Itinerary and Reflections
Flew from BWI to JFK
Landed in JFK at 2:18 and to Helsinki not until 11:45
Purchased entry into passenger Lounge (food, snack and drinks were not the greatest yet spaces available to relax)
Met Sarah before we had to board the plane
Tried to upgrade seat but flight full and no availability. Recommended to try 2-4 hours before boarding return flight
Arrived in Helsinki-Vantaa Airport safely and was able to get both pieces of luggage
Saw member of Finland Foundation with sign who escorted us to van to Hotel Scandic Paasi (Kudos on having individual rooms)
Welcome Dinner at the Restaurant Graniittilina . Nice welcome dinner and we were given a welcome tote bag with name bag
It was Sarah's birthday so I presented her with a card and had the other fellows to sign it.
The FFT Team member met us at the hotel lobby to escort us to the Fulbright Finland Foundation office building.
Appreciate having free breakfast at hotel
We were given a mini tour of the Finland Foundation offices and took group photo along with introductions
Introduction to the Study Tour Program and the Foundation Team. Great overview/background about the Foundation and everything you need to know about Finland
We were asked to share our experiences while in Finland using several forms of social media for publicity and outreach
Panel Discussion about the Finnish Education System (K-12): National, Municipal, and School Level with three panelist (one on Zoom and two in person). Wish we could have had more time with this topic. The speakers went with us to lunch.
I did not participate in the cultural experience of the Finnish Sauna & Swimming since I don't swim and have already exprienced a sauna in another country. Then it was off to buffet dinner
Another fellow and I visited Mainingin Koulu Comprehensive School via taxi where we were greeted by the Principal Anne Suomala. I gave a gift to the principal thanking her for hosting me at her school. She took us into the conference room to share a slide presentation about the school. Then she had a group of student ambassadors give us a tour of the building. The school was celebrating Halloween. I gave a contribution to the Student Government Association who was selling baked goods as a fundraiser. The classes were excited to have us and sang songs to greet us. It was interesting that since this has a specialization in Music and Dance that many of the classrooms had keyboards. Their a two sections per grade level and the A section is for the Arts magnet students and B section for general students.
Next, we went to Espoo International School for a facilitated reflection time. It would have been nice to had a tour of the school. During the reflection time, each school team met with their principals and discussed questions given. We also heard from a teacher at Espoo who shared her dissertation research. The school was having an international program in the auditorium.
As we left the school we noticed that a public community library was connected to the school in which people independently could check out materials. After this we had leftto go the the cultural excursion which was women's world ringette championship game between Canada and Finland.
The dinner buffet at the ice hall was not good options menu. The game was exciting as we first entered and went to exhibition hall. There was merchandise to be purchased yet no flags. Many people wore their jerseys and other paraphernalia. We took picture with the mascot and got some free stickers to wear or faces painted. The game was great new sport to watch. Afterwards we were given Metro cards and rode subway back to hotel.
Visited Nuuksio National Park in Espoo and had a very through tour of museum. Lunch buffet was good. We were given a brief explanation of the Haltai Naure Center and Nature School Concept including the teaching materials shared with students. The 1 mile hike around the grounds was not too challenging to walk. We then saw a mobile library on the grounds and talked to the librarian about the process of using the mobile library. Next fellows made Tikkupulla with warm drinks at a tent campfire.
It was a gray and raining morning. We had a great shuttle bus to give us a city tour by bus of Helsinki. The tour guide (Eric) was very knowledgeable. Lunch was at Restaurant Kolme Kruuna which was excellent and reindeer meat.
After lunch a former Fulbright Alumni picked up in her car and took us to her home. We met her husband and a former colleague along with her two dogs. We were presented with Christmas Cards and a great spread of refreshments.
Small motorcoach took us to new city Joensuu. We stopped and had lunch buffet at Mikkeli ABC which is a rest stop. The new hotel was great almost like a studio apartment which included a washing machine and kitchennette.
We walked to the cultural experience which was a home economics class to prepare a Finnish Dinner through the Martha Organization. There were several meal preparation stations with two partners preparing the various courses. We were given a recipe booklet to take with us. It took me out of my comfort zone since I don't cook. We made potatoes and gravy.
For breakfast, I had moose sausage. I took a five minute walk over the bridge alone to visit the Pielisjoki School. I gave a gift to the principal to thank you for hosting me at his school. At the school I did two presentations which were Jeopardy Games and logic puzzles. After the presentation, five girls stayed after class and had lunch with me to ask as well as answer questions. They gave me a tour of the school.
