Hello! Welcome to the second leg of my European Adventure. On a side note, if you have not seen National Lampoon's European Vacation, definitely watch it. Then, picture me and I'm sure you'll get lots of laughs. :D
Vaughn and I successfully checked our luggage (both less than 20kg) and made it to the Marco Polo Airport in one piece. We did have a little hiccup when it came to getting on the right coach to get to the Santa Lucia Station. We boarded one coach bus thinking it was the right one, but realized that we purchased tickets for the Mastre Station. So, we got off and waited for that coach bus instead. When we arrived at the station, we activated our Eurorail passes and made reservations on the 13:27 train to Florence . . . from the Santa Lucia Station . . . which is not the station we were currently at. After buying a map for 3 Euro, I found out that the Mastre station is actually on the mainline of Italy . . . NOT Venice. We tried to buy tickets to Venice on the train, but no such luck. Eventually, we decided to take a taxi.
The street our hotel is on is not accessible by cars, so I told the taxi driver to get us as close as possible. He was very successful . . . he dropped us off at the stairs essentially next to our hotel. We checked in and relaxed for about an hour . . . trying to figure out where to meet our tour guide for the Cicchetti of Venice tour that started at 5:30pm. We left at 4:30pm and walked along the new street of Venice in amazement. Everything here is simply beautiful.
We found the round church with roughly 20 minutes to spare so Vaughn and I enjoyed our first official taste of Italian Gelato. Yum! Our tour group consisted of a married couple from Seattle, a young therapist from Chicago, another married couple from Atlanta (we think), a brother and sister from England, and a set a parents and daughter from Australia. It was a great group. Our tour guide led us to 5 different places to experience Venice cusine (cicchetti) and different wines from the area. We also had a quick trip across the Grand Canal.
We learned that recycling recently came to Italy . . . about 2 years ago. The way Italians recycle their water bottles is to bring them to a wine place that will refill your water bottle with your choice of wine . . . 1.90 to 2.90 euro per liter. We are pumped . . . I have two bottles just waiting for some sparkling red and white. :)
Tomorrow we will be going to Saint Mark's Basilica before jumping on the train to Florence. I'm still in awe that I'm in Italy. On one more note, our hotel room's window faces one of the smaller canals. We can hear the water lapping against the side. I'm in heaven!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Fulbright, Bus Station Adventure and Saying Goodbye
Today is our last full day in Finland. We met with the director of the Fulbright Center and had a candid conversation about the University Act and the future of higher education in Finland. We all appreciated the time spent with her. Afterward, we met as a group to discuss the last part of the class . . . the paper, which is not due until July 15th. Needless to say, all of the information from the past 10 days is marinating in my head and will probably be ready around June 11th for me to analyze. ;)
If you read yesterday's post, you'll know that I accidentially left my travel pillow on the bus from Tampere to Lahti. The pillow was really my travel blanket folded and inserted into the pillow cover. Our host, Timo, gave me the number to the bus station (or maybe it was the bus company) and Jim showed me where the station is located in Helsinki. I went there after our meeting with the Fulbright Center, but was told I needed to know the name of the bus company (which I didn't know). I didn't have time at that moment because I was meeting Marta at the Helsinki Catherdal for an organ recital at noon. I met her and enjoyed the 15 minutes of beautiful music. Afterwards, I went back to the Santa Claus Land store and purchased some Christmas items. One is a stress ball that looks and sounds like a snowball. I guess you'll have to wait to see what I mean. At lunch, I called Jim and found out the bus company's name.
After lunch, I went my separate way to find the plastic puppy that I first saw at Aalto University. Here's a link to what the puppy looks like: click here. I am obessed with this puppy. ;) After successfully finding the designer and such, I went back to the bus station. I then found out that the bus company we used is based in Tampere and that is where their lost and found is located. So, no travel pillow/blanket for Sheila.
During the study tour, one of classmates is a graduate student from Boston College. She boarded a ship to Estonia at 4pm, so we said goodbye to her after lunch. The rest of us went to dinner at Wellamo (www.wellamo.fi) one last time. It was a great dinner and great conversations. That was when the rest of us said goodbye. Three of us will be going to the airport at 6am to leave for Italy (Vaughn and me) and Michigan (Linda).
I hope you've enjoyed the stories of Finland. I hope to have internet in Venice, but if not, my first post in Italy will probably be on June 1st when Vaughn and I arrive to Florence. Wish us luck on our travels!
If you read yesterday's post, you'll know that I accidentially left my travel pillow on the bus from Tampere to Lahti. The pillow was really my travel blanket folded and inserted into the pillow cover. Our host, Timo, gave me the number to the bus station (or maybe it was the bus company) and Jim showed me where the station is located in Helsinki. I went there after our meeting with the Fulbright Center, but was told I needed to know the name of the bus company (which I didn't know). I didn't have time at that moment because I was meeting Marta at the Helsinki Catherdal for an organ recital at noon. I met her and enjoyed the 15 minutes of beautiful music. Afterwards, I went back to the Santa Claus Land store and purchased some Christmas items. One is a stress ball that looks and sounds like a snowball. I guess you'll have to wait to see what I mean. At lunch, I called Jim and found out the bus company's name.
