Today is Monday, May 11th, 2009, the official last day of GSE 5550 Canada to 1380 Finland. For a month I haven't been able to find the Finnish words I need and now I cannot find the English words I need. Fantastic, Incredible, Nice, Lifelong, Amazing, New and Delightful, that's Finland. The warmth, humor, kindness and hospitality of the Finns will stay with me always (but I might let go of the ice-bath memory!. So it's time to explain the complicated yet ingenious point system that we devised for this GSE trip. WHAT'S THE POINT? you may wonder. Just for fun. So for the review: MARTY - he had the best souvenir, a DIEMO lazered metallic desk stand that depicted the Maple Leaf and Moomin, very good. 50 pts. Marty was never cold in Finland. He wore short sleeves (and at least twice nothing!) and everyone always asked him, "Aren't you cold?" and his reply was always the same, " I'm freezing. Marty Friesen." 20 pts. Marty had many memorable point-making moments: when he ordered a Baltic yacht (30 pts), when he ate bacon every morning possible (minus pts), when he turned into a fanatic hockey fan and sang the Finnish version of Hockey night in canada (100 pts), when he smashed his finger playing Uniball (50 pts)when he learned to introduce himself as Marty, from the Mestaranta (forest), 30 pts.and when he made an historic trip to Sisu Diesel (70 pts) But Marty's really BIG points comes from 3 important things: 1. meeting with Fredrick, the amazing inventor, 100 pts.
2. Learning that the sausage is the Finnish man's vegetable, 100 pts.
3. Naked Sauna, 1000 pts!!!!!
Go Marty!
Not to be outdone however, we come next to Christina - she really took to heart the slogan, Been there, done that, got the Tshirt. Christina made GSE tshirts for all of us and for the Finnish GSE team. Thanks, Christina! 100 pts. Christina had jet lag and made good points with a 3 a.m. conversation, 20 pts. She has interesting conversational phrases and picked up on the Finnish ones too, "Let's just say" 50 pts. and "Maybe let's go" 30 pts. She really blossomed at our last stop when she stayed with the ballroom dancing maestros, the Panulas. Christina danced, she watched dancing, she attended a major dance competition, and she even helped out with ballroom danicng lessons, all of which add up to 300 pts. But, the finale, the "piece de resistance", the BIG points, came when Christina took one for the team and her kayak overturned and she went into the cold Seinajoki river! 1000 pts. Go Christina!!!!
And I did try to keep up with my much younger friends but from the start they did take good care of me so I'll collect points from each of them:) 25x4=100 pts. thanks Team! Then I was the first, the leader, to go into the ice-cold Baltic Sea after sauna, 100 pts for me. And I kept referring to our last stop, Kauhajoki, as karaoke (20 pts). Big points because I actually like salmiakki! 50 pts. And to talk even further about the food, because you know that I loved the food in Finland, I give myself 100 pts.(not 1 per pound, I hope!) We had an amazing Rotarian host in Vaasa that organized our lives so well, Maj-Britt, so I stayed with her so I get her points! 180 pts. But of course, my biggest points came from a "mere slip of the finger" when I jammed it in a van door and took everyone on their first vocational visit to a hospital! 1000 pts. Hurray!
Now for Catherine's standings: from the start we discovered that she needs alot of sleep, and I mean alot! so for all her deprived-of-sleep nights, when we told her once, "Catherine, it's 12 a.m." and she flew out of the room to go to bed, 50 pts. Catherine didn't meet too many civil engineers,in fact only 3, but she brought us all along on a wonderful field trip to a Waste Management facility and we could tell that was a highlight for her! so she has a lovely souvenir of a bag of "waste", hmmm. okay, still 150 pts. And also from the start, Catherine had the best grasp of the Finnish language. she could ask for the bathroom anywhere in Finland! That's alot of points. 300 pts. But Catherine gets major points on behalf of her husband, Brad, who interviewed for and received the honour of an Ambassadorial Scholarship to do a PH'd in New Zealand. 1000 pts. Go Brad! Go Catherine!
And Laurel scored "gianormous" points throughout the trip too, in fact, 50 pts for letting us all use her word, gianormous! Well, you've heard enough about Laurel, the policewoman, getting lost while out jogging. 300 pts. but you should also know that she's the best at finding things! 100 pts. She managed to find not 1, but 2 lovely Icelandic music concerts. 100 pts. minus 50 pts. But the highlights of the point sytem for Laurel were when she witnessed a dog attack at a lovely Dog Show, when she found Diet Coke once, when she lost an entire 2 hours of blogging!, and when she proved she could hold the title of "SuperPower Shopper!" all of which earned her 1000 pts.(and anyway, everywhere we went, the Finns wanted to meet the "policewoman on the team"). Go Laurel!
SO, NOW TO ANNOUNCE TE WINNER!!!!!!drum roll please......ta dah...... THE WINNER IS
ROTARY GSE!
Of course, this was all in fun, but you know what, the whole trip was all in fun! We learned so much we can hardly describe it, although we made a pretty good stab at it by posting the blog, but the biggest thing we learned, is one of the best values of Rotary: true friendship. We are really leaving behind our new friends, and we want to say thank you to them and to Rotary for this most amazing experience. This was a lifelong adventure, "From Start to Finnish". Thank You.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Welcome to the Finnish GSE Team
It was so good to meet and greet such a wonderful Team and to start them on their journey in Canada's District 5550. I have enjoyed reading the blog and hope to catch up with you in Gimli on Tuesday so Cam & I can see your presentation. Enjoy your exchange.
From your honourary Finn (that you made me!!)....................Myrna King
From your honourary Finn (that you made me!!)....................Myrna King
Thanks for the Memories
Thank-you for the wonderful Blog, I have enjoyed reading about your journey. A special thanks to District 1380 for making the Canadian Team so warmly welcome. GSE certainly makes the world a wonderful place to exchange ideas, friendships and Rotary. The Finnish GSE Team arrived safely and are delightful. They were off to Kenora and met up with snow!! Today was a much better day. See you all back in Canada. Love Myrna
Last Few Days Before We´re Finnished
It is hard to believe that the Finland portion of my GSE is almost at the end. The last few days have really been great.
As I already mentioned, my hosts Jaakko and Helena are very involved in ballroom dancing. This has been great for me because Keith and I took lessons when we were in univeristy. Needless to say we have had many conversations about dancing. I even introduced Jaakko and Helena to the world of Michael Buble who has excellent music for dancing.
On Saturday I went with my hosts Jaakko and Helena and their daughter and boyfrined (Heidi-Maria and Artturi) to Vaasa for a ballroom dancing competition. The competition was the Finland Grand Prix. Heidi-Maria and Artturi were competing in the standard dancing portion of the competition so we were their "groupies."
Jaakko and Helena arranged a table right beside the dance floor so we literally had front row seats. In the words of a Celine Dion fan...You could smell the sweat! It felt like we were at a strictly ballroom dancing version of So You Think You Can Dance. The dancing was so spectacular that I didn´t even realize that I had been watching dancing for 8 hours! And I can´t even begin to describe the costumes...fantastic! To make the day even better, Heidi-Maria and Artturi danced beautifully and placed third in their group!
Today I met the team in the morning to wish Laurel and Marty farewell. It was sad to see them leave. We have experienced so much together.
