We departed
today from Rovaniemi about seven o`clock in the morning. Most of students were
tired, but there was special spirit of expectation in the air. Stanley told us
some facts about Finnish nature and visiting places that we were about go.
Our first
visiting place was day care centre called Kylälaakson päiväkoti in Sodankylä,
about two hours drive from Rovaniemi. There were happy kids and friendly staff
members showing us places and giving some coffee and pulla. The director of the
place told us some information about their care centre. Students were really impressed that in
Sodankylä and in all over Finland the family have a subject right to have their
children in a day care. And the waiting list for day care is maximum two weeks,
at least in Sodankylä. But as it said
that one picture tells more than thousand words, let the pictures tell the
rest. 
Our next
stop was in Ivalo. We had a delicious meal in the Hotel Kultahippu. Then we had
some free time to explore huge Ivalo centrum, buy some souveniers and eat some
ice cream. We hopped on the bus and drove to Sami museum called Siida in Inari.
For those, who were awake Stanley told good jokes and those who were sleeping,
well they were sleeping. In Siida, we
learned about Sami history and lifestyle and Finnish nature.
After
visiting the Siida we head up towards our sleeping place, Kevo subarctic
research institute, where the heart of the place, Emilia, was waiting for us.
Chefs had made some really good food, that we enjoyed with good appetite. Then,
we spread in our rooms, some had to row their way over the lake to their
cabins. Some of the student enjoyed the Finnish sauna including swimming in the
lake with lots of screams. We bet, all the animals nearby had run away becouse
of the noise. By the way, as a Finnish
students, we really appreciate the courage
of those who went swimming into extremely cold water.
Feeling
clean and fresh, we gathered together in the sauna house. Tables were full of
all the good snacks and sausages. Stanley just had to play a few notes with his
guitar and the evening was ready to start! We were all feeling like one big
family, sitting very close to each other, singing and laughing together.
Next morning
there were tired faces at the breakfast tables and stories about last night.
- ” How late did you stay
up?”
- ” Why did you take our
boat?”
- ” Oh, you look rested! ”
First in the
morning we went to the Utsjoki elementary and high school. It is the only high
school within 100km. The amount of students in the high school is six at the
moment and in the elementary school about seventy. The speciality in the school
is that one of the major languages is Sami. The surprise could be seen in
student’s, when the staff told us about the lifestyle here in the north. Even
it is -45 degrees celsius outside, there is no change to skip the school, it
will be open! Except in extremely important time in reindeer herding, when even
childrens of families are needed to help, some students might be out off school
for weeks. Teachers will give them some home
work to do.
After
visiting school, we had change to go to Finland- Norwegian border. We took
beautiful, awesome, remarkable pictures with and without jumps. Some of the
people went to have coffee to wake them up.
The next stop was in very old
church village. Ladies were trying to make us believe that in those little huts
had been staying even ten persons at the same time. Now you are probably
thinking what are those huts? Well you can just google. http://www.saamivillage.fi/etusivu/kohteet/utsjoen-kirkkotuvat/
So, in the
old ages in early 18th century, people came to church from far away. They had
to have place to stay over, so they built those huts. Every extended family had
their own hut. As you probably know, there were no supermarkets at that time,
so during those church meetings they also traded things, like food and animal
leather.
We two want
to thank all of you who made this trip unforgettable!
-
Salli
Hentilä and Hilkka Ylimartimo, University of Lapland
Summer school
VastaaPoista