Search, find, learn

We have been lucky with the weather last week, though it has been cold in the day (damp cold that aches your bones) it has been sunny.



Tuesday after school I went for an 8km walk to explore a few places around Jyväskylä I hadn't been to. Mainly because I go back to Tampere after school Thursday and don't return until late Sunday night. So now I spend my Tuesday afternoon's walking around looking for new walks and places while taking photos. I found two new nature walks and still haven't got to explore Harju park properly yet. Hopefully the good weather holds out as next weekend Eero comes to visit me in Jyväskylä so we can explore a few places.



I have an intensive course next week so I have lectures on Friday and Saturday until 12.30pm. Then I will eat and we can go explore some more! Friday I also got the call from Eero to terminate my student lease and we applied for a few apartments in Jyväskylä. Now we have to wait and see what we get as I am out of student halls from 1st November =) yay! Yes I did terminate my lease on the last day in the last few business hours but it saves us paying three rents in one month!

So from 1st November we should have an apartment here but Eero may not get here until late November or December but I will have my own space to clean, wash and do as I please. I am actually very excited about this change, it means it is real again. Then we can see about changing cars =) somewhat exciting even for me (secretly I like cars).

I love my course but it is intense even without the extra course running. Into the deal, I am actually picking up another book exam next week when I can meet my lecturer to discuss terms. I also have my first exam Wednesday afternoon... chemistry calculations it will hurt somewhat I think!!

Oh, I also started taking Marlen's class for academic writing, aim of the class to get yourself published. I am actually loving this class and wished it lasted longer than a few weeks.

Suomi class is going well though it can be a little frustrating as my other classes push for so much time and effort, I have less time and energy for the Finnish but good progress is still being made and I understand a lot more of what people say. Quite handy around town, banks, shops and even on the train. Also be happy when Eero moves and he can start helping me too.

Waterstones are trying for the 3rd time to deliver my books I ordered in May, I hope to anyone or thing that the third time is lucky as my patience is as dry as Antarctica (driest place on Earth).

I have also been forced to book a doctors appointment as my allergies are having random fits and I am sick of trying to second guess what the problem is and my diet is restricted again now (not healthy). Hopefully I can then get referred to an allergist with some speed. Doctor isn't until 12th October as the original appointment clashed with my intensive one week course *ho hum*

Dad also got another all clear with his cancer check up so nothing is spreading. Granddad also got his all clear on his cancer in the beginning of the week. Life is good. Though nan had a very bad fall and has bruised her face and hips but all is normal apart from that.

Week 1 of Uni

I didn't get the start I had hoped for thanks to a bad tummy bug which is still causing issues a week later... but I attended most lectures of the week =)

I really enjoyed my first week at uni even though most of my lectures are master's degree level chemistry (This semester), homework is mostly calculations =)and it has been a while since I have been at school! Part of me misses the way the world of work is but school is also very exciting and getting the chance to learn new things!

Suomi class is also going very well, things now make a lot of sense and I am trying to get as much practice in as possible and trying to text Eero as much as possible using Finnish which works quite well. There are only 11 people in our group so we are hoping that we are allowed to keep that class size or I may get lectures on Friday's

I currently get to come home on Thursday evenings then go back to Jyväskylä on Sunday evenings.. it's quite pleasant!

Friday was a nice day after Eero finished work we went shopping and he brought me a new beautiful coat! So I was happy... now I keep trying to find reasons to go outside so I can wear the coat =)

Haven't done much today though as this tummy bug has made some of my food triggers more annoyed than normal and I wanted to go walking with in Lempäälä!!! So we must go next weekend!!!

Back to Jyväskylä Sunday, then school Monday to Thursday 8am to 5pm... then back to Tampere Thursday evening x

Orientation/ Induction Days

Image above is the campus my studies are based on

Ah, orientation the time of the year we love or hate as new students. I'm on the garden fence this year a lot of what we got told as yet I knew from being here so long or we found out from summer school but it has still been a very good few days.

The view from the physic's building cafe is out of this world, looks from the top of the hill over the lake and trees! so pretty!

The timetable itself for induction has been crazy 9am until 4pm daily on Thursday and Friday but note by the time I am blogging I didn't stay all day today... I hit a brick wall trying to concentrate so came home to read and chill out. Monday is the last day of induction and I will finally find out what subjects I can take and which are optional... though I have signed up for a few! =) I am looking forward to that meeting on Monday afternoon and it will be the first meeting of my fellow degree students (I don't think there are many of us). The current orientation days we are grouped together as "international students" so most of us from Suomi 1 just hang out lol.

