Farewell party

Couple of weeks ago we Finns had our last meeting and farewell party. Here are some pics from the evening!

Even though it is sad that our project is in its end, I think that we all have good memories to remember. Thanks everybody! :---------)

Best regards, finnish group

A Finnish success story - Nokia

A Few weeks ago, grim news (for Finns, especially) reached Northern Europe: Nokia Corporation lost its place as the biggest mobile phone seller in the world for the South Korean Samsung Electronics. Despite that, Nokia is still one of the most successful electronics company in the world and above all else: it's part of Finnish culture, it defines us Finns, it's part of our identity. A true Finnish success story.

The logo and the slogan. The picture of two hands reaching out for each other is inspired by Michelangelo's  The creation of Adam in the Sistine Chapel 

Here´s a little background story of this mobile phone giant: In the year 1865 Fredrik Idestam founded a groundwood department to Tampere. Few years later, another groundwood department was founded near Nokianvirta, a river in the town of Nokia (where the corporation's name comes from). 1898 Nokia was near to bankruptcy, and was bought by Suomen Gummitehdas Oy which in that time produced rubber. Suomen Gummitehdas Oy was the first corporation to use Nokia as a brand for its rubber boots and car tyres! In the year 1922, a mobile and telegraph cable producing corporation Suomen Kaapelitehdas Oy was bought by Suomen Gummitehdas Oy and in the 1940's these three corporations fused, and Nokia Oyj was born. Later, this corporation became the internationally known,  present day Nokia Corp. 

Decades passed, and the newborn Nokia Oyj concentrated more and more on mobile phone technology and Nokia's first mobile phone (in co-operation with Salora Oy) saw the daylight in the year 1982. This model was called Mobira Talkman. 

Mobira Talkman

Technology advanced, mobile phones became smaller and lighter and Nokia's first mobile phone family, along with the first portable GSM mobile phone (Nokia 1011) was released on the market. Thus began the march of Nokia towards success, smart phones and touch screens.

Finnish designing at its best: the legendary (indestructible?) Nokia 3310
 

-Niko

ps. I want to thank you all, teacher and students equally, for participating this project and making it possible. These memories I will treasure until the end of my days :) But before that, I hope to see you all again and have more awesome memories to share with you!

Penkkarit - "benchpressing fest"

Last week abiturs (third/final-year students) celebrated ending of the school. We don't have regular school anymore!! Now we have to start reading for our matriculation exams, so we don't have that much free time, buhuu. But our leaving party was amazing and now I try to tell something about it.

Last thursday we had a speacial day when we dressed up like fools and went to school. The party included for example singing funny songs about teachers, good food and a parade.  As you can see from the picture, we rode on trucks around Oulu and shouted slogans and thew candy at junior students and passers-by.

 We had really fun time shouting and screaming our school's name "LYSEO" to other schools. After the parade my throat was sore, but it was worth it. :D Here is a picture of some costumes!

From right to left: Our friend Laura as Zorro, Niko as crazy granny, me as hippie and Tarja as Johnny Depp from Dead man. 

At evening we had afterparty, where also teachers were invited. We partied in a night club with our teachers, and it was quite absurd but fun. :----D

-Anniina 

Studying holiday (lukuloma)

The matriculation exams in Finnish high schools are getting closer and closer. First part of the mother tongue exam was already in 11th of February and the listening comprehensions of languages were held during the following week. The next exam is the second part of the mother tongue exam (12th of March) and the rest of the tests are during the next two weeks.

The seniors (abis or abiturients in Finnish) have already finished their lessons (including me :D). Their last normal lessons were in 27th of January. So, You probably wonder, what the seniors do between the end of the normal schoolwork and the matriculation exams. We should read :D Yeah, should. To be honest, mostly we read, but we also use time to do things we are not able to do in the school time. I asked my friend what seniors do during this “studying holiday” and her answer was: “we “read””.

 - Anna

Sit back and relax

Are you one of those persons who know a ton of books you'd want to read, but never have time to? Are the only books you read concerning school? Do you rather watch TV than read?
Reading is one of the oldest activities, and no wonder. It's relaxing and can gain you more knowledge at the same time. You do need to be alone and concentrate on just one thing at the time, but it will lead to better writing skills and specially in foreign languages it helps the process of learning a lot.
My personal favorite author is Sophie Kinsella. Her style of writing is so hilarious that i'm having a hard time reading her books in public places without laughing. You've been warned, her books a bit of chick flicks, but there's nothing wrong with reading something light and shallow every now and then!

Viola

Last day at Kutna Hora

For the last day in Kutna Hora, we went to the Kacov's Bewer. The guide explain us, how they made beer. 

After the visit of the bewery, we visited the ossuary in the old town of Kutna Hora

To finish our works we have been filmed, doing our presentation 

Prague calling

Early on Wednesday morning we all got on the buss and started driving to the Prague International Airport, Ruzyne. There we got to see for example planes landing and taking off from a close distance and heard how an airport works. After the tour we got on the bus again and headed towards the centre to have lunch.

We had lunch in a typical Czech pub in a part of Prague centre called Hradcany. The meals were traditional Czech dishes such as gulash, dumplings and roasted pork. After we had free time to buy souvenirs, go sightseeing and enjoy the beautiful architecture of Prague. Some of us went to a shopping centre while others strolled down the cobblestone streets. In the early evening we gathered the group again and left the capital city to go home. The day was long but not long enough to see everything in Prague. So hopefully we will have a chance to visit Prague again in the future. 

http://www.uloz.to/12798416/comenius-docx

Here is the questionnaire with comments and graphs of the comenius project 2010-2012

The first day in Republic Czech

On the first day in Kutna Hora, we visited the school and all the Czech classrooms : automatism, physics, electrotechnic and history are the main Czech subjects. We also went into the recording studio where some people test the equipment and make small news presentations. After, pupils linked the different questionaries and comment results.