After lunch, I went my separate way to find the plastic puppy that I first saw at Aalto University. Here's a link to what the puppy looks like: click here. I am obessed with this puppy. ;) After successfully finding the designer and such, I went back to the bus station. I then found out that the bus company we used is based in Tampere and that is where their lost and found is located. So, no travel pillow/blanket for Sheila.
During the study tour, one of classmates is a graduate student from Boston College. She boarded a ship to Estonia at 4pm, so we said goodbye to her after lunch. The rest of us went to dinner at Wellamo (www.wellamo.fi) one last time. It was a great dinner and great conversations. That was when the rest of us said goodbye. Three of us will be going to the airport at 6am to leave for Italy (Vaughn and me) and Michigan (Linda).
I hope you've enjoyed the stories of Finland. I hope to have internet in Venice, but if not, my first post in Italy will probably be on June 1st when Vaughn and I arrive to Florence. Wish us luck on our travels!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Bus Ride through Lakes and a Ski Jump Simulator
After spending 5 days in Tampere, we hopped on a bus that took us to Lahti, Finland. Lahti is Northeast of Helsinki. We traveled across LOTS of lakes. There are over 187,000 lakes in Finland and I think we traveled by 30 of them. :) Again, beautiful. I did get some pictures of the countryside this time around. After we got off the bus and in Timo Aarrevaara's mini bus, I realized that I left my travel pillow on the bus! I'm hoping it will be at the bus company's lost and found in Helsinki. If you read this, please cross your fingers for me.
Today, we met briefly with Lahti's summer university. This is essentially a consortium of universities offering courses for anyone who would like to take them. There are 4 sessions: fall, winter, spring, and summer. Since this is separate from the public universities, the summer universities are allowed to charge tuition. They originally started as institutions offering summer courses for teachers and has grown from there.
After that, we met with faculty and the incoming Rector of Lahti University of Applied Sciences. Universities of Applied Sciences are a mix between community colleges and mid-size universities. They offer 4-year bachelor degrees, but there is a very strong connection with the community and their businesses. I also learned that recently Lahti began to offer master degrees. We had a delightful conversation during lunch and continued the conversation afterward.
We then met with the secretary general of the Lahti University Consortium. This is a group that is connected with the University of Helsinki and serves two main roles. First, they own Lahti University of Applied Sciences as well as two other educational institutions. Second, they work with science universities and bring centers from those universities to Lahti for students. There are three centers from University of Helsinki and two from Aalto University. Students are allowed to enroll in courses from any of the centers to earn their bachelor and masters degrees.
After the meetings, we went to the Lahti Ski Mueseum and learned how essential skiing (particularly cross-country skiing) is/was to the Finnish people. We also saw how the ski outfits changed from the 1920s until the present. The icing on the cake was the simulators we could do: ski jumping, bi-athlon (I think)--shooting a pistol or rifle, and cross-country skiing. I tried the ski jump and the shooting. (Thank you to Dad, Matt, and Marty for helping me with my shooting skills--albeit low level of skills).
We then rode in Timo's bus to Helsinki and are back at the University of Helsinki's Guest House until we leave for Italy on Thursday! I'm hoping that our hotel in Venice has internet. One more meeting and our "class" is over . . . well until I finish the paper. Until tomorrow!
Today, we met briefly with Lahti's summer university. This is essentially a consortium of universities offering courses for anyone who would like to take them. There are 4 sessions: fall, winter, spring, and summer. Since this is separate from the public universities, the summer universities are allowed to charge tuition. They originally started as institutions offering summer courses for teachers and has grown from there.
After that, we met with faculty and the incoming Rector of Lahti University of Applied Sciences. Universities of Applied Sciences are a mix between community colleges and mid-size universities. They offer 4-year bachelor degrees, but there is a very strong connection with the community and their businesses. I also learned that recently Lahti began to offer master degrees. We had a delightful conversation during lunch and continued the conversation afterward.
We then met with the secretary general of the Lahti University Consortium. This is a group that is connected with the University of Helsinki and serves two main roles. First, they own Lahti University of Applied Sciences as well as two other educational institutions. Second, they work with science universities and bring centers from those universities to Lahti for students. There are three centers from University of Helsinki and two from Aalto University. Students are allowed to enroll in courses from any of the centers to earn their bachelor and masters degrees.
After the meetings, we went to the Lahti Ski Mueseum and learned how essential skiing (particularly cross-country skiing) is/was to the Finnish people. We also saw how the ski outfits changed from the 1920s until the present. The icing on the cake was the simulators we could do: ski jumping, bi-athlon (I think)--shooting a pistol or rifle, and cross-country skiing. I tried the ski jump and the shooting. (Thank you to Dad, Matt, and Marty for helping me with my shooting skills--albeit low level of skills).
