Happenings :)

Hello everyone,

I have decided to continue blogging here, cause facebook doesn't look the best place to share information :)
So, long time I have not written anything.

Some big things what happened during the last month. So in the beginning of November Tampere held Jazz Festival "Tampere Jazz Happening 2011":
http://www.tamperemusicfestivals.fi/jazz/


And some weeks before this festival, university had "Tampere Fair" event:
http://www.uta.fi/english/news/archive/item.html?id=65143

There I asked if there is possible volunteer anywhere during my stay in Tampere, and only one event was Tampere Jazz Festival. So, I was only one foreigner there, but the time was great. I got festival T-Shirt, food tickets, free access to all shows and some small souvenirs. And I was working several hours in the weekend as cloakroom attendant. There were some Fins and I have learn some great things. First of all, let's make list of things, that Finland is country number one of no corruption and people are honest as nowhere else:

1. During my job hours, I was surprised that if you want leave your coat, you have to pay 3 euro. So surprisingly, no one was complaining about that and people where standing in the queue without any rush or pushing each other. Even, lot of people gave their couch together with their friends but everybody knew that they have to pay double. Well, and next thing, money were hold in small box under table and people didn't get any check to guarantee that they paid for their coats. My point is, that nobody of volunteers cheated on putting money to their pocket or even making bigger change and if you think that there were some payable workers, answer - no. Volunteers are honestly working and nobody was hurrying to move watch for the show or trying avoid the job, well that was inspiring time.
2. Now, let's go a bit out of festival topic. Public Transport. First of all, Tampere has only buses and ticket cost 1.08/2.50 euro student/adult. Well, the price is not so super cheap, but all the drivers work so honestly and each of passenger and driver respect each other. That means, that passenger try not to make noise during trip, well if he wants to chat with the friends, so he/she moves to the back part of the bus. Looking from the driver position, there are not any glass disjuncture between bus driver and passenger. So driver says hello, smiles to passenger who answers hello, marks the ticket and behave well.
3. Supermarket workers. We have K-Market near dorm. Each time I go to the job, cashier says hello and again she smiles and work enthusiastically with each client (yes, it is not kiosk, it is supermarket!).
4. TAMK university. First time I went there, in the lobby was laptop on the table and no one was taking care of it. Even, after 2 or 3 days I had another lecture in the same building, and laptop was still lying there.
5. Train station. Can you believe that in the subway, there is projector (the same as universities have) and nobody crashed it at nightlife, cause subway open almost 24 hours a day. In general, people behave well when they are drunk. Even if somebody really brave and decides ask you something, nobody scares of them, cause Finland has high level of culture.
6. Well, that were the main points, what I wanted to mention. If I would stop typing for at least minute, I could find more and more.

So.. Tampere Jazz festival was great. I have even downloaded some music and listen it at the evenings.

Well, there were many events during time, for example today we had Microsoft in my university. It presented how create software with Windows Phone. My home university held few Microsoft events as well and honestly they don't differ so much. Mainly, they present what windows phone is, and main new softwares that Microsoft created recently. After that, announcer shows programming software and how to create some basic program for windows phone. And finally, there are questions time and encouragement to join. The main difference, that Fins make more complex questions and Tampere had more spectators than KTU.

In addition, Tampere is going to celebrate independence day in few days. So, for that purpose, universities made independence day event for the international students. It was free and open for all of us in Technology Tampere university and combined official part, supper and fire show. There were vice-rector of university and some others announcers, who were sooo patriotic. After that, 2nd main country chorus made a spectacular show and after that supper of different salads, drinks and some meat-balls were served. Well, and fins really talk lot about cold (while even the temperature is around 0 outside), so they try to be outside as less as possible. Well, universities are in high level and connected by the corridor with the glass windows. So, we watched show inside it, heh it was great to applause while the artist could see only our gestures in that small corridor.

Well, lot of things are coming after today, and I am going home on 21 of December, so see you in Lithuania or somewhere else.

Sattisfied,
Gedas :)