After this working moment, we went to the restaurant and the Finnish students arrived. The lunch was great!

During the afternoon, pupils continued to work. The evening was also great because we met again at bowling and we had fun playing and eating pizzas.

New accommodation list

School dormitory: Kmetty Victor, Regnault Guillaume, Ruelle Antoine

President elections

This time I was thinking about suitable subjects to tell you about, and then I realized how close the elections are. So, here is some current info from Finland. :)

The term of a chosen president is 6 years in Finland. Once the president is chosen, they can only sit two terms (12 years). In Finland the job of the president is mainly representative, but of course it is also a job demanding a great deal of responsibility.

 This year the elections are being held in mid January-February. In order to vote you must be at least 18 years old. This year there are 8 candidates, from the biggest parties of Finland. The candidates are:

Our current president Tarja Halonen

2.) Pekka Haavisto: The Green League
3.) Timo Soini: True Finns 
4.) Paavo Väyrynen: Centre Party
5.) Paavo Lipponen: Social Democratic Party of Finland
6.) Sauli Niinistö: National Coalation Party
7.) Sari Essayah: Christian Democrats of Finland
8.) Eva Biaudet: Swedish People's Party of Finland
9.) Paavo Arhinmäki: Left Alliance

The election date is the 22nd of January, and if there happens to be a second round (very probable at the moment), the election date is on the 5th of February.


Johanna Rainola :)

Some new technology for education

I thought I'd write about the new technology in our school, since it's related to the subject.

First piece of new technology is digital signage. A huge LED TV was left over from the distance education, and it was decided to be utilised somehow. A few hardworking students from the school's administrator team took the charge of the project. The big screen is now in the main hallway, where it's quite impossible not to notice it. It can be used in informing students of upcoming events, showing the day's menu, spreading propaganda, or whatever comes in mind. It was considered a rather big change of appearance to hang the screen on these nearly 200-year old walls.

The other new thing, which is more at experimental level, are tablet computers. The school ordered about 20 Apple iPads to be tested in teaching by students and teachers. These devices are handy for searching the intarwebzzz for information, browsing maps, playing Angry Birds etc. There is a portable case that can be moved from classroom to another. The case includes a dozen iPads and a charger. So far the feedback has been mostly positive, which defines the future of the experiment.

Some questions for our Czech's trip !

Hi everybody, happy new year from France !
We are five french students to sleep in your boarding school (can't wait!), so we have some questions to ask you:
- How does it work for lunch (hours), dinner, going out the evening ?
- How many people can sleep in a room ? (we'd like to be together if it's possible)
- Are the shower in the room or on the floor ?

Thank you.
We are looking forward to seeing you.

Presentation: Anna Aatsinki

Hi there everyone! :)

Sorry for being so very late, but better late than never:

From left: Rompe and Viuhti, featuring a humongous bone

My name is Anna-Katariina Astrid Aatsinki, but usually people call me Anna. I was born on the 30^th of June, 1993. I am at the third and the last grade of upper secondary school, in Oulun Lyseon Lukio, naturally.

I like dogs and I have two of them called Viuhti and Rompe. I also like doing sports and walking in the woods.

Along with eating, sleeping and schoolwork, I lead a Girls Cooking Club for younger girls. If I have some spare time, I will usually spend that time by reading, cooking, and of course, not forgetting my dear friends - they are the priority number one. :)

It's me :)

All in all, I'm an optimistic and cheerful person. I prefer laughing and smiling instead of crying. I'm always on-the-go and doing just about anything, only the sky is the limt. What a pity that homework also has to be done. : D

I am looking forward to this Comenius project, and I am very glad to be part of this. :)

Looking forward to meet you all,

Anna

Accommodation, Czech meeting

Katolický Pavel: Sciortino  Letizia -  It                                              

Kubálek Milan: Holappa Anniina - Fi, Timodei Ilaria - It                                                                  

Nemčok Kryštof: Buccini Valerio - It, Deschamp Valentin - Fr         

Píša Tomáš: Mouligneaux Clarysse - Fr, Spaccini Dalila - It, Oikarinen Sara - Fi

Pospíšil Jan: Pennanen Eeva - Fi, Drocourt Noémie - Fr                                                                 

Zicha Martin: Anttila Tarja - Fi, Masi Letizia - It
Dalecký Matyáš: Colli Riccardo - It, Hurskainen Eira - Fi  

Cerutti  Alan, Foureur Jonathan, Lepagnol Arthur, Regnault Guillaume, Kmetty Victor, Ruelle   Antoine will be propably in school accommodation.

Aatsinki Anna, Avendano Sheyla: We will try to find other host family.

The Very First Day of a Very New Year

I personally think you can make changes towards a better life any day of the year, but of course January the first gives many people a boost to think about what would make you happier and how you want to live. So, here are some suggestions for New Year's resolutions. I can promise you guys to try to follow them all myself, and I recommend you all to pick at least one!

- Think positive! Don't waste too much energy on stuff that annoys you and focus on the bright side of things
- Spend a few minutes every night before going to bed thinking about what you're thankful for today
- Cut down the consumption of meat: eat a vegetarian meal at least once a week - the more often, the better!

- Stay up for a whole night with some dear friends
- Give your parents (and siblings, friends... whoever!) a hug every now and then
- Do a long bike ride to a new place on a sunny day
- Dance around your room and sing when listening to good music

- Stop cursing
- Take naps
- Compliment someone every day
- Get inspired by great bands, books, photos...
- Have enough alone-time, for example take a walk and reflect your feelings in peace

(all the pics weheartit.com)

I wish you all a great year 2012 with adventures, success and spending time with your loved ones!

Susanna