Time for Class!

I have spent the past two days visiting two teacher education classes at the University.  At first it felt odd to be on the "other" side of the classroom, but after about five minutes, I was beyond content to sit and listen.

The first course I went to is called Historical and Social Foundations of Education.  We have a similar course in the States. Listening to how education has evolved in Finland as a means of forming a national identity after Russian rule was fascinating.  The professor did a marvelous job of connecting this part of history and education with the Finnish national psyche. We also discussed the first schools in Finland to educate boys and girls together, which was apparently quite liberal thinking here back in the 19th century.

What I found most interesting was the history of the Helsinki Normal Lyceum (Helsingin normaalilyseo).  The school was built in the 19th century solely on donations and fundraising. It is considered to be a fine example of what can be accomplished by people working together for a common purpose. The majority of Finnish schools were begun this way, since Finland had been under the control of Russia.  Therefore, Finnish schools, with subjects taught in Finnish, were a source of pride, since they represented the Finnish people, rather than Russia. It is very clear that this sense of pride and identity is the foundation of the reverence people here have for education today.

The second course I visited is called Societal Challenges of Teachers' Work.  The class was a mix of Finnish and exchange students from Europe and Japan.  We talked about the challenges teachers face in each of our countries.  There were many things we had in common and then some things that were different. The class only meets 3 times during the semester and the student grade is based on 2 assignments: a group project and academic essay.  I am looking forward to seeing the group project presentations in the next class.

Overall, the past two days have been incredibly stimulating and overwhelming!  I can't believe how much I have already learned in the first week!

Minä olen amerikkalainen

Tuesday night was my first Finnish language class.  After three hours, I am now equipped to say my name, where I am from, the numbers 1-10, and, if the situation warrants, I can tell you that I am not dancing.

Of the 25 students in the class, I was the only person from the U.S. As we went around the room, we had to say which languages we speak (in Finnish!) and I was astounded by the number and range of languages spoken in the room.  The usual European ones were represented, like German, Italian, Spanish, and French, with lots of Swedish as well.  But there were also students who speak Armenian, Belorussian, Latvian, Tamil, Ukrainian and Russian. Everyone, except for one British man, spoke at least two languages, and some spoke even three or four.

I have been here for a week and quite honestly, it would be very easy to live here for six months, never learn a word of Finnish, and be just fine.  Most everyone speaks English, and speaks it very well. Yet, it was very clear to me last night that everyone in class thought nothing of learning Finnish in order to fit in to their new environment.  It made me think about all the times I have heard people say things like, "Welcome to America. Now learn English." Having taught foreign language for a number of years at all levels, I can assure you I have heard all kinds of variations of this sentiment....a lot. It made me wonder how many of those same people, if transported to another country for whatever reason, would follow through with their own belief that you should speak the language of the country you live in?

Regardless, it has been years since I was in a language class as a student and I left feeling excited and mentally exhausted.  Nonetheless,  I loved leaving class last night and reading the new words I had learned on the way home. Suddenly, even after a few hours, some of the signs I've been seeing on the trams for the past seven days started to make more sense.  Today at the grocery store I decided to practice hearing and saying numbers.  Thankfully, the nice young man at the deli was very patient and I successfully walked away with a yummy dinner of mashed potatoes and meatballs, won through a conversation of mixed Finnish and English.

It always amazes me how kind and patient people will be when they see you are trying to speak their language. You may not always say something right and chances are you'll embarrass yourself at least once (oh, the stories I could tell!), but a simple effort, in my experience, is always appreciated.

Hyvää yötä.

Helsingen Miekkailijat

Tonight I had my first fencing lesson....ever.  I wanted to try a new activity and meet Finnish people so when I found the Helsinki Fencing Club, it was a perfect fit.  They offer an adult beginner's course.  They were definitely surprised when I showed up tonight. One of the instructors asked if I spoke Finnish; I said no.  He smiled and said, "We will teach you in both!"

If you've never fenced before, it is great exercise!  It requires a lot of balance and mental focus, which are things I really enjoy in physical activity.  Seriously, I do!  That is probably why I liked riding and yoga; you can't check out mentally if you want to do them well.

We began with basic foot movements and positioning. The basic stance is a lot like Warrior 2 in yoga.  Then we learned how to advance, step back, and my favorite, attack! We worked on those for a while and then, they dressed us!

Women begin with a plastic bra thingy.  I put it on and immediately decided that I never wanted to take it off.  My and a Finnish woman my age may have been acting like 12 year olds about it, but only for a minute and it made the instructor laugh.  Here is a picture of one. I'm sure you can see the appeal.

