This week life in Turku was back to some sort of normality for me. My visitors had gone and it was time to attend University classes and placement again. As part of my ‘Get Finternational’ course I attended an ‘Equality in Finland’ workshop which was informative and interesting. Numerous statements relating to equality in Finland were made to encourage some constructive debates. It was challenging to agree/disagree with the statements because once I had made my choice, we were asked to explain why and from listening to others’ views arguing valid cases; I began to re-think my decisions. For example, a statement for debate was that ‘individuals earning a higher salary and in better jobs should pay more tax (40% of their earnings)’. This was argued that individuals in better jobs had studied a long time and deserved to keep all of their earnings versus everyone gets a free education in Finland, therefore everyone should pay taxes, especially those who have studied for many years and not paid any taxes over this period. This left me unable to strongly agree or disagree as I thought they were both excellent points, resulting in a reflection of the issues discussed.
Monday 28th February was Kalevala's Day - Finnish Culture Day, where the Finn’s celebrate the epic folk poetry written by Elias Lönnrot (1802-1884). I have learnt that the Kalevala was part of a patriotic movement recognising the heroic past of the people and the move of Karelianism. It seems that traditional Finnish food can be eaten on this day and in general it seems that Pea Soup (Hernekeitto) and Gingerbread biscuits (Piparkakut) are some typical foods eaten regularly.
In addition to this, I attended a museum exhibition named ‘Fire! Fire!’. This was an interactive exhibition based on the history of the Great Fire of Turku in 1827, where three-quarters of the city had been destroyed. Furthermore, to extend my cultural experiences I went to an Ice Hockey match to watch Turku’s local team (TPS) play. This was my first experience of watching an Ice Hockey match live (even though there is the Belfast Giants back home!). There was a good atmosphere in the arena and I soon saw that ice-hockey is a very physical and what seems an aggressive sport. However, it was a great experience and I was amazed at the players ice-skating skills. As my time in Finland continues I realise that there are more things to experience here. I look forward to further experiences to come and intend to grasp these opportunities with both hands!
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