Day 1 What the Santa?
After a busride of a little more then 15 hours, too much stops and too less space. We arrived in Rovaniemi, proud capital of Lapland. We went to a very intresting museum about the north, Lapland and the Saami. The Saami are the inginous people of northern Scandinavia, who lived there before the Finns, Swedes and Norwagians arrived. The museum was very intresting designed in my opinion, on side was about the land it self, the other side about the people: Finns and Saami alike. In the museum there was a very enthousiastic guide. The coincedince was that we encounter her a lot, but this was absolutly not a shame. She had a great knowledge about the museum and it's subjects. Also she was very enthousiastic in explaining, so it was also very appealing to listen to her. We thought we had two hours time in the museum, but it was 90 minutes so we had to go earlier then expected. Although it was disappointing, I was also looking forward to explore Rovaniemi. Unfortunelly, disappointment again because we had only free time in a shoppingmall far outside the citycenter for only an hour.
But after this we went straight on to the big boss of Lapland Santa Claus. His little village was overly commarcialized, but that didn't stoped the fun. We went straight to him before the others also found him. We were lucky that there was only a small queue so we could watch pictures of famous people. While waiting, a friend and I discussed which language he would speak to us, because the signs were everytime in 6 diffrent languages. We conclude it would probably a mixture of German and English. But we were supprised that Santa Claus could also speak some words in my native Dutch. It was only the greetings, but still he knew them and I could understand him even he had a thick accent. After meating Santa Claus we wanderd around Santa village before we finally left to our main destination, Vasatokka in Inari. After we unpacked our suitcases, my friend and I went on hiking and on aurora hunting. We didn't find the nordic lights, but we found a beautiful scenery of a house at the lake and snow.
Day 2 Quinzee me up
A new day and a new adventure in front of us. This day, the artic skills and snowscooter ride was on the program. After a short instruction on the basic survival skills in the artic region, don't forget we were around 340 km above the polar circle, it was time to bind the ski's under our feet and go for cros-country skiing. Lucky me, I had broken ones so I had to change ski's before we went in to the forest. Although I missed more than half of the explenation because I had to change ski's, I was suprisingly good in it. I was al of the time at front of the group. I didn't expect this because normally I'm very clumbsy in these kind of things, but I did to much of my own suprise.
After a quick lunch, the real artic survival began by building a quinzee. A quinzee is nothing more then a big pile of frozen snow, where you dig a small hole and room in. It is not warm in a quinzee, but at least it is warmer then outside. The maximum temperature in a quinzee is around 0°c, even if it is outside -50°c. This is because snow is very isolating, from the inside and the outside. So it keeps your body warmth in and the cold out. After our amazing quinzee was finished. We went on for icefishing. Maybe the fish overheared us, maybe our holes were to close to each other, but no one catched a fish.
The adrenaline levels keep on rising as we went on a snowscooter ride in the evening. Although I was nervous as hell of doing it at first. It was amazing to do it, riding it at first and sitting on the back after that. Although I was very insecure about my riding skills and I was afraid that my stupid behaviour would cause a serious accident, I managed to ride at a stable 35km/h. When it was my friends turn, I sat behind and I had a amazing view of the nordic lights shining from behind a hill. Unfortunally I couldn't take a picture. After the snowscooter ride, me and my friend went on hiking again. This time we returend to the lake where we build our quinzee. We enjoye our staying there for a little two hourse and we went also inside the quinzee to get a drink in there. Afterwards we returned to Vasatokka to enjoy the sauna.
Day 3 the way to Norway
We had to wake up early today, because we went even more notheren then we already were: Norway. After a couple of stops at a Saami resting place, Utsjoki, the most nothern village of Finland, Nuorgam (Were I and a friend took the opertunity to ride a sledge.) and a stop with an amazing view on the artic ocean and mountains, we arrived at Bugøynes. A Norwegian village which was populated by Finns. People speak there Finnish, Norwegian or Saami. The village is rich and famous for it's king crab production. The king crabs became there by acceding because the escaped their cages in Murmansk, Russia and found their way to Bugøynes. At first the citizens thought it were creatures from hell and abonded the place. Later, people returend and the place florished again. We ate there some delisious fishsoup and went to exploring the town. We ended our visit with sauna and a dive in the artic ocean.
Back in Vasatokka, I went on a snowshoe aurora hunting trip trough the forest. Trip was pretty awesome as we were to parts of the forests I was never before. Also I liked the walking through the snow, this time I didn't sank away thanks to the snowshoes. Our hike was fruitfull as we saw vague pink nordic lights and a very rare moonrainbow. After the hike we had a barbeque around the campfire. I as a veggie could enjoy some very tasty sweet corn. I conclude the day with sauna.
Day 4 happy rendeer and the lame
Today was the day that we dived a little bit more in the local culture. As we visit Saami and a Saami museum. The museum about Saami way of life and the north was very intressting and the exibition area's gave good inpression about the north in all it's facests. It was also quite intresting to see that more then half of the group had a hangover or was at least very tired of partying the last night. So they all sleep in the cafetaria of the museum. After a quick stop at a shop it was time to go to the reindeer farm.
The reindeers at the farm were really cute, I even feed 3 rendeers and huged one. Even though the people said over there that the rendeers are not the cuddely type, this one tried to follow me when I walked away. But unfortunally I couldn't fit him in my bag so I had to leave him there. I went on to ride in a rendeersledge. After that we enjoyed a warm drink in the kota and a Saami woman sang for us. I really liked the singing and I wish someone will book her for my 25th birthday in may. That would be really awesome.
When we were back in Vasatokka, my friend and I geared up after dinner to go hiking again and on the hunt for northern lights. A Hungarian couple joined us in our hike. During our hike we were disappointed that we didn't see them. But when we were almost back, the northern lights showed up right above us and stayed there for more then 20 minutes. The swirling of the blue, white and green lights was really amazing and ashtonishing. It was a little sad when it was over, but nothing last forever. Me and my friend enjoyed the sauna as dayclosure.
Day 5 Horny husky ride and on top of the mountain
The last day in Lapland had arrived and I found it a pitty that I had to leave already. I really enjoyed my staying there and I had the feeling I had much more place to explore there. But as the saying goes: all good things come to an end. But before we left Lapland, there where a couple of things still on the program and one of them was riding on a husky sledge. It suprised me that we could ride our own sledges, but it also sounded cool to do so why not. Since I was the first to ride on a snowscooter, it was my friend's turn to ride the sledge first. The dogs who had to pull our sledge were far more calm and relaxed then then the dogs at the other sledge. We hoped that they were serving there energy for the ride. Unfortunally, our fear became true because our dogs were pretty lame. They didn't run that fast and in the beginning they wanted to pie against every tree we encounterd. Later they run faster and skipped the pieing. But one habbit they had the whole ride. Namely everytime we had to stop, they tried to bang eachother. And for the record, they were all male dogs. So our huskey team concesded from gay huskies who were appartently very horny at the moment. Everytime it was time to go again, someone of the staff had to come to our sledge to unwire the leashes and to tell the huskies the orgy was over. We had to stop quite many times, so we felt ashamed of our horny huskies quite a lot.