The day concluded with brainstorming about applying phenomenon based learning to facilitate virtual classroom to classroom collaboration.
Went to the Mutala School with two other colleagues. We were greeted by the principal who took us to a whole school assembly in the gym. I presented a gift to the principal to thank him for hosting me at his school. Once a month, the school gathers to share their multidisciplinary presentations for each grade level. This month the social skill was friendship. Afterwards two colleagues from California gave a presentation. Afterwards had lunch and then I was given a tour of the building by two students. We then walked to a series of lessons on the Introduction to Teacher Education in Finland in the Universit of Eastern Finland School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education. We were given sparking cider in champagne glasses and chocolate. Each of the five presenters shared about various programs and also gave us pens and notepads from UEF.
The faculty members went to dinner with us to continue our conversation. Dinner was fantastic at Restaurant Teatteriravintola which included arctic char fish which was delicious!
Appreciate having a late morning. Morning walk to the North Karelian Museum with our excellent guide Sami. His voice and knowledge about history were awesome. During free time, we visited Taitokertteli which is a center where crafts and culture are displayed. I was able to purchase a UNICEF African American boy doll as well as craft gifts for colleagues at my school.
We then walked to the music conservatory at UEF campus for the Internationalization Days of Finnish Schools two day conference. We were given tote bag, name bags, and visited vendors. The lunch line in one of the campus dinning halls was very long. We then heard expert briefing on US Foreign Policy & International Education Priorities in Finland and What US Embassy does in Finland. Next a expert briefing was shared about sustainable internationalization at schools and the final presentation was about Ukrainian Education System from a refugee teacher (she was very emotional and members of audience shed tears as she presented).
We attend the conference reception at the Joensuu Art Museum hosted by the City of Joensuu. It began by shaking hands in receiveing line from the chair of the committee and other board members. There were three music performances. Drinks and hors d'oeuvers were given. I then went back to last nights restuarant to have another taste of the same meal we had yet it did not taste as well.
On the second day of the conference, our Fulbright group led an interactive session entitled, "Applying Transversal Competencies to Facilitae Virtual Classroom to Classroom Collaboration with US Teachers." My group shared about the Ethics and Environmental Competency. I created the two charts used by the group as well as led the introduction. The session went well with approximately 11 Finnish people in attendance.
We then visited the University Teacher Training School where we were greeted by the coordinator as well as principal. The student teachers were also present to share a slide presentation and tour of building.
We were now off for a five hour coach ride back to Helsinki. We stopped at Matkatediad Viermuaki as a rest stop and shopped. Then we had dinner at a great buffet place.
We walked from hotel to the Helsinki Central Library Oodi. The library was a fantastic site to visit as we did our reflection time using a Fishbowl Technique. We later took a tour of the library which was very impressive. I was able to go to the European Union information station and get several resources. We then took the train to the Finnish Science Center.
The lunch buffet was great as well as all of the hands on activities provided for families to engage. There were lots of learning environments to explore at the Heureka Finnish Science Center.
Afterwards a colleague and I took the metro to the University of Helsinki stop in order to look for college merchandise to purchase. We went inside Stockmann Store which is like Macys or Norstorm. Before going back we also visited a store called Normal which is like Five and Below back home.
Father's Day in Finland/Double Salary Day-Every Sunday which is a day paid to stay home with family
Got up early to work on my global education guide
Took the tram 7 to the Market Square to shop, SkyWheel Helsinki, and the Flying Cinema Tour of Helsinki.
Went on tour of Mercuria Business College which is a part of vocational education. It shares campus with upper secondary school. The school's trade focus is business studies. We had an opportunity totake a tour as well as visit a introduction to business class in which the teacher was introducing vocabulary such as business person, bought, vendor. After lunch we went to tour of the Upper secondary school and visited a world religion class and a music class. We ended the visit by meeting four students to share about their experiences. Dinner was held at a glass walled restaurant on the lake.
A fellow and I went to the University of Helsinki bookstore in order to get merchandise. Our group gave our reflection presentation and then were given certificates of completion. We had dinner at a former prison. I also had a job interview.
Was able to upgrade ticket to business class which was my first time having this flight accommodation. Arrived home around midnight and have to attend work in the morning.