After packing my suitcase and resting in the afternoon, the ballroom dancing activities continued when I went along with Jaakko and Helena to their ballroom dance lesson that they lead. I started out by helping with the secretarial and treaurer duties. Jaakko and Helena then spent an hour on waltz and an hour on cha cha cha. I was an extra "man" for some of the students and I was even "demo girl" for open breaks in cha cha cha. All in all it was a good day.
Tomorrow Catherine, Gailmarie and I travel to Vaasa for our flight to Stockholm. It will be once again very sad to leave my hosts. Like all my hosts, they have been so hospitable, generous, and welcoming.
Thanks again to all my hosts (Jaakko, Helena, Harry, Katriina, Pertti, Riita Liisa, Tiina, Hokan, Alvar, and Volter) for making this experience so memorable. I will remember your kindness always and I hope that we will meet again. Everyone is always welcome in Canada! Keep in touch!
Also...three cheers for Rotary for the GSE program. This has been a once in a lifetime opportunity. I experienced everything that I intended to experience here in Finland plus much more...including being baptized in the Seinjoki River!
I guess I am Finnished...until next time!
I suppose we are Finnished....
On Monday this one-month journey through Rotary District 1380 of Finland will come to an end. It has been a truly amazing experience. We have seen and done so much that would no be possible without the help of Rotary and Rotarians, and the GSE program. We have a acquired a knowledge of this area of the world and it's people that could not be obtained simply by travelling through.
What has struck me the most about the people I've met in the past month is their kindness and humbleness. Everyone welcomed us into their lives wholeheartedly and bent over backwards to make things possible for us. Thanks so much to all my host families who were kind beyond words: Jan-Erik and Nina, Anu-Liisa and Asko, Riita-Liisa and Pertti, and Juha and Erja. Thanks to you, I've learned what life is like in this part of Finland. I've made many new and amazing friends this past month. As a GSE team, the many experiences we have had have brought us closer together. We will never forget this time we've shared. We will all come away from this experience as better people, because we have truly experienced kindness, teamwork, adventure, and friendship. Thank you so much to everyone who has made this unforgettable experience a reality!
What has struck me the most about the people I've met in the past month is their kindness and humbleness. Everyone welcomed us into their lives wholeheartedly and bent over backwards to make things possible for us. Thanks so much to all my host families who were kind beyond words: Jan-Erik and Nina, Anu-Liisa and Asko, Riita-Liisa and Pertti, and Juha and Erja. Thanks to you, I've learned what life is like in this part of Finland. I've made many new and amazing friends this past month. As a GSE team, the many experiences we have had have brought us closer together. We will never forget this time we've shared. We will all come away from this experience as better people, because we have truly experienced kindness, teamwork, adventure, and friendship. Thank you so much to everyone who has made this unforgettable experience a reality!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Finland and Canada are the same and also different
Hi, like Catherine, I am inside out of the rain. I really enjoyed the trip to Tampere yesterday also. The city reminds me of Saskatoon with so many bridges and parks beside the water. It's big but has a small-town feeling to it and it's also a university town. The typical Finnish meal at the top of the tower was sooooooo good: fish, reindeer, cloudberries,suklaa chocolate and strong coffee. Many thanks to Jaako Panula for that experience. Also we have to thank him especially for taking Marty to SISU - he was in automated-machinery heaven! Laurel kept saying that it was just like the movie "Wallee". I think this progress is so typical of Finland. We've seen many, many small family businesses that have blossomed into large-scale ones. This creates an interesting dilemma about peoples' lifestyles and industrial needs...a debate that will always be ongoing. Marty's summation was not unlike " I think therefore I am", he said, " I am therefore I think". Well, as you now realize, Marty is defintely proving true to the nickname we gave hom from the very start, Philosopher King.
Today I went to Seinajoki with Terttu and Yohanna Soini. We were on a mission to find telescopic Nordic walking sticks that could fit into my suitcase which is 67cm. long. Unfortunately, our Power Shopper, Laurel, wasn't with me and I didn't find them. We had a nice time anyway and when we returned we went to the outdoor market in Kauhajoki where I found some Finnish souvenirs :)
As we drove around, Terttu told me that all of the houses in one block must be the same color...an interesting law. But they have bike/pedestrian paths beside almost every street which is very nice. And the Finns are great about building houses etc and still leaving many of the trees. It's so aesthetically pleasing and even practical. We defintely should do this on the Prairies. I think Marty's area of Manitoba does this because he introduces himself as being from the "metsaranta", or forest.
Well maybe I will post one last time still before our GSE journey together ends on Monday. The rain is refreshing, perhaps it has refreshed us too. It seems so long ago that we began, April 13th, but now it's sad to be ending. The Finns say they are famous for 3 "S's": sauna,(self-explanatory) salmiakki,(salty licorice) and Sibellius (Finnish musician and composer) but I think they must add an "s" for sisu(determination).
Today I went to Seinajoki with Terttu and Yohanna Soini. We were on a mission to find telescopic Nordic walking sticks that could fit into my suitcase which is 67cm. long. Unfortunately, our Power Shopper, Laurel, wasn't with me and I didn't find them. We had a nice time anyway and when we returned we went to the outdoor market in Kauhajoki where I found some Finnish souvenirs :)
As we drove around, Terttu told me that all of the houses in one block must be the same color...an interesting law. But they have bike/pedestrian paths beside almost every street which is very nice. And the Finns are great about building houses etc and still leaving many of the trees. It's so aesthetically pleasing and even practical. We defintely should do this on the Prairies. I think Marty's area of Manitoba does this because he introduces himself as being from the "metsaranta", or forest.
Well maybe I will post one last time still before our GSE journey together ends on Monday. The rain is refreshing, perhaps it has refreshed us too. It seems so long ago that we began, April 13th, but now it's sad to be ending. The Finns say they are famous for 3 "S's": sauna,(self-explanatory) salmiakki,(salty licorice) and Sibellius (Finnish musician and composer) but I think they must add an "s" for sisu(determination).
Kristinestad (Kristiinankaupunki) pictures
From bottom to top:
Pictures 1 and 2- Tiny pull out beds in one of the oldest houses in Kristinestad. (almost 300 years)
Picture 3- Walking through Kristinestad
Picture 4- Inside a 300 year old church that is still in use- and in high demand for weddings
All good things come to an end.
Tomorrow I will say good-bye to my team members as we head in different directions. The last four weeks have been unforgettable. I could not have asked for a better group of people with whom to share this GSE experience. It will be odd to spend the next 2 weeks of my travels without them. I'll be looking forward to hearing about everyones' adventures when we meet again at the conference in Winnipeg.
Myrna and Kim did an excellent job in preparing us for this trip. I feel their efforts paid off, but I guess you would have to ask the Finn's what they thought of our motley team of Canadians.
The Finnish Rotarian members were so welcoming and generous. I cannot thank them enough for everything they did to show case all aspects of their country, culture, and business. Before coming to Finland, everything I had read about Finns commented that they were tough, reserved and quiet. Though tough they may be, they are warm, open and generous beyond expectation.