After the huskey orgy, we went to Saariselkä as a final destination point were we could ski. My friend and I didn't want to, so we went on hiking on the mountain. He probably thought I was a crazy fool because I went all crazy on the mountain. But I explained him that for us Dutch mountains are really magical. Some Dutch will never see a mountain in their intire life. We always have to go to France, southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Lichtenstein, northern Italy, Czech Replic, Slovakia or Slovenia to see mountains. Because we are a really flat country, we think that everything above 500m and a incline 4% or more is a mountain. He couldn't imagine it was true because he is so used to mountains because he is a Swiss, but it is true. After our hiking we hang around in the small village before we headed back to Turku in 15 hour busride in the same uncomfortable bus as we came.
maandag 30 november 2015
maandag 23 november 2015
onnellinen laulujen maa
The Finnish music scene is much more intresting then it's Dutch counterpart. In the Dutch hitlits you only find American and Brittish artists. Sometimes you find Dutch artists who sings in English. Dutch artists who sing in Dutch are very very rare. For some reason we only like songs in our own languages when we are 50+, unemployed or completly drunk. In other words, you are not in as a teenager if you like Dutch language music. Of course we have some Dutch language hits, but they are extreemly rare.
In Finland it is compleetly diffrent. There Finnish language music rocks the nation, as it's dominant in the Finnish hitlists. Finnish language can be found in all music genres known to man. I think this diffrence is part due that Finland is a much younger country then the Netherlands is, we are already there in th 16th century as the United Provences and Finland is celebrating its 98th birthday on 6-12 this year. So they are much more nationalistic then we are. I can scence that the Finns are still proud they became independend from Russia and still hold a grudge against them and Sweden, the former rulers of Finland. We had our wars agains Spain, from which we became independend, but knowone holds a grudge agaist them. And we had also our wars against them and we even make a mention of our common past in our national anthem.
But back to the music.
Al lot of Finnish songs go about love, friendship, sadnes, anger, Finnish culture or Finland as a nation. While in Netherlands, we try to avoid the last two as much as possible. We think it is way to nationalistic and wrong. Even if you make jokes about it. It is somewhat tolerated in protest songs, but not more then that. Still, I find it a little shame that Finnish songs are only known in Finland, hence some exeptions. Like the songs Freestyler from Bomfunk FC's, Sandstorm from Darude or bands like HIM, Nightwish or Childeren of Bodom.
So here are some Finnish songs for you to enjoy:
In Finland it is compleetly diffrent. There Finnish language music rocks the nation, as it's dominant in the Finnish hitlists. Finnish language can be found in all music genres known to man. I think this diffrence is part due that Finland is a much younger country then the Netherlands is, we are already there in th 16th century as the United Provences and Finland is celebrating its 98th birthday on 6-12 this year. So they are much more nationalistic then we are. I can scence that the Finns are still proud they became independend from Russia and still hold a grudge against them and Sweden, the former rulers of Finland. We had our wars agains Spain, from which we became independend, but knowone holds a grudge agaist them. And we had also our wars against them and we even make a mention of our common past in our national anthem.
But back to the music.
Al lot of Finnish songs go about love, friendship, sadnes, anger, Finnish culture or Finland as a nation. While in Netherlands, we try to avoid the last two as much as possible. We think it is way to nationalistic and wrong. Even if you make jokes about it. It is somewhat tolerated in protest songs, but not more then that. Still, I find it a little shame that Finnish songs are only known in Finland, hence some exeptions. Like the songs Freestyler from Bomfunk FC's, Sandstorm from Darude or bands like HIM, Nightwish or Childeren of Bodom.
So here are some Finnish songs for you to enjoy:
zaterdag 21 november 2015
Going Dutch
My time here in Turku is amazing and I've met new cultures and and people. Altough I already discribed many times Finnish cutoms and etiquette, it is now time to get a closer look at my own culture and how others may see it. Cause Dutch culture is a hard one to get allong with. We have almost none social rules. These seems easy for most foreigners as a blessing and a welcome thing to escape from their tight social rules, this is noting true. We have a great eye for detail, so our social rules are in the details, unlike most other cultures. Failing to mark an importend detail can enrupt some annoyence in us. But we are a forgiving people, saying that you didn't knew comfort us a lot. Never under estemate the power of sorry in our culture, if we have the feeling you use the word without any meanin we stop liking you and then there is no way back. We Dutch can be quite stuborn, like Finns.
What most foreigners don't like about us, that we like to have eyecontact with someone we are talking with. Loosing eyecontact means in our culture no intrest and no respect. We like to see eachother faces so we can see the facial expression. This makes a concersation much more lively for us, we like the emotion. But don't think you can be an overemotional being in our culture, we dump you. You only show your emotion on a funeral or at your wedding. Otherwise we try to avoid them, we not realy into the emotional stuff. Although we like to have a discussion about it if you like. This discussion can go as deep as you want, but pleas don't cry. We will comfort you, even we feel uncomfortable with it. We also don't hesitate to tell you that you can stop being a emotionalwreck now, because then we realy think you can stop doing it. We think honesty is polite, not being honest is not polite. So you can say what ever you want to us and we don't feel offended. We like to argue about it, but that is because our culture likes arguements and opinions. So don't feel shocked it you spark a discussion, we like it and love you even more. But you can be as honest with us as you want, but to make it a little bit harder for you we also want you to remember that even Dutch people are human. With their own feelings, which we will never express, and thoughts, which we express a lot, so as long you remember that you can say everything to us.
In Dutch, we can use formal speach or informal speach. We prefere the last but always start with the first. But we are waiting for the moment that the other, usually the older conversation partner says it is ok to use the informal for. We litterly say this so you can make no mistake in this. If you are the oldest, please say after approxymently 15min we can switch to the informal for of speach. Forgetting this and we find you stuppid forever. Once someone says it is ok to use the inforal form of speach, it becomes imidiatly unpolite to use the formal form of speach and we think you are stupid. Because we said it was ok for us to use the informal form, right? Also in conversations, we forget that in English or German the word please exist. We don't use it very often in our language, only when we give something to someone. The way we build up the sentence is polite enough for us, so don't push it. If someone uses please al the time we think he is pleasing us and we start feeling uncomfortable. We thing the word pleas is a superlative and we hate them. We also hate making compliments or getting one. Just say "well done" and we are happy. Also "not bad" will do, because we are not that bad to handle. Also don't touch us in public, dispite popular believe we hate it. Only very good friends and family are aloud to touch us. Doing it in public shames us to dead, if you want to touch us, be sure you have a reason for this and als that we know it as well. Otherwise things can get awkward as we step back or push you back. We like a direct way communication, even in body language which we seldom use. You can kiss us if we are a couple or at our birthday or on new years eve. Otherwise we burn you lips a way with a lighter. We value our personal zone and kissing us is a major breach of this. So don't do it.
