Next two weeks 8.12-22.12:

- Gym thrice a week 

Things that I have learned during all the weeks I've been going to the gym are mostly positive. Although I have learned that it is hard to switch from a lazy and chill lifestyle to an active and more demanding one, I have also realized that with determination it is possible. By going regularly to the gym I've undertaken several new challenges. For example, I have always had a hard time keeping up up a schedule and organizing my own time use. When carrying out this action, I had to make strict plans so that I could fit the workouts onto leap hours. It was also hard to simply start the activity, and to “sacrifice my precious free time”, but you actually have to have devotion and motivation to keep doing the exercise.

I started going to the gym around the start of the third week in October (15^th of October). Going there for the first time was exciting and since I had no idea what to do, I was a bit lost. I didn't know any techniques, or how to use the machines. For one week I studied the best ways to maximize the gain from the workouts, then I started going there regularly two, then three times a week. As expected, I developed new skills, starting from day one. I started with small levels of difficulty, and about two weeks later I already added weights to the machines. Now my muscle strength has already improved and I have learned that exercising can actually be fun and rewarding. After all, I am not going to gym ONLY because of CAS, but also to get a healthier body and mind, and for my future job in the military.

A fitting saying for this action would be: “No pain, no gain”.

Next two weeks 24.11-8.12:

3.12.2014 Day of the Volunteers
- Stand in Galleria (Raising awareness for Plan, a stand)
- Giving out Plan leaflets and lollipops to passers-by

There were only four of us so we had to do a bit of group work to put up the Plan –stand. Me and Suvi wandered the shopping centre and distributed leaflets and lollipops to people, and so contributed people's awareness of the Plan organization. Again, we had to spontaneously go to talk to strangers, some of whom looked extremely tired after a long day at work, but no matter how grumpy or in hurry the passers-by looked, they would almost always take the leaflet about plan, or at least the lollipop. 

Next two weeks 10.11-24.11:

- No time for CAS

Next two weeks 27.10-10.11:

29.10.2014 Plan meeting
- Planning the upcoming events (Kaamospuhallus, workshops…)
7.11.2014 Kaamospuhallus/ Red Nose Day
- A stand in Urheilutalo during the Kaamospuhallus
- Red Nose Day -collection
- Raising awareness (leaflets, posters, pins, writing-wall…)
- Kamu-suit

The event was actually so much fun, that the advertisement we had to do for Plan didn't feel like a duty or a burden, but a fun task to do on the side of enjoying the event. By looking at all the kids and youngsters having fun, for the first time I truly thought that I had a purpose and that it actually made a difference work for the organization; so that children all across the world would get a life as happy as these teenagers had. I got to wear the Kamu -suit (a mascot lion of Plan), and that was a bit out of my comfort zone. I had to amuse people, wave at them and attract attention, which is not natural to me. But I did this all because of it's global importance, and in the end I realized that it was actually pretty fun and heart-warming.

This is me in the Kamu-suit:

Next two weeks 13.10-27.10:

Gym thrice a week à Problems with organizing the time for the activity because of long schooldays 

At this point I had problems with organizing the time for the activities, since I had a really busy period at that time.

Next two weeks 29.9-13.10:

11.10.2014 The International Girls Day
- A stand in shopping mall Galleria
- Raising awareness of worldwide treatment of girls (Leaflets, pink balloons, pink scarfs on statues in the city centre, pink lights illuminating the town hall….)
- Walking around the city and collecting money for girls that are in bad conditions
- Kamu-suit

During the International Girls Day we together with all the participant built a stand in the local shopping mall Galleria, and some of us (including me and my friends Suvi and Iina) went to collect money to the city centre. We wore Plan-uniforms so that we would represent the organization visibly. As we collected money, we met many kinds of different people and heard stories that would have normally been left untold. We also had to work collaboratively with other volunteer workers, which was first difficult for me as I am quite anti-social. But as the hours went by, I started to talk more and more. This also helped me to go more bravely to talk to strangers and introduce the Girls day to them. 

Gym thrice a week à Improvement in techniques, muscle strength gets better already, raising the weights on the machines 

First two weeks 13.9-29.9:

13.9 Red Cross – Hunger day: Making a poster for the money donation prices in the library 
18.9 Red Cross – Hunger Day: Collecting money in the school
15.9.2014 Signing up for Finnish Plan Organization/ First meeting ever held in Lappeenranta
- Introduction to Plan
- Planning the upcoming events 

Gym twice a week à Getting to know the workout program, Learning how to use the things and do everything right 

I joined Plan because I was interested in the fact that it helped children, especially girls, that live in bad conditions and are mistreated. I wanted to take part in helping them get a better life, though I wasn't sure if I would qualify because I have always been passive and reluctant in organizing things. During the first meeting I was convinced that my help was needed and I was welcome to the organization because of the good spirit that prevailed among the people there. All of the participants wanted to help children in need, and so I realized that I had to develop my ethical view of this world. My CAS supervisor is the Plan Lappeenranta representative Christina Nenonen.

I started going to Lappeenrannan Kuntosali -gym because it was the smallest and calmest gym in town, and I thought it would be a perfect place to start this "hobby". The idea of going to the gym wasn't to establish new friendships or being in collaboration with other people; the idea was to become aware of my body's limits and then slowly start to develop the weaknesses. 

CAS-plans for 2 IB and 3 IB

Creativity
- Singing lessons
Acquiring new techniques of singing
- Glider flying lessons
Learning the techniques and necessary facts in order to fly
- Japanese course
Getting to know the culture, language etc.
Activity
- Gym
Developing muscle strength/new abilities
- Running
Supporting the gym activities, practicing for a running event
- Glider flying
Controlling the plane, preparing the plane for flight
- Boxing
Keeping fit and supporting the gym activities
Service
- Red Cross
Collecting money
- Plan-organization
Raising awareness, collecting money, keeping stands
- Unicef?