After that, is a white jacket and then another pad over the front of your chest and a big wire mesh head mask. We all had fun getting dressed and pretending we already had foils in our hand. We practiced our footwork for a bit to get comfortable in the clothes and then we actually got foils!  We practiced some pretty basic moves and then got to practice a simple attack. My partner was from Peru and we had fun sparring and speaking Spanish. The instructor told me I "have very good control over the weapon for a beginner."

The hour and a half went by very quickly and I am looking forward to my lesson next Monday.  I definitely connected with several people in the class and I know it will be a fun group to learn with.  Everyone was so friendly and patient with me in terms of language.  I think this will be a good way to learn and practice Finnish and make some new friends.

Awkward........

There is a gym right down the street from my apartment.  I've been very excited about this so today I went to check it out.  Timo, the guy at the desk told me I could walk around and gave me a few directions for specific places to check out.  It is a great space and has everything you could want.  I was so focused on taking in my surroundings that I didn't really think before walking into what I soon discovered was the men's locker room.  I pretty much ran into a guy as he was coming out. He looked surprised, to say the least.  It hit me where I was and I laughed and said I probably didn't want to go in there.  He laughed and said I could but no, probably not something I want to do.  I turned around and went about looking around the rest (of the public spaces!) of the gym.  When I got back to the desk, Timo asked what I thought.  I told him I walked into the men's room by mistake.  He laughed and said, "I heard. Don't worry," he said. "I told him you are from Chicago and he understands now."  I have NO idea how that explains things, but no matter. He gave me the student price and I was happy.

Perspectives

I have never known people to be so excited that it is finally cold and snowing.  Everyone I've talked to since I've been here has been telling me how sorry they aren't that it isn't more like winter.  It has been unseasonably warm so far and people are genuinely sad about it.  You can't go skiing. You can't go to the smoke sauna followed by ice swimming.  I went out this afternoon and saw people out simply for a walk in the snow, enjoying winter.  There were kids playing in the park across the street.  What's more, is that the sun goes down at about 4pm here.  I've often wondered how people could live in a place like Finland, that seems to be very cold and dark but it is very clear that people here embrace it.  It is a completely different mindset and I must confess that I took a very nice, long walk myself.

Hello, Helsinki!

I got to my apartment about this time last night and ended up unpacking and researching what I wanted to do today until it was time for breakfast.  Oddly enough, breakfast is included in my rent, along with weekly cleaning and fresh sheets!  Not sure why this wasn't the case in every other apartment I've ever rented....seems like it should be standard.

Although sleep was probably needed, exploring the neighborhood was a much better option.  So, after breakfast, I found a small grocery store across the street, next to the tram stop that takes me to work.  I also found a gym to join on the other side of the street. The neighborhood is clean, peaceful and quiet. Now, if only the sun would come up before 9:30am.

This afternoon I had an appointment with the Fulbright Office and also got to meet a few fellow Fulbrighters over dinner.  Everyone I've met is friendly and excited about our experience here, although there are only a few of us staying here in Helsinki.

Today has been filled with getting used to my new surroundings and beginning to figure things out.  I loved learning the tram system, walking around the city and being surrounded by a language I do not understand. I did learn two words today: olut (beer) and katu (street). Two very good things to know, I'm sure you'll agree.

Goodbye, Normal

So, as many of you know, I am about to embark on a brand new adventure: I will be living in Helsinki, Finland for the next six months on a Fulbright to study secondary teacher education. I will be at the University of Helsinki and will attend several conferences in Europe, all with the objective of learning as much as I can and bringing it back to the work I do at home.  The opportunities before me are incredible, and I am staying mindful of how truly fortunate I am.

A lot of people have asked me why I chose Finland. Well, to begin, can you think of a better place to move to in January?  Given that it has been about 30 degrees warmer in Helsinki than Illinois for the past two weeks seems like a good reason..... Seriously, the educational system in Finland is world-renowned. People value education, trust teachers and are committed to quality teacher preparation and public education. There is so much to learn, I'm not even sure where to begin.

As for the title of the blog....well, I live in a town called Normal.  Seriously, it is called Normal. It is without a doubt my most favorite address of all the ones I have had over the years and I simply couldn't resist the irony of using it in the title of my blog.

The purpose of this blog is two-fold.  First, I want to share my experiences and adventures with my family and friends.  And there will be many, because, as you also know, I'll try anything twice.

While there is certainly a personal aspect to my blog, there is a professional one as well.  This new adventure is one that is grounded in professional development and exploration.  I know it is going to challenge me to evaluate my own ideas and beliefs about education.

The next six months are going to be amazing. I have the love and support of some wonderful people in my life. I also love to travel, discover new places, have new experiences and meet new people.  Life will be anything but normal and I have no idea exactly what the next six months will bring but that's what excites me the most. But one thing I do know, is that no matter what, it will be one hell of a good time.