Also working with us in intercultural groups can be chalanging, but not impossible. We like to argue or exchange opinions a lot, be silent is regarded as not active and we Dutch don't like inactive persons. We don't mind kick you out of our group after a warning. We always give people a chance to prove themselfs, so take the second chance and make the most of it. It anoys us greatly if you don't have an opinion about something, it doesn't exist in our country so we aren't use to it. Also state problems are solved by the goverment trough discussions, we even a word for this: polderen. Meaning that you discuss and negociate as long as it takes to come with a solution that is feasable for everyone. Knowing this, it comes as no suprise that we don't like hierarchies, we think our boss is just a person who earns more salery then we do and is responsable for all our missary. So don't boss us around or we start to ignore you. Altough we know that there has to be someone to make the tough dissions, we only accept this after a good discussion. We can be very strict in rules and discionmaking, because we base everything on facts. But we think the human compoment is also importent. Mind the choice of words: human compoment. It is very importent for us, but rules and regulations are more importent. Maybe that's why the international criminal court is within our borders, we have a great sence of justice, rules and equility. We also think the truth has to bespoken out, so diplomacy can begin. So everyone knows what they are dealing with, we don't like suprises or hidden agenda's but like to know what we are dealing with.
Getting back to the boss thing, we are not polite against someone in a higher standing or position. they are also humans like we do and they al have to shit every day. So we are not extra polite against police officers, parlement members, docters, judges, etc, then we are to normal people. Unlike our German and Belgian neighbours. We like strict equility and think all persons are the same, no matter what job, gender, etnicity or sexuallity someone has. Dutch man don't find it strange to have a female manager or boss. As long as she has the capicity to do so. We value knoledge and skills more in these maters then someones background and privat life. Our privat life is very strictly seperated from our working life and we dont like that they get mixed, only trouble comes from that. But we like to have a friendly standing among our colleages. Because we think work should be joyfull, not hatefull. We work to live, not live to work. But work is an aspect of life so also importent to feel good there. Because sometimes we can be social, if we want to. Because we have always the all inportant human compoment.
What most foreigners don't like about us, that we like to have eyecontact with someone we are talking with. Loosing eyecontact means in our culture no intrest and no respect. We like to see eachother faces so we can see the facial expression. This makes a concersation much more lively for us, we like the emotion. But don't think you can be an overemotional being in our culture, we dump you. You only show your emotion on a funeral or at your wedding. Otherwise we try to avoid them, we not realy into the emotional stuff. Although we like to have a discussion about it if you like. This discussion can go as deep as you want, but pleas don't cry. We will comfort you, even we feel uncomfortable with it. We also don't hesitate to tell you that you can stop being a emotionalwreck now, because then we realy think you can stop doing it. We think honesty is polite, not being honest is not polite. So you can say what ever you want to us and we don't feel offended. We like to argue about it, but that is because our culture likes arguements and opinions. So don't feel shocked it you spark a discussion, we like it and love you even more. But you can be as honest with us as you want, but to make it a little bit harder for you we also want you to remember that even Dutch people are human. With their own feelings, which we will never express, and thoughts, which we express a lot, so as long you remember that you can say everything to us.
In Dutch, we can use formal speach or informal speach. We prefere the last but always start with the first. But we are waiting for the moment that the other, usually the older conversation partner says it is ok to use the informal for. We litterly say this so you can make no mistake in this. If you are the oldest, please say after approxymently 15min we can switch to the informal for of speach. Forgetting this and we find you stuppid forever. Once someone says it is ok to use the inforal form of speach, it becomes imidiatly unpolite to use the formal form of speach and we think you are stupid. Because we said it was ok for us to use the informal form, right? Also in conversations, we forget that in English or German the word please exist. We don't use it very often in our language, only when we give something to someone. The way we build up the sentence is polite enough for us, so don't push it. If someone uses please al the time we think he is pleasing us and we start feeling uncomfortable. We thing the word pleas is a superlative and we hate them. We also hate making compliments or getting one. Just say "well done" and we are happy. Also "not bad" will do, because we are not that bad to handle. Also don't touch us in public, dispite popular believe we hate it. Only very good friends and family are aloud to touch us. Doing it in public shames us to dead, if you want to touch us, be sure you have a reason for this and als that we know it as well. Otherwise things can get awkward as we step back or push you back. We like a direct way communication, even in body language which we seldom use. You can kiss us if we are a couple or at our birthday or on new years eve. Otherwise we burn you lips a way with a lighter. We value our personal zone and kissing us is a major breach of this. So don't do it.
Also working with us in intercultural groups can be chalanging, but not impossible. We like to argue or exchange opinions a lot, be silent is regarded as not active and we Dutch don't like inactive persons. We don't mind kick you out of our group after a warning. We always give people a chance to prove themselfs, so take the second chance and make the most of it. It anoys us greatly if you don't have an opinion about something, it doesn't exist in our country so we aren't use to it. Also state problems are solved by the goverment trough discussions, we even a word for this: polderen. Meaning that you discuss and negociate as long as it takes to come with a solution that is feasable for everyone. Knowing this, it comes as no suprise that we don't like hierarchies, we think our boss is just a person who earns more salery then we do and is responsable for all our missary. So don't boss us around or we start to ignore you. Altough we know that there has to be someone to make the tough dissions, we only accept this after a good discussion. We can be very strict in rules and discionmaking, because we base everything on facts. But we think the human compoment is also importent. Mind the choice of words: human compoment. It is very importent for us, but rules and regulations are more importent. Maybe that's why the international criminal court is within our borders, we have a great sence of justice, rules and equility. We also think the truth has to bespoken out, so diplomacy can begin. So everyone knows what they are dealing with, we don't like suprises or hidden agenda's but like to know what we are dealing with.
Getting back to the boss thing, we are not polite against someone in a higher standing or position. they are also humans like we do and they al have to shit every day. So we are not extra polite against police officers, parlement members, docters, judges, etc, then we are to normal people. Unlike our German and Belgian neighbours. We like strict equility and think all persons are the same, no matter what job, gender, etnicity or sexuallity someone has. Dutch man don't find it strange to have a female manager or boss. As long as she has the capicity to do so. We value knoledge and skills more in these maters then someones background and privat life. Our privat life is very strictly seperated from our working life and we dont like that they get mixed, only trouble comes from that. But we like to have a friendly standing among our colleages. Because we think work should be joyfull, not hatefull. We work to live, not live to work. But work is an aspect of life so also importent to feel good there. Because sometimes we can be social, if we want to. Because we have always the all inportant human compoment.
maandag 16 november 2015
Life in the moominvalley
My time here in Turku is really amazing, I met some awesome people, made great friends and have undertaken and seen unforgetable things. I have an amazing practical placement were I learn al the things of the social welfare system and how it is changing, but also what it takes to work in a ward where youngsters are observed, assessed and their problems explored while they can't go anywhere. I learn and discover everytime I'm there. I even learned a few new cardgames and the positivity of some youngsters I will always cherish in my heart.
