Adventurous April 2016

Week 14 of April was scheduled for youth work. On Monday I visited Tervakosken yhteiskoulu and presented some interesting information about the traffic safety, transportation and driving license procedure in Bulgaria and USA. I repeated the information from posters I had made in advance but also added some more new things- some teachers asked me to say few things about Bulgaria and me. Then I also used the chance to "advertise" voluntary work (EVS, European Voluntary Service/ #EVS20) at schools, for any cultural events and society in general. Then Three girls met me on my way out of the classroom and asked about my name. They spoke excellent English. I understood that one of them is going to work with us for the summer camps in Mallinkainen. After the school I went to the local youth center for my evening shift. 

I think The youngsters there know me already and maybe feel at least little little bit comfortable with me. The next day I just had my Finnish language course. I got awesome feedback: on my written assignment the teacher stated that I'm ready and well prepared for the next level- Suomi 2. However, I'm not going to continue, because that course has already started in January and I had a problem when I wanted to sign up for it:(

(1st: problem with paper work - receiving the course bill too late that I had to give up attending the course at all. 2nd: Consequently: sad, disappointed a lil'bit, reality). 

For the rest of the week I was in the youth center and done some office work- I transferred part of the campers' paper information on the computer. I stayed alone for a while in the office. Two people came totally unaware of my unsophisticated Finnish language skills and sooo randomly asked me in Finnish, but I sooo surprisingly understood them and answered!!! That was awesome:)

On Friday in the youth center the youngsters sat around me at the table I often stay and talked random things. I didn't do what I planned for Friday evening because I saw that the teenagers wanted to talk, to be listened which is more more important than any other activities. So, I'm glad that they just unconditionally finally broke the ice themselves and stayed sooo close to me! That's great!

Week 15- my great holy holiday in Istanbul, Turkey where I met distant relatives of my grandpa and they saw my parents for the very first time on skype. They cried and laughed laughed a lot. It was very unique unbelievable touching moment for all of us. 

Later I departed to Spain and visited Bilbao, Pamplona, Roncesvalles (places, part of El Camino de Santiago), Perdon, and San Sebastián in the company of a very good friend of mine from my childhood, Veselina:) 

Weeks 16 and 17 were dedicated to youth work, educational games, and Mallinkainen camps refreshing and cleaning. I talked with some youngsters in English (week 16,Friday, meaningful conversation, explaining some rules, small talk about behavior). On that week I also let the kids in the youth center eat the sweets I got from Turkey. 

Week 18 - A trip around Scandinavian countries with Lili (university colleague who studies now in Oslo and will arrange the board and accommodation; and Veselina, who is going to join me directly from Pamplona in Helsinki!!! I can't can wait for it! Yes!!! Helsinki-Turku-Stockholm-Gothenburg -Oslo +back (*** + a small ferry adventure Oslo-Copenhagen-Oslo:):):))) And then in week 19 back Unbelievable!!! I'm on the road now!!! 

Peace;)

Week 12&13 Virala&Tanttala :)

Week 12 Viralan koulu

It was a little bit surprising to me that they were not aware of my visit to the school or they'd forgotten?! Nevertheless, I was quickly welcomed and accepted by the three teachers and their students. 

I told them about me, my country and its nature, and my personal interests. So, right away on the next day we wrote some "blackout poems". I presented my alphabet and wrote some names in Bulgarian as a sign of the cultural and linguistic difference. I left them few children's books in Bulgarian (as souvenirs). 

I felt there like I was a teacher assistant because I was checking homework, monitoring the class for any difficulties in maths, and assisting them in finding solutions. At the same time the head teacher was able to teach a new lesson. On the contrary I can't imagine that just one of the teachers is having 4 classes (3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th) simultaneously, teaches the 3rd graders maths and 6th graders history! Well, in Viralan koulu that's possible but as the teacher confirmed:"It's tough." So I think they really need some additional school help. I'm ready to be that worker just to know. 

Additionally, I'm inspired by a freelance contemporary artist I met in Virala. She integrates dancing moves into educational experience and gave me some ideas for teaching numbers, letters, or literature and how to practice all that with students of different ages and learning abilities. Yes!

On the whole, it's definitely somewhat an unusual, very interesting, and important school. I'm glad I had the chance to spend some time there and honestly I look forward for any further meeting. I'm available for that school. I liked it from the first day. 

For Easter here I baked traditional Bulgarian sweet Easter bread called "kozunak" (well, I put also some Finnish fruit jam- puolukkahilo:))

Week 13 Tanttalan koulu 

I spent 4 school days in Tanttalan koulu, a very small unique place for its number of students and educational building. 

On Tuesday in the morning classes I presented Bulgaria and played traditional bag-pipe folk music for the students (4-6th grade). Later they decorated the classroom with lots of "color paper spring flowers" under my tutorial from the document camera (pictures above).

