MAY 2016 - long story short

Earlier in March I missed the opportunity to travel to Norway with four people I met at the camp in Sopukka. Unfortunately, neither of them had the same chance to visit Kautokeino because (Quote from Facebook group): 

So, What happened later: on messenger I dealt with Lena (EVS volunteer) that I could travel with them in April when they decide to go by car (because one of the EVS guys has been provided with a car). What happened in the end: lack of communication, misleading or misunderstanding, the guy with the car wasn't interested and I turned out with another solution: to settle down my trip with Veselina and go to Oslo at any means. And I did it! Being in Finland taught me to confirm my plans more confidently and practically implement my ideas. 

Thanks to that Week 18 I spent traveling around Scandinavian capital cities, meeting my friend Veselina again (because she wanted to see The Northern Europe and it was also her turn to visit me in Finland). It took us a lot of preparation and anxiety to set up the right time according to the bus and train schedules but it was worthy. I settled my trip earlier on 28th of April in the evening taking the train to Helsinki to pick up Veselina as early as possible on the next morning from the airport (which wasn't the plan but... I do everything for a friend). As soon as she arrived we rushed to kamppi for the bus to Turku. Then by ferry we went to Stockholm and stayed there for the weekend. 

My university colleague friend Lili joined us and provided the board and accommodation in Norway (3rd of May). Also, had arranged a short boat trip Oslo-Copenhagen-Oslo for the three of us ;) yep!hurrah!!! so I could practice bike cycling in Copenhagen of course! Yeah:) we definitely had a wonderful lovely time! I don't have many pics to show. Actually, I didn't take many because I appreciate the moments when we're together and I'm not used to share or show those moments on the social networks and I just always forget posting and tagging. Well, honestly I don't like it. On Friday was time to go back-again we stayed in Stockholm for the weekend. 

Week 19 on Monday we arrived in Helsinki, locked our stuff at viking line terminal, and started the sightseeing. Veselina and I stayed in Helsinki under the warm northern sky and stars hanging around waiting for the sunrise, endlessly chatting. I'm glad we survived safe and sound. Helsinki is definitely a safe city. 

On Tuesday we had a delicious lunch at tori (The Main market square) and I escorted Veselina to the airport to send her back to Spain. Later, later In the evening I was in Turenki ready to go to bed cause I was working on the next day in a kindergarten. 

Week 20: kindergarten- board games, counting numbers in English, a lot of outdoor time, and physical activities/exercises. Finnish kindergarten is tough but at least you learn something in the end.

Week 21 and 22: Youth work and preparations for the summer camps with my EVS partner Lisa. 

On 24th of May: I started preparing some notes/ thoughts about my "work certificate" Youthpass. The same day in the evening: The Voice of Jallu !! Wonderful young singers and musicians from the local high school performed on stage. I'm mostly impressed by the song which two girls sang in Sami language.

Week 22 Youth Work, thinking about my Youthpass, some office work, collecting art supplies for the local summer camps, home errands - decorated my room, touched up my tutorials for the camps. Hope that all the papers I need could be printed soon. I had them ready on my laptop already in March, but forgot to print them, and posponed the printing because of my trips. In my defense I'll just say: It is not late. (One more thing: I didnt know that we wont have a printer on the camp.)

I am going to paint a t-shirt- my sweet TOFT :) It will be my memory t-shirt from Finland.

Next week-23 summer camps start. I'm excited and nervous. Hopefully everything and everyone will be ok, working properly. Let the Forest be with us!

MAY 2016 in Pictures

When I came back from my trip I started decorating my room. I brought some nature inside:) 

And now Here are some pictures from my Scandinavian travel with Veselina and Lilija:)

 And back in brighter and greener than ever Turenki, Finland. This is a sunset picture /through the open window/. On the wall after 10pm. I got this beautiful warm orange color:

 

Week 21 On Tuesday I went to "The Voice Of Jallu" - the annial local high school concert. It was fantastic, because fantastic talanted students performed. I was very nicely surprised by two girls who sang a song in Sami language! Amazing!

On Thrusday I went to an Ambient Jazz concert in Hameenlinna. For my big nice surprise the band (called Asketics) was from Russia! Never heard of ambient jazz before (but only dark ambient rock, dark wave...), I love it now. It worth it. Asketics have very mellow interesting sound :)

Time flies. My EVS project is very close to its final line. There are only two months left. Exciting!!!

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.