But also the rest of my staying here is memorable. I've visit forests which gave me the feeling I was walking around the Shire of Lord of the Rings. Visit islands with gave me the feeling I was traveling trough Moria, also a place in Lord of the Rings. Been to amazing cities, where nature was also closeby. This gave the impression that Narnia is real. But instead traveling trough a wardrobe, I traveld by bus. Because who uses wardrobes anyway these days, it is all clossets. I ate Finnish, German, Swiss, French, Turkish, Korean, Chinese, Italian, Dutch, Austerian, Russian, Polish, Czech, Greek, Israeli, Pakistani, Mexican, Belgian, Canadian, Kenian, Maroccan, South African and many many more food from many many more countries and cultures. I've seen icehockey, volleyball, honkball and floorball matches. Some only once, some many times already. I myself sports also quite a lot, I swim, run and do yoga. And soon I will have my first steps into artic survival and huskey racing. I also have plesure that I can enjoy the sauna at least once per week with great company. I also have great company when I go to clubs, bars or hang a round at my or someone else place. I learned more about other cultures then I could ever dream of and also new and intressting things about my own Dutch culture. I'm glad that this big fairytale of cultural experiences and friendship continues for a couple of weeks.
Unfortunally, life is not a fairytale. Unfortunally, not everyone embrasses cultural diffrences as I (and luckily many others do). The attacks in Paris are a reminder of this. But also the bombing in Beirut, Libanon shocks me. But what about the other horrors in the world: east Ukraine, Syria, Irak Africa and many more places we don't hear. Who knows how many horrors the world has to endure. And still it saddens me everytime when I hear it. But I don't let the sadnes ruin my life, I'm to much idealistic for that. I know that Turku isn't the only city in the world where diffrent cultures meet eachother and learn from eachother. My mom always told me when I was little that I should never gave up believing in fairytales and dreams, because there could always a time and place I need just that. I believe and dream of the fairytale that in the end, we can all get along with eachother. If we give up that dream, the whole world will fall appart. Or as A Friend In London on the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf once sang:
Come on boys, come on girls
In this crazy, crazy world
You're the diamonds, you're the pearls
Let's make a new tomorrow
Come on girls, come on boys
It's your future, it's your choice
And your weapon is your voice
Let's make a new tomorrow
Today
But also the rest of my staying here is memorable. I've visit forests which gave me the feeling I was walking around the Shire of Lord of the Rings. Visit islands with gave me the feeling I was traveling trough Moria, also a place in Lord of the Rings. Been to amazing cities, where nature was also closeby. This gave the impression that Narnia is real. But instead traveling trough a wardrobe, I traveld by bus. Because who uses wardrobes anyway these days, it is all clossets. I ate Finnish, German, Swiss, French, Turkish, Korean, Chinese, Italian, Dutch, Austerian, Russian, Polish, Czech, Greek, Israeli, Pakistani, Mexican, Belgian, Canadian, Kenian, Maroccan, South African and many many more food from many many more countries and cultures. I've seen icehockey, volleyball, honkball and floorball matches. Some only once, some many times already. I myself sports also quite a lot, I swim, run and do yoga. And soon I will have my first steps into artic survival and huskey racing. I also have plesure that I can enjoy the sauna at least once per week with great company. I also have great company when I go to clubs, bars or hang a round at my or someone else place. I learned more about other cultures then I could ever dream of and also new and intressting things about my own Dutch culture. I'm glad that this big fairytale of cultural experiences and friendship continues for a couple of weeks.
Unfortunally, life is not a fairytale. Unfortunally, not everyone embrasses cultural diffrences as I (and luckily many others do). The attacks in Paris are a reminder of this. But also the bombing in Beirut, Libanon shocks me. But what about the other horrors in the world: east Ukraine, Syria, Irak Africa and many more places we don't hear. Who knows how many horrors the world has to endure. And still it saddens me everytime when I hear it. But I don't let the sadnes ruin my life, I'm to much idealistic for that. I know that Turku isn't the only city in the world where diffrent cultures meet eachother and learn from eachother. My mom always told me when I was little that I should never gave up believing in fairytales and dreams, because there could always a time and place I need just that. I believe and dream of the fairytale that in the end, we can all get along with eachother. If we give up that dream, the whole world will fall appart. Or as A Friend In London on the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf once sang:
Come on boys, come on girls
In this crazy, crazy world
You're the diamonds, you're the pearls
Let's make a new tomorrow
Come on girls, come on boys
It's your future, it's your choice
And your weapon is your voice
Let's make a new tomorrow
Today
zaterdag 14 november 2015
wandering between wards
I had an intresting week at my practical placement last week. Instead of working in my own ward, I visit each day an other ward which is specialised in diffrent problamatics then the ward I normally work. This way, I could get a beter view what the orginisation I have my practical placement has to offer to youngsters. I really looked forward to it and I'm glad I didn't was disappointed in my expatiations.
On Tuesday I visit a ward in transition, they normally have youngsters who are in fostercare there, but they are quitting that and become a ward for emergency placement. The youngsters who are already there, can stay. But if they leave, they don't bring in new youngsters for fostercare there. The ward was much more open then the ward I normally work, there they can't leave the building at all and here they can leave as much and often as they want, as long as they are return before 20:00. The youngsters were very shy to speak English with me, like most Finns. Later a girls starts a conversation with me and translated all for the others. This helped me to get in conversation with the others, because when the personal translated all for me the youngsters where very shy and didn't said much.
Thursday I went to the 'normal' ward. Here are only youngsters who are in fostercare. They also can do whatever they want and they even get pocket money to buy things on there own. Also, the rule here is that they have to be in before 20:00. I didn't see much youngsters because they were outside. But the once I saw, I saw only for a very short time. Because they came back and went to their room, or they leaved the place to hang around outside. The main thought of the ward is that it is as much as home as possilble. So they even have a sauna there. I find this really amazing, because sauna is typical Finnish and most homes have it. They want to be like home as possible so they also have a sauna the youngsters can use when they want. In the Netherlands we don't do this, there is for more institutonalised. But then again, we don't have a saunaculture like in Finland. I find it also suprising that also a nurse works there. She does the same as the social workers, so for the youngster isn't a big diffrences. But she is also in charge that medicines are properly distributed. As suprised I was they have a nurse working in the ward, so suprised she was that we don't have it in the Netherlands. Of course there works someone with a medical background, but he/she is responsible for the whole organisation and not only one ward. Of course if it is big organisation, there work more. But not that much as here in Finland.