Today was the official start day for the new Finns too so there was a fair on... Britta and myself checked it out got some pens, badges, bag, calendar, our student cards... Britta got to eat the candy, doughnut and could of had a coffee (the joys of allergies meant I had to go without but had some dark chocolate in my bag *nom noom*). The weather today is horrible wind, rain and it is cold.

Today's lectures were mostly enjoyable though I need to register myself to see if I can get an internship (seems like fun, I know I am sad). We also found out about all the Erasmus trips to Lapland, Åland and Russia... The latter being my only interesting one. However, I don't want to go to Russia in Autumn I would like to go next Spring/Summer and it costs €450 for week... so that's my luxury item for next year I think... who knows as mom wants to go so I may wait for their visit and take them with me.

Eero is coming to visit tonight and we are going to meet my friends in city tomorrow! so sooooooo exciting. I am also riding my bike everywhere now, I still dislike the huge hill we live on and can often be seen pushing the bike up it heehee. I also may get gym membership if the university gym is on the main campus and not Kortepohja which is like 4.3km away from where we live!

I have also started my exploring bug and keep going up different streets and places looking for things of interest of apartments we could live in... I found some really cool houses but nothing that would be for rent!! I also found a really pretty waterfall by accident so I hope it is not raining tomorrow so I can take some photos around the place. Didn't take any in summer as I have so many summer photos and none of Autumn.

Puhetentti 27.08.2010

Friday was the day of both Finnish speaking exams which were great fun I have to say.

The first part of the test was to act out a scene of our choice in Finnish... it had to be 3 to 5 minutes long and understandable by the whole class. So Jenny, Britta and me grouped up and got to work on thinking up a scene. Thursday was the day where we were in school all day then went back to school to work on our acting and speaking at 4pm. We finished for the night about 6.20pm. Then I walked to Prisma to get some milk and bread... 12km walking that day but it gave me time to think about my Finnish.

Friday, judgement day. We also had a no time specified 15 minute exam for speaking. We were shown a picture story and had to explain it in Finnish. We finished that and then we had to answer some more questions on what we liked to do, what we ate, what we were doing the weekend, etc. Jenny, Britta and myself were together for this and it was actually really nice as an exam. We could interact with each other so it was nice, if we needed too!

I have never looked forward to or enjoyed exams until this course so it's a new beginning!

So Monday is the grammar, writing comprehension and the listening tests... busy day but I am looking forward to testing what I know and what I think I know.

Tuesday morning is a course review and party so that's all good!

Orientation for my Master's degree starts on Thursday but I have signed up for a few courses already! I need to wait for Friday to choose what Suomi 2 class I can enroll for (there are three classes a week!).

Suomi 1

In 17 working days... so intensive is the key word for sure with the course!!! We learnt to speak using slang so we don't sound like talking books, to read, write and listen to people. Below is the official course list of what we have learnt;

Minä
basic information about yourself
greetings
letters and numbers
verb conjugation
asking questions
typical features of Finnish

Kaupungilla
food
at the cash machine
ordering in a resturant, cafe or other common places
partitive case
expressions of time
i have structure

Suomalaista elämää
free time
different verb types
genitive case
describing people
body parts
t plural and consonant change
asking the way
clothes

Tyypillinen päivä
more expressions of time
weather
spoken language and verb conjugation
making an appointment
i have to structure

Tulossa ja mennossa
where, where from, to where cases
buying train, bus tickets
past tense
and grammar

It has been a very intensive course but it has been very well taught and structured. If any of you get a chance to take the Finnish language courses at Jyväskylä university then do so! Even if you have to pay for them they are well worth the money!

Suomi 1 doesn't make you fluent or able to understand every word people are saying but it helps you break down the basics and ask for simple things, order drinks and food, tell someone what you want, or that you are busy and need to do something else. It is a great course! I can't wait to see how much I learn from the second one. Nor can I wait for the conversation courses in January =)

I have exams Friday and Monday. Then over a week to digest the work in suomi 1 I haven't remembered completely. Then bring on Suomi 2, which is over 3 months =)

Also on the huge plus side, Eero has been shocked into how much Finnish I know and is now actively helping, texting and speaking in Finnish =)life is good!