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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Friday

     Friday was our final day in Finland, and arguably the best. The day started with a final presentation at the Heureka science center, a culmination of our experiences in Finland. We were offered the opportunity to experience the activities in the center for one final time before our trip to Hvittrask, the Saarien family manor.
     Hvittrask is an architectural wonder, and a masterful presentation of both Finnish , and American architectural styles. The housing complex was once home to several famous Finnish architects, and the styles, art, and decor was represenative of of this unique circumstance.
     After our private tour we hiked to a beautiful bluff overlooking a lake, and some famous Finnish petroglyphs. Following the ordeal the group was rewarded by a traditional Finnish sauna by the lake. The next few hours progressed in a haze of relaxation, and pleasure as we enjoyed the Sauna, and a private dinner. 
    

Thursday

     Thursday started out like a usual day of school, we got up early, prepped and waited for the bus, except our bus was a tram system, and we were in the heart of Helsinki, but same stuff. We met our header for the morning Karki Havaste. Karki whom we met on our first night for dinner is a student at the local preforming arts college Kallio.
     We dropped our coats on hangers, and grabbed some slippers, for it was going to be a long day. Our fist class was perceptions in media, a class that focused on the American students in the back of the room on bean bag chairs. Our next class of the day was gym, which we promptly skipped to go cafe hopping. Drunk with euros and excitement the group spent the next few hours dinning at famous high society spots in Helsinki. But we had to return for our next classes, some went to math II and others went to Finnish studies. No matter we all met after our courses, to present once again for the Environmental sciences class.
     After school the kids went on to do more cafe hopping, and shopping!
     The day turned to night as the whole American group proceeded to (poorly) navigate the Finnish public transportation system to a dinner a Mikko Myllykosi's home.

Wednesday

Wednesday the kids went back to school. To help further educate us children, we were gifted with the opportunity to attend Svenska Normallyceum a Swedish speaking grammar school. Finnish schools operate on block scheduling, So the classes lasted for an hour and forty minutes. Our fist class of the day was an Foreign language class, specifically English. The group was asked to present, and teach in front of the classroom ( and to dispel negative American stereotypes). Following English we attended ethics of the judiciary system, we were also asked to present, and we did in fact learn a little bit about Finnish legal processes. This lead into our final class, Science!
     When the day was over the students were lead around the city by Pinja, to explore more of Helsinki's exquisite cafe culture. Cafe hopping soon lead into a meeting with Tommi, and the rest of the Demos think tank. For the next two hours American, and Finnish minds melded into one, to solve the complex issues surrounding Adirondack transportation issues.
     After our meeting with Demos, the group proceeded to attend a community activities group Dodo. The night was marked by presentations from bike enthusiasts, and global alternative economic leaders. But once again we were called to present before the group.
     After our meeting with Dodo we had an interesting dinner of Finnish Korean.