Yesterday, on friday, I want to the ward where youngster with an adiction live. I find it always sad and heavy that there are kids below 18 who are already battleing against an adiction. I always wonder how harsh live must be for them that drugs was the awnser to their problems. Because I'm from the Netherlands, a country with a very libral drugspolicy. Some youngsters knew this, so I had a perfect opener to enter conversations with them on drugs, the effects, but also which system is beter in there opinion. Some youngsters had the courage to talk to me directly in English, some needed help from other youngster or the workers. The conversations were very intresting and very open, I really liked that. It impressed me that one guy said, that he liked the Dutch drugs policy. Not because it was then legal and easy for him to get cannabis. But he thinks that he would have a less thrill to aquire heavier drugs and use them. Because he not only likes useing drugs, but he gets it mainly for the kick and thrill to aquire them because all drugs are illegal. It shocked me somewhat that he does it mainly for the thrill to get them, but I admire him that he knows it and that he works very hard to conquer his addiction. Of course I said this to him and I could see it made his day. In the ward, they also try to be as home as possible and try to get the youngsters over their addiction. The amount of free time outside depends on which fase they are in the treatment and how well they are coöperting. They also get pocketmoney, but they also have to bring in recieves in how they spend it each week. No recieves, means no pocketmoney the next week. Unless ofcourse they can proove they didn't used the money at all, but accourding to a worker that never happens and they use all the money they get on stuff. They get the pocketmoney if they are allowed to go outside. This ranges from 30 minutes per week, till two times 30 minutes each day. If they need longer time, because they need to go clothes shopping or argange someting official. Then they can ask for extra time, as long as they can prove that they have to go and that they also were there. This ward was the ward I liked the most in this week, I wished I could stay longer. Unfortunally I had other appointments so I had to go. I liked the working style, the youngsters and the whole system that they can earn freedom, but besides the general rules of the ward, each youngster has special rules for their own. The suggest them theirselfs and they can also request to change some by themselfs, of course their mentor has to agree with it but they have a great influence in there own treatment. Also when the whole ward is behaving well, they can all together to theater, swimming, icehockeymatches etc. The expences are paid from "wardmoney", this is money the youngsters can use as a whole and not individual. This system stimulates that they also help eachother with their addiction and that they correct each other. They also share experiences with each other quite spontaniously, because no other understands a youngster with a drug addiction, then a youngster with a drug addiction
On Tuesday I visit a ward in transition, they normally have youngsters who are in fostercare there, but they are quitting that and become a ward for emergency placement. The youngsters who are already there, can stay. But if they leave, they don't bring in new youngsters for fostercare there. The ward was much more open then the ward I normally work, there they can't leave the building at all and here they can leave as much and often as they want, as long as they are return before 20:00. The youngsters were very shy to speak English with me, like most Finns. Later a girls starts a conversation with me and translated all for the others. This helped me to get in conversation with the others, because when the personal translated all for me the youngsters where very shy and didn't said much.
Thursday I went to the 'normal' ward. Here are only youngsters who are in fostercare. They also can do whatever they want and they even get pocket money to buy things on there own. Also, the rule here is that they have to be in before 20:00. I didn't see much youngsters because they were outside. But the once I saw, I saw only for a very short time. Because they came back and went to their room, or they leaved the place to hang around outside. The main thought of the ward is that it is as much as home as possilble. So they even have a sauna there. I find this really amazing, because sauna is typical Finnish and most homes have it. They want to be like home as possible so they also have a sauna the youngsters can use when they want. In the Netherlands we don't do this, there is for more institutonalised. But then again, we don't have a saunaculture like in Finland. I find it also suprising that also a nurse works there. She does the same as the social workers, so for the youngster isn't a big diffrences. But she is also in charge that medicines are properly distributed. As suprised I was they have a nurse working in the ward, so suprised she was that we don't have it in the Netherlands. Of course there works someone with a medical background, but he/she is responsible for the whole organisation and not only one ward. Of course if it is big organisation, there work more. But not that much as here in Finland.
Yesterday, on friday, I want to the ward where youngster with an adiction live. I find it always sad and heavy that there are kids below 18 who are already battleing against an adiction. I always wonder how harsh live must be for them that drugs was the awnser to their problems. Because I'm from the Netherlands, a country with a very libral drugspolicy. Some youngsters knew this, so I had a perfect opener to enter conversations with them on drugs, the effects, but also which system is beter in there opinion. Some youngsters had the courage to talk to me directly in English, some needed help from other youngster or the workers. The conversations were very intresting and very open, I really liked that. It impressed me that one guy said, that he liked the Dutch drugs policy. Not because it was then legal and easy for him to get cannabis. But he thinks that he would have a less thrill to aquire heavier drugs and use them. Because he not only likes useing drugs, but he gets it mainly for the kick and thrill to aquire them because all drugs are illegal. It shocked me somewhat that he does it mainly for the thrill to get them, but I admire him that he knows it and that he works very hard to conquer his addiction. Of course I said this to him and I could see it made his day. In the ward, they also try to be as home as possible and try to get the youngsters over their addiction. The amount of free time outside depends on which fase they are in the treatment and how well they are coöperting. They also get pocketmoney, but they also have to bring in recieves in how they spend it each week. No recieves, means no pocketmoney the next week. Unless ofcourse they can proove they didn't used the money at all, but accourding to a worker that never happens and they use all the money they get on stuff. They get the pocketmoney if they are allowed to go outside. This ranges from 30 minutes per week, till two times 30 minutes each day. If they need longer time, because they need to go clothes shopping or argange someting official. Then they can ask for extra time, as long as they can prove that they have to go and that they also were there. This ward was the ward I liked the most in this week, I wished I could stay longer. Unfortunally I had other appointments so I had to go. I liked the working style, the youngsters and the whole system that they can earn freedom, but besides the general rules of the ward, each youngster has special rules for their own. The suggest them theirselfs and they can also request to change some by themselfs, of course their mentor has to agree with it but they have a great influence in there own treatment. Also when the whole ward is behaving well, they can all together to theater, swimming, icehockeymatches etc. The expences are paid from "wardmoney", this is money the youngsters can use as a whole and not individual. This system stimulates that they also help eachother with their addiction and that they correct each other. They also share experiences with each other quite spontaniously, because no other understands a youngster with a drug addiction, then a youngster with a drug addiction
donderdag 12 november 2015
FinnArt
For our Finnish class we had to visit diffrent art exhibitions here in Turku. Although I still fail to understand what Finnish art has to do with Finnish language, I went there. I actually quite enjoyed the trip to th exhibitions. Maybe it was the company I had, maybe it was the art itself or maybe the hot chocolate afterwards. A fact is that I like more classical art then modern art had something to do with my relucentces at first. I like paintings and other forms of art, but I rather take a dive into ancient history. I've been in to the Rijksmuseum" in Amsterdam and I enjoyed it, especially the "Nachtwacht". But I've been there and I don't have to go for a long time. I liked "het Anne Frank huis""with it's eternal long queue or "het Nationaal Historisch Museum" more. Because those set my thoughts and emotions in motion. Of course every museum does that in a certain way with me, but like I said: I rather take a dive into ancient history.
