Wanna try it?

hahahaha! Would you look at me? Dont i look fat and ugly in this picture? =) It is kinda blurry since i only shot this from my cam phone. It is actually from a Finnish newspaper.

Yes. I was featured in a local newspaper circa 1998 in our small town Salo, Finland. This was taken by the journalist. I was asked to try ice swimming or in their language "AVANTO". At first, I was hesitant to try it but since my host sister and some other Finns will join me, i was excited to go =) See that white thing behind my back? Thats thick ice. They have to dig the ice out and make a square hole so that the water will come out and you dip yourself in it for a few seconds. Before doing this though, of course, you will have to do sauna so that by the time you come out to the lake, it wouldnt be that freezing.Then after dipping, you have to run back in to the sauna. But it would be so much fun if you make angels on the snow before going back in.hehehe. After doing it for a couple of times,you feel so helpless and relaxed =).

I almost forgot all about it when my mum showed me the newspaper days ago. She kept it after a decade.

When the newspaper came out, all of my finnish friends and families were so shock, they were telling me" Are you crazy? it is freezing out there!" I just laughed. Although ice swimming is very popular in their culture, most of the Finns will never try it. =)

It was a great and wonderful experience for me. If ever i will go back there with my family, I will try it again and recommend it to them.hehehe.

I could have died of hypothermia but the Filipino in me was just so proud. naks! =) i was a good ambassador to our country. And they never will forget me.

I feel like Im having a speech here.hehehe

Till then.

xoxo,

kat