We then rode in Timo's bus to Helsinki and are back at the University of Helsinki's Guest House until we leave for Italy on Thursday! I'm hoping that our hotel in Venice has internet. One more meeting and our "class" is over . . . well until I finish the paper. Until tomorrow!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Jyvaskyla and Rain . . . but That's OK.
Today was the first day it rained during the day. Every other day we've had 60 degree weather and mostly sunny. Dr. Fairweather jokes with every visitor that this is all we (the students) know of Finland weather and think this is how it is all the time. Only 2 more times for this joke (hehehe). We took the train to Jyvaskyla to visit with the higher education research group at University of Jyvaskyla. The trip took about 1.5 hours. We also met with one of the Vice Rectors of the university. It was very interesting to hear the vice rector's view of the changes and then hear the research group director's views.
We had a pleasant surprise when we were introduced to a visiting researcher from the United States: Dr. Charles Mathies (University of Georgia). His wife recently completed her fellowship with the Fulbright Center which is what brought them to Finland. He's originally from Toledo, Ohio (such a small world!) He provided us with an outsider's view of the changes with the Ministry and higher education, as did Dr. Jussi Valimaa, director of the research group. Dr. Valimaa is well known in Finland and around the world in regards to higher educationr research. We also had the opportunity to interact with senior researchers in the group.
We took the train back to Tampere and arrived around 6:30pm. We leave tomorrow morning at 7:30am for Lahti and eventually Helsinki. The train ride between Jyvaskyla and Tampere was simply beautiful . . . lakes, trees, meadows, mountains, etc. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures. Maybe I can steal some from my roommate who did take pictures during the ride. ;o)
Only 2 more days in Finland and then it is off to Italy!!
We had a pleasant surprise when we were introduced to a visiting researcher from the United States: Dr. Charles Mathies (University of Georgia). His wife recently completed her fellowship with the Fulbright Center which is what brought them to Finland. He's originally from Toledo, Ohio (such a small world!) He provided us with an outsider's view of the changes with the Ministry and higher education, as did Dr. Jussi Valimaa, director of the research group. Dr. Valimaa is well known in Finland and around the world in regards to higher educationr research. We also had the opportunity to interact with senior researchers in the group.
We took the train back to Tampere and arrived around 6:30pm. We leave tomorrow morning at 7:30am for Lahti and eventually Helsinki. The train ride between Jyvaskyla and Tampere was simply beautiful . . . lakes, trees, meadows, mountains, etc. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures. Maybe I can steal some from my roommate who did take pictures during the ride. ;o)
Only 2 more days in Finland and then it is off to Italy!!
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Turku Castle, Lunch on a Boat, and Space Nazis . . . Oh My!
Today was one of the best tourist days we've had. We boarded the train to Turku, Finland (about 2 hours southwest of Tampere). We then spent roughly 1.5 hours touring the Turku Castle, which was originally built on an island beginnin in the 1200s. It is no longer on an island . . . either the ground's been rising or the water's been receding. You be the judge. It was ruined by fire twice and was restored. We were able to see most of the castle, including a couple of churchs INSIDE the castle and the king and queen's rooms. There was also a museum that had rooms set up to show what it was like in the earlier days. In the museum, there was a Lego rendition of the castle.
After the castle, we walked along the river and took a quick ferry bridge to the other side. We then had lunch on a boat . . . very nice and relaxing. After a jaunt somewhat uphill, we jumped on the train to return to Tampere.
Dr. Fairweather shared that there was a movie playing at the movie theatre (in the old textile building) about Nazis who traveled to the dark side of the moon during World War II. It was created and produced by students/alumni of University of Tampere. It was done in English (or so we thought). Four of us (Marta, Kate, Vaughn, and I) went to see it tonight. The other main language was German (we should've known that). It was termed as a sci-fi, comedy, and action/adventure; and I would say it was all that and more. Hilarious! You should IMDb it. Only two more days in Tampere, although we are traveling to Jyvaskla tomorrow.
After the castle, we walked along the river and took a quick ferry bridge to the other side. We then had lunch on a boat . . . very nice and relaxing. After a jaunt somewhat uphill, we jumped on the train to return to Tampere.
Dr. Fairweather shared that there was a movie playing at the movie theatre (in the old textile building) about Nazis who traveled to the dark side of the moon during World War II. It was created and produced by students/alumni of University of Tampere. It was done in English (or so we thought). Four of us (Marta, Kate, Vaughn, and I) went to see it tonight. The other main language was German (we should've known that). It was termed as a sci-fi, comedy, and action/adventure; and I would say it was all that and more. Hilarious! You should IMDb it. Only two more days in Tampere, although we are traveling to Jyvaskla tomorrow.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Walking Tour of Tampere . . . and Munkkis
Hello, blog readers! Today was a wonderful and relaxing day in Tampere. We started with a guided walking tour with a very knowledgable tour guide. She explained the history of Tampere and how it became a worker town in the 1800s. There is one factory still working and produces cardboard. There were also textile and steel factories. The factories were built by the rapids which helped run the electricity in the city. The rapids connects the large lake with the small lake. The most well known factory in Tampere is Finlayson which was the textile company.
