I was invited to teach a 5th grade class about 5th grade in the United States. Having never taught 5th grade, and having no clue about what the typical day is like, I agreed.
Fortunately, one of my equestrian girls from ISU now teaches 5th grade so I asked the Finnish teacher the things her students wanted to know, sent them on to Danielle, who asked her students, and then created the presentation with the information they gave me. I had a lot of fun putting this presentation together and finding lots of pictures to help the kids understand.
The school is located in the town of Espoo, which is about 30 minutes outside of Helsinki. I ended up arriving early to the school. The first thing I saw was recess (#1) in progress. The students, all 1st graders, were outside, playing ice hockey on a "rink" that the school had created by flooding part of the grounds. I stood and watched as 1st graders, boys and girls, skated and played, happily, without helmets or any other protective gear. Pretty sure you would never see that in the U.S.
I went in the school and found my teacher. She was very happy to meet me and we spent some time talking about the school and the classes I would be visiting. I asked her about the ice hockey and she explained that children learn to ice skate as soon as they can stand; they are quite good and no one worries about them getting hurt. And, if they do, they do. Kids play and kids gets hurt. (Again, try putting this in a U.S. context).
Since I was early, there was time before the English classes. Jaana, my teacher, asked if I would like to see a 2nd grade maths class. (FYI - in Europe it is called maths - short for mathematicS). She told me they were practicing their hundreds that day. I explained that I needed help with my numbers in Finnish, especially those hundreds, and that it would be perfect. Indeed, it was. I spent the class period helping students and they helped me as well. It was a lot of fun.
After maths, it was time for my first English class. They were such a great group! They were interested in the presentation and were fascinated by the cafeteria food choices in the United States. I had to spend some time explaining that you could buy your lunch or bring it from home. They found this very strange since lunch is provided for free to everyone at school. One girl asked why all of the foods I showed (answers provided by Danielle's class) were in stick form, such as pizza stick, cheese sticks, etc. I had no idea but guessed that it was probably because 5th graders in the U.S. like to eat with their hands. Have no idea if that is true, but it sounded good. :)
The one thing they could not believe was recess in the U.S. The students and teacher were horrified to learn that the students had one 40-minute recess for the whole day. In Finland, students get three 30-minute recesses everyday. They also don't start primary school until the age of 7. The idea is that children need to play as much as possible because it is good for them physically and encourages creativity. Hate to repeat myself, but again, put that into an American context.
After the first group, it was time for lunch, which I shared with the two English teachers in the cafeteria with the kids. It was nice to talk to them about school and what their days were like.
My second English class was the class one of the day. It was a smaller group but they were just as wonderful and very curious. They had prepared all kinds of questions for me. One boy asked what my favorite thing was to order at McDonald's. When I told him I don't eat there, he had a hard time understanding this. He assumed all Americans eat there. Every day.
Overall, this was another fantastic experience and certainly a new one. Jaana drove me back to the bus station and I had a nice ride back reflecting on the day.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Sauna 2.0
So, last week I had an amazing authentic Finnish experience: smoke sauna followed by ice swimming. We went to a place called Kuusijarvi. You can check it out at www.saunamafia.fi/node/163
We took the 4:30pm bus from Helsinki and it was about 40 minutes to the site. By the time we got there, it was dark (Arctic winters and all) and the first thing I saw was saw in the sky. It was beautiful. I love Helsinki but it was very nice to be out among trees and stars at night.
After we checked in, we walked to the sauna area. Since it is a co-ed sauna, people wear bathing suits. We changed into our suits and went in the sauna.
This one was different than the one in my apartment building, which is electric. In this one, the heat is generated by an actual fire. I don't know what kind of wood they burn, maybe birch, but it smelled wonderful. I also learned that sauna heating in this way is considered an art form and people undergo very specialized training to do this.
This sauna was hotter than the one in my building. Although it is called a smoke sauna, there is no smoke in the actual sauna room. The heat source is a large pit and people pour water over the stones to create steam. There are different levels within the sauna to sit and it is hotter the higher up you go. I stayed on the lowers levels at first but then got braver as the evening went on.
We sat in the sauna for about 15 minutes. There is something really peaceful and relaxing about sitting in a sauna, dripping wet with sweat, breathing in warm steam, sitting in your bathing suit, with about 23 Finns who are doing the same.
Finally, it was time to go outside! I must confess, there was something very strange about standing outside, in freezing temps, in my bathing suit and flipflops. It was cold but not the way you would think. After being in the hot sauna, it felt quite good to be outside.
But, we weren't done! Next, you walk down to the water. There were two places to go in. One was sectioned off from the lake and there was no ice. But, there were ducks swimming there! The other spot was not sectioned off, and a hole had been cut in the ice.
When you get t o the water, you take off your shoes and walk down the ladder into the freezing cold water up to your shoulders. You don't out your head under water because that would be crazy and that will make you sick, according to the Finns.
I won't lie: that freezing water hurt like hell at first! Suddenly, after being hot in the sauna, cooled off outside, my skin was screaming from the water. It was a shock! People had told me that sometimes it feels like you are going to have a heart attack, but you don't (!). I didn't have that experience, but I didn't stay in for too long.
As I got out, I expected to start shivering from cold. But it wasn't like that at all. Instead, my body just began to readjust to the air. After everyone had had a dip, we headed back to the sauna for round two.
I went in the water four times. The last time I went in, I went in through the ice hole at the behest of some Finns who may have dared me to do it. There was a ladder just like the other part, but this was definitely different. As you lower yourself into a hole that has been cut in the ice, you think to yourself, "Who thought this was a good idea?"
Nonetheless, as I got out, I felt great. Each iteration of hot then cold was easier than the last. By the time I left (after a shower and changing back into warm clothes), I felt rejuvenated, body and soul. It is hard to explain but my body felt both relaxed and energized at the same time. My mind was quiet and at peace.
It was truly an amazing experience and I am so glad I did it. I suspect I will do it again!
We took the 4:30pm bus from Helsinki and it was about 40 minutes to the site. By the time we got there, it was dark (Arctic winters and all) and the first thing I saw was saw in the sky. It was beautiful. I love Helsinki but it was very nice to be out among trees and stars at night.
After we checked in, we walked to the sauna area. Since it is a co-ed sauna, people wear bathing suits. We changed into our suits and went in the sauna.
This one was different than the one in my apartment building, which is electric. In this one, the heat is generated by an actual fire. I don't know what kind of wood they burn, maybe birch, but it smelled wonderful. I also learned that sauna heating in this way is considered an art form and people undergo very specialized training to do this.
This sauna was hotter than the one in my building. Although it is called a smoke sauna, there is no smoke in the actual sauna room. The heat source is a large pit and people pour water over the stones to create steam. There are different levels within the sauna to sit and it is hotter the higher up you go. I stayed on the lowers levels at first but then got braver as the evening went on.
We sat in the sauna for about 15 minutes. There is something really peaceful and relaxing about sitting in a sauna, dripping wet with sweat, breathing in warm steam, sitting in your bathing suit, with about 23 Finns who are doing the same.
Finally, it was time to go outside! I must confess, there was something very strange about standing outside, in freezing temps, in my bathing suit and flipflops. It was cold but not the way you would think. After being in the hot sauna, it felt quite good to be outside.
But, we weren't done! Next, you walk down to the water. There were two places to go in. One was sectioned off from the lake and there was no ice. But, there were ducks swimming there! The other spot was not sectioned off, and a hole had been cut in the ice.
When you get t o the water, you take off your shoes and walk down the ladder into the freezing cold water up to your shoulders. You don't out your head under water because that would be crazy and that will make you sick, according to the Finns.
I won't lie: that freezing water hurt like hell at first! Suddenly, after being hot in the sauna, cooled off outside, my skin was screaming from the water. It was a shock! People had told me that sometimes it feels like you are going to have a heart attack, but you don't (!). I didn't have that experience, but I didn't stay in for too long.
As I got out, I expected to start shivering from cold. But it wasn't like that at all. Instead, my body just began to readjust to the air. After everyone had had a dip, we headed back to the sauna for round two.
I went in the water four times. The last time I went in, I went in through the ice hole at the behest of some Finns who may have dared me to do it. There was a ladder just like the other part, but this was definitely different. As you lower yourself into a hole that has been cut in the ice, you think to yourself, "Who thought this was a good idea?"
Nonetheless, as I got out, I felt great. Each iteration of hot then cold was easier than the last. By the time I left (after a shower and changing back into warm clothes), I felt rejuvenated, body and soul. It is hard to explain but my body felt both relaxed and energized at the same time. My mind was quiet and at peace.
It was truly an amazing experience and I am so glad I did it. I suspect I will do it again!
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