The first exihibition we visit was a small and depressing one. It futered paintings with dark nature, mostly forests, and other dark places. I felt quit depressed by it, it were dark painings in a small room. One painting reminded me of "The Blair Witch Project", because it futers a dark never-ending forest. I felt almost I had the solution why Finns get depressed, so much dark forests around here and you even turn it into art. No wonder you feel sad all the time because of the darkness.
The next one was also quite small, but slightly bigger then the previous one. With all the happy animals it was much happier that the first one. It futers happy cows, sheeps, foxes, bears and mooses. The artist did a really good job here because you sometimes even felt emotions from the animals, even tough they are just paintings. I felt happy when I left the exibitions and I forgot my sad and depressive feelings from the other one and I was up and ready to visit the next one, because I had the feeling that one was the most intressting.
And I was correct! The last exhibition we had to visit was the most enjoyable and fun to visit, even it was modern art. It setted my thoughts and emotions in motion and I think art has to do that with someone. In the first hall, the thoughts of me and my companion were about cumshots and blowjobs. But for me as Dutch that are perfectly discussion topics, so no shame there in discussing that there. Lucky me my companion wasn't that ashamed of that thoughtflow, so we discussed it quite extend. In the next hall, this exhibition was also the biggist, the art get somewhat weirder but not less intresting. So was there a giant purble thingie, a poluted lake and prehapes the weirdest of them all: a ropeskipping-rope made of barbed wire.
After the exibitions we went to a cafe to make the assignments we had from school and enjoyed a nice glass of hot chocolate. Which was actually the best part of the day because I really love hot chocolate and the hot chocolate overthere is really great. But I had a great day over all, because I had great company and the exhibitions were quitte intresting. I wouldn't go there by myself in the first place, but I have no regrets I did the assignment and visited the places. Maybe I can also go to some museums here in Turku, but that is something when the weather gets really bad.
The first exihibition we visit was a small and depressing one. It futered paintings with dark nature, mostly forests, and other dark places. I felt quit depressed by it, it were dark painings in a small room. One painting reminded me of "The Blair Witch Project", because it futers a dark never-ending forest. I felt almost I had the solution why Finns get depressed, so much dark forests around here and you even turn it into art. No wonder you feel sad all the time because of the darkness.
The next one was also quite small, but slightly bigger then the previous one. With all the happy animals it was much happier that the first one. It futers happy cows, sheeps, foxes, bears and mooses. The artist did a really good job here because you sometimes even felt emotions from the animals, even tough they are just paintings. I felt happy when I left the exibitions and I forgot my sad and depressive feelings from the other one and I was up and ready to visit the next one, because I had the feeling that one was the most intressting.
And I was correct! The last exhibition we had to visit was the most enjoyable and fun to visit, even it was modern art. It setted my thoughts and emotions in motion and I think art has to do that with someone. In the first hall, the thoughts of me and my companion were about cumshots and blowjobs. But for me as Dutch that are perfectly discussion topics, so no shame there in discussing that there. Lucky me my companion wasn't that ashamed of that thoughtflow, so we discussed it quite extend. In the next hall, this exhibition was also the biggist, the art get somewhat weirder but not less intresting. So was there a giant purble thingie, a poluted lake and prehapes the weirdest of them all: a ropeskipping-rope made of barbed wire.
After the exibitions we went to a cafe to make the assignments we had from school and enjoyed a nice glass of hot chocolate. Which was actually the best part of the day because I really love hot chocolate and the hot chocolate overthere is really great. But I had a great day over all, because I had great company and the exhibitions were quitte intresting. I wouldn't go there by myself in the first place, but I have no regrets I did the assignment and visited the places. Maybe I can also go to some museums here in Turku, but that is something when the weather gets really bad.
maandag 9 november 2015
Suomalaiset & jij
I always found Finns funny and adorable. They all have a national low self esteem and an minorty complex. I think this is partly given in because they are a reletively young country and their culture is not that much known in the world. At least they think that, but their sauna is known over the world and Nokia has still a cult status around the world. Also according to research, people think if they hear Lapland more of Finland then any other Scandinavian country. Finns have the strange habit to think of themselfs only in stereotypes, more then any other people. This form of selfspot I can admire and I think a healthy dosis of selfspot doesn't hurt anyone, but in Finland is the norm and is sometimes quitte scary I think. But still, Finns are cute and lovely.
I think Finns have to get used to the idea that the are independed, for almost 98 years, and they have to forge their own destiny. Not thinking of what others think of them. The Netherlands is stubborn and weird for a long long time and as small country as we are, we have our own etiquette and own social rules. We are still here and some people like us and the others we ignore. So ignore the Swedes little Finns, they are weird any way and Finland is far more awesome then Sweden. People only like Sweden as long as Swedes not speak Swedish because that is absolutly horror for most people. And the Swedes only do well in Europe, after that it is just all Scandinavia with the weird part. And the weird part is Finland. Because the language is diffrent from the rest of Scandinavia, but that makes it more awesome. Also because Finland is quite mysterious and unkwown. So go on and exploit that. And forget that Sweden, they are just Sweden. Finland is one of only 5 countries in the world that always played in the championship division in icehockey. Your Eurovision win is one of the most memorable wins ever in Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki is regarded as one of the best over (Finland was the highst ranking western country of that edition) Jaana Pelkonen and Mikko Leppilampi are regarded as the best hosts ever, if you exclude the solo hostings. So there you go.
The social skills of Finns is regarded as far to negative, especially by some Dutch folks around here. I think Finns are very social. Because of the long distances in Finland, they are not very used to be social and they are very on their own, but if you give Finns time you wish they were silent again. Like some Finns I know who live in a certain appartment in a certain appartmentbuilding next to a certain Siwa in a certain city in a certian country and in a certain continent on certain planet in a certain milky way. I also know a women who is one of the most kindley spirted souls I met and she hosted me for 2 times now in Kokkola. I think it sometimes it requires a little more afforts from us foreigners but when you have Finnish friends, you have them almost for ever. Because even Finns die, unfortunatly. So don't be frighten of their silenceness, their grumpy looks or there barely understandable language. It is like a test if you want to get all trough that and are worthy of their friendship. Also remember their natioal low selfesteem, because that always pops up every 15 minutes. But then you have more reasons to party hard with them. Because Finns are the party people of Europe. Probably because you don't have to talk that much while partying. But even talking is not that hard for a Finn if they are used to you, then they barely shut up. You have then the chance to observe and hear their cute accent in English. Because even then their hidden nationalistic tendencies pops out, you hear they are Finns and speak Finnish. And it doesn't take long before Finland is the main discussion topic.