On Wednesday the school had a sport day. I showed  a game to the kids until the hall was ready for floorball and gymnastics. The game is called "kralju portalju" (king at the gates"). It's a very common and traditional game in Bulgaria:

On Thursday I helped in English classes when I played board games and used the school iPads for one vocabulary game with the students. I stayed until noon, because the head teacher was sick, so we all left school earlier. 

On Friday those wonderful kids (4-6th grade, about 18 pupils together) wrote "blackout poems"! in Finnish!! (I copied Hans C. Andersen's book of fairly tales I found in the old school library!!!) 

Overall, good week we all practiced and cooperated. Here are some of the results:

 What's next? In April: More exciting moments- traveling, lots of lots of traveling!!!!!!!!!!!!

March 2016 / Week 11 School Work and Pupil Counseling

March was maybe marked by very exciting moments, planing trips and time, checking/changing the plans and schedules, staying too late up at night, getting really tired in the morning, and having a lot of discussion and considering about that with two friends of mine. This is how it was week by week in general:

Week 11 Turengin yhteiskoulu

It's was busy a school for me. On Tuesday and Thursday we presented EVS, shared our voluntary experience, and gave EVS info brochures to 9-grade students. The pupil counseling caused me a bit of a headache. I felt low, less energetic. I know it's often so because I always put a lot of attention to listen; I try to read the others, so that often takes my energy. Also because I'm concerned if other people evacuate me and what I'm saying. It's about making good impression and influencing the students to think about becoming a volunteer. All in all, there are only only advantages to do it. 

On the other hand to be back at that school was mostly "watch and learn", which worked fine for me. I took notes about teaching process and the way the teachers handle older students. Once again I'm nicely surprised by independent work in class and I'll follow that example, so I know what kind of teacher I would be like.

In March I didn't feel ok here. I just don't feel welcome somehow. After pupil counseling in school I received some "shitty" feedback about voluntary work in general. People still cannot understand giving your all time, any possible skills and knowledge for nothing material or financial in reverse. It's very sad, it's worse to hear it from the people I basically "work" for, teenagers.

I must be absolutely indifferent person so I don't take any offense or not feel hurt but I'm not. I'm unfortunately very sensitive and took that very personally. How now I can be welcome? How what Im doing means anything or makes any difference? It's hard enough for me that I take care for my family from abroad and work for no pay to gain professional experience which on its way would get me a better job in the future. Nevertheless, I like my volunteering enourmosly no matter how hard it is I'll try to finish my project. 

I finaly watched an ice-hockey game, finaly! The atmosphere is great, great, amazing and the music was good (almost everywhere rock is on it's a good place).

P.S. I moved to a new apartment. I have a the room that fits me and my needs the most. I arranged one small spot next to the wardrobe as my "art studio", where I keep al my crap drawing, random workouts, students' blackout poems, books and stationary. It's super great! i like it very very much!

EVS January/February 2016

January passed pretty quietly and a bit depressing personally. I started  with a week in a kindergarten, then 2 weeks doing youth work, regarded to planning summer camps' schedule and activities. I dont know if I can do what I have to for the summer camps in June but I know that I will try my best (as much as I can). I'm interested in participating because it may gain me some work experience. I'm not looking to do anything perfect. I would be happy even just to interact with kids and teenagers and see them glad and smiling around me. I'm thinking of activities involving conversations, using lots of imagination, unlocking creative skills, brainstorming, playing, or making up stories and situations rather than art and crafts. But we'll see. For now I have sooo much handwriting to do and typing on the computer but I'm not focused... :(
I had particularly one great day in January, for which I wrote a note and put it in my memory jar. It was really amazing day in Mallinkainen, filled with thoughts about family, future, and Kalevala. I also received useful information about youth work and practicies in Janakkala. So I understand the need of supporting youngsters in their personal and social development  much more better now.


Ferbuary 2016: Of course, I'm mostly glad about Blackout poetry evening in the youth center because it gained me this:

For me that evening was very meaningful. I can put 10 good red points because few teenagers wrote blackout poems! Yes! There is particularly one piece which went pretty well, so I painted a brick wall in the youth center representing it:

Later in February I also spent 2 weeks in a kindergarten. I didnt expect that I would feel somewhat uncomfortable. I think it was so because Finnish education in kindergarten is very different that my previous experience of working with children in US by its routine, timing, teachng, activities, attention and attitude towards kids. 