Unlike many cities in the United States, the city of Tampere decided to keep most of their factory buildings for historical purposes. These buildings were re-purposed as apartments, offices, or shopping areas. Really, simply amazing.
The tour ended with us taking a hike up a LARGE hill to the Pynikki Tower where the best Munkkis are made. Contrary to what I explained in an earlier blog, a Munkki is a type of donut covered in sugar. The ones we tried just came out of the oven and were nice and warm. The best way to explain the munkki is denser than a yeast donut but not as dense as a cake donut. Again, amazing.
After that, we parted ways and explored the city. The group I was in went to the European Market which was located in a park that's approximately 1km long. We saw shops from France, Italy, Spain, and I think Germany. There was a shop that makes yarn from lamb's wool. There were two pastry places and a french bakery with fresh bagettes. Yummy.
I split off from the group and continued to explore on my own. I stopped at a place that offered several different types of hard ciders. I tried blueberry cider. Again, very good. I then went to an area close to the Finlayson factory that was the stables for the factory horses. This area is now shops and a cafe. Unfortunately, I arrived after the stores closed. :( Next to the stables is the Finlayson church. I saw the end of a wedding! The bride and groom came out of the church and walked through a wall of bubbles. I then watched them get into one of the smallest cars ever!
At the end of the day, I looked at my pedometer . . . I walked 9.5 miles!
Unlike many cities in the United States, the city of Tampere decided to keep most of their factory buildings for historical purposes. These buildings were re-purposed as apartments, offices, or shopping areas. Really, simply amazing.
The tour ended with us taking a hike up a LARGE hill to the Pynikki Tower where the best Munkkis are made. Contrary to what I explained in an earlier blog, a Munkki is a type of donut covered in sugar. The ones we tried just came out of the oven and were nice and warm. The best way to explain the munkki is denser than a yeast donut but not as dense as a cake donut. Again, amazing.
After that, we parted ways and explored the city. The group I was in went to the European Market which was located in a park that's approximately 1km long. We saw shops from France, Italy, Spain, and I think Germany. There was a shop that makes yarn from lamb's wool. There were two pastry places and a french bakery with fresh bagettes. Yummy.
I split off from the group and continued to explore on my own. I stopped at a place that offered several different types of hard ciders. I tried blueberry cider. Again, very good. I then went to an area close to the Finlayson factory that was the stables for the factory horses. This area is now shops and a cafe. Unfortunately, I arrived after the stores closed. :( Next to the stables is the Finlayson church. I saw the end of a wedding! The bride and groom came out of the church and walked through a wall of bubbles. I then watched them get into one of the smallest cars ever!
At the end of the day, I looked at my pedometer . . . I walked 9.5 miles!
Academic Freedom Alive and Well at University of Tampere
I realized after I got in bed last night that I did not provide a post on what happened on Friday. I hope you're not too broken up about it. ;)
On Friday, we took a 15 minute walk to the University of Tampere (1925) campus. The university buildings were located all around the city, but recently (I don't know when exactly), they moved to one campus; minus the School of Medicine (they always have to be difficult ;) ). The main focus of Tampere is Social Sciences. In 2011, they did a complete overhaul of their organization and removed quite a bit of their disciplines/majors and departments. Now, there are nine schools of study and 25 specialities. The enrollment is approximately 15,000.
In the afternoon we met with Seppo Holtta, professor in the Higher Education Group (HEG), and several doctoral students and university lecturers (assistant professors). Seppo provided us with his candid view of the changes to the university and how these changes affect the HED speciality. Very enlightening. A unique program HEG offers is a non-degree program in higher education administration. This is meant for those practitioners in the field who haven't actually studied higher education but they don't want another masters program. A masters degree is 120 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) and the non-degree program is only 40 ECTS. It is very successful; many members of the Ministry of Education have participated.
After meeting with HEG, the group returned to the hotel for some relaxation and met up at 6pm for dinner. We attempted to eat Jack the Rooster, but it was packed. Instead, we tried an Italian restaurant on the water. It was very nice. I'll have to remember the pizza I had and compare it to pizza in Italy. ;) We then had ice cream from the K Market (grocery store) before enjoying a relaxing evening. This marks day 7 in Finland!
On Friday, we took a 15 minute walk to the University of Tampere (1925) campus. The university buildings were located all around the city, but recently (I don't know when exactly), they moved to one campus; minus the School of Medicine (they always have to be difficult ;) ). The main focus of Tampere is Social Sciences. In 2011, they did a complete overhaul of their organization and removed quite a bit of their disciplines/majors and departments. Now, there are nine schools of study and 25 specialities. The enrollment is approximately 15,000.
In the afternoon we met with Seppo Holtta, professor in the Higher Education Group (HEG), and several doctoral students and university lecturers (assistant professors). Seppo provided us with his candid view of the changes to the university and how these changes affect the HED speciality. Very enlightening. A unique program HEG offers is a non-degree program in higher education administration. This is meant for those practitioners in the field who haven't actually studied higher education but they don't want another masters program. A masters degree is 120 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) and the non-degree program is only 40 ECTS. It is very successful; many members of the Ministry of Education have participated.