Combined with the uniqueness of our differences, the similarities that Canadians and Finns share have created a wonderful and lasting impression on me. I am so thankful that District 1380 of Finland was the chosen destination of our exchange. I will take with me many lasting memories, friendships, and a hightened knowledge of what Finland represents. Most of all I will remember my host families who took me in and cared for me as one of their own. By welcoming me into their homes I saw a truer, genuine side of the Finnish culture. Without this opportunity I would have felt like a simple tourist passing through a foreign country. For their generosity I'm forever grateful. Thank you to Harold & Margot Finne of Jacobstad, Asko & Anu-Liisa Martikainen of Vaasa, Jyrvi & Kirsti Karppinen of Kauhava, and Heikki & Tuula Arkela of Kauhajoki.
Lastly, I will return to Canada and be able to say most definitely, despite popular belief, the Finnish people do smile,...and quite beautifully I might add.
Thank you Rotary International for affording me this opportunity to learn, grow and share.
Myrna and Kim did an excellent job in preparing us for this trip. I feel their efforts paid off, but I guess you would have to ask the Finn's what they thought of our motley team of Canadians.
The Finnish Rotarian members were so welcoming and generous. I cannot thank them enough for everything they did to show case all aspects of their country, culture, and business. Before coming to Finland, everything I had read about Finns commented that they were tough, reserved and quiet. Though tough they may be, they are warm, open and generous beyond expectation.
Combined with the uniqueness of our differences, the similarities that Canadians and Finns share have created a wonderful and lasting impression on me. I am so thankful that District 1380 of Finland was the chosen destination of our exchange. I will take with me many lasting memories, friendships, and a hightened knowledge of what Finland represents. Most of all I will remember my host families who took me in and cared for me as one of their own. By welcoming me into their homes I saw a truer, genuine side of the Finnish culture. Without this opportunity I would have felt like a simple tourist passing through a foreign country. For their generosity I'm forever grateful. Thank you to Harold & Margot Finne of Jacobstad, Asko & Anu-Liisa Martikainen of Vaasa, Jyrvi & Kirsti Karppinen of Kauhava, and Heikki & Tuula Arkela of Kauhajoki.
Lastly, I will return to Canada and be able to say most definitely, despite popular belief, the Finnish people do smile,...and quite beautifully I might add.
Thank you Rotary International for affording me this opportunity to learn, grow and share.
Tampere
We spent the day in Tampere on Friday. What a beautful city! Population approx. 210,000.
In the morning we went to Sisu Deisel which is a client of Diemo (the company that Marty works for). It is an almost entirely automated factory that makes diesel engines for thing like tractors and combines. The degree of automation was unbelievable. There were cages and cages of large robots performing a bunch of tasks on components of the engines, and hardly any people around. There were even robots that drove around picking up heavy parts and moving them. Unfortunately photos were not allowed so you'll just have to believe it.
After the Sisu Diesel factory, we went downtown and shopped for a couple hours. Then we went for supper at the top of a large rotating building- 170 meters high. From the restaurant you can see all around Tampere which is encompassed by lakes and forest. Very beautiful. The meal was the most expensive I've ever had, but delicious. With just 2 days left on GSE it was a great way to end things off.
Today it is raining in Kauhajoki. Christina and Gailmarie went to watch a ballroom dancing competition in Vaasa. Marty is at the summer cottage at a 50th birthday party with his host family. Laurel and I were supposed to go hiking in the national park, but due to the rain we aren't. Tomorrow, Laurel and Marty are headning to Helsinki. Catherine, Gailmarie and Christina will be going out to a summer cottage on the ocean for the day, and heading to Vaasa on Monday. Marty will be flying home on Monday and the rest of us will be continuing our travels for another 1 to 2 weeks.
In the morning we went to Sisu Deisel which is a client of Diemo (the company that Marty works for). It is an almost entirely automated factory that makes diesel engines for thing like tractors and combines. The degree of automation was unbelievable. There were cages and cages of large robots performing a bunch of tasks on components of the engines, and hardly any people around. There were even robots that drove around picking up heavy parts and moving them. Unfortunately photos were not allowed so you'll just have to believe it.
After the Sisu Diesel factory, we went downtown and shopped for a couple hours. Then we went for supper at the top of a large rotating building- 170 meters high. From the restaurant you can see all around Tampere which is encompassed by lakes and forest. Very beautiful. The meal was the most expensive I've ever had, but delicious. With just 2 days left on GSE it was a great way to end things off.
Today it is raining in Kauhajoki. Christina and Gailmarie went to watch a ballroom dancing competition in Vaasa. Marty is at the summer cottage at a 50th birthday party with his host family. Laurel and I were supposed to go hiking in the national park, but due to the rain we aren't. Tomorrow, Laurel and Marty are headning to Helsinki. Catherine, Gailmarie and Christina will be going out to a summer cottage on the ocean for the day, and heading to Vaasa on Monday. Marty will be flying home on Monday and the rest of us will be continuing our travels for another 1 to 2 weeks.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Today we started our morning off at our regular meeting place, Logistia. We learned more about Kauhajoki-Suupohja region. It was apparent that a great deal of thought was and continues to be, focused on developing the region. Furniture building, the food industry, and logistics are definitely the regions strong points. They even have a Kauhajoki Food Park which brings together so many aspects of this industry, including: food laboratory, process pilot plant, services for food companies, a business park and a visitors' centre, just to name a few. No matter what a person's opinion is regarding the European Union, one thing is for sure, it undeniably influences the rhythm of the country's economic and social pulse.
Following the presentation we ventured off to Kristiinankaupunki, a small, quaint city on the Baltic Sea. The city has a majority of Swedish speaking Finn's. The Swedish name is Kristinestad (CHRISTINA fonSTAD). And, another nice to know is that "Fon" when placed at the begining of a name means princess, or royalty, or something like that. The Rotary Club of Kauhajoki-Aro members safely got us to the new, "gianormous", (Marty, I'll let you use that word if you like), ABC Gas Station without anyone getting lost, wet or injured. We were greeted by hosts Mauri Paunikallio, Club President Paul Riisanen and his lovely wife Helen. They must have heard how we love the Finnish food because they kept trying to feed us all day and we were happy to oblige. With full bellies, we all boarded Mauri's motor home and rode in style to the centre of Kristiinankaupunki.
We visited the Culture House DUX. The old building has just finished renovations into a movie theatre and culture centre. It's so nice to see what can done by invigorating the old, instead of tearing down and building new. The Lebell Museum gave us an excellent chance to see how the rich and famous lived back in the day. The museum is the original house of the prominent Lebell family and it show cases the furniture and decor fashions of the different eras. It's interesting to note that the family prospered from a Polish prisoner of war being taken to Kokkola where he fell in love with a young lady (or her family's social power, depending on what you want to believe), changed his name to Lebell and moved to Kristiinankaupunki. The family flourished in the shipping business.
Rotarian Päavikki Piiroinen helped us to burn a few calories by leading us on a short walking tour of the" old city" part. It's hard to believe that some of the houses are over 200 years old and that people still live in them today. Päavikki herself lives in one such house and was kind enough to open her home to us as part our sight seeing. A few modern necessities added with some creativity and it's amazing what they look can like inside.
The Alma Cafe/Restaurant is nicely located on the shore line. Inside is a 1:8 scale replica of the Alma Kristiinankaupunki ship. The model itself is very intricate in detail, but the amazing part of it is that the ship was made first and the building was constructed around it.