On the other side is are the teachres, their work, their approach in general. Sometimes there was like we're too many people and less work or anything else to do. I mostly interact with the kids so I definitely learned new words and talk to them in English because they find it funny:) I say some simple short questions in Finnish and others unredstand! But Finnish kindergarten is tough for me. During week 3 Teachers didn't let me know what to do or what is where During last week I learned many teaching techniques by watching and listening. I learned also three games teaching counting numbers, two games for circle time, storytelling technique. That's all just great no matter how hard was to put up with the time in the kindergatren. Because if one day if I work as a teacher I will definitely know what to do and how to handle my classes. Super suprisingly and unexpectedly for me, on my last day in kindergarten I received the most warmhearthed and friendly gifts from the head teacher:

For the Moomin cup the teacher said: This is Monika and the kids:) Wonderful! On the card - that's me!

All in all Finnish grey indifferent winter days might be tough for me but the snowy February ended up with a beggining of a good warm international friendship which will last long I hope. Thanks to EVS I met a wonderful person from Spain. So, I learned some basic Spannish phrases, few words about food, and the verb "to be":

Later in April I will visit Spain for the first time and I will see a very good friend of mine from my childhood:)
                                                                                                        
Valentine's weekend I met two wonderful dogs! Hello from my friends: Koda (in the back), and Nara :) I dont feel afraid of dogs, thanks to them :) (*Fear of dogs: Challenge completed successfully!*)

Valentine's day (which I do not celebrate) I was with my mentor in EMMA, the Espoo museum of modern art. I am fascinated by the art of Ad Reinhardt - artist who writes and writer who paint. He immediately became one of my best and favourite artists. His works are literally what I love and try to do, since I've accidently encountered the works of Austin Kleon in Barnes and Noble in Chicago.

Week 8 in February was connected to youth work, personal research about school bullying, teens life and I got tired ot reading. I also worked from home (priceless! Spent about 5 hours in front of my laptop) and finaly I am ready with my summercamp schedule, art and games instructions, and what's more- I found some pretty good examples in pictures about three Bulgarian folk games.
On Fri, Feb 26th I was in youth centre. Teenagers werent interested in my Martenitsa bracelets workshop. At least, they liked the carrot cake I baked for them:) Then I had one a bit thoughtful lonely Saturday, and a bit of a nice Saturday on the other hand, because I spent some time watching movies (out of my "comfort movie taste", I havent expected I would, but I did watch anyway) with my work parther and roommate Lisa and Mirjam, another EVS girl. I regard it as a bit of a difficult but change for good of myself. On Kalevala's Day, 28th I had an interesting, interesting, adventurous art cold Sunday in Helsinki. I'll definitely take another Helsinki Art Walk as soon as I can. Tomorrow, Leap Day, I'll bake banitsa for the youngsters of Janakkala in the youth centre.

Peace,
M.

Mid-term training camp

First of all, in the beginning of the year I'll start with a new personally achieved skills: listening proficiency and remarkable patience. In Finland I experienced the saying "Silence is golden/talking silver" and indeed learned to appreciate it more because it means that you are really listening to person next to you not replying in a casual conversation when you have nothing to say or help. Following this "golden" lesson we appreciate our own competence and utilise it. So I will be as concise as I can. On the last day before leaving they asked as to summarize our future plans and hopes in one sentence. In one sentence this is what I expect:

Having my home and income, working either with children in an international kindergarten/preschool when support education and educational reforms and rights in public schools and nonprofit sector in Europe or my home country. 

I also have a dream about starting my home based learning center or at least something like a reading room, a place for art and crafts for parents and children:) where my mom can run her dreamed healthy home bakery. Of course my father will build the center cause his dream is a small construction company to help other people building their own dreams. But those are just dreams! 

I'm now concern about continuing with the youth work. It's not my field, but it's very important as experience- professional and personal development. I would look at it as developing psychologist skills for "reading " teenagers better when I'm around them in the youth center. They are at very complicated (monimutkainen) age so there are pretty many ways to "read" them. 

Just wish myself some more confidence and good luck whatsoever is going to happen!

Here are my ups and downs regarding doing my EVS in Janakkala, connected mainly to my Youth work experience, which is the newest experience in my life, a big deal for me and I assume it will be even more meaningful and important (a bit stressful sometimes) in 2016; my private shared life in Vapari and still getting used to share it indeed:

Some pictures of the beautiful landscape of Sopukka:

#EVS20 

Peace and hope,
M.

Wonderful Holidays and sick on the first days of 2016

I had wonderful holidays! Many things happened at once

The most important lesson learned sounds like following:

Only as we live, think, feel, and work outside the home, do we become humanly developed, civilized, socialized. I spent a very good thoughtful time during my winter break (Dec, 20- Jan,7). My parents flew for the first time by plain in their life to Finland to see me. I am really glad that we had our own very comfortable warm place and nice personal time together for Christmas. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm very thankful to Jaana and her interest in meeting my family. I felt so much respected:)

Many thanks to The very important people from my EVS in showing their and sending greetings to us and giving me presents for Christmas. In a week later "my poor old people" came back home safely. Here's the golden piece/lesson I gained: Whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the (dis)advantages that you’ve had or having in your life. I also reminded myself again an older lesson: no judging, no labels, no stamps.

