MIDTERM TRAINING in SOPUKKA

Hello dear bloggers and blogreaders. 

It's winter and it's really cold outside, but I hope that you're all doing well and if not, read my heartwarming post and I am sure that you will feel better.

Today I will tell you about midterm training which was in Training Centre Sopukka.

This was only 3 day training, but that was enough to recharge our energy batteries and to increase positive emotions.

Training was very interesting. We talked about our projects and we shared our experiences. This time we had more things to discuss, because we have all  been in Finland for quite long time.

We had little group presentations about our projects and some other group works.

I really liked all the group activities, because we were working in small groups which was making easier to know each other better.

 For me the best part was meeting my friends from previous trainig, because we really missed each other, even though we sometimes organise meetings. This was a great chance to spend more time together again.
As this group was bigger, and there were more people from different countries I had great time while talking to them about their country culture and of course it was pleasure to tell them about Armenia.
I really enjoyed this midterm training, even if this was by the end of my project, so this was my term-end training.
Thanks for reading!!!

Celebrating Finnish Independence Day 

or 

ITSENÄISYYSPÄIVÄ

 

Finland became independent on December 6, 1917, this day is a national public holiday and a flag day in Finland. This year  Finland celebrated 102 years of Independence, and I was a part of this celebration. We celebrated the day with our coordinator Riina's and coach Irene's families. That was a typical Finnish way of celebrating the day and I felt like a part of this country and people.

We started the day watching the legendary film ''The Unknown Soldier'' based on a novel about  the Second World War. Later we lighted blue and white candles and had a dinner all together.

Ater the the dinner it was time for the most important event, which is Independence Day Reception held by the President. It is a gala event for VIPs and specially selected guests and Veterans. The invitees include high-ranking officers, politicians, diplomats, as entertainers and activists. This event is broadcast on national TV. The TV reporters make comments about all the guests as they line up and shake hands with the president and his spouse on the way in. And we also did some commentary with our observation, while playing specal 'Bingo'.






 After the handshaking ceremony the band started playing, guests were enjoying the evening:dancing, eating and drinking and reporters are interviewing famous people and asking them about their ideas on independence.

But of course here everyone has his own way of celebrating this day. The main point is that the country worked hard to gain its freedom and fought hard to keep it. People learn at a young age that self-determination should never be taken for granted and they are reminded of this every year on December 6.

My trip to Poland

Hello everyone. I have already told you that traveling is one of my hobbies and I was going to travel inside and outside of Finland. I managed to be in Helsinki, Provoo, Turku, Inari and even Norway where i went with my hosting organisation Lahti City Youth Services. And today I am going to tell you about my trip to Poland. I planned it 3 months ago and immediately bought plane tickets. The trip started on 16th of November from Turku. I landed in Gdansk and went to my hostel. Living in hostel sometimes very funny because it is a good opportunity to meet new nice people from different countries. First day I spent with Erasmus+ exchange students from Spain. By the way Spanish people are too much friendly. open-minded eager to involve new people to their group, very musical and always want to dance. I really liked them. 

Malbork Catsle

Gdansk

Second day I met boys from Slovenia and Russia who were spending their's holiday in Gdansk. We traveled together in Gdansk and some Polish cities Sopot, Malbork and etc.  That was a really good time I will keep in my mind. 

Then because the guys had to continue their's trip to Königsberg they offerd me to join them and I joind with great pleasure. We went to Königsberg and spent there one night and the next they I came back to Gdansk because was overing. So I spent my last day by preparing to leave and did some shopping.

Königsberg

 So it was my first independent tour where i was alone and had to be very careful and punctual. The trip gave me more confidance, knowladge to orientate in a strange countries and cities. It also helped me to be well-organized so I could manage my time to see everything I planned and not only. Traveling is education as well, during it you can communicate with different people and learn from them.  Visiting museums and historical places can affect well on your thinking. So now I feel myself more confidence, more well-organized, a bit more creative and full of experience.

Return from Croatia - evaluation and feelings

Oona and Krista spent two months in Vrginmost working at the local youth house and now is the time for the return training to evaluate their experience.

The return training at Multi-Culti was a combination of  a lot of talking, cooking, tea and two very adapted volunteers. Krista and Oona seemed to be very satisfied with their experience but were also confident talking about the things they would improve in their journey.