The day coming to an end, we headed back to Kauhajoki for dinner and the Kauhajoki Rotary Club meeting. As we gave our last presentation of our GSE Finland trip, it sank in that our journey is coming to an end.
(Sorry, couldn't get the pictures downloaded so you'll have to wait a bit for those)
Following the presentation we ventured off to Kristiinankaupunki, a small, quaint city on the Baltic Sea. The city has a majority of Swedish speaking Finn's. The Swedish name is Kristinestad (CHRISTINA fonSTAD). And, another nice to know is that "Fon" when placed at the begining of a name means princess, or royalty, or something like that. The Rotary Club of Kauhajoki-Aro members safely got us to the new, "gianormous", (Marty, I'll let you use that word if you like), ABC Gas Station without anyone getting lost, wet or injured. We were greeted by hosts Mauri Paunikallio, Club President Paul Riisanen and his lovely wife Helen. They must have heard how we love the Finnish food because they kept trying to feed us all day and we were happy to oblige. With full bellies, we all boarded Mauri's motor home and rode in style to the centre of Kristiinankaupunki.
We visited the Culture House DUX. The old building has just finished renovations into a movie theatre and culture centre. It's so nice to see what can done by invigorating the old, instead of tearing down and building new. The Lebell Museum gave us an excellent chance to see how the rich and famous lived back in the day. The museum is the original house of the prominent Lebell family and it show cases the furniture and decor fashions of the different eras. It's interesting to note that the family prospered from a Polish prisoner of war being taken to Kokkola where he fell in love with a young lady (or her family's social power, depending on what you want to believe), changed his name to Lebell and moved to Kristiinankaupunki. The family flourished in the shipping business.
Rotarian Päavikki Piiroinen helped us to burn a few calories by leading us on a short walking tour of the" old city" part. It's hard to believe that some of the houses are over 200 years old and that people still live in them today. Päavikki herself lives in one such house and was kind enough to open her home to us as part our sight seeing. A few modern necessities added with some creativity and it's amazing what they look can like inside.
The Alma Cafe/Restaurant is nicely located on the shore line. Inside is a 1:8 scale replica of the Alma Kristiinankaupunki ship. The model itself is very intricate in detail, but the amazing part of it is that the ship was made first and the building was constructed around it.
The day coming to an end, we headed back to Kauhajoki for dinner and the Kauhajoki Rotary Club meeting. As we gave our last presentation of our GSE Finland trip, it sank in that our journey is coming to an end.
(Sorry, couldn't get the pictures downloaded so you'll have to wait a bit for those)
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Inbound Team on thier way
The inbound team are now somewhere over the ocean wending their way to Winnipeg. We have everything ready to start them on their travels in our vast District 5550. I hope they will have the time of their lives just liked all of you have experienced in Finland. I so enjoy reading your blog. Have a wonderful time. Love Myrna
In the words of Piglet "Oh D-d-d-dear"
Hi to all you folks out there in blogland.
Today was Jurva day. At breakfast Christina's host asked if we had been to visit any hospitals. To that point, we had briefly walked into one hospital but as events unfolded, that was about to change. The day started out like any other day. The sun was up before 5am, the air was crisp and clear and we met, at 9, at Logistia. Teppo, from Jurva, met us and we headed out for the day muttering our habitual Finnish styled English "Maybe let's go". Teppo guided us to his van and, as we were filing into the van, our "program" for the day took an unexpected twist. Gailmarie was putting her purse in the back door of the van when gravity took hold of the front door and unexpectedly closed it. Gailmarie calmly requested that Teppo open the front door so that she could remove her finger. Our strong and fearless (I was about to say tall but I wouldn't want to "stretch" the story too much) leader kept her composure and we did indeed have our
first real visit to a Finnish hospital. As you can see Teppo and I were just hoping Gailmaire would pull through. After figuring out the insurance, etc. the team left Gailmarie in the hands of the medical staff and headed on to Jurva to continue our program.
Jurva, a town of 4,000, is known for woodworking production. Folks in the area are very self sufficient and will do whatever it takes to support their families through small Mom and Pop businesses which usually include 5 or fewer family members. As long as they can find some way to survive, they have no desire to work for someone else. The biggest wood furniture factory in town currently employs between 50 and 75 people. Woodworking has been a part of Jurva for over 200 years and the first woodworking school was founded in 1911. In the early days of Jurva, most folks were farmers but successive crop failures caused them to look for other ways to survive. In addition to woodworking, the Jurvaites turned to textile work and when that faded away in the 70's woodworking increased in popularity and more folks began to work with metal. The current economic climate is very difficult for woodworking and low cost countries are starting to take quite a bite out of the furniture industry. Times are tough but the people of Jurva are very resilient. I wonder what industry they will turn to next if woodworking experiences a long-term collapse like the textile industry did previously.
Upon arriving in Jurva, Teppo took us to a magnificent, large, 5 year old hall built to showcase Jurva's woodworking talents. The building structure is all wood as well as staircases, name plates, handrails, etc.. Later in the day, we met an artist who had carved one of the ornate decorative mirrors found in the great hall. He said a project of that scale takes 3 months from concept to completion. The building contains a theatre and we were treated to a video explaining how Jurva came to be known for it's woodworking and craftsmanship.
Here's where our brave and fearless leader rejoins the story. Gailmarie surprised us by walking into the building, finger bandaged up and stitches in place. By the way, for those of you who are keeping track, Gailmarie got 400 points for the whole finger in the door escapade. To put that in perspective, Christina's kayak 360 was only worth, you guessed it, 360 points.
As you can see, Catherine is tired of working in relative obscurity as a civil engineer and now aims to create world peace and environmental sustainability through powerful and moving woodworking brilliance.
After lunch, we went on to tour the trade school which focuses on graphic, textile, and furniture design and, hmm... oh yeah, woodworking. What an amazing place to learn joining and decorative carving. The students are continuing an incredible tradition of creativity and excellence. It's a shame that the current economic circumstances make it so difficult for a crafts person to make a living.
From the school we went on to Laitala, a furniture factory which employs about 50 folks. They make traditional, high end furniture, using a mixture of computerized routers and delicate hand work. Laitala is not selling much furniture at this point, but that hasn't stopped them from producing. Wow, were they ever carrying a lot of inventory. Off to the lake for a snack and a walk after which we rest up and wait for tonight's Rotary meeting.
A few personal notes. The host family I am living with has three girls more or less the same age as my three girls. We went to navigation (orienteering?) class on Monday night and the two oldest girls insisted I join in all the activities. We had a great time despite the rain. I was embarrassed, but not at all surprised, to find out that I was not able to keep up with the nine year old as we ran up and down the mountain. In my defence, though, on Monday she participated in a track and field day, placing second among all the 9 year olds in the city at the 1km distance.
I even received a drink box as a reward for not having a heart attack.
Pasi and Anne-mari own a successful importing firm so once again I am able to learn about a type of business that is new to me. They have a beautiful house in the forest with a projector for watching the World Hockey Championship in the basement entertainment room. I had the dubious pleasure of watching Finland beat Canada at the World Hockey Championships. I took a bit of a ribbing at the Rotary meeting last night so I acquiesced and during my presentation led the group in a not so rousing rendition of Suomi Tekee Kohta Maalin. Very roughly translated the basic idea of the song indicates that Finland is the best and can score whenever they want and there's nothing Canada or anyone else can do about it. It's sung to the tune of Glory, Glory, Hallelujah.
