Diploma Translation

For