Leaving

and he (my son) was not happy about this trip. That makes it even harder for me. I just really really really really really hope he has a great time and lets me know how it's going.

I'm starting to be like my father more and more I notice. I talk to people I don't know (very anti-Finnish). Today there were few boys alone near us waiting for the bus and to embarrass my son I talked to these boys. Luckily the bus came right after I started the conversation.

All the kids looked very nice and well behaved bunch. I really do think they have the makings of fab three weeks in Visby in the island of Gotland. 

Today they take a ferry from Turku (first bus drive to Turku from Helsinki), they'll be in Stockholm tomorrow morning, take a bus to Nynäshamn (about 1 hour drive), and take a 3,5 hour ferry ride to Gotland. They'll be there tomorrow afternoon and the school starts Friday morning. They have one Swedish teacher from Finland and another one who is local.

This is quite emotional for me. But a good practice for when he's going to the army (next summer) and after that he plans to move on his own place. We actually get the studio apartment for him next week. That's where we keep some of our stuff while we're away... I'll tell you more later.

In the background you see the statue of Mannerheim and on the left is our parliament house. My son is the one in the grey hoodie.