We just came back from a very pleasant evening spent with the Rotary Club in Jurva. I must say this for the Rotarians in Jurva, of all the clubs we've visited, Jurva wins the award for having the biggest smiles.
I can't believe it. Finland just lost and they're out. Our day had a rough start and Finnish. Everything in the middle was great. Hopefully we'll begin tomorrow less adventurously. Over and out.
Marty
Today was Jurva day. At breakfast Christina's host asked if we had been to visit any hospitals. To that point, we had briefly walked into one hospital but as events unfolded, that was about to change. The day started out like any other day. The sun was up before 5am, the air was crisp and clear and we met, at 9, at Logistia. Teppo, from Jurva, met us and we headed out for the day muttering our habitual Finnish styled English "Maybe let's go". Teppo guided us to his van and, as we were filing into the van, our "program" for the day took an unexpected twist. Gailmarie was putting her purse in the back door of the van when gravity took hold of the front door and unexpectedly closed it. Gailmarie calmly requested that Teppo open the front door so that she could remove her finger. Our strong and fearless (I was about to say tall but I wouldn't want to "stretch" the story too much) leader kept her composure and we did indeed have our
first real visit to a Finnish hospital. As you can see Teppo and I were just hoping Gailmaire would pull through. After figuring out the insurance, etc. the team left Gailmarie in the hands of the medical staff and headed on to Jurva to continue our program.Jurva, a town of 4,000, is known for woodworking production. Folks in the area are very self sufficient and will do whatever it takes to support their families through small Mom and Pop businesses which usually include 5 or fewer family members. As long as they can find some way to survive, they have no desire to work for someone else. The biggest wood furniture factory in town currently employs between 50 and 75 people. Woodworking has been a part of Jurva for over 200 years and the first woodworking school was founded in 1911. In the early days of Jurva, most folks were farmers but successive crop failures caused them to look for other ways to survive. In addition to woodworking, the Jurvaites turned to textile work and when that faded away in the 70's woodworking increased in popularity and more folks began to work with metal. The current economic climate is very difficult for woodworking and low cost countries are starting to take quite a bite out of the furniture industry. Times are tough but the people of Jurva are very resilient. I wonder what industry they will turn to next if woodworking experiences a long-term collapse like the textile industry did previously.
Upon arriving in Jurva, Teppo took us to a magnificent, large, 5 year old hall built to showcase Jurva's woodworking talents. The building structure is all wood as well as staircases, name plates, handrails, etc.. Later in the day, we met an artist who had carved one of the ornate decorative mirrors found in the great hall. He said a project of that scale takes 3 months from concept to completion. The building contains a theatre and we were treated to a video explaining how Jurva came to be known for it's woodworking and craftsmanship.
Here's where our brave and fearless leader rejoins the story. Gailmarie surprised us by walking into the building, finger bandaged up and stitches in place. By the way, for those of you who are keeping track, Gailmarie got 400 points for the whole finger in the door escapade. To put that in perspective, Christina's kayak 360 was only worth, you guessed it, 360 points.
As you can see, Catherine is tired of working in relative obscurity as a civil engineer and now aims to create world peace and environmental sustainability through powerful and moving woodworking brilliance.
After lunch, we went on to tour the trade school which focuses on graphic, textile, and furniture design and, hmm... oh yeah, woodworking. What an amazing place to learn joining and decorative carving. The students are continuing an incredible tradition of creativity and excellence. It's a shame that the current economic circumstances make it so difficult for a crafts person to make a living.
From the school we went on to Laitala, a furniture factory which employs about 50 folks. They make traditional, high end furniture, using a mixture of computerized routers and delicate hand work. Laitala is not selling much furniture at this point, but that hasn't stopped them from producing. Wow, were they ever carrying a lot of inventory. Off to the lake for a snack and a walk after which we rest up and wait for tonight's Rotary meeting.
A few personal notes. The host family I am living with has three girls more or less the same age as my three girls. We went to navigation (orienteering?) class on Monday night and the two oldest girls insisted I join in all the activities. We had a great time despite the rain. I was embarrassed, but not at all surprised, to find out that I was not able to keep up with the nine year old as we ran up and down the mountain. In my defence, though, on Monday she participated in a track and field day, placing second among all the 9 year olds in the city at the 1km distance.
I even received a drink box as a reward for not having a heart attack.
Pasi and Anne-mari own a successful importing firm so once again I am able to learn about a type of business that is new to me. They have a beautiful house in the forest with a projector for watching the World Hockey Championship in the basement entertainment room. I had the dubious pleasure of watching Finland beat Canada at the World Hockey Championships. I took a bit of a ribbing at the Rotary meeting last night so I acquiesced and during my presentation led the group in a not so rousing rendition of Suomi Tekee Kohta Maalin. Very roughly translated the basic idea of the song indicates that Finland is the best and can score whenever they want and there's nothing Canada or anyone else can do about it. It's sung to the tune of Glory, Glory, Hallelujah.
We just came back from a very pleasant evening spent with the Rotary Club in Jurva. I must say this for the Rotarians in Jurva, of all the clubs we've visited, Jurva wins the award for having the biggest smiles.
I can't believe it. Finland just lost and they're out. Our day had a rough start and Finnish. Everything in the middle was great. Hopefully we'll begin tomorrow less adventurously. Over and out.
Marty
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Kuahajoki- Tuesday May 5th
Today we visited Logistia first thing in the morning for a few presentations on the company and other businesses. Logistia helps businesses that create automated systems with their organization and management issues. After that we went to Suupohja Vocational school. Students there are aged 15-18 and go there instead of high school to take things like welding, mechanics, media and broadcasting and many other things. They have so much great technology available to the students, and once they complete school after 3 years they can work in their profession, or go on to university or a technical school. At my host family, one of the daughters is studying nursing- she started at 15 and will be finished next year when she is 18. When she's done, she´ll have a diploma in nursing that would be similar to an LPN. (To be a registered nurse would be a couple more years at a university). It sounds like a pretty good system to me though.
We ate lunch at the high school and then we went on to Done Logistics. They create automated systems that are normally used within larger automated systems. Application are anywhere from LED signs to Optometry to Pulp and Paper Mills to Beer factories.
Later in the afternoon we visited the Finnish Parliament in Kauhajoki where the parliament was held in the late 30's and early 40's when Helsinki was unsafe because Finland was under attack by Russia. We learned a little more about Finnish history and it is finally starting to sink in!
In the evening we went to a Rotary Club meeting and gave our presentation about Canada. We actually had quite a few questions this time- it was nice! A quick message to all the Finns who may read this- congratulations on beating Canada in hockey yesterday- you can stop rubbing it in now!
We ate lunch at the high school and then we went on to Done Logistics. They create automated systems that are normally used within larger automated systems. Application are anywhere from LED signs to Optometry to Pulp and Paper Mills to Beer factories.
Later in the afternoon we visited the Finnish Parliament in Kauhajoki where the parliament was held in the late 30's and early 40's when Helsinki was unsafe because Finland was under attack by Russia. We learned a little more about Finnish history and it is finally starting to sink in!
In the evening we went to a Rotary Club meeting and gave our presentation about Canada. We actually had quite a few questions this time- it was nice! A quick message to all the Finns who may read this- congratulations on beating Canada in hockey yesterday- you can stop rubbing it in now!