During their time in Croatia they had the possibility to travel and get to know the host country. Experiencing the diversity and the history. Discovering their own skills and learning to trust themselves in different situations.

Of course their time in Croatia offered a lot of learning experiences, f. ex. the importance of being alone, similarities regarding food from different countries and how differently people takes care of domestic chores. They got quite used to writing on Croatian keyboard, so now back home they are looking for the right letter when using Finnish keyboards. And the doors open the "wrong" way and that the light switches are not placed at the same heights. So during two months you can get very well used to do things in a specific way.   

Oona and Krista didn't recognize any culture shock when returning back to Finland but they were able to see a lot of benefits from their experience: They got more confident in speaking English and entering situations they were a bit uncomfortable with. They got to know themselves in a foreign situation and realized they would be alright traveling anywhere.

''LAPLAND''

TRIP TO YOUTH HOLIDAY CENTRE VASATOKKA 

AND A PERFECT DAY IN NORWAY

HELLO, HELLO, HELLO!!!

Today I want to share with you my memories of an incredible trip to Northern Finland. 

I spent a week in Vasatokka, and that was one of the best travel experiences that I had in my life.

Vasatokka was a beautiful place, and it was perfect for observing Lapland's nature. This is a place where nature has been kept unspoiled.

I had a week full of interesting activities organized by Youth centre Vasatokka.

We had a tour to Inari Reindeer Farm. It was an incredible experience meeting Inari Sami people and their reindeers. Of course this was the first time in my life to see reindeers, before this reindeers were only Christmas magic for me(Santa, reindeers and elves😂😂😂).They have a big farm where reindeers are kept, and there was a little but interesting handicraft shop and reindeers safari. We had a little presentation about Sami culture and history.

 As Sami culture is must know if you are in Lapland, we had the next trip  to Sami museum in Inari. Sami people are native to Lapland, they have different tribes, and all they wear different native clothing. There are only 9000 Sami people around Finland, but still they have their own language and flags.

 The next place where I have been was very special.

It was Husky Sledding park in Inari. This was a big Husky camp, where different types of that nice creatures were living. You cannot believe, but in this camp there were more than 70 huskies living in a peace and love.

And we had a special day. It was day when we traveled to Norway. The place where we have been, was not too far from Lapland, but when we crossed the border everything changed, it was another world, everything there was differet. It was very nice place by the Arctic ocean. Photos and words can't show the indescribable beauty of Norwegian nature. 

 Later we had ''Survival skills'' activities in a forest near Vasatokka, that was interesting, helpful and very cold, but it was survival skill lesson, so we survived.😅
And later we had hendicraft workshop, where we made some keychains and jewelery, but not usual ones. Everything was made of reindeer bones and leather.
This was another special week of my life in Finland. And my special thanks to Lahti City Youth Services for organizing this tour, and  for making me a part of it !!! 😊😊😊

6 UNFORGETTABLE DAYS IN 

''VILLA ELBA''

The last week was a week full of memories, emotions and good vibes. 

From 28.10-02.11.2019 we had an on-arrival training in Kokkola in a very warm and hospitable Youth Centre Villa Elba.

Evrything was highly organized for us to feel comfort.

I met all the volunteers at a train station, and when we talked a little bit all together, I said to myself   

''-This  gonna be a cool week.'' and I was right, and it was far more cool than I could imagine. 17 volunteers from different countries of Europe and not only, took part in this training. And all the people who were in Kokkola were super friendly and sociable, so we could easily communicate and have fun together.

One thing that made me really happy was that we created a real team from the firt day. There were no misunderstandings or some conflicts between us, and I liked it.From the very beginning of training I felt a good and strong SPIRIT that all volunteers had. Training program was also very interesting, we had many attractive group activities about volunteering in Europe, volunteering principles, about the solidarity in our projects and ect., we got some practical information about ESC  programmes and Erasmus+, we had 2 days of finnish language lessons and they were really hepful.

We visited the first Arctic museum which is in Pietarsaari.

      

And we have been in Laivurintalo, where we had coffee and pulla and a presentation about Kokkola, and after we had a walking city tour.

And I am really happy that I was a part of  this training, now I know more good people around the world, and yes, now I can say that I have good friends around the Europe. 

I will always keep this good memories from Kokkola.

HALLOWEEN!!

 31.9. thursday we had a halloween party. 

 We carved pumpkins with kids and made waffels and played different kinds of board- and card games.