Hi folks!

We are still enjoying our fulfilled days over here even we are starting to miss home already. Lucky that we are being so busy, that we don`t have too much time to think about things like that. Our days are full of exiting activities. Tomorrow we`ll be changing our host familiest once again, so it`s time to thank our wonderful hosts Mike and Nancy Herr who have made us really feel like home and we have had so much fun together! We miss you already.

Terveisia taalta rapakon takaa. Viela jaksamme nauttia taytelaisista paivistamme, vaikka koti-ikava hiipiikin jo uhkaavasti mieleen. Onneksi ohjelmamme on todella taysi ja mielenkiintoinen, joten turhan paljon aikaa ikavointiin ei todellakaan jaa. Huomenna vaihdamme isantaperheita jalleen kerran, joten on aika kiittaa jalleen yhta ihanaa isantaperhetta, Mike ja Nancy Herria. Olemme tunteneet itsemme taalla todella tervetulleiksi ja olemme jakaneet monia ilon hetkia (naurettu vedet silmissa).

We all are enjoying different things in here. Some of us got the `kicks` from driving in a Hummer. Gerry our great driver in the picture.

Jokainen nauttii taalla olostaan tavallaan. Osalle riittaa elamykseksi Hummeriajelu. Gerry mahtava kuljettajamme kuvassa.

Getting soked in Lady of the Mist. Valmiina kastumaan Niagaralla veneajelulla.

Visiting Tecumseh rotarians on 13th of May. We spent the afternoon hiking in the Hidden Lake gardens with Tony and Jocelyn Menyhart.

Tecumsehin rotareiden vieraana 13.5. Iltapaivan vietimme ulkoillen Piilotettujen jarvien puistossa.

Having dinner at DGN Bruce and Sarah Goldsens house and on a lake with his lovely `hotel` boat.

Bruce ja Sarah Goldsenin vieraana illallisella ja hotellijollalla, jossa nahkapenkit ja kokolattiamatot.

Jorma shows the children of the Blissfield elementary school where we came from.

Jorma nayttaa Blissfieldin ala-asteelaisille mista kaukaa vieraat ovat tulleet.

Pusuja lapsille ja puolisoille

Mari ja Virve

Hi folks!

We are staying at the Adrian area now in Michigan. We came on Sunday from the Niagara Falls (it was 7 hours drive). Adrian seems familiar, for there`s lots of fields and farms as on the area I live in.

We had our vocational days today and I got to see Bixley Medical Center, so thanks to Kathy Greenlee and Lisa for giving me a tour in there. These private hospitals are wonderful with all the equipment and really specialized health care. I want to have mys children in one of those delivery rooms! Big difference between Finnish health care system seems to be the group of really specialized staff on one sector or diagnosis areas. Ultrasouds are mostly done by techinicians for example. The other difference is the large numper of volunteer work they get for the hospitals. I wish we had those people who put their time and efford on helping the staff and the patients on the areas where no education on nursing is required.

At 1 PM we had lunch at the home of Mark and Mary Murray and the afternoon we spent practicing golf (my first time on that game). But the best part was the great Mexican food on El Chaps and the movie we went to see, What happens in Las Vegas. Thank you Nancy Herr for the wonderful evening!

Love you all at home!

Mari the Mom

Heips!

Olemme nyt laskeutuneet Adrianiin Michiganiin 7 tunnin ajon jalkeen Niagaralta. Asumme Mike ja Nancy Herrin luona. Maisemat nayttavat maalaistytosta tutuilta, peltoja ja tilaa. Vietimme tanaan ammatilliset aamut. Olin Bixbyn sairaalassa ja kiitos Kathy Greenleelle ja Lisalle kierroksesta. Pari silmiinpistavaa eroa on sairaaloissa Suomen ja Michiganin valilla: toinen on suuri diagnoosiammattilaisten joukko, joita kutsutaan teknikoiksi ja toinen on vapaaehtoisten joukko, jotka tekevat ison osan tyosta, johon ei tarvita hoitotyon koulutusta.

Yhdelta lounastimme Mike ja Mary Murrayn kotona ja sen jalkeen olin elamani ensimmaisissa golf-harjoituksissa. Joka tapauksessa paivan mahtava lopetus oli meksikolainen ruoka El Chaps-ravintolassa ja sen jalkeen Cameron Diazin elokuva: Mita tapahtui Las Vegasissa. Kiitos Nancylle ihanasta illasta!

Rakastan teita kotona!

Mari-aiti

Terveisia Adrianista!

I had a very good vocational day today. I visited in INAI studio, founded1973 and named after the Japanese word for within a moment of time. It is headed by Dominican sisters, Barbara Chenicek and Rita Schiltz. The name of the studio describes very well how they make interior design. I have never visited in such a calm and classy studio. (I hope I can get some pictures out of my camera and add to the this plog.) They design sacred places. Mostly renovation work but also some new ones. How they have used light and space takes after Finnish architect Juho Leiviskä. He has also renowned by churches. But the sisters use more natural colours and materials. As it was said in brochure of Dominican Chapel of the Plain: "All is natural here - clay floor, handblown glass, stoneware vessels, black iron, flickering wall candles, reminding the community of deep needs of the world". I spent two hours in their studio and I really want to remember what I have learned today. They have unspoken sureness what is important.


Taman paivan ammatillinen vierailukohde oli pieni, mutta sitakin vaikuttavampi. Kaksi nunnaa, toinen yliopistokoulutuksen saanut taidemaalari, toinen kultaseppa, ovat pitaneet katolilaisiin kirkkoihin erikoistunutta sisustussuunnittelutoimistoa ( INAI) yli kolmekymmenta vuotta. En ole viela missaan tavannut yhta kaunista ja vaikuttavaa suunnittelua. Ja mina tutustuin heidan kohteisiin vain pienoismallien ja valokuvien kautta. Myos heidan studionsa oli niin hillityn harras, kaunis ja samalla toimiva verstas, etta se oli kuin kirkas lahde amerikkalaisen proystailyn ja tekovanhan keskella. Heidan suunnittelunsa on ajatonta, vahaeleista ja luontoa kunnioittavaa. Ehka varsin skandinaavista tai japanilaista, joka tapauksessa todella kaunista.

GSE-matkan parhaita puolia on se, etta matkaamme niin ammatillisesti kuin luonteeltaan erilaisten ihmisten kanssa. Silloin oppii ymmartamaan, miten monella tapaa voi samoja asioita kokea ja tuntea. Valilla minulle nauretaan, kun jaan haltioituneena katsomaan yksityiskohtaa talossa, vaikka vieresta ajaa mielettoman hieno ja iso Ford tai Pontiac tai jokin muu muriseva nelipyorainen.

Katja

Farewell Canada!

Many many thaks for Your hospitality for our GSE Team. Your people are so frienly and kindly!

O Canada!

Our home and native land!

True patriot love

in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts

we see thee rise,

The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,

O Canada,

we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land

glorious and free!

O Canada,

we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada,

we stand on guard for thee.

Our Team and the Dinner on Saturday evening.

Niagara Falls, our dream during the District Conference!