More Before I am Finnished...
Our day started with several presentations at the Kauhajoki Technology Centre. It is now very clear to me why Finns are so efficient, technological, and entrepreneurial. There are all these companies that provide business services for all areas and stages of a business. Today we also learned about companies that provide IT systems for businesses so that they can collect and analyze data about various aspects of their business and look for ways to improve. From car washes to potato farms to trucking companies, there is a system for everyone! No wonder there is so much industry in Finland. Finnish entrepreneurs are well supported.
We also visited Done Logistics Oy. This is another company that produces automated machines to complete tasks in a workplace. Our host Pekka showed us a video of how some of these automated systems work. These machines that are packaging things like food and paper products are truly amazing!
We were also amazed to hear that our host Pekka takes part in 4 hour rowing events! Here is a picture of Pekka with his rowing team. I have got a lot of work to do this summer at the lake if I want to keep up with him!
Our day also included a tour of the Museum of Finnish Parliment. During World War 2, it was too dangerous for the Finnish parliment to meet in Helsinki. After much consideration, Kauhajoki was chosen as the secret parimentary meeting place. Kauhajoki was chosen because it was a small town located in the midst of the thick forest. The Finnish parliment met secrety in the school building for 10 months. The room where the meetings were held has been restored. One of the original artifacts is a graham cracker box that was used as voting box. Here I am casting my vote!
My favorite part of the day was our visit to Suupohja Vocational School. Once students are finished Grade 9 in Finland, they have the choice to go to highschool or vocational school. The school we visited today was a vocational school. At this school students can enroll in a variety of programs that concentrate on practical skills. For example, students can learn about agriculture, hair dressing, welding, computers, business, videography, and so on. There are very few to no behavior problems with the students that attend this school and it is easy to see why. Students in these programs (ages 15 to 19) are engaged in practical hands on work in an area of interest to them. It takes approximately 3 years to complete the courses and the 24 weeks of work experience. Then students will leave with a diploma or certificate in their area of specialty before entering the workforce, applying to a Univeristy of Applied Sciences, or writing the matriculation exam necessary for entrance into the academic universities. Below is a picture of Gailmarie sitting in the area where students would learn about broadcasting.
Another interesting education tidbit is that in schools, students call the teachers by their first name. There is no use of Mr. or Mrs.
This evening we attended a rotary club meeting where we gave our presentation. Then we each returned to our host families for the evening. I am enjoying my new host family. They are very interested in international ballroom dancing and I have already attended a practice session for some pointers. One of my hosts organized and was one of the pros for the Kauhajoki Dancing with the Stars. He is definately a Dancing Engineer and a Entertrainer!
We also visited Done Logistics Oy. This is another company that produces automated machines to complete tasks in a workplace. Our host Pekka showed us a video of how some of these automated systems work. These machines that are packaging things like food and paper products are truly amazing!
We were also amazed to hear that our host Pekka takes part in 4 hour rowing events! Here is a picture of Pekka with his rowing team. I have got a lot of work to do this summer at the lake if I want to keep up with him!
Our day also included a tour of the Museum of Finnish Parliment. During World War 2, it was too dangerous for the Finnish parliment to meet in Helsinki. After much consideration, Kauhajoki was chosen as the secret parimentary meeting place. Kauhajoki was chosen because it was a small town located in the midst of the thick forest. The Finnish parliment met secrety in the school building for 10 months. The room where the meetings were held has been restored. One of the original artifacts is a graham cracker box that was used as voting box. Here I am casting my vote!
My favorite part of the day was our visit to Suupohja Vocational School. Once students are finished Grade 9 in Finland, they have the choice to go to highschool or vocational school. The school we visited today was a vocational school. At this school students can enroll in a variety of programs that concentrate on practical skills. For example, students can learn about agriculture, hair dressing, welding, computers, business, videography, and so on. There are very few to no behavior problems with the students that attend this school and it is easy to see why. Students in these programs (ages 15 to 19) are engaged in practical hands on work in an area of interest to them. It takes approximately 3 years to complete the courses and the 24 weeks of work experience. Then students will leave with a diploma or certificate in their area of specialty before entering the workforce, applying to a Univeristy of Applied Sciences, or writing the matriculation exam necessary for entrance into the academic universities. Below is a picture of Gailmarie sitting in the area where students would learn about broadcasting.
Another interesting education tidbit is that in schools, students call the teachers by their first name. There is no use of Mr. or Mrs.
This evening we attended a rotary club meeting where we gave our presentation. Then we each returned to our host families for the evening. I am enjoying my new host family. They are very interested in international ballroom dancing and I have already attended a practice session for some pointers. One of my hosts organized and was one of the pros for the Kauhajoki Dancing with the Stars. He is definately a Dancing Engineer and a Entertrainer!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Rotary Reflections
Well, I think I'm chronologically out-of-order but that's okay. I want to say again how pleased we are with our Finnish hosts. They are giving us some wonderful experiences and so much of their time and energy. We really enjoyed our time in Seinajoki going biking and being at the home of Mikko & Kati and their children. We also liked spending time with the Brazilian Exchange student, Ana. Thanks for your great humor, Ana. Of course some of us really make the most of our experiences, like Christina falling in the river and Marty becoming an avid, crazy hockey fan:) I know some of the Rotarians have had a difficult time with the language and of course, we Canadians can't speak anything else but English mostly, but they have always been super friendly and very accomodating to us. Every time we move to a new place we are missing the old and the friends we have made. We have seen people that we met at conference, and in Seinajoki we met Matti Antila and his family from Lapua and it's like seeing old friends! But we have really liked being together in the hotels in Vaasa, Lapua (holiday farm hotel) and Seinajoki because our team are also becoming good friends. So thanks for that opportunity too. Like Catherine mentioned, it will be tricky to watch the hockey game tonight, we will cheer for both teams but in our hearts we will hope for Canada. This week in Kauhajoki looks very interesting and very busy, hope you keep up with us!
Kauajoki- Monday May 4th
Today we arrived in Kauhajoki. We will be here until next Sunday (Laurel and Marty) and Monday (Catherine, Gailmarie and Christina). We were swept off our feet this morning at 9:30pm by our chaffeurs from Seinajoki who drove us to Kauhajoki 30 minutes earlier than we had thought- so it was a little rushed but we managed. We got Logistica in Kauhajoki and we were greeted by Jaakko Panula. Shortly after we went to the town hall and were given a presentation about Kauhajoki by the vice mayor. After lunch at the town hall, we went to Pesmel limited. They create automated machines that do the job of an assembly line of people. Very high tech and impressive! After that we went to Pinomatic limited. They make automated crane like things for ligting heavy objects (the devices have no name in particular. They are actually used by Pesmel, and the owner used to work at Pesmel. We continue to be impressed by the maunfacturing sector in this part of Finland. A city of just 14,600 people, and they manufacture equipment that is extremely sepcialized and technological, and requires a large number of very skilled people to create.
This evening we are spending time with our host families. For most of us it will likely involve watching the hockey game- Canada versus Finland. Go Canada!.... I mean Finland! We're a little torn. May the best team win!
This evening we are spending time with our host families. For most of us it will likely involve watching the hockey game- Canada versus Finland. Go Canada!.... I mean Finland! We're a little torn. May the best team win!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Last Day in Seinajoki
Well today was our last day in Seinajoki. It definately was an interesting day.
