Welcome booklet
Basically you'll be eating pipari (spicy biscuits), rice porridge with lots of cinnamon and drink glögi (hot wine with spices).
Christmas in Finland starts at 12 on TV for 10 minutes when "Christmas Peace' in Finland is declared from the Brinkkala Hall balcony in Turku.
"Christmas peace" or "Joulurauha" is a tradition in which authorities of the city are telling that all the people should celebrate without boozing, fighting and making noice or crimes.. In old times, if one made a crime during Christmas time, he/she got harder punisment than if made it at other time. Traditionally hunting and shooting wasn't allowed during x-mas period.
Then you eat porridge and drink glögi. There's always one almond in rice porridge, and the one who gets it will be the lucky one during the next year.
Usually after eating rice porridge people go to cemetery. Snowy cemetery with hundreds of candles is beautiful view.
Evening starts with sauna, then everyone dress nicely and after that there's a meal with the traditional ham that has been cooked for hours and hours and hours in the oven and carrot casserole, fish eggs, salmon, cream, patatoes..., and then comes Santa with the gifts and offers them to the children, play with them and go to other families. The evening ends with conversations and the noise of children enjoying their new toys...
Easter during which u grow grass and decorate egg but most of all eat looots of chocolate, and the traditional mämmi
7-Public holidays (we need finnish help:-)
Be carefull store will be close on ...
General info
M= dairy free
L= Lactose free
G= Gluten free
VL=For vegetarien
Most restaurant offer at least one of each every meal and if they don't you can ask they always have something for you:-)
2-What to wear in winter
-It is wise to have a thermometer so that you know how to dress up in the morning
-If you are planning to go out and drink do not fall asleep outside you might die
- Too much clothes is better than not enough
- Do not cross the lake if the ice look weak or if there is no path
- Wear appropriate shoes with thick soles or your feet may end up frostbites which damages are permanent
-enjoy the ice!!!
- enjoy the sauna
-Finnish rules almost everybody is naked and if you are not other might be, so if it is really an issue for you you can usually book private turns. In some places, sauna in swimming pools for instance, it is forbidden to wear a bath-suit
-Take a shower before going in
-Sit on a towel or the paper towel you can buy in supermarkets
-Please respect turns (woman/men) they are available on koas & Kortepohjas website
-Respect the other don't make too much noise and do not stare.
-Wait until they are done talking, then wait a little more that you usually do, they usually add something after a pause
-Because they are waiting for you to finish you shouldn't start long monologues,
-Move your head and make noise to agree when they are talking, for exemple "niiin" or "aijaaaa",
- and the most important thing : If they are not talking there is nothing wrong with you, Finns enjoy the silence.
University organisation
-First reserve the book
Sometimes it takes several week to get it (research methods). You should take it in September, so that you don't have to wait to long, besides, you can only keep it 2 weeks.
-Read the book and take notes, do not forget to sign up (2 weeks before) on korppi.
-The day of the exam you go there and they call your name you take the papers sit and wait to open it... good luck!!
If you don't get the grade you were expected you can contact the teacher it is perfectly normal here, but remember that Finns have had book exams for ever so do not get too frustrated if their grades are better than yours
3-Choice of the courses, korppi and optima
-Keep the pink booklet and take it with you if you go home, (you have to sign up for courses in december and january for spring1
-Before you sign up for a language course remember that it takes a loooot of your time
Eat & Drinking in finland
1-Alcohol
- You can find only light alcohol drinks in the supermarket, if you want to have more than ~ 5% you have to find Alko, there you can get anything within those rules:
- You can buy from 9am until 9pm
- You need to be more than 18 and for some strong stuff more than 21
- If you are buying with friends their ID will be checked
- Taxes on alcohol in finland are very high alcohol is expensive.
- Your are invited to a party usually you drink only what you bring
What u have to try while in finland
1-Food : salmon, salmiakki, karjalanpiirakka, all kind of piirakka, pipari talo, makkara....we translated some Finnish recipes here
2-Drinks: Koskenkorva, Vodka, glögi, homemade beer, juice with all kind of berries
3-Activities:
-Biking: you can even have biking courses
-Crossing, iceskating, skiing the 3.5 to 4 km icerink on Jyväsjärvi
-Ice skating: every winter all schools playgrounds are turned into icerink and you can find cheap ice-skates in second hand shops
-Hockey.
Jyvävaskylä
Alvar Aalto,
Keski Suomen,
Taidemuseo,
Kraft musem
Harju with a museum on the top
Fishing(need a permit)
Ice skating
swimming...
Boat trip
Usefull links
1-Joulu and Pikkujoulu
Pikkujoulu if you are coming to Finland you'll love those pre-christmas parties. Basically you'll be eating pipari (spicy biscuits), rice porridge with lots of cinnamon and drink glögi (hot wine with spices).
Christmas in Finland starts at 12 on TV for 10 minutes when "Christmas Peace' in Finland is declared from the Brinkkala Hall balcony in Turku.
"Christmas peace" or "Joulurauha" is a tradition in which authorities of the city are telling that all the people should celebrate without boozing, fighting and making noice or crimes.. In old times, if one made a crime during Christmas time, he/she got harder punisment than if made it at other time. Traditionally hunting and shooting wasn't allowed during x-mas period.
