As a Finnish student it is completly normal to take off your shoes at the university and walk around in your knitted woolen socks. It is not like everyone does it, but everyday you see a few people without shoes. Knitted socks are super popular. I think it is a timeless trend well adapted to the climate.
A difference between Sweden and Finland that has taken some time to realize is the relationship individual people have with the other country. I would say that most Swedish people, at least from my side of the country, have not been to Finland and do not know much about the country. Here it is difficult to find someone who has not been to Sweden and you constantly hear things about Sweden.Usually in a context where Sweden is given a high status and Finland lower one. I find it wierd. Yes, Finland is smaller but why would not the countries be equal? Maybe history explains it to some extent. Finland has been independent for less than 100 years. First ruled by Sweden then by Russia. Having Russia as a neighboring country has at least in the past reflected the Finnish way of living. Speaking of that military service is still mandatory here while it has been removed in Sweden.
The grades are starting to come. I have noticed that reporting grades to the students is a slower process here. On paper I have only scrambled together 26 credits so far. I have to say that I am quite pleased with the result. The scale is from 0-5. No 1 or 2 yet but I believe that the larger scale (compared to a Swedish university) will be in my favor when it comes to the statistics and probability course I am taking right now.
I believe that there are different reasons for doing an exchange. Just like last time I wanted to study in English and get out of my comfort zone. This time though it is less about experiencing another culture (even though I am, but if this was ma main goal I would have had to go outside of Europe or outside of the Nordic countries at least) and more about being able to take interesting courses, different, from the ones in Linköping. My classes ARE really interesting but so far this semester I feel like that have been taking up to much time. Exchange studies are also about making new friends and trying new things. I still have a lot of stuff on my list of things that I would like to do while in Finland!
Is it too cold in the window? Or too warm since the radiator is just below it? Either way the plant is obviously unhappy. Will it die less than a week old? :(
Today I am late for class. The bed was a little too comfortable this morning due to my decision to watch a movie last night. I thought that I deserved it after finishing a paper. Looking back at it it was not my brightest moment. The university that I am studying at has three campuses. I have classes at two of them but live closest to the third one so I spend quite a lot of time on public transportation, like now for example. I appriciate the 50 % discount that I am entitled to by being a student.
As a result of locating the laundry room my bed has been equipped with two extra pillows tonight. The two extra ones greeted me when I arrived to the apartment but I did not want to use them in their previous state. Now the plan is to sleep like a princess!
This is Dipoli, my favorite lunch building. This is where I eat my pea soup on Thursdays. If I can choose I always pick a seat next to the big windows.The sculpture outside the main entrence is called the acorn. It gives off engineering vibes. By pressing a button next to it a chain of mechanism starts and the acorn develops like a flower.
The building itself is kind of strange. According to rumors there are no 90 degree corners anywhere. The architecture must have had a lot of fun drawing it. The building reminds me of Kårallen in Linköping and I think the student association here was aiming for something like that. However the construction of it became to expensive so the University had to by it. I think it is sad. It is a cool place. Now it is mainly used for conferences and fairs and other organisations can rent it.
Idag blev det inte lunch. Istället unnade jag mig en förmiddagsfika. Mustikkamuffinssi ja kahvi (blåbärsmuffin och kaffe). Visade sig vara dyrare än lunch. Smakade bra :)
Yesterday I woke up to snow. It looks good today also :) In fact it is snowing right now! The white building across from me is an office building. I have come to realize that it is quite close and I can see exactly what they are up to in there. It probably means that they can see me just as well. It is not like I would want to walk around naked in here though. My apartment is way to cold for that.
This is new. My final grade for my math class is going to be partially based on practice problems performance. In other words, I will not be given the correct answers as I am used to. I will have to hand in my exercises and the teacher will correct them. This has not happened since Epiphany, New Bern, NC and before that I do not know when? Feels like I am back in elementary school. What about personal responsibillity? I am learning it for myself!
Meeting a the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (by the way another Alvar Aalto designed building). The institution liked a service design concept we presented to them in December. The concept is about how they should develop thier dialouge with customers. Hopefully we will get the opportunity to develop it further. I have now identified some of the characteristic features of Alvar Aalto. He likes marmor and arc shaped tiles. Moving. My new apartment contained both pleasent and unpleasent surprises. I was happy to find two beds instead of one, there was also a plate, two glasses and a pot :) but I was quite annoyed that the previous tenant did not clean the place before leaving. Especially the floor and toilet was really nasty. Showering caused a minor flood so I bought rubber gloves today and cleaned the drain. Think I that I will have to call the plumber if it did not help.
IKEA trip to buy stuff for the new apartment. I tried to buy as little as possible since I will not be able to bring it home. Mainly basic things like a doormat, sheets, a pillow, a frying pan, etc. Best buy - a cosy blanket! My plan is to buy cutelry, plates and such secondhand.
Picking new courses. Why are the ones that seem the most interesting overlaping?!? Besides PDP that runs all year I finally decided to take: - Grundkurs i sannolikhetskalkyl och statistik (5 cr) - Get to know Finland (1 cr) - Design Ethics Theory (6 cr) - Design Meets Biomaterials (3 cr) - Collaborative Innovation Managment (4 cr) - Audiovisual studio: Advanced editing (3 cr)
Helsinki LUX. Last night I went to see a light exhibition downtown.It consisted of illuminated objects and projected lightshows with synchronized sound. I am really glad that a friend gave me the tip to go and see it! The big dome at Senate Square Hakasalmi Villa Illuminated objects in Hesperia park and a flipper game projected on a facade.
Design och product development engineering student. Right now doing a year abroad in the Finnish capital.
Coffee, the Swedish West coast and creative projects make me happy. I love film festivals and do some filming and video editing myself.
Sauna before and after. Two times in the frozen lake. Felt quite alive!
#embracingafinnishtradition
Slightly too much pea soup today.Self serve would be less wasteful.
As a result of locating the laundry room my bed has been equipped with two extra pillows tonight. The two extra ones greeted me when I arrived to the apartment but I did not want to use them in their previous state. Now the plan is to sleep like a princess!
Yesterday I woke up to snow. It looks good today also :) In fact it is snowing right now! The white building across from me is an office building. I have come to realize that it is quite close and I can see exactly what they are up to in there. It probably means that they can see me just as well. It is not like I would want to walk around naked in here though. My apartment is way to cold for that.