The day started early with a trip to the Jokipiin Linen Factory. This factory weaves linen products like table cloths, table runners, sauna mats, towels, and bath robes. Timo, the managing director, toured us through the process of weaving from "start to finish." We then had some time to shop in the store. Marty modelled many 160 EUR bathrobes, but in the end he couldn't make a choice and left empty handed.
We then visited the church in Jalasjarvi. One of our hosts, Aulis, toured us through the church. He used to be a pastor at the church for 30 years.
From there we went to "Devil's Nest." Devil's Nest is a 23 metre deep hole in the earth that is 14 metres wide. This huge "pot hole" has been there for many ice ages. Nobody can explain why it exists. There is the myth that the devil once lived in the cavern...hence the name "Devil's Nest." We took the opportunity to climb down to the bottom of the cavern and then later we climbed the 21 metre tower beside the hole. From this tower, we had a great view of the surrounding area.
We then had lunch at the Juustoporti cheese factory. This factory has been in production for forty years. They use 18 million litres of milk per year! Where are all the cows! We sampled many different types of cheese and we had ice cream for dessert.
Our day ended with a visit to the driving school. The Finns have 26 driving schools where potential drivers can practise their driving. This driving school has a driving track complete with turns, pylons to dodge, and an area of smooth pavement covered in oil and water to simulate slippery conditions. We definately took advantage of this last area! Oh...and the driving school office was the first workplace we have visited that didn't have a sauna!
On the topic of sauna...I have made the following conclusions regarding the Finnish tradition of ice swimming and sauna. All conclusions are based on solid first hand experience. My expert results are as follows:
* Using the sauna without the use of cold water swimming or showering = TOO HOT!
* Ice swimming without sauna to follow (as seen in the Seinajoki kayaking fiasco) = TOO COLD!
* Use the sauna with an ice swim or cold shower = JUST RIGHT!
All in all, today was a great day! The evening ended with our last meal at the hotel. Three of us enjoyed a reindeer filet which was very Finnish!
The day started early with a trip to the Jokipiin Linen Factory. This factory weaves linen products like table cloths, table runners, sauna mats, towels, and bath robes. Timo, the managing director, toured us through the process of weaving from "start to finish." We then had some time to shop in the store. Marty modelled many 160 EUR bathrobes, but in the end he couldn't make a choice and left empty handed.
We then visited the church in Jalasjarvi. One of our hosts, Aulis, toured us through the church. He used to be a pastor at the church for 30 years.
From there we went to "Devil's Nest." Devil's Nest is a 23 metre deep hole in the earth that is 14 metres wide. This huge "pot hole" has been there for many ice ages. Nobody can explain why it exists. There is the myth that the devil once lived in the cavern...hence the name "Devil's Nest." We took the opportunity to climb down to the bottom of the cavern and then later we climbed the 21 metre tower beside the hole. From this tower, we had a great view of the surrounding area.
We then had lunch at the Juustoporti cheese factory. This factory has been in production for forty years. They use 18 million litres of milk per year! Where are all the cows! We sampled many different types of cheese and we had ice cream for dessert.
Our day ended with a visit to the driving school. The Finns have 26 driving schools where potential drivers can practise their driving. This driving school has a driving track complete with turns, pylons to dodge, and an area of smooth pavement covered in oil and water to simulate slippery conditions. We definately took advantage of this last area! Oh...and the driving school office was the first workplace we have visited that didn't have a sauna!
On the topic of sauna...I have made the following conclusions regarding the Finnish tradition of ice swimming and sauna. All conclusions are based on solid first hand experience. My expert results are as follows:
* Using the sauna without the use of cold water swimming or showering = TOO HOT!
* Ice swimming without sauna to follow (as seen in the Seinajoki kayaking fiasco) = TOO COLD!
* Use the sauna with an ice swim or cold shower = JUST RIGHT!
All in all, today was a great day! The evening ended with our last meal at the hotel. Three of us enjoyed a reindeer filet which was very Finnish!
Tomorrow we leave for Kauhajoki. Thanks Seinajoki Rotary for being great hosts!
More pictures later...they are slow to download tonight!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Next stop, Seinajoki
April 30,2009 we arrived in Seinajoki at 11:30 am to be welcomed by Mikko Mannikko. Not wanting to go hungry, our first priority was the lunch buffet. We were soon joined by Pertti Kinnunen. We had a gorgeous day for our Seinajoki hosts to lead us on a walking tour of the shopping district. Our mission was to find Marty a Suomi hockey jersey for the ongoing world cup series. For some reason getting in touch with Finland's culture re-ignited Marty's passion for hockey. We don't ask why, we are just happy for him. I'm even teaching him cheering etiquette. The tour ended with some ice cream. It was pretty hard not to because there were ice cream vendors every two blocks.
Next, we were on the move the Seinajoki's church, Lakeuden Risti ("Cross on the Plain"). Built in 1957-1960 it was the first building erected in Seinajoki. It was designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. The church's design must have focused on style because it has such terrible acoustics that it needs huge speakers at the front of the church for people in the back can hear. A 7 story clock/bell tower stands next to the church. Mikko's good friend is a priest at the church and arrangements were made for us to get a private trip to the top. The view of the city was impressive. We were able to get our barrings and if you looked towards the east horizon you could see the white radio tower in Lapua.
Our evening itinerary included a night at the theatre with a Finnish Elvis Impersonator. Pertti Kinnunen and her husband met us in the lobby and joined us for the concert It was difficult to understand what he was saying when he spoke to the audience, but he was able to drop the accent when he sang the songs. He was a pretty energetic and charismatic performer. He even had a wardrobe change. Although he was no "hunk-a-hunk of burning love", it was an entertaining evening. Much more enjoyable than the Icelandic music.
We then moved on to our hotel pub, "Wilson's", to watch the Finn/Czech hockey game. It was quite full with pre-May 1st revellers. May 1st is Labour Day in Finland and they reeeeally celebrate it with enthusiasm. Pirkko's husband bought us a round and needing a little taste of home we ordered burgers. Of course Marty had to be a little different and ordered the Double Dipper Platter, which took up half the table. Typical of Marty, he generously shared.
Day two in Seinajoki was very relaxing. We got to sleep in a little later than usual, some later than others. I got up two go for a run. I figured if I ran to the river I would always have a landmark to fall back on. It worked because I made it back to the hotel as planned. Marty and Gailmarie went to the market square to watch Pertti's old(er) men's choir. Christina went for a walk to the market to check out the May 1st festival atmosphere. Catherine caught some extra z's.
Pertti picked us up at noon and we headed to the river for kayaking and canoeing. It was a gorgeous day on the water and we all launched from the pier without incident. Marty had never kayaked before, but you would never have guest it. He owned that river. Gailmarie teamed up with the Pertti, the pro paddler, and they were the high riders in the canoe. The rest of us gals were in single kayaks. Other than Pertti, the only other truly experienced paddler was Catherine and you could tell by her effortless paddle stroke and maneuvering. After 2 hours of a leisurely paddling we made our way back to the dock to find it occupied by a group of partyers that hadn't made it home from last night's festivities. Thankfully Pertti was there to deal with them. Alcohol can hinder communication just a tad. They were harmless enough though. One of the guys (Tony) was nice enough to help us all out of the water. Christina patiently waited while everyone else made it to dry land. She was all ready to get out of the water, waiting for Catherine and Pertti to take her kayak up. The kayak swung wide and in an effort to avoid getting a kayak in the head, she ducked to the right. It was the only tactic that could avoid blood shed, unfortunately it resulted in over-turning the canoe. She barely made a peep, jumped out of the water with the greatest of ease and gave us the thumbs up signal to let us know that all was good.
