Leppäkosken koulu / Haukankallion koulu

My very first week at Leppäkosken koulu / Haukankallion koulu was from 5.10 - 9.10.2015.
I'm now happy to be back there! (don't feel good phisically though, flu and muscle pain, tired, coughing a lot. All that means we should try to be best at our worst, not giving up!)

I don't know why but I really missed the students somehow. I'm curious to go back and see their reactions. In fact, I'm bit dissapoined that my schedule has been changed and now I'll spend a week in Leppäkoski instead of two /according to older timetable/. I mean two or more weeks in a row at school for instance will develop better connection between teachers, students, and me. Simply because we will have little bit more time to send together.

In Leppakoski I learned that the biggest  and most demanding part of "my volunteering mission" is to listen and let the others to talk and teach me how, what, when, or maybe why. It is strange because I've always wanted to be heard, which is the reason to be become a teacher (preacher?!).
I realized maybe it is the opposite. To the botom line:

In reggards to "my mission", I want to share my impacts from my first week at Leppäkosken koulu/Haukankallion koulu in Leppäkoski. 

I am very touched by the students I met in Leppäkoski and I would welcome every opportunity to work with/for them and their teachers again. I don't want to exaggerate (it was only my very first days with them. I don't know them very well unfortunately. I really don't know how serious and special their needs are) but at some moment I wanted to ask some of the head teachers if I could work there for real! No really, I would say that to all the teachers and students I will be meeting during my EVS project because I want to assure my future and find a meaningful professional development. Oh, In one sentence: I'm looking for a job in education or non-profit section in Finland. I said it finally. 

In general, being in Leppäkoski for a week hepled me with answering to my questions:

What is my mission?                                       

Can I do that as a volunteer? 

How and Can I make a difference? 

What does it mean to make a difference?

I received my answers on Friday, Oct.9 :) Here a long version:
The school has organized an outdoor event in the forest near small lake (Riihtu? I can't remember:/) where all can celebrate the beggining of the Autumn Holiday "burning"/"smoking" some sausage, lihapiirakka pies (Lihapiirakka I love them! Maмо, you have to bake some!), or keksi. I'm sayng literally burning and smoking because this is what the students did and deffinitely had a great deal of fun, chasing in the forest, moving trees from one of the trails, some runny noses, and lots of smilies! In the end my clothes smelled like burned/smoked wood, because I stayed close to the fire to warm my frozen hands:)

You should ALWAYS USE YOUR THUMB to track

The answers now: On the way to the lake, one of the teachers (Tiina) told me they needed me to stay for longer (Sari also told me, the students hadn't met a foreigner before and they are curious), so we can get used to each other, our personalities and interests with the students, so they will know me better. Tiina said that one of her students (the sweet little girl, Henna:)) told her: "Tiina, now I have to learn to speak English, so I can talk to Monika!". The most important fact that Tiina noticed is that now Henna has a real personal reason/desire to learn a new language and before that Henna just had no choice because of the school curriculum. This is making a difference, isn't it!! Henna has changed her mind for new positive experience. This is perfect! I'm speechless! This is the best thing to know!

 

Next We were Back at school at noon for a "smelly toilet game" (like a Hangman, but the more mistakes you make with letters or words, the closer you get to getting into the picture of the "smelly outdoor toilet") and short story about Jali ja suklaatehdas (nothing is the same in Finnish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl & illustartions by Quentin Blake. They are just awesome. I found some of their educational reading/writting activities I will use for my master thesis). 




So, before we went to the classroom Aato, 5th grader, came to me and said: I like you Monika!
For some seconds I didn't know what to say, put myself together quickly, smilled and replied: Great! I like you too! Hight five! So unexpected... or maybe not. Maybe our friendship has begun in the forest when he walked next to me and told me he hated the stupid boy in front of us. (Hmm, surprise) I replied: sometimes you don't like something or someone but don't hate. Don't hate. It's useless.


Why not daring to be different? Love what you hate when you don't want it!
Thank you, all for the greatest lessons in my life!
M.Б.