Then you eat porridge and drink glögi. There's always one almond in rice porridge, and the one who gets it will be the lucky one during the next year.
Usually after eating rice porridge people go to cemetery. Snowy cemetery with hundreds of candles is beautiful view.
Evening starts with sauna, then everyone dress nicely and after that there's a meal with the traditional ham that has been cooked for hours and hours and hours in the oven and carrot casserole, fish eggs, salmon, cream, patatoes..., and then comes Santa with the gifts and offers them to the children, play with them and go to other families. The evening ends with conversations and the noise of children enjoying their new toys...
2-Pääisiäinen
 |
| mämmi+ice cream |
3-Vappu
During this day a picnik is organised in Harju 7-Public holidays (we need finnish help:-)
Be carefull store will be close on ...
General info
1-Allergies
Finland is probably one of the easiest place to live if you have allergies M= dairy free
L= Lactose free
G= Gluten free
VL=For vegetarien
Most restaurant offer at least one of each every meal and if they don't you can ask they always have something for you:-)
2-What to wear in winter
 | |
| tight+leggins+scarf+pants+4 layers top+thick socks+boots+hat+ gloves |
3-Second hand shops
The best way to get what u need to survive for almost nothing...4- IMPORTANT
In Jyväskylä during winter -30° is commun, it is not a legend and it will have consequences on the way your are living,-It is wise to have a thermometer so that you know how to dress up in the morning
-If you are planning to go out and drink do not fall asleep outside you might die
- Too much clothes is better than not enough
- Do not cross the lake if the ice look weak or if there is no path
- Wear appropriate shoes with thick soles or your feet may end up frostbites which damages are permanent
-enjoy the ice!!!
- enjoy the sauna
5-Sauna rules
-Finnish rules almost everybody is naked and if you are not other might be, so if it is really an issue for you you can usually book private turns. In some places, sauna in swimming pools for instance, it is forbidden to wear a bath-suit-Take a shower before going in
-Sit on a towel or the paper towel you can buy in supermarkets
-Please respect turns (woman/men) they are available on koas & Kortepohjas website
-Respect the other don't make too much noise and do not stare.
6-Talking rules
Finnish people take turn during a conversation and you have to wait for yours-Wait until they are done talking, then wait a little more that you usually do, they usually add something after a pause
-Because they are waiting for you to finish you shouldn't start long monologues,
-Move your head and make noise to agree when they are talking, for exemple "niiin" or "aijaaaa",
- and the most important thing : If they are not talking there is nothing wrong with you, Finns enjoy the silence.
7-Smoking
You can only smoke outside, it is not allowed to smoke in buildings and public places University organisation
1- The famous Book Exam
what is it? when is it? how to organize yourself?-First reserve the book
Sometimes it takes several week to get it (research methods). You should take it in September, so that you don't have to wait to long, besides, you can only keep it 2 weeks.
-Read the book and take notes, do not forget to sign up (2 weeks before) on korppi.
-The day of the exam you go there and they call your name you take the papers sit and wait to open it... good luck!!
If you don't get the grade you were expected you can contact the teacher it is perfectly normal here, but remember that Finns have had book exams for ever so do not get too frustrated if their grades are better than yours
2-Cheating in Finland
DO NOT DO IT3-Choice of the courses, korppi and optima
-Keep the pink booklet and take it with you if you go home, (you have to sign up for courses in december and january for spring1
-Before you sign up for a language course remember that it takes a loooot of your time
Eat & Drinking in finland
1-Alcohol
- You can find only light alcohol drinks in the supermarket, if you want to have more than ~ 5% you have to find Alko, there you can get anything within those rules:
- You can buy from 9am until 9pm
- You need to be more than 18 and for some strong stuff more than 21
- If you are buying with friends their ID will be checked
- Taxes on alcohol in finland are very high alcohol is expensive.
- Your are invited to a party usually you drink only what you bring
2- Eat
- what to bring when invited: something you cook is appreciated as well as chocolate, wine (don't spend too much though) and flowersWhat u have to try while in finland
1-Food : salmon, salmiakki, karjalanpiirakka, all kind of piirakka, pipari talo, makkara....we translated some Finnish recipes here
2-Drinks: Koskenkorva, Vodka, glögi, homemade beer, juice with all kind of berries
3-Activities:
-Biking: you can even have biking courses
-Nordic walking Nordic is basically cross country skiing without the snow, using two poles specially designed for it. The activity evolved from the off-season rituals of competitive Nordic skiers, who practiced between winters by walking with their poles on dry land. Nordic walkers look a little weird at first with their quick, exaggerated movements, but the price of looking a bit silly is worth it: it burns more calories than walking, it uses more muscles -- even abdominals. It is also easier on the joints and back, and can improve balance and stability, particularly when walking uphill.
 |
| school behind ristonmaa |
-Crossing, iceskating, skiing the 3.5 to 4 km icerink on Jyväsjärvi
-Ice skating: every winter all schools playgrounds are turned into icerink and you can find cheap ice-skates in second hand shops
-Hockey.
Jyvävaskylä
1- Museums
They are free on fridays there are 4 main museums : Alvar Aalto,
Keski Suomen,
Taidemuseo,
Kraft musem
Harju with a museum on the top
2- Jyväsjärvi
Rent a boatFishing(need a permit)
Ice skating
swimming...
Boat trip
Usefull links