After meeting with HEG, the group returned to the hotel for some relaxation and met up at 6pm for dinner. We attempted to eat Jack the Rooster, but it was packed. Instead, we tried an Italian restaurant on the water. It was very nice. I'll have to remember the pizza I had and compare it to pizza in Italy. ;) We then had ice cream from the K Market (grocery store) before enjoying a relaxing evening. This marks day 7 in Finland!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Rock Church in Helsinki, Christmas in Finland, and Tampere!
Today we had the opportunity to do some more exploring before jumping on the train to Tampere, Finland. We are staying in Tampere until Tuesday, May 29th when we return to Helsinki. Today, we enjoy breakfast on the Esplande, a city park, at the Cafe Esplande. I had a wonderful blueberry pastry and tried the largest merguine pastry I've ever seen! Then, Vaughn accompanied me to the Santa Claus Shoppe . . . OH . . . MY! I fell in love immediately . . . just ask Vaughn Love about my reaction. I could spend at least a couple of hours in the 1 large room. I think a trip to Bronners is in order when I return to Michigan.
We then headed to the Temppelaukio Church, or the Rock Church, in Helsinki. It is a church that was built among the rock. The walls of the church are actual rock walls. Amazing. While there we were lucky to watch a visiting chamber choir from Wuttermberg, Germany. All I can say is, WOW!
After grabbing lunch, we jumped on the train and made it to Tampere in roughly 2 hours. The countryside of Finland is beautiful and timeless. We made it to our hotel in one piece. Dr. Fairweather made reservations at a restaurant, Plevna. It was great! Now, I'm getting ready for bed.
Oh--I need to mention that Angry Birds are here . . . EVERYWHERE! Does anyone have any idea why they are so popular here? In fact, the World Ice Hockey Championship had an Angry Bird as its mascot. Furthermore, I found two different types of drinks in cans that have Angry Birds on them. I had to buy them and took pictures for you all. I'll post them soon.
Later!
We then headed to the Temppelaukio Church, or the Rock Church, in Helsinki. It is a church that was built among the rock. The walls of the church are actual rock walls. Amazing. While there we were lucky to watch a visiting chamber choir from Wuttermberg, Germany. All I can say is, WOW!
After grabbing lunch, we jumped on the train and made it to Tampere in roughly 2 hours. The countryside of Finland is beautiful and timeless. We made it to our hotel in one piece. Dr. Fairweather made reservations at a restaurant, Plevna. It was great! Now, I'm getting ready for bed.
Oh--I need to mention that Angry Birds are here . . . EVERYWHERE! Does anyone have any idea why they are so popular here? In fact, the World Ice Hockey Championship had an Angry Bird as its mascot. Furthermore, I found two different types of drinks in cans that have Angry Birds on them. I had to buy them and took pictures for you all. I'll post them soon.
Later!
Aalto University and the Masters of Aalto Year Show
I had no access to the internet on Wednesday, so this blog is a little late. Wednesday began with checking out of the University of Hesinki Guest House and then walking to Dr. Fairweather's hotel to grab taxis to go to Aalto University. Aalto is in one of Helsinki's suburbs, Espoo. Aalto opened its doors January 1, 2010 and was created when three other universities merged: Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki School of Economics, and University of Art and Design Helsinki. Currently they are at three separate campuses, but the goal is to move all of the bachelor students to the Espoo campus by 2015 (I think). They are currently in the process of reforming the bachelor program so it aligns with the Bologna Process. Aalto University's organization resembles that of American schools because it has a board of external members and schools (instead of Faculties).
We had a tour of the Espoo campus, which was the Helsinki University of Technology campus before Aalto was created. Again, this campus is very similar to a campus you would find in America. They even have campus housing . . . but the university doesn't control the housing. We did not get to see the housing. :( After touring the campus, we attended the Year Show which showcases the theses of the masters students . . . 92 exhibits. They had a very cool system to provide you with additional information of exhibits that you liked. I indicated on a card what exhibits I liked and at the end I put the card in a machine and it created a website specifically for me with those exhibits. My favorite was the creation of the Half Chair! Many of us sit on the front half of a chair and then lean back, but this isn't good for posture and back. So, this chair gives you the half seat with the backing. Simply amazing! When I get a chance, I'll give you the website so you can see what exhibits I liked. Click here for the website.
We had to check in at another hotel . . . for one night. This hotel is located in the northen part of the city . . . no where near the City Centre. Ironically, the restaurant we decided to go to was closer to our original hotel. This restaurant, Savu, is located on the island Tervassari. It was amazing!! We were there for about 3 hours and got back to the hotel about 10:30pm . . . just as the sun was setting. :)
Overall, it was a wonderful day. We are currently taking the train to Tampere. Dr. Fairweather knows this city extremely well because he's been coming to the University of Tampere since 2004.
