Four Seasons of Finland

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By Julia Konttila, Finland

One of my favorite things about living in Finland is the fact that we have four totally different seasons. All year –around-summer sounds amazing but I couldn’t live my whole life without snow, fall colors or rain and actually, living moths in coldness makes summer feel ten times better. When summer finally comes you feel like you have deserved it.

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Here in California, I have learned to appreciate the Finnish summer even more, the stunning views, midnight sun and clean nature. In the north the  sun doesn’t set below the horizon in over 70 days. I can’t imagine anything better than long summer nights with friends and family. Winter, on the other hand, is a very cold and dark season in Finland. In the same way as in the summer, the sun doesn’t set for a very long time. Now the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon in the north, and in the south the days are quite short. Luckily we have something to replace the sun, the northern lights.  A white natural landscape with a dark sky full of northern lights is truly a breathtaking view.

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You can see clearly when a season turns to another. When summer is over, the leaves start changing colors and it begins to get windy. People start to spend more time inside, having cozy nights burning candles and drinking tea or hot chocolate. Before you even notice, it is December and the weather gets a lot colder. Everyone is wishing for a white Christmas. When the snow finally comes, the whole country wakes up again. Everyone wants to enjoy the first snow, kids are playing outside, families are making snowmen  together and a lot of people are ice skating or skiing. After a long and cold winter, it is time for nature to wake up again. The snow starts to melt and nature turns green. Flowers blossom, rivers start to flow and everyone is ready for the summer.

What Comes After EF?

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By Jennifer Spielmann, Switzerland

Before you’re starting with your study abroad, you aren’t thinking about anything els111e other than your upcoming journey, even when you know that you have no future plans after coming back from your long trip. After arriving at our destinations, we are all trying to enjoy the amazing time we have here in Santa Barbara, but sometimes while you are here with friends, you are starting to think about what is next, what is coming after EF when you go home. There are so many questions and only you can answer them.

222When I started here in EF Santa Barbara, I knew that when I was going home in February, that I would have to look for a job, but I thought it was a long way into the future, so why the rush? The months have passed and soon I am leaving this pretty place, still enjoying the time I have with my friends here, but I am also getting scared to go home because I don’t have a plan. I am not sure what I should do when I go back. The only thing I know now is that I have to look for a job so I can save some money to come to America again.

The process of deciding what you want to do is difficult but you have to go through it by yourself. Sure, you can ask somebody for 333help but still you have to know what you really want to do. I would say that this topic is very important to think about because it is our future. I have one more week here and I am trying to pack as many memories I can into the time left. I will work on my future when I get hom

Saying Goodbye to the Best Experience Ever

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By Maria Reyes Gherardelli , Chile

It’s really hard to say goodbye to my new life , when I have just gotten used to it .I have my new friends, my new favorite places . Santa Barbara has become my new home.yyyyyyyyyy2

During my experience I have said goodbye to many friends who have left before me , but I hadn’t thought much about my own time to leave, that is until now, when  I realized that I  have only a few weeks left . On the one hand, going back home makes me happy because I will see my hometown friends, my family, and I will return to my old life in Chile .On the other hand I’ll miss Santa Barbara very much, this amazing experience where I met people from many countries, visited the most beautiful places in California, saw amazing sunsets, and, most importantly, I made really good friends who became my family.

Actually there is one thing I’m sure, when I go back home, my life  is not going to be the same.I’ll keep in my heart all the moments which I spent  here . I won’t say goodbye, I’ll just say see you soon SB.

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Why I Chose Santa Barbara

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By Jinhao Shang- China

To begin with, I would like to answer a more important question: why  I chose the USA.

People from all over the world come to the USA to fulfill their dreams. Each person represents his own culture, and each country has its culture, and each culture contains its different spirit to tell people the truth and the wisdom. So the United States of America is a special country mixed with cultures from  around the world and with its own “freedom and liberty” spirit where I am able to not only learn better to embrace different kinds of people, but to experience a whole new lifestyle and to broaden my horizon as well.

As for Santa Barbara,I was impressed by its scenery:the Pacific Ocean and golden beaches with a stunning mountain backdrop makes Santa Barbara a coastal jewel in California .It is a very perfect place for a vacation.

Katy Perry

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katy.jpgSynopsis

Katy Perry was born October 25, 1984, in Santa Barbara, California. She had three records. She signed with Capitol in 2007. Later she released her first single, “Ur So Gay.” But she really became famous with her single, “I Kissed a Girl”. Her albumTeenage Dreams was released in August 2010.She grew up in a very conservative family, both of her parents are pastors, and they refused to let her listen to any rock or popular music. Her inspiration came from the famous singer Freddie Mercury, she also declared “I’m very inspired by Freddie Mercury and how flamboyant and theatrical he was,” she told fashion magazine WWD.

