I walked into the
Fulbright Finland Orientation having already passed my first test. Making it on time! The morning commute was one of heavy rains, strong winds, and slushy sidewalks. Terhi Mölsä, CEO of Fulbright Finland, commended us for making it through what even Finns would call unpleasant conditions. Now, that is saying something.
The unpleasantness did not last long as it was nice reuniting with fellow Fulbright teachers for the first time in five months since our orientation in D.C. There are six teachers from America participating in the Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program. Two of us, myself included, are residing in Helsinki. The other four are located in Jyväskylä. There were other Fulbright grantees at the orientation—mostly university professors and a few professionals including a member of the Coast Guard who will be working on an icebreaker on the Baltic Sea.
Terhi gave us a short
Finnish lesson, which I found very useful. Even after having been in Finland for five weeks, I still struggle with the language. She explained how to pronounce certain letters, to stress the first syllables, and the importance of not rushing through words and phrases. I have noticed that the people to whom I greet and thank in Finnish appreciate my effort.
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| Courtesy of Maija Kettunen |
The Fulbright teachers had a breakout session with Finnish educators. It was helpful to discuss our inquiry projects and how to visit schools. Finnish schools have been very open to me observing classes and speaking with students. Each school gives me suggestions of other schools that implement project-based learning, so my contact list is growing rapidly! I also got an “inside scoop” on restaurants, shopping, health services, and other daily activities. It has been beneficial to hear people’s perspective on day-to-day living in Finland. It helps me make sense of the customs I have observed and witnessed. Day one of our orientation concluded with a visit to the
U.S. Embassy in Helsinki. The security at the embassy was intense. We were not allowed to bring electronic devices excluding for our cell phones, which had to be switched on airplane mode. No bother, it was worth being "disconnected" for a few hours, especially because there was free pizza.
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| Courtesy of Maija Kettunen |
The second and final day of the Fulbright orientation arrived more quickly than expected. It dawned on me that it would be several weeks before all of the grantees would be together again. I knew I had to make the day count, and we did. The day began with a presentation from the
American Resource Center, which is managed in a partnership between the U.S. Embassy and the University of Helsinki. It is an extensive resource for current, in-depth information focusing primarily on political, economic and social issues and on American culture. I soon will visit ARC and discuss with staff a presentation I plan to give about how schools in America are beginning to use virtual reality to connect students with the world.
The next presenter was a walking and talking encyclopedia. I wish I had a tenth of the knowledge about a subject as Birger Holm, Principal of Espoonlahti Junior High School, has on Finnish history. We covered 10,000 years of Finnish history in 30 minutes. Remarkably, it made sense! I had visited many museums and historical locations in Finland since my arrival, so the information I had been collecting finally started to click. Birger's session ended with the audience eager to know more.
We left the Fulbright office and headed for
Design Museum Helsinki. I, like most of my students, love field trips. The museum is devoted to the exhibition of both Finnish and foreign design, including industrial design, fashion, and graphic design. We were given a tour of the newest exhibition:
California—Designing Freedom. The central idea of the exhibition is that California has always pioneered tools of personal liberation, from LSD to surfboards and iPhones. It was somewhat strange to view another nation’s interpretation of the design practices and philosophy from my own country. It challenged me to think about my own culture from a new perspective.
The Fulbright Finland Orientation came and went quickly. Even though it is over, there is a lot to look forward to. I made contacts with Fulbright staff and fellow grantees; I was asked to collaborate with the educational curator of Design Museum Helsinki on an after school program; and I have contacts for visiting schools and meeting Finnish educators. I might never become fully "oriented" with Finland and its history, culture, and education system. But I am definitely going to try!
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| Courtesy of Maija Kettunen |