We had a tour of the Espoo campus, which was the Helsinki University of Technology campus before Aalto was created. Again, this campus is very similar to a campus you would find in America. They even have campus housing . . . but the university doesn't control the housing. We did not get to see the housing. :( After touring the campus, we attended the Year Show which showcases the theses of the masters students . . . 92 exhibits. They had a very cool system to provide you with additional information of exhibits that you liked. I indicated on a card what exhibits I liked and at the end I put the card in a machine and it created a website specifically for me with those exhibits. My favorite was the creation of the Half Chair! Many of us sit on the front half of a chair and then lean back, but this isn't good for posture and back. So, this chair gives you the half seat with the backing. Simply amazing! When I get a chance, I'll give you the website so you can see what exhibits I liked. Click here for the website.
We had to check in at another hotel . . . for one night. This hotel is located in the northen part of the city . . . no where near the City Centre. Ironically, the restaurant we decided to go to was closer to our original hotel. This restaurant, Savu, is located on the island Tervassari. It was amazing!! We were there for about 3 hours and got back to the hotel about 10:30pm . . . just as the sun was setting. :)
Overall, it was a wonderful day. We are currently taking the train to Tampere. Dr. Fairweather knows this city extremely well because he's been coming to the University of Tampere since 2004.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Swedish, The Royal Academy of Turku, and Finnish Cuisine
Today was another day full of information and adventure. It began with being picked up in Timo's van which originally belonged to University of Tampere. All 8 of us fit nicely in it. We met with members of HEINE (see info in the previous) and discussed the history of the study of higher education in Finland, which includes a joint program between University of Tampere and University of Helsinki. There are 4 doctoral students from University of Helsinki and 8 from University of Tampere. This is the only cohort and the funding runs until the end of 2015. The students in University of Helsinki must be accepted by the Department of Political Science and Economics Studies before being accepted in the Higher Education studies program. This is similar to what the United States had before the study of Higher Education became prevalent. All very interesting. I'm sure I cannot do the information justice in the realm of the blog, but at least you get a sense.
After lunch we met with the Swedish School of Social Sciences which is an autonomous unit in the University of Helsinki. Swedish is considered one of Finland's national languages and there are 2 universities, 2 polytechnics, and 1 unit in Finland that are strictly Swedish, while 6 universities and 2 polytechnics are bilingual universities. This means that the course instruction is done in one language (usually Finnish) but the students have the right to take exams/do presentations in their choice of language. The Swedish School of Social Sciences is the unit that is strictly Swedish. They receive funding from the Ministry of Education, separate from the other faculties (or colleges) in University of Helsinki. We learned about the history of the University of Helsinki which was founded in 1640 . . . only four years later than Harvard! It was founded as The Royal Academy of Turku (which is the first capital of Finland). Then, in 1828, Alexander 1 (Russia) moved the capital and the university to Helsinki, mainly because it was further away from Sweden and closer to Russia. In 1917, the name officially changed to the University of Helsinki.
The day ended with a wonderful tour of the City Centre campus of The University of Helsinki. The tour included the room where the university meetings with professor and administrators were held (consortium). Since 2010 when the universities became autonomous and essentially created their own boards, the room is only used for special occasions. We also saw the large room where commencements are held every 3-5 years, as well as the university welcome. The other two places we spent time at was the University Museum and the National Library. Both were simply beautiful. Once I'm abe to upload pictures, you'll see what I mean.
Our tour guide, Arto Aniluoto, is a current doctoral student at University of Helsinki and his hobby is university history. He joined us for dinner and recommended an excellent place to experience Finnish cuisine. Two of my classmates had stew that included rabbit, lamb, and elk (or moose). Asparagus is currently in season, so I had that along with salmon and new potatoes. Simply amazing.
Oh--I did some quick research. The sun sets around 10pm and rises around 4:30am. So, we actually have about 6 hours of darkness . . . not the 2 hours I originally said. Either way, I keep waking up at 4:30am, thinking it is time to get up. Ugh!
After lunch we met with the Swedish School of Social Sciences which is an autonomous unit in the University of Helsinki. Swedish is considered one of Finland's national languages and there are 2 universities, 2 polytechnics, and 1 unit in Finland that are strictly Swedish, while 6 universities and 2 polytechnics are bilingual universities. This means that the course instruction is done in one language (usually Finnish) but the students have the right to take exams/do presentations in their choice of language. The Swedish School of Social Sciences is the unit that is strictly Swedish. They receive funding from the Ministry of Education, separate from the other faculties (or colleges) in University of Helsinki. We learned about the history of the University of Helsinki which was founded in 1640 . . . only four years later than Harvard! It was founded as The Royal Academy of Turku (which is the first capital of Finland). Then, in 1828, Alexander 1 (Russia) moved the capital and the university to Helsinki, mainly because it was further away from Sweden and closer to Russia. In 1917, the name officially changed to the University of Helsinki.