She made a featured song with famous singer with Snoop dog in her song California Gurls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F57P9C4SAW4

 

She’s the most followed person on Twitter with 81.6 Million followers.

Northem California: Big Sur

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By Maria Reyes Gherardelli , Chile

Big Sur is a lightly populated region of the Central Coast of California where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. This awesome place is located four hours by car from Santa Barbara and that means you can go just for the day.

When I went there, we started our trip at 9 AM and on the way we visited Solvang and San Simeon. If you are planning to go to Big Sur, you have to research the weather forecast otherwise you may just see fog.

It is amazing how great you feel there, I felt super relaxed and I was impressed with the beautiful view.

Although we had a little bit of rain, that wasn’t a problem because we were able to see a rainbow in the sky.

*The construction of Highway One in the 1930s transformed Big Sur, making it accessible to all the people.

Italian Food is the Best One

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by Francesca Mosca – Torino, Italia

As everyone knows, Italian food is one of the best things in the entire world. When you visit the Beautiful Country, you could eat all day for at least 15 days without repeating the same meal. We don’t just eat pizza and pasta!

Depending on the different regions, we have so many varieties of food and specialties. Near the sea, it is very common to enjoy fish dishes: grilled, fried or accompanied by pasta or vegetables; you can be sure the fish is always fresh and gorgeous. In the North, you will find more rustic dishes, maybe with mushrooms or special kinds of meat, like boar or venison. They are very common in the Alps, the big mountain chain in the middle of the Europe.

The meals can vary a lot according to the season. In the summer, you can enjoy delicious handmade ice creams (remember the ice cream store Grom, the famous chain that actually owns shops in all the parts of the world, born in Torino, a wonderful – since it is mine 😉 – city in the North-West of Italy), or simple dishes of Caprese salad (mozzarella cheese and tomatoes, with some fresh basil leaves), or appetizing sandwiches with the sweet Italian ham called “prosciutto crudo” and fresh cheese like “stracchinoIMG_8168”.

On the other hand, in the winter you have the possibility of tasting exquisite hot Gianduja chocolates, with the typical flavor of the Italian hazelnuts (the same as Nutella!), cornmeal mushes, polenta, with melted cheese and a lot of butter or with sausages and tomatoes sauce.

One of my favorite Italian food is surely “gnocchi alla bava”, which the literal translation is like cooked with saliva; since I love eating them with the “fontina” cheese, a special kind of cheese that when it is melted is very stringy. I know, in your imagination it might not sound so inviting, but trust me: those that my grandfather prepares are the best gnocchi you could ever taste!

Gnocchi are very easy to cook: you need only potatoes (usually 1kg for 4 people) and flour, the amount you require, and a pinch of salt. After boiling the potatoes, you have to peel them and press with a fork; in Italy we have a special utensil to do this, but I think it is very hard to find it abroad. Knead the salted potatoes with some flour, keeping in mind that the less you add, the more savory is the result. Then form the dough into some cylinders, like salami with a diameter of 1.5 cm, cut them in small pieces, maybe of 2 cm length. Now, the funnest part arrives: you have to roll each “gnocco” on a fork to make the characteristic signs on the top, one by one. When I was a child, I always used to help my grandparents in this operation and it was a source of great fun for me and my cousins.

Gnocchi is a very cheap and simple dish, so you can try to make them and then visit any place in Italy to be sure that your result was good!

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The 10 Things That You Need To Do In SB Before You Die

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By Bastien Julien (France), Aline Helsen (Belgium), Fernanda Pardo Puente (Chile)

Santa Barbara, also known as the American Riviera, is a great place to spend your holiday with the family. It might not sound as famous as L.A or San Francisco, but this characteristic makes Santa Barbara so special.

It’s a small and quiet city and is perfect for every age. There are a lot of activities to do during the whole year. We’re going to make you a list about how you can spend your days in Santa Barbara. Of course it depends on your age, what you’re able or what you’re unable to do.

For everyone and for free

1) Santa Barbara County Courthouse

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This Spanish-Moorish architectural masterpiece was completed in 1929 and features giant hand painted murals, gorgeous tile work, and rare art. The 80-foot clock tower is free and open to the public and offers a panoramic view of the city, beachfront and mountains. Beautiful gardens surround the property.

 

2) Inspiration Point

Known as one of the most famous hikes in Santa Barbara, Inspiration Point Trail is an activity to share with your whole family. What makes this trail so special is that you will only discover the specular view at the top of the mountain. We not only recommend you do it if you want to enjoy the sunset, but also if you want to start your weekend with a great adventure that will help you to discover Santa Barbara from another perspective. Most people agree that the trail is aptly named. You will not waste your time – just do it.