I think Finns have to get used to the idea that the are independed, for almost 98 years, and they have to forge their own destiny. Not thinking of what others think of them. The Netherlands is stubborn and weird for a long long time and as small country as we are, we have our own etiquette and own social rules. We are still here and some people like us and the others we ignore. So ignore the Swedes little Finns, they are weird any way and Finland is far more awesome then Sweden. People only like Sweden as long as Swedes not speak Swedish because that is absolutly horror for most people. And the Swedes only do well in Europe, after that it is just all Scandinavia with the weird part. And the weird part is Finland. Because the language is diffrent from the rest of Scandinavia, but that makes it more awesome. Also because Finland is quite mysterious and unkwown. So go on and exploit that. And forget that Sweden, they are just Sweden. Finland is one of only 5 countries in the world that always played in the championship division in icehockey. Your Eurovision win is one of the most memorable wins ever in Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki is regarded as one of the best over (Finland was the highst ranking western country of that edition) Jaana Pelkonen and Mikko Leppilampi are regarded as the best hosts ever, if you exclude the solo hostings. So there you go.
The social skills of Finns is regarded as far to negative, especially by some Dutch folks around here. I think Finns are very social. Because of the long distances in Finland, they are not very used to be social and they are very on their own, but if you give Finns time you wish they were silent again. Like some Finns I know who live in a certain appartment in a certain appartmentbuilding next to a certain Siwa in a certain city in a certian country and in a certain continent on certain planet in a certain milky way. I also know a women who is one of the most kindley spirted souls I met and she hosted me for 2 times now in Kokkola. I think it sometimes it requires a little more afforts from us foreigners but when you have Finnish friends, you have them almost for ever. Because even Finns die, unfortunatly. So don't be frighten of their silenceness, their grumpy looks or there barely understandable language. It is like a test if you want to get all trough that and are worthy of their friendship. Also remember their natioal low selfesteem, because that always pops up every 15 minutes. But then you have more reasons to party hard with them. Because Finns are the party people of Europe. Probably because you don't have to talk that much while partying. But even talking is not that hard for a Finn if they are used to you, then they barely shut up. You have then the chance to observe and hear their cute accent in English. Because even then their hidden nationalistic tendencies pops out, you hear they are Finns and speak Finnish. And it doesn't take long before Finland is the main discussion topic.
vrijdag 6 november 2015
The Perkele situation
It is some time ago that I last made a blog entry. I was pretty busy this week with school and practical and also a situation at my home university occupied most of mine attention. My school suddenly doubts if I can graduate this school year and a couple of teachers weren't very cooprative. I have a hard time to stay in contact with my school because we only have contact via mail and I don't always have possibillity to check my mail.
The whole situation is the fact that suddenly my school thinks I have not enough credits to graduate this year. I knew already before I go to Finland that I have to do a course which I missed in my second year. I have no problems with this, you have to do, what you have to do. And I make also good arrangements with school. Suddenly school doesn't really follow this arrangements and a teacher started to complain about a report. Although I knew this for some time, this week it went a little bit more serieus because my mail contact with school was intensefied. Also it affected my daily life situations more and more. I became a little bit grumpy and felt a little depressed. I was not ashamed of myself that I possible not could finish my studies in the normal time, because sometimes it isn't possible. But the way it al went made me feel sad. I had the feeling it was all out of my controle and the more I tried to come with a solution, the harder it went. But now, suddenly, they went into cooprative mode again. My teacher filled in my grades and school sees possibilties for me to graduate.
My relation with schools and teachers is alway somewhat rocky. I never get allong with teachers for some reason. Probably because in my past I had some very bad experiences with teachers and I tink that those experiences still reflect on how I think of teachers today, the neccesery evil everyone has to experience during his life. Of course I have some teachers I can realy get allong with, because not all teachers are the same. But I think in general me and teachers are not the best combination. I need a teacher we can keep his distance but also helps me when I need it. I'm the kind of student who has to experience by himself that something is impossible. If I don't see a way out, then I need a big kick and a teacher who helps me to get out of the situation. For some reason, most teachers are big ego's who think they know it all because they are a teacher and like to help the easy and quiet students. Í'm the kind of student who is critical at everything and everyone and had some tough episodes in my life. But I can handle critics on my own preformes, as long I can learn from them.
For some reason, I can go quite wel with the Finnish teachers. Maybe they have just that edge I need from a teacher to like them. Maybe I only have hard time with Dutch teachers. Or maybe they are Finns and everyone knows by now what I think of Finns. The Finnish teachers don't want to become friends with you, they are just your teacher and it doesn't get more awkward then that. Also in my experiences, they are better prepared for their jobs then their Dutch counterparts. Of course you have always exeptions in both countries, but still. Another possibillity could be that we just give the best of ourself, because we are both foreigners for each other and we don't want to be hard on eachother. Or I do better in Finnish sociaty then Dutch sociaty.
The whole situation is the fact that suddenly my school thinks I have not enough credits to graduate this year. I knew already before I go to Finland that I have to do a course which I missed in my second year. I have no problems with this, you have to do, what you have to do. And I make also good arrangements with school. Suddenly school doesn't really follow this arrangements and a teacher started to complain about a report. Although I knew this for some time, this week it went a little bit more serieus because my mail contact with school was intensefied. Also it affected my daily life situations more and more. I became a little bit grumpy and felt a little depressed. I was not ashamed of myself that I possible not could finish my studies in the normal time, because sometimes it isn't possible. But the way it al went made me feel sad. I had the feeling it was all out of my controle and the more I tried to come with a solution, the harder it went. But now, suddenly, they went into cooprative mode again. My teacher filled in my grades and school sees possibilties for me to graduate.
My relation with schools and teachers is alway somewhat rocky. I never get allong with teachers for some reason. Probably because in my past I had some very bad experiences with teachers and I tink that those experiences still reflect on how I think of teachers today, the neccesery evil everyone has to experience during his life. Of course I have some teachers I can realy get allong with, because not all teachers are the same. But I think in general me and teachers are not the best combination. I need a teacher we can keep his distance but also helps me when I need it. I'm the kind of student who has to experience by himself that something is impossible. If I don't see a way out, then I need a big kick and a teacher who helps me to get out of the situation. For some reason, most teachers are big ego's who think they know it all because they are a teacher and like to help the easy and quiet students. Í'm the kind of student who is critical at everything and everyone and had some tough episodes in my life. But I can handle critics on my own preformes, as long I can learn from them.
For some reason, I can go quite wel with the Finnish teachers. Maybe they have just that edge I need from a teacher to like them. Maybe I only have hard time with Dutch teachers. Or maybe they are Finns and everyone knows by now what I think of Finns. The Finnish teachers don't want to become friends with you, they are just your teacher and it doesn't get more awkward then that. Also in my experiences, they are better prepared for their jobs then their Dutch counterparts. Of course you have always exeptions in both countries, but still. Another possibillity could be that we just give the best of ourself, because we are both foreigners for each other and we don't want to be hard on eachother. Or I do better in Finnish sociaty then Dutch sociaty.
maandag 2 november 2015
Kokkola memories
Today I did nothing but laundry, learning and complaining about my home university. Because things go not the way I wanted them to go, but schools do never that so I used to it. How anoying it is sometimes. I survived worser things and I think I'll I survive this as well. Lucky me is having nice memories of Kokkola, from which I returned yesterday evening. Those memories made me daydreaming all day long, because I'm really exited to go study there for a full month upcomming January.
