kilos from all the food we start head home to keep celebrating, with more eating, playing what in our case was Cards Agains Humanity what lead to lots of laugh. Later at some point, time for bed.

26th boxing day when everything is crazy cheep, what is amazing but dangerous, specially for an exchange student with weight limit of bbs, what I might think that will be a problem, but still a long way till then.

And then on the 31st of December, last day of the year. We went with our family to our friends party. Where we surprising, ate more really good food, spent time with some great people, having fun, listening to music. Waiting until it was a little bit before midnight to walk down the street and watch the fireworks in the city. Then next day, wake up and head home.

"The Three Musketeers"

Hey there again! :D

Hmm, don't know his it is for others, I really love to write, journals and stuff, but I find it quite difficult to actually remember to write on a blog when im not busy :P but still like to write and share with me :)

Latest days have been full of a little bit of everything.

Had sleepover with some of "the best girls in town" haha, swimming under the amazing, but very hot Australian sun. Eating lots of ice-cream but also real and really good food made by one of us, it wasn't all about the lollies and chips. We also screamed a bit, laughed and threw pillows (me) like crazy, while watching scary after animated movies. Later more swimming in the afternoons with my great family at the lagoon, having a lot of fun, and freezing when the wind comes over. Weekend at the lake with friends, this time not so cold, but breeze from the boat pulling off, us trying not to let go and fall out off the tube, what lead to sore hands and arms afterwords, but worth it for a lot of fun. Meetings with friends and family, catching up, dancing and having fun.

Later, christmas shopping in the city and tree decorating at home.

It has been a couple of weeks with a lot of fun! :D

   - "The three musketeers". Preparing mattresses and pillows at the drive in to watch a movies, with my favorite monster/best little sisters and parents.

Musketeer number 1 in the middle: Asha, M2 to the right: Kirra and M3 to the left: Gäbbs.

   - At the train coming back from shopping with "my girl". New sunnies ;)

Every Story Has A Beginning...

I've been told many times in my life that I should have a blog, to write and tell to the world about my life, specially when one of the things that I like to do is to write.

I never took it seriously, but now I would like to give it a try and see how it goes.

So, my name is Gabriela but after some time it has changed from Gabi to Gäbbs, Gabby etc. My own favourite is Gäbbs but not everyone has an ä in their alphabet so can have it as Gabbs.

I'm 17 years old, right now. Was born in Bogota, Colombia and lived there for 10 years and then moved to Finland because of my dad's work (a story I can tell about another time). So I've been living in Finland for 7 years, but right now I'm living in Australia for 10 months as an exchange student.

My whole family is native from Colombia but some live here and there. My mum is back at home in Finland with my (step) dad and my almost 2 years old little brother and my dad (dad) keeps traveling around but is back living in our home (home) Colombia. And last but not least, my family here in Australia, which I love too, very very much, is my mum, dad, 4 and 13 years old little sisters and 18 years older brother.

Exactly today is half of the time of been here in Australia. Have been 5 months and have 5 left. To be more exact 149 days.

During the time I already been here, has been amazing. It has been an experience that I will never forget. Have met people that I never want to leave behind. It has had its ups and downs but all has been so great. Nothing that I regret.

The place and people around me, wouldn't change that, I am really happy.

Don't know for sure if it is also for other exchange students, but for me right now, one of my biggest fears is to come back home to Finland.

So many things have already changed so much. Not just here and there, but I have also changed so much in many ways. But I guess, it's never too late to start over, no matter how messed up things are, as always I'm happy.

And either way, I have had so much fun here, that I would not have the need to change any of it. Still have lots of things to do with many people. But if I would have to leave now, it has been great and really worth every second.

So, right now I'm in school holidays all the way until the end of January and then I'll be starting at grade 12.

I haven't been up to so much during the holidays, but it just have been almost 2 weeks now. Trying to survive the heat and storms, in the other hand. It's always cold back in Finland, or at leat most of the time. By now it is already snowing in some places and around 5 degrees, celsius, when it's around 30 here. The winter here in "Aussieland" (Queensland) can almost be compared with a really bad summer in Finland.

Think until here will be enough for today. Will now try to remember that I have a blog. "See yas next time". :)

   - Surfing day outside Brisbane with other exchange students. Was the first time surfing for most of us. Was great! :)