The day ended with a wonderful tour of the City Centre campus of The University of Helsinki. The tour included the room where the university meetings with professor and administrators were held (consortium). Since 2010 when the universities became autonomous and essentially created their own boards, the room is only used for special occasions. We also saw the large room where commencements are held every 3-5 years, as well as the university welcome. The other two places we spent time at was the University Museum and the National Library. Both were simply beautiful. Once I'm abe to upload pictures, you'll see what I mean.
Our tour guide, Arto Aniluoto, is a current doctoral student at University of Helsinki and his hobby is university history. He joined us for dinner and recommended an excellent place to experience Finnish cuisine. Two of my classmates had stew that included rabbit, lamb, and elk (or moose). Asparagus is currently in season, so I had that along with salmon and new potatoes. Simply amazing.
Oh--I did some quick research. The sun sets around 10pm and rises around 4:30am. So, we actually have about 6 hours of darkness . . . not the 2 hours I originally said. Either way, I keep waking up at 4:30am, thinking it is time to get up. Ugh!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Ministry of Education Becoming Hands Off . . .
Today marked the official first day of "class." The day started off with exploring a cafe around the corner, Kakku & Leipa Keisari (www.kakkukeisari.fi). They had wonderful pastries and mini quiches. Pefect way to start a busy day.
Seppo Holtta, University of Tampere, met us at our front gate and we walked to Dr. Fairweather's hotel to pick him up. We then jumped on the tram to meet with Timo Aarrevaara and members of the Network for Higher Education and Innovation Research (HEINE). They shared their perspectives on the changes to the higher education system: moving from centralized administration with the Ministry of Education to decentralized to the individual institutions (very similar to what we have in the United States.) We then experienced their cafeteria. Definitely not as many options as Brody (MSU), but decent food.
After lunch, we met with two representatives from the Ministry of Education and learned more of their perspectives. An interesting fact: students interested in attending postsecondary education submit one application and indicate what universities/polytechnics in which they are interested. The Ministry then informs the student which ones they have enough "points" to enter. In previous years, the students could then enroll in different programs at different institutions. However, beginning soon, the students will only be allowed to enroll in one institution.
Universities in Helsinki are similar to the research universities here. Polytechnic institutions are a mix between community colleges and regional universities. Their main focus is the teaching (not research) and connection with the community. They are not funded by the local community like our community colleges, but they provide workshops and seminars to the local community.
We are a long break between the Ministry of Education visit and the last visit with the Academy of Finland and the Fulbright Center. So, we went to the Market close to the water and had Munkkki (Finnish donut) and coffee. YUMMM!!! So many pastries to experience in Finland!
The Academy of Finland is similar to the National Science Foundation (NSF) in America. The Academy provides 327 million Euros for funding to universities. The Fulbright Center specializes in academic exchanges between Finland and North America. They provide grants for scholars from Finland and the United States to study in the other country.
The meetings ended around 5pm. The group of students experienced a Finnish market (K Extra) and grabbed food for dinner and breakfast. Much cheaper than always eating out. Another good thing regarding Finland is that we can drink the water here . . . so far so good. :)
Stay tuned for more tomorrow . . .
Seppo Holtta, University of Tampere, met us at our front gate and we walked to Dr. Fairweather's hotel to pick him up. We then jumped on the tram to meet with Timo Aarrevaara and members of the Network for Higher Education and Innovation Research (HEINE). They shared their perspectives on the changes to the higher education system: moving from centralized administration with the Ministry of Education to decentralized to the individual institutions (very similar to what we have in the United States.) We then experienced their cafeteria. Definitely not as many options as Brody (MSU), but decent food.
After lunch, we met with two representatives from the Ministry of Education and learned more of their perspectives. An interesting fact: students interested in attending postsecondary education submit one application and indicate what universities/polytechnics in which they are interested. The Ministry then informs the student which ones they have enough "points" to enter. In previous years, the students could then enroll in different programs at different institutions. However, beginning soon, the students will only be allowed to enroll in one institution.
Universities in Helsinki are similar to the research universities here. Polytechnic institutions are a mix between community colleges and regional universities. Their main focus is the teaching (not research) and connection with the community. They are not funded by the local community like our community colleges, but they provide workshops and seminars to the local community.
We are a long break between the Ministry of Education visit and the last visit with the Academy of Finland and the Fulbright Center. So, we went to the Market close to the water and had Munkkki (Finnish donut) and coffee. YUMMM!!! So many pastries to experience in Finland!
The Academy of Finland is similar to the National Science Foundation (NSF) in America. The Academy provides 327 million Euros for funding to universities. The Fulbright Center specializes in academic exchanges between Finland and North America. They provide grants for scholars from Finland and the United States to study in the other country.
The meetings ended around 5pm. The group of students experienced a Finnish market (K Extra) and grabbed food for dinner and breakfast. Much cheaper than always eating out. Another good thing regarding Finland is that we can drink the water here . . . so far so good. :)
Stay tuned for more tomorrow . . .
