Cultural Experiences

One of the highlights for me was the cultural experiences. It's very easy to become set in ones' ideas, routines and to simply become set in your own ways. I have found that it is only when you are confronted with something totally different from the norm for you, that you can really appreciate the differences in life. With globalisation, and easy access to everything now with the internet and social media, it's easy to have ideas as to what goes on outside of your world, experiencing them though can be totally different!

All of our meals out were really enjoyable. And the fish wasn't as bad as expected...! I was glad that everyone embraced the differences in diets.... I am quite partial to potatoes and meat anyway, so I was happy! They were all really relaxed times where we could socialise and really get to know each other.

Had someone told me that I would go into a sauna (fine) and then go for a dip in a small section of the sea that had been kept unfrozen (not so fine), and told me that I would then do it for a second time, I would have called them mad!

I went 'swimming' in there TWICE. I say swimming.... lost my footing when in there, so I think that counts!

I think that doing something so crazy will help me to approach new opportunities with an open mind... truth be told, ! actually liked it! Not something to be done every day of the week... sauna maybe! Much easier than rolling in snow anyway. Yes, we did that too!

European Videos and Market Day (Day 2)

I don't think that it would be correct to go straight into the telling everyone that we had fun... we did actually do some work :) (Promise Mum!!!)

Prior to coming to Finland, we were all given a brief to create a digital video about us, our cities and university... and in true MINE style there was very little information given in design or structure! This resulted in all the videos being totally different, and yet all very informative, capturing what it was like to live and work in each country. Focus from each video weighed onto different aspects of daily living, for the Danish video, there was a lot of information about the university and the hospitals, the London lot focused more on what living was like... basically we just wanted and excuse to go sightseeing. And the Finnish video, was... well you could see that Pori is a very small place, and you need to come up with creative ways to amuse yourself here!

The videos were a great way to not only introduce our universities, hospitals and cities,  but it also gave us an idea as to who we were about to spend two weeks with. For this aspect, the videos were a great icebreaker, it automatically gave us something to ask the person sitting next to us, it put a name to a face, that until now we could only really do on Facebook and it lightened the mood, a lot of laughing went on there!

From there, we set up our European Market. We Brits went for cheese and pickle on crackers, marmite (naturally!), loads of cadburys' things, Scottish shortbread, Ale of some description, Victoria sponge, pork pies and probably a few other bits! The point of the Market is not only a social activity, but each country can show off it's best food-y bits... I have to admit, I am not sure that marmite fits into that category, but it had to be done! Each table had something new, and unique that forces us to interact... after a couple of drinks from the Czech table though and we were all great friends... some better than others!

The Market stands also had information about the universities and cities again. London underground tube maps and Maltese fliers seemed to be all over the place, I came back with a goody-bag full of things from the Finnish table... I don't think that I will be out of alcohol hand gel for a while!

Day 1 of MINE!

I hope you're sitting comfortable, so I'll begin :)


Day 1:

I suppose that anticipation hung over all of us, no-one knowing exactly what they had let themselves in for, not only got the MINE Project, but also coming to Finland for 2 weeks, the weather being very different for many of us... I am pleased to say that although it's much snowier and colder here, it's not as wet as what we Brits are accustomed too, quite pleasant really.

After the initial housekeeping bits and bobs that have to be completed, we were given a tour of the local hospital. It didn't take long at all for differences to become very obvious between all the different ways to how each country works and operates. Initially the biggest shocks for me was the patient:nurse ratio, a higher percentage of people on the ward being trained nurses, and the small things, like decorated day rooms with instruments, a variety of seats, and it being a pleasant place to be as opposed to an overflow for nursing notes to be written. Having come to an immediate decision that this simply was a better system than the one I was accustomed to, I thought no more of it, and was essentially in awe, seeing all the best bits... It realised later, when I was talking to a fellow student that the system that I am from is totally different from the one that's been shown off to me. The shear size of population in Pori simply doesn't compare to that of London, (London's population being roughly 95 times larger than that of Pori). Once this had been pointed out to me, it became far more understandable as to why the hospital visited in Pori seemed less full, and less hectic and didn't appear to be running on limited resources... it simply was!

Our first day of MINE ended with a 'naming and gaming' session, put on by students now on ERASMUS in Pori, who were involved with the MINE IP last year in Malta. Up until this point we were beginning to recognise people's faces in relation to their country group... but had had little exchange with one another. It's fascinating how quickly people can work well together once a common goal is put in front of people, and how people from different nationalities with different languages can work well (save a few exceptions!) when barriers like communication is levelled out for everyone... no talking. The whole of the Intensive Programme (IP) is done in English... being one of the UK delegations, I have no problems with this, but for those who aren't so used to speaking constantly in a foreign language, this can be incredibly daunting. I found it really fascinating to see how peoples confidence shifted once that hurdle had been taken away. Hopefully this will remind me to be more mindful of those I am working along side during this IP that I don't build on barriers that may already be there, and use skills that I have acquired to take things further, and to learn off each other better ways to work together.

In Finland At Last...

So, who doesn't like a 4:30am start to their day in London, when it snowed the night before...? Upon waking the snow had turned to slush... Needless to say that I wasn't very impressed, but we made our way down the hill to the bus stop. Said bus didn't turn up, so we waited 20 mins in the dark and cold waiting for the next one to turn up (you will spot a trend here... we had also had no coffee or breakfast at this point, and were rather grouchy!) Normally travel in the UK isn't that bad... but the UK is not used to white stuff falling from the skies, and everything runs to a halt... yes, our connecting train link was cancelled... as was the first replacement train running with a different service... :) Crammed on the train, we eventually made it to Heathrow, where all of the UK managed to find each other (some running a little later than others, but all on time). We make our way to the baggage drop, all having weighed out bags, and ourselves (some a little happier now than others) only to be told... flight is delayed... and you may have problems with the connecting flight... everyone very polite and accepting that mother natures sense of humour is out of our control!

After visiting nearly every shop in Heathrow terminal 3 (yes there are lots!) we make it onto a plane... yipee!!! And have a rather pleasant flight to Helsinki, well, apparently it wasn't too bad, I slept pretty much all the way (thankfully there isn't photographic evidence... I may not be so lucky now on the return flight! Arriving in Helsinki unsurprisingly late, we are told that we will have to wait for the night flight... Several hours later (and a few more mishaps) we get onto a plane, and are on our way to Pori!

Landing 40 minutes-ish later, we practically jump off the plane, we have finally made it! Pori, our home for the next 2 weeks, and are greeted by rather friendly (even though a little tired) faces :) We are kindly shown to our hostel and get set up in our rooms, I am pleased to add they are lovely and warm!

Now, a new horror is realised... it's about 3am Pori time... and we have to be up at 7am... and we haven't unpacked or got sorted for the next day...