Yesterday we had an relaxing day in Kokkola, the day before we went out and it went pretty late. So we all slept almost a hole in the day. After breakfast, we went in to Kokkola self to hang around for a little while and do some sightseeing. Kokkola has still some old buildings so it was nice to walk there. I can only dream of how it is with snow, then it must be almost looking like a winter wonderland. I really hope I have the chance to see that when I'm there in January. We also went to the park to see some history of Kokkola, because there is in a little house is still the only British ship in foreign posession. It is an old gunship which was captured by the Finns during Crimean war. The British are eager to get it back, but the Finns keep it on display in the English park. Which is actually the real name of the park, because of the British boat.
After the walk, we had lunch. After that, we visted the school were I will study in January and which was or is the school of all the Finns I know in Kokkola. There we also met the teacher, which I also know from the same international project I met the Finns in Kokkola and who will be my tutorteacher in January. During the tour, I was shocked that the room for tutormeetings was next to the teachersroom, so other teachers can intervine when it's necessary. According to the teacher, it happend already sometimes. This really shocks me, because it is a Universty of Applied Sciences and you can espect that they are not that violent. Also in the Netherlands this is something quitte unheard of. Of course we had some incidentes, but not that often. Also never that someone commited a schoolshooting like in already twice in Finland. We don't take precossions in case a student gets violent, because it almost never happens in the Netherlands. But unfortunally according to the teacher, it sometimes happens there. This saddens me, that it is possible. I'm not an inocent child, I have sometimes pretty hard and rough discussions with some teachers and I don't always agree with them. In frustration I can sometimes think that I will hit them, but I shall never ever do that. Because we are descent people and we can solve this with words, not with violence. Violence is never the solution to problems and it never will be. The rest of the tour was quite intressting and it gets me more eager to start there in January. I found it intressting that for some studies, they even have a practical placement at school where students and teachers can make use of like hairdressers, feet therapy and gymclasses.
After the tour we relived some good old memories from our international project and how life went on after that. But also about my studies there in January. Unfortunally we had to go quite quickley because me and my fellow Dutch student had a train to catch. He to Seinäjoki, which takes approximently 90 minutes. I had to catch the same train, but unfortunally I was 5 hours traveling for me to get back to Turku. So I arrived around midnight back home. With memories of a great weekend and with the prospect of being there again for a full month in January.
Yesterday we had an relaxing day in Kokkola, the day before we went out and it went pretty late. So we all slept almost a hole in the day. After breakfast, we went in to Kokkola self to hang around for a little while and do some sightseeing. Kokkola has still some old buildings so it was nice to walk there. I can only dream of how it is with snow, then it must be almost looking like a winter wonderland. I really hope I have the chance to see that when I'm there in January. We also went to the park to see some history of Kokkola, because there is in a little house is still the only British ship in foreign posession. It is an old gunship which was captured by the Finns during Crimean war. The British are eager to get it back, but the Finns keep it on display in the English park. Which is actually the real name of the park, because of the British boat.
After the walk, we had lunch. After that, we visted the school were I will study in January and which was or is the school of all the Finns I know in Kokkola. There we also met the teacher, which I also know from the same international project I met the Finns in Kokkola and who will be my tutorteacher in January. During the tour, I was shocked that the room for tutormeetings was next to the teachersroom, so other teachers can intervine when it's necessary. According to the teacher, it happend already sometimes. This really shocks me, because it is a Universty of Applied Sciences and you can espect that they are not that violent. Also in the Netherlands this is something quitte unheard of. Of course we had some incidentes, but not that often. Also never that someone commited a schoolshooting like in already twice in Finland. We don't take precossions in case a student gets violent, because it almost never happens in the Netherlands. But unfortunally according to the teacher, it sometimes happens there. This saddens me, that it is possible. I'm not an inocent child, I have sometimes pretty hard and rough discussions with some teachers and I don't always agree with them. In frustration I can sometimes think that I will hit them, but I shall never ever do that. Because we are descent people and we can solve this with words, not with violence. Violence is never the solution to problems and it never will be. The rest of the tour was quite intressting and it gets me more eager to start there in January. I found it intressting that for some studies, they even have a practical placement at school where students and teachers can make use of like hairdressers, feet therapy and gymclasses.
After the tour we relived some good old memories from our international project and how life went on after that. But also about my studies there in January. Unfortunally we had to go quite quickley because me and my fellow Dutch student had a train to catch. He to Seinäjoki, which takes approximently 90 minutes. I had to catch the same train, but unfortunally I was 5 hours traveling for me to get back to Turku. So I arrived around midnight back home. With memories of a great weekend and with the prospect of being there again for a full month in January.
zondag 1 november 2015
Finn at the balls
Yesterday it was a great day. It was great to see everyone again and to hang out together. We all also looking forward that I'm returing again in Kokkola January. I felt a little bit sad for the other Dutchie because he is only in Kokkola for this weekend. But still we had a great time.
We went in for bowling after breakfast. We had two lanes so every lane futeres 2 Finns and 1 Dutch. After 2 hours of bowling, we were really nailed by a girl with a dysfunctional arm at this moment. Because she hurt it during training. But still she was far better then me and the other Finn. I don't dare to think how hard she would beat us when her arm was fully functional. But now she had more then 110 points the us. The other lane I don't discuss here, but let state it this way: But by coincidence the persons who are good at bowling and bad at bowling where seperated.
After that, we had the honor and plesure again to enjoy the great cooking skills of the husband of the woman we are staying. While the rest had rendeir, I enjoyed salmon. It is funny that rendeir is so popular here. I've been in a lot of countries, but in non rendeir is so popular is in Finland. It also touches me that Finns are so insecure while they don't have to. His cooking skills are great and the food was delicious. Every one was very silent during the eating so it was good. Normally we talk on every occasion.
After the food I went to my first volleyball match ever. Of course I've played vollyball before, but I never went to an official match. The local team, Kokkolan Tiigerit are the deffending national champions and the were playing against the rivals. So the match was pretty exited, although it was just a normal match in the legue. I was in the fan section so the crowd got really exited every time the team scored a point. I really enjoyed, the match, the vibe, everything. I also contributed my part by waving the big Kokkolan Tiigerit flag. Eventually they won with 3-0. After the match we went home to enjoy more food and spent the night in the centre. A event during the match worth mentioning is that during the break, the husband of the woman we stayed was named as tiger of the month. Because he has done so much for the club: they ask, he makes. And thats makes that they make him tiger of the month. As first one who isn't member of the board of the club or fanclub. Of course we went all crazy for that and gave as reason to party that night.
Abonneren op:
Posts (Atom)