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Suomenlinna . . . Sea Fortress
On my first full day in Helsinki, I slept until 9am! Granted, the sun was up by 4:30am, but I did not let that keep me from sleeping. The group met with our professor, Dr. Jim Fairweather at 11am. We had coffee at Robert's Coffee, across from where Jim is staying, and reviewed our itinerary. Then, we proceeded to the Esplande Park which is at the heart of Helsinki. It is a nice gathering place for tourists and locals, alike. We found a very nice cafe next to the Esplande, Cafe Esplande, to have lunch. It was very relaxing and excellent food.
After lunch, we decided to take a ferry to the Sea Fortress: Suomenlinna (www.suomenlinna.fi). Here's a brief explanation: "Founded on islands off the coast of Helsinki in 1748, the Suomenlinna sea fortress is a cultural treasure. It's construction began in the 1700s when Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The guns that still face West on the ramparts at Kustaanmiekka are a reminder of the period under Russian rule in the 19th century." (Suomenlinna pamphlet). It was very beautiful and lots of hiking. We saw building built inside hills and thought (1) they were houses and then (2) kilns. We were wrong on both accounts. These buildings held gun powder for the guns that were at the top. This way, the soldiers could run the gun powder quickly up to the cannons.
After spending roughly 3 hours on the island, we took the ferry back to the mainland and proceeded to find a place to eat. The two places that were recommended to us (through Lonely Planet) were not possible due to no reservation or the restaurant was closed. So, we ended back at Cafe Esplande for dinner. The pastries we saw earlier in the tempted us so much that 5 out of the 7 of us had one with our dinner. I had a apple tart with vanilla syrup/cream. Simply amazing.
It is now a little after 10pm and it is now slowly getting dusk out. It feels like 7pm, but my body is telling me otherwise. Tomorrow will consist of history of Finnish higher education and visits. I'm sure it will be another full day.
After lunch, we decided to take a ferry to the Sea Fortress: Suomenlinna (www.suomenlinna.fi). Here's a brief explanation: "Founded on islands off the coast of Helsinki in 1748, the Suomenlinna sea fortress is a cultural treasure. It's construction began in the 1700s when Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The guns that still face West on the ramparts at Kustaanmiekka are a reminder of the period under Russian rule in the 19th century." (Suomenlinna pamphlet). It was very beautiful and lots of hiking. We saw building built inside hills and thought (1) they were houses and then (2) kilns. We were wrong on both accounts. These buildings held gun powder for the guns that were at the top. This way, the soldiers could run the gun powder quickly up to the cannons.
After spending roughly 3 hours on the island, we took the ferry back to the mainland and proceeded to find a place to eat. The two places that were recommended to us (through Lonely Planet) were not possible due to no reservation or the restaurant was closed. So, we ended back at Cafe Esplande for dinner. The pastries we saw earlier in the tempted us so much that 5 out of the 7 of us had one with our dinner. I had a apple tart with vanilla syrup/cream. Simply amazing.
It is now a little after 10pm and it is now slowly getting dusk out. It feels like 7pm, but my body is telling me otherwise. Tomorrow will consist of history of Finnish higher education and visits. I'm sure it will be another full day.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
In Helsinki!
We made it safe and sound. The taxi ride was smooth and we saw a cat sitting in a driver's lap on our way to our destination. We're staying at the University of Helsinki's Guest House. I'm able to get internet connection on my Nook, but not my netbook. So, I might not be able to Skype with the parents. :( I'll keep trying though.
At the airport we saw a group of Czech Republic hockey fans here for the international hockey tournament. That ends on May 20th. Oh, did I tell you that Finland currently has 22 hours of sunlight . . . and the 2 hours that aren't are really more like dusk. I have a mask to help me sleep.
Okay, more later.
First Leg done!
The flight from Detroit was pretty uneventful. My seat assignment was in the middle, so it wasn't easy for me to get up when I needed. I couldn't fall asleep until the descent into Amsterdam . . . go figure. Passport control went smooth. The agent asked me how long I was staying in Finland . . . I couldn't the exact number of days, but told him from May 18th until the 31st. I then proceeded to forget that I was wearing a pedometer and walked through the metal detector with it on. Those agents then asked me about it. Surprising I walked 1000 steps from the arrival gate to the passport control. Do you believe the pedometer? In 10 minutes Vaughn and I will be boarding our plane to Helsinki. Wish us luck!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Countdown Begins . . .
Thanks to my leadership class during the spring semester, I decided to develop a blog for my 23 days in Europe. I am leaving at 6pm on Friday, May 18, 2012. I started my packing list, but still do not know what clothes I'll be bringing. The weather forecast for Helsinki is high 50s/low 60s AND the forecast for Italy is high 70s/low 80s. Talk about a packing nightmare!!! I have 2 more days before I am Finland-bound, so keep checking back.
BTW--if you want to know more about the places we're visiting in Finland, right click on the calendar item and choose "open in new tab". This will open the item and the website will be available there.
One more thing, add your e-mail address and you will always know when I add a new post to the blog!
BTW--if you want to know more about the places we're visiting in Finland, right click on the calendar item and choose "open in new tab". This will open the item and the website will be available there.
One more thing, add your e-mail address and you will always know when I add a new post to the blog!
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