The rest of the afternoon gave us a chance to kick back and toss some ideas around for our conference presentation. Some headway was even made. Of course we couldn't end the night on an empty stomach so we headed down to the pub for eats and to watch the Fin/Slav game. Finland made out with a win in over time. A pretty good way to end the night.
Next, we were on the move the Seinajoki's church, Lakeuden Risti ("Cross on the Plain"). Built in 1957-1960 it was the first building erected in Seinajoki. It was designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. The church's design must have focused on style because it has such terrible acoustics that it needs huge speakers at the front of the church for people in the back can hear. A 7 story clock/bell tower stands next to the church. Mikko's good friend is a priest at the church and arrangements were made for us to get a private trip to the top. The view of the city was impressive. We were able to get our barrings and if you looked towards the east horizon you could see the white radio tower in Lapua.
Our evening itinerary included a night at the theatre with a Finnish Elvis Impersonator. Pertti Kinnunen and her husband met us in the lobby and joined us for the concert It was difficult to understand what he was saying when he spoke to the audience, but he was able to drop the accent when he sang the songs. He was a pretty energetic and charismatic performer. He even had a wardrobe change. Although he was no "hunk-a-hunk of burning love", it was an entertaining evening. Much more enjoyable than the Icelandic music.
We then moved on to our hotel pub, "Wilson's", to watch the Finn/Czech hockey game. It was quite full with pre-May 1st revellers. May 1st is Labour Day in Finland and they reeeeally celebrate it with enthusiasm. Pirkko's husband bought us a round and needing a little taste of home we ordered burgers. Of course Marty had to be a little different and ordered the Double Dipper Platter, which took up half the table. Typical of Marty, he generously shared.
Day two in Seinajoki was very relaxing. We got to sleep in a little later than usual, some later than others. I got up two go for a run. I figured if I ran to the river I would always have a landmark to fall back on. It worked because I made it back to the hotel as planned. Marty and Gailmarie went to the market square to watch Pertti's old(er) men's choir. Christina went for a walk to the market to check out the May 1st festival atmosphere. Catherine caught some extra z's.
Pertti picked us up at noon and we headed to the river for kayaking and canoeing. It was a gorgeous day on the water and we all launched from the pier without incident. Marty had never kayaked before, but you would never have guest it. He owned that river. Gailmarie teamed up with the Pertti, the pro paddler, and they were the high riders in the canoe. The rest of us gals were in single kayaks. Other than Pertti, the only other truly experienced paddler was Catherine and you could tell by her effortless paddle stroke and maneuvering. After 2 hours of a leisurely paddling we made our way back to the dock to find it occupied by a group of partyers that hadn't made it home from last night's festivities. Thankfully Pertti was there to deal with them. Alcohol can hinder communication just a tad. They were harmless enough though. One of the guys (Tony) was nice enough to help us all out of the water. Christina patiently waited while everyone else made it to dry land. She was all ready to get out of the water, waiting for Catherine and Pertti to take her kayak up. The kayak swung wide and in an effort to avoid getting a kayak in the head, she ducked to the right. It was the only tactic that could avoid blood shed, unfortunately it resulted in over-turning the canoe. She barely made a peep, jumped out of the water with the greatest of ease and gave us the thumbs up signal to let us know that all was good.
The rest of the afternoon gave us a chance to kick back and toss some ideas around for our conference presentation. Some headway was even made. Of course we couldn't end the night on an empty stomach so we headed down to the pub for eats and to watch the Fin/Slav game. Finland made out with a win in over time. A pretty good way to end the night.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Lapua- April 29th
Photo 1- Christina and Catherine with Pertti and Riita-Liisa at their house
Photo 2- The team at the Metso factory
Photo 3- Outside Metso (Note Canada and Finland flags)
Photo 4- Old ammunition factory converted into library (metal stamper)
Lapua
Well today we are in Lapua for one day and it definately was a busy one.
We then did a quick tour of the town hall, a cooperative bank, and church. At the town hall we learned about Lapua. Gailmarie also took the seat of the mayor!
We started with touring Metso...a company that builds giant boilers. Some were as large as 70 metres!
Then we went to the old ammunition factory that is now turned into a museum, art exhibition, arts theatre, and cafe. The Finns are very practical. They take old buildings that are not being used for their original purpose and change them into something completely different. We tend to tear these buildings down and build new ones.
We then did a quick tour of the town hall, a cooperative bank, and church. At the town hall we learned about Lapua. Gailmarie also took the seat of the mayor!
At the bank, Marty secured himself a loan for the 250 million EUR yaht that he ordered from Baltic Yahts a week and a half ago.
At the church we had the opportunity to hear the church organ...the biggest organ in Finland! It has 6667 pipes! Enjoy!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Man cannot live on bread alone - he also needs hockey
Matti and I are sitting here watching Canada mop up Slovakia at the World Hockey Championships. The score is 7-2. Last night we watched Finland beat Denmark 5-1. Both Finland and Canada are undefeated so everyone in this country is happy. Matti and Leena, my hosts in Kauhava had three boys and this is definitely a hockey family. Matti was at the World Hockey Championships in Halifax a couple of years ago. When the game started this evening Matti surprised me by pulling at a team Canada Jersey. I reciprocated by putting on a Finnish shirt that I was given by my previous host Jukka and Kikka Kentala. Good times for all. Make sure you're all cheering for Finland when they play their big game against the Czechs tomorrow night.
Over and out.
Marty
Finn-Power - well worth the trip.
Just another great day in Finland. I suppose that's nothing new for those of you who are so closely scrutinizing our frequent postings. Today was Finn-Power day. The Finn-Power facility in Kauhava produces complex world class manufacturing equipment such as turret punch presses and flying optics lasers. Finn-Power was started in an old school building forty years ago. The owner recently sold the business to an Italian conglomerate and used some of the proceeds to build an amusement park near where Finn-Power started which is literally out in the sticks. The amusement park has the largest wooden roller coaster in Europe. My host, Matti, has worked at Finn-Power for the last eight years and he toured me through the facility with Vesa, the manufacturing manager, and Marko who is working on standardizing plant procedures in preperation for ISO9000 registration. They not only showed me through the plant but they took time to explain the attitudes and company philosophy that make Finn-Power such an innovative and great place to work. Everyone in the operation works by the company catch phrase "flexibly yours". Whatever customizations the customer wants, these folks will do. It also applies to work on the shop floor. The men (they are all men) are thouroughly cross trained and thus are able to have a lot of flexibility in their work schedule if they need to take personal time off of work. The company actually encourages Matti's involvement with the local fire department. Not bad for a big company. Most of the folks in management have spent time out on the shop floor so they understand where the men at the shop floor are at. One of the company slogans that was new to me was "Pride without Arrogance". The want to be the best in the world at what they do but they never want to quit learning.
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