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3) Enjoy a Moment At The Beach

You will probably find your favorite beach here in California. Why? In fact, all the beaches in Santa Barbara are different.

If you want to spend a few moments at the beach after eating at a restaurant, you can go to West Beach, enjoy a moment on the pier, or on the harbor.

If you like to play volleyball, you should go to East Beach where you will find more than ten courts to play with your friends or with American people who really like this place.

Finally, if you want to spend a day at the beach away from the downtown area, you might go to Butterfly Beach (Montecito) or Isla Vista Beach (Goleta). Those two places are relaxing and beautiful.

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4) Skater’s Point

Santa Barbara’s popular skateboard park called Skaters Point is located at the beach, just east of Stearns Wharf. Its location makes the place very popular in Santa Barbara. This is a really good attraction, both if you would like to improve your skateboarding skills, or just watching some talented kids.

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For everyone but not for free

5) Sunset Cruise with Santa Barbara Sailing Center

This is an opportunity to see beautiful sea life and enjoy Santa Barbara’s breathtaking sunset. I would recommend doing this during the summer or taking a warm sweater with you in the winter, because when the sun goes down it can get cold.

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6) Santa Barbara Zoo

If you like animals, this is an awesome excursion for the family. It’s really easy to find. You can go by car, bike, or a shuttle.

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7) Whale Watching With Santa Barbara Sailing Center

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This is an amazing opportunity to see blue whales, gray whales, humpback whales, orcas, and dolphins up close! It’s one of the most spectacular things to do here in Santa Barbara. Prices can vary between $50 and $99, depending on the season and your age.

 

 

 

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8) Restaurants and Nightlife

Santa Barbara is also known for its Mexican cuisine. Therefore, you can find a lot of Mexican restaurants here like Sandbar, Carlitos, and Baja Sharkeez. Sandbar is located close to Santa Barbara’s nightlife so you will find a lot of young people there having a drink. Baja Sharkeez is a place where you can find Mexican food and watch sports at the same time, every corner of the restaurant has a television in order to not miss a single match, of course there are also other good restaurants like Aldo’s, and Arnoldi’s.

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9) Nightclub

Tonic Nightclub, EOS Lounge, Wildcat Lounge, Velvet Jones, Blind Tiger, … Santa Barbara counts many places to party with your friends. Going to one of those places can be a nice occasion for you to meet American people and discover how they have a good time.

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10) Wine Tasting

With over 15 years of local wine industry experience, Wine Canyon Tours gives you an informative exploration of the gorgeous Santa Barbara backcountry. You’ll get the opportunity to taste California’s best wines while enjoying breathtaking views.

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Six Flags Magic Mountain

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By Maria Villarejo from Paraguay

If you are a lover of roller-coasters Six Flags is the place for you! There are more than twenty big roller-coasters that you can enjoy.

The place is open to public from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM most days, but you can check in their open days in their official site. The price of the ticket can vary, depending on your age and how much advance time you buy it, too. There are also tickets for month or for all year.

They have the world’s longest hybrid coaster, almost 4 minutes of Ride Time in 5000 feet of track with two lift hills. This roller-coaster is called Twisted Colossus.

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The tallest roller-coaster they have is called the LEX LUTHOR: Drop of Doom. The height of this attraction is 400 ft and the speed is 85 mph. To enter to this attraction you have to be 48 inches tall.

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For children, this place also has small roller-coasters and places with games where all the family can play. Another positive thing is that they have a lot of restaurants inside the park, so if you are hungry you can go to one of them at any moment. They have a lot of stores where you can buy souvenirs or presents, too.

I went there three weeks ago with EF and it was a great experience. The best thing is that it is not too far from Santa Barbara. It is in Ventura, 1 hour and a half away from Santa Barbara.

Friendships

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by Jennifer Spielmann, Switzerland

Before I came here to Santa Barbara I thought that I would al11ways have friendships with only Swiss people. At the beginning of the time here, I was literally doing everything with Swiss people, but after a month, I started to hang out with people from other countries, which was a very great way to get to know other cultures. I get to know new students in my classes every day, which also helps me to practice my English. The people are all kind and so friendly. I have had the best experience and the most wonderful adventure.

12It is going to be hard to say goodbye because we all have to leave one day, but what we can take with us is that we all will have friends all over the world now. So now I h13ave to go on a world trip. Through this adventure with EF we build new friendships, some of them will last long time and other will end, but at least we had the chance to get to know these amazing people.