 

 

 

On last Tuesday of December I went to Stockholm, Sverige to spend the New Years' days with our very close family people. I had a full crazy very busy week with three little energetic playful kids!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wandering experience: 

 

I set up my biggest trip starting from Turenki to Helsinki by train, then traveling by bus to Turku, so I can get a ferry to Stockholm, my final destination. 

In TURKU: I just have no idea how I managed to get to the Satama in Turku! I had printed the route to guide me but at that dark evening in the real city all of the streets' names were different. My only clue was useless. No one roaming the streets to be asked for information at that time, public transport's driver shacked shoulders and said "sorry", only one available taxi cab, but only 12€ in cash with me (I had more in Swedish krones). I kept to my original plan- walk on foot no matter what. The bus from Helsinki stopped at Helsinginkatu where I noticed the traffic signs for roads like E18 or something or something else and SATAMA hamnen. That's it I found it- I followed the traffic signs for Turku Satama. It took me about 2 hours to get to Viking line ferry terminal. I was very tired and freezing which helped me to feel immediately warm, comfortable, and ready to sleep in my cabin. 

Then in Stockholm I spent New year's eve with my relatives. We saw lots of endless fireworks and smoke in the sky that night. The first two days of 2016 I walked around Gamla Stan, Stockholm's Old Town; visited Moderna Museet and a great expensive cup of coffee (Damn, it was like heaven, lovely tasty coffee) and bought very nice sweet earings for me as a memory from Sweden:)

On my way back I got sick already I knew it. I came back be train from Turku throu Toijala to Hameenlinna where Jaana drove me home and saved me from freezing and boredom in Toijala. 

 

 

 

I was in bed 2 hours and half after midnight and 6 hours before my first work day 7.01.2016. I made it to wok eup and be in time for work coughing loudly, spitting nasty things from my lungs maybe I dont know. Luckily, I got Friday off, so stayed home to rest, drink lots of tea, cough syrop and heal myself anyhow with whatsoever I can find healthy. I got scared because I didnt get on the mend during the weekend and stayed home 2 days more to ger rid of the nasty spits, red dry spots on my face, swollen eyes and sore throath. 

 

No more details, no matter how I feel now, I'm putting a brave face and start 2016 as best as I can. 

 

Peace and hope,

M.

 

 

4 months of doing EVS / PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

I have to clear 3 questions once. They may sound stupid, I do not CARE. I can't keep it inside my head anymore. I'll post it/ say it straightforward like no one will read it! I hate being judged by others. I hate "hating". We do not realize but at some point we all judge / compare / estimate everything and everybody. WHY?

I bumped into this (see the picture below) during one afternoon walk in Turenki. Well done :)

1.Why is it kind of... hard for me to be happy? 

2. Why Do I trouble so much about other people's opinion on me? 

3. Why do I need them to like me here and now?

The answers:

• - I critisize myself that I have to be better and try harder;
• - I'm not satisfied of my results and productivity;
• - I'm afraid something bad happens everytime I feel happy
• - I'm fatalist sometimes and can't help it :(
• - others (will) think I'm not serious or do not care much;
• - I've treated badly in my life, unrespected;
• - I've lost little bit of trust in positive living in this cruel world

2.&3.

• - because I don't want to disappoint others;
• - because I'm a "social creature" /Aristotle/ and need someone's affection;
• - I'm afraid of being rejected and left behind; /do not tell me "go home.take the next flight"
• - I'm afraid of being criticized, JUDGED, or described;
• - I've spent some tough time on my own;
• - I'm afraid there's no one waiting for me or helping me;
• (I need to make sure this is not the case in Finland. I have to trust in people again! The main problem occurs from the fact that I don't believe in myself sometimes. So, it makes it hard to believe in others. I need to trust other people more and accept their help! Indeed, in Janakkala I see some people really care. Not just because this is their job. I believe it's their native attitude, professional/personal experience and understanding). 

Finally, STOP thinking about what other people think about you! Just be a good person, don't hate what you don't understand, don't judge but silently accept it and let them live however and think whatever they want. Do no harm even when you know that at the end the love I receive is not equial to the love I've given and vise versa. 

Shortly, I'm grateful. I must be no matter what. I mean all the basic needs here are provided for a healthy life in general. The problem with me is that I'm not sure I can manage the means and opportunities I have been given because I'm not experienced enough. I don't want to be perfect. This is insane, impossible, and worthless. I simply need to be needed. So put myself together and focus on what can at least try to do as a volunteer. This is my biggest concern 2016. These are my Rules 2016: