My agenda in Tampere Sep 30-Oct 8

2011 m. Spalio 9 j., 15:11

Hey hey,

how are you?
So, I decided to write my agenda, just to remember what happened as the time is really full of interesting stuff there!

Sep 30 [Friday]

My cousin came on Wednesday, so we decided visit Helsinki on Weekend. I had Finnish language: Survival Course in the morning, so after it we met and tried to catch a car to Helsinki by hitchhiking. It didn't go well, so we decided take bus 26 and go till the last bus station, and start hitchhiking from the point where I have been hitchhiked already [to Turku]. There stopped man who didn't speak English well, but it didn't matter so much. He let us near Helsinki, so we had took a train, which cost 4 euro, it looked quite expensive. After that, we visited photo-gallery and made lot of sightseeing. Also, we stayed in japan couchsurfer's flat, who told his life story, which didn't let me sleep easily, as I was thinking about his life choices.

Oct 1 [Saturday]

I have won lottery, and got 2 VIP tickets to Ice-Hockey game Tappara-Blues in Tampere, and even VIP reindeer food before match, so it was unbelievable. However, we couldn't stay long in Helsinki, so we made all the day to come back from Helsinki to Tampere. At this time, man from Nigeria stopped and asked if we have money. My cousin said "No, we have only cookies", so he smiled and took us to Tampere. Really, nice guy who decided make his life in Finland.
Ice-Hockey food was awesome, raindeer is national finnish food, but it is really expensive one. There were only rich people, and during eating time, there were some interviews with players or team stuff, but everything was in finnish, but still, we felt great to be in such place. The match was awesome as well, cause I saw first time it. Soo, lot of first times, during the weekend.

Oct 2 [Sunday]

Soo, Sep 30-Oct 2 was Tampere days, where were lot of the events, free entrance to the museums and most important police auction. I wanted bike for so long time, so after I got up, I went there and auction looked like from the movie. There was a lot people in the hall, and the guy who stood on the platform above all the people's heads. Soo, he shouted the price [for sure in finnish] and people were raising their hands if they can offer bigger price. Buuut, it was so fast, each bike was sold in 5-15 sec. I tried understand numbers, but they made shorter version of words, to make it faster, so it took some time for me, to buy a bike for 20euro. Only problem, that rear tire is holed, so I will have to repair or buy new one. After that, I was in Lenin museum, which was full of photos and some small sculptures, but nothing too much impressive. And I left other time for movies and formula 1.

Oct 3 [Monday]

In the morning, I had Finnish Survival course and after it I made some time by internet, to write emails for friends, and search for internship, plan some time for the week and so on.
Later on, ESN organised table evening, so we played Risk there. Heh, we were only people there [except of ESN members], so lot of snacks were only for us! When we finished, Ieva was decided to stay in couchsurfers flat for a night, so we went to chat with them. There was a nice girl who made a cake, introduced with her friend, offered some alchohol and we had interesting chat at all!

Oct 4 [Tuesday]

I think I was tired and lazy, so I spend day at home, so I read book, prepared food, watched movies and so on. And there were great time with cousin in the evening :)

Oct 5 [Wednesday]

Wednesday is the day when I have lot of lectures. So I had Finnish: Survival Course and E-Business. After that I have 2 hours break till the last lecture of Society And Culture, where lecturer talks about Finnish [history, traditions, forests, environment and so on]. So, my cousin had go home in the evening, so we made lot of food, just to enjoy it, it was really great pie and rissoles [kotletai] with salats!

Oct 6 [Thursday]

Cause I have not been in most of the museums yet, so all the day I went to different museums [cause most of the museums were free for students on that week]. I visited Moominvalley museum [more for the children, all museum is like a story tale, where you walk and can feel like in animation movie], Tampere mineral museum [full of minerals mostly from Brasil, there are quite cheap postcards really ;D], TR1 [it is art museum, quite interesting one], Mediamuseum Rupriikki [It is about media history in Tampere region, I enjoyed there so much, old techs were introduced]. So, it took all the day to visit these museums. After them, university organised "African dinner", where lot of food was given, ehh so much dessert was there, great evening really. Also, there were told about studies in Africa and some girls even were there, so they made presentation about that.

Oct 7 [Friday]

In the morning, student organisation invited people from organisation which explains chocolate creation stages. Really, I didn't understand there so much, as evening was in finnish ;D But, there were many sorts of finnish chocolate and great movie:
http://documentaryheaven.com/the-dark-side-of-chocolate/
I recommend watch it for everybody, it tells story about slave children who works in cacao plantations and all the world doesn't react and don't make anything to solve that. Great research of one journalist!
After that, I visited other museums as The Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame museum and Museum centre Vapriiki [both of them were in the same building and Vaprikki included more than 5 different exhibitions as Innovations, Tampere in 1918, Shoes history, Presentation of nature: animals, bugs, plants, trees.., children toys, ladies Ostapeck's American costumes and portraits, etc.]. Also, one lithuanian guy made party in his place, so bunch of lithuanians, french, italian, finnish and some japanese made a party there.

Oct 8 [Saturday]

I got up earlier as I went to inflate my tire [one couchsurger replied me that he has a pump and we can check if tire is holed or not]. He was from England so it was soo difficult to understand him where he was talking without any pauses and in long sentences! Sadly, my tire was holed, but he gave me one Lithuanian guy who lives in Tampere for long time and organize Lithuanian meetings there. I knew him before, but didn't have chance to meet him, yet.
Again, I and spanish guy Lucas went to pick mushrooms. Cause I was there before, I knew some sorts which finnish people call valuable, so I tried to find as most as possible of them. After we had some mushrooms, we prepared two dishes [cuisines? ;D]: one lithuanian one with potatoes and other spannish one with eggs and onions. Also, I served lithuanian drink kisielius, which was hot, so it wasn't so tasty really.

Sooo, time goes like that, every day is something new what doesn't let me bored... Currently main mission is to find internship and find some course for next period [semester made of 2 periods there], as university declined some courses which I have already passed/chosen.

See you next time,
Moi Moi,
Gedas

 My VIP package!

 Cousin and me

 Random guys :D

Erasmus and lot of activities there!

 2011 m. Rugsėjo 7 j., 22:39

Moro!              [Tampere way of saying hello]

Wow, there are lot of what to do in Tampere! For this last week we did quite a lot, even I can't remember everything. But the time becomes really busy!

SOooOOOoooOO!

First of all, congrats of winnings in basketball! We are going pretty good, I get a lot of questions "what is lithuania position in the world basketball ratings?" , "when will be next match with the spain? :D".

The first match we made open in big TV screen, was the match Spain-Lithuania. There were quite lot of lithuanians and some spanish, russian, brasilian. And we lost! Spanish guy and said " Don't worry, I'll be on your side tommorow". Heh, then we had match with Portuguese and we did them! ;D

Also, on weekend was great City Tour, in which we were divided in some groups and we had to make around 10 tasks in different city places, for example:
Fill the balloon, find a person in city and blow it by hugging person OR
Spin around broom and then run around tree OR
Carry a girl in original way and swear and make some tasks and so on..

In that "game" we got points, and in the evening there was a private party for us, with the food (also there were two birthdays in my floor, so we got some drinks, food even a cake before going there) and my team won, so we got free champagne at the night time! It was great feeling to win! Also, first time I bought some brandy in ALKO shop, 200ml cost 5,50euro!

On Sunday, there was sauna in my dorm, so we went there. Small sauna for 7 people open 3 times per week, free of charge for dorm people, as well as gym room.

On Monday we had some lectures, after that basketball again, if i remember well!

On Tuesday I hadn't any lectures, but I had to pay for my dorm. And I still didn't get money from uni, shame on KTU! They said university office was not working before, so now they can start deal with papers. They delay with money so much! I wrote them email some days ago, but still not any answer.
So after I managed get some money, there was an event-lecture in university "Egyptian revolution". It was soooo interesting to hear that revolution (can say) started with facebook help, because everything was organised there. And when government interrupted internet and mobile phones connections for people, people went on streets because some ladys wanted just to write on facebook how they prepared some cookies for family and share that info with other housewifes! And there were lot of great info to make image how everything goes now and how was before!

Directly after that, we had ESN [Erasmus Social Network] opening Sauna, it was sooo huge sauna [at least for 40 people] away of city center. Great day!

And today, there were many lectures. I had to have one lecture in the morning, but I was too late for registering there, so I was not accepted. Later by, there were lectures till 20:00. The last one was interesting : "Finnish Society and culture".

In the 1st lecture we were introduced to finnish history, so I got overview why everything in finland nowadays is like that.

And after that we have just watched match Lithuania-Serbia, we are winning, I hope we will win, but security guy came and said that common room has to be locked, it is always like that at 10PM.

So shortly is like that, i don't have many pics this time, as other photos from city tour are not in my camera and I can't catch this person to get pics.

 There are sometimes days when people walking in crazy clothes

 Lecture "Egyptian revolution". Teacher is from Cairo university in USA, and uni size is double of city of Tampere [around 500,000 students]!

Erasmus and great weather in Finland!

2011 m. Rugsėjo 1 j., 13:44

Terve!             [more officially - " hello " ;D]

The weather is so great, only yesterday i saw some rain. But still, it is going to be colder, currently only 14 degrees outside. But it is sunny, so doesn't matter. So what happened after my another tutor came on 26 of August!

We went to small park near river, if I remember well ;D It seems it was lot of time ago. I remember that we have great chat with a beer in the hand. We talked about Finland, tampere, study system and so on. It was great to find out so much information about everything what is here. Let's say, Finland has two officials languages: Finnish and Swedish. There are only 6% of Swedish people in Finland, but still everything is translated in these 2 languages. And at the school most of the children learn in Finnish, but after that they take language courses of Swedish. Most of the Swedish people live in the west of Sweden, so let's say Turku city in Swedish is Åbo ['Obu'] and city has two faculties of university, one is in Swedish, another one is Finnish.

Next day we had excursion around Tampere. It was nice to see some churches and hear a bit more history. Also at the night we went to Miami club again, there were some music, but drinks were sooooo expensive. I don't think that I will go there again! I paid 5 euro for 0.4 beer, oh noo! Also after excursion I went to the market, and prices are not so bad there. I paid 1 euro for 1 liter of pease [zirniai]. So, I would like go there again. Also on one of the day there was meeting of our specialization student organisation, I thought there is going to be 10 or 15 people. But there were all big bar only of our organisation [around 100people]. Most of exchange people already are in master degree, and other are asian who are still in bachelaur.

Also, I realised that I have some free days, so I decided to make a trip to Turku, city with many islands. So all Lithuanians hitchhiked there. We spent night in couchsurfing huge flat, over 50 square/m2. She was studying civil pedagogics and had plenty of table games. So, we played some games in the evening, ohh it was so great to play something new again! Also we prepared, mostly girls really, traditional Lithuanian food "Zemaiciu Blynai". It was soooo tasty! And didn't cost too much. While hitchhiking I heard that there are lot of mushrooms in the forests, so I really like to go there ASAP. My tutor said she lives in countryside, and when she will go home, she will take us to her family, her mom prepare some traditional food and we could go mushrooms, some berries, oh that would awesome? Don't you think so? :D

Really, the problem is organizing everything, it takes time to think what do you want to do and make plans. As there are many of parties around, even today is Sauna party, bus tour around tampere, so it looks like easiest option. But maybe it is great for the beginning, just to party with everybody, to realize who are the others! :)

I have also heard that there is possibility to go to Sant Petersburg [Russia] without VISA, but nobody can say anything concrete. Only that there are expensive ferry which costs around 200euro, and goes from Helsinki. Noo, it doesn't so great! Also, there is a ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm for 24euro to both sides, so this one looks really great to try. Again, it need some time to plan everything, as when we were in Tartu we didn't know what we wanted to do, so it was more of walking around and sightseeing everywhere. One driver said that there is free ferry to island near Tartu, but we couldn't find it. Soooo, everything needs to be planned at least a bit? :)

Ok, my first lecture should start soon, I should probably go to ready for it. See you soon :)

 Bikes gathering is central square! This one is mine! :D

 Swedish poem on the fridge in couchsurfers flat

 Marketplace

 Kitchen becomes ugly after weekend!

 Inside of the cathedral :D Their churches rules!

 Table games collection

Erasmus = parties

 2011 m. Rugpjūčio 27 j., 01:01

Moi!        [hello]

Sooo.. time is going faster and faster! Even don't have time for yourself, to relax and just watch some movie. I watched "Before Sunset" in four nights, and currently watching "Pirates of Carribean" already for 3 days, but always you start to watch and realize that you are so tired and have many things to do, that stop watching and start realizing your ideas.

So, what are we doing?

First of all, making food takes a lot of time! Even if you prepare just some pasta, you need go to shop to buy it, boil the water, put the pasta, wait till it prepares, make a sauce for it, make some drink with it! Soo, food preparation requires time and energy :D

After that, we have a free gym, so Lithuanian have to go there, as it for free! Soo, if I have some energy, always going there to use it. But not today, yesterday was first party, and I hope it won't be again the same!

Our tutor came around 7PM, and he was prepared with the beer and finnish vodka. Soo.. We had great chat, then to lithuanians came and we decided start drinking vodka. Ouch! I had one bottle as well, so when we went to the welcoming party:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=202567536471018

... we were "dead" already! Soo, party was very short, we came home in few hours! Next time, drinking little by little outside, and making some dances! :D Not like yesterday, as morning was terrible!

Also, all the week we had orientation courses, there we were introduced to university, student organizations, free time activities, study system in Tampere and so on:

http://www.uta.fi/admissions/newstudents/orientation/orientation_autumn2011.pdf

On Thursday, one of student organization organized free (!!!) trip to island in the lake:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=127162964043131

It was nice time and over 140people. We had sauna, barbecue, even found a boat and went to swim with it.

Overall, people stay in country groups mostly, sometimes you chat with others, but mostly everybody speaks in their own language till you go and start talking with them. Of course if it gathering, lets say in Sauna, everybody speaks english. By the way, there are sauna's separated for the man and girls, and usually people are going naked there. But not always, we are international one, so mostly we are going to joined sauna and with bikini (apatiniais :D).

Mhm, soo everyday you meet new people, my dorm is very active one, as it is in the city center, others are a bit outside of it. Even in the summer time, it is a hostel. So, every evening there are plenty people who comes to drink a beer, and just chatting. In fact, my dorm has 5 floors, I am in the 3rd floor and there are the biggest kitchen, hall and even a huge smoking room, so people always gather in my floor next to my doors! In the study time, it can be difficult with the noise, but yesterday security guy came and said that we have to be quiet, but only thing he did, he closed our room doors!

So, that how it goes! Weather is perfect, always really warm, just quite cloudy, but not raining, at least in daytime. We are waiting for our tutor, she should come soon, then two more finnish should join us as well, and maybe we'll go the lake just to sit there and play some card game? We'll see..

Let me know, how are you! What are you doing and what are your future plans? Lithuania, Finland? See yeah!

Some photos:

 The weir was broken, so the river was without water. I saw today, that it is already with the water

 Local community organised gathering near Kaleva church. It is a church!

 The view from the top of the church :) Flea market, people hanging around and local music artist

 A boat in island!

 Our food :)

 Chilly festival, I tried some sweeties, but it was too chilly, so I through it away

Photo album

Hello,

I created photo album, you can take a look there:

https://picasaweb.google.com/Jackgedas/ErasmusTampere?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCITuq_i5pri95wE&feat=directlink

Have nice day :)

P.s. In addition who is interested in the situation in Europe, take a look at seminar on the Future of Europe. Participants are German Federal Minister of Finance, Mr. Wolgang Schäuble, Finnish Prime Ministeri Mr. Jyrki Katainen and Minister of Finance, Ms. Jutta Urpilainen:

http://www.uta.fi/media/public/tiedotus/07112011/futureoneurope.html

Erasmus, Finland and first experience by traveling alone!

2011 m. Rugpjūčio 18 j., 00:19

Hey hey everybody!

How are you? Oh finally I am in Tampere after sooooooooo great summer in Greece, Estonia, Poland and Lithuania! Really, one of the best memories at all, great people, great time and great experience!

And now, I have landed in Finland, where are many lakes, lot of nature, a bit colder than Lithuania but still good weather. When I was in the plane, I heard that there are Lithuanians near by me. Again, I saw them outside of airport sitting on the bench and I remembered great video: don't be shy to come and say hello ;D Heh, and it worked, they were from Lithuania as well (for sure!) and going to be Erasmus students in my university! We changed each other contacts, and waiting to meet them again! So great, that there are more Lithuanians! Also, when I was waiting for my tutor, I saw that somebody looked to me and asked something, I said Erasmus!!! And they said yes yes! Sooo.. we went to their car, they introduced each other, I knew that one of them should be Ikka, but they said different names. Heh, and when they asked if I am Morihow, or somebody like that, I said no no! It was funny, that I almost were taken by them, as my tutors came a bit later..

And Tampere? It is already late, I am in small dorm room, waiting for tommorow, when 10am tutor should show me university and introduce to city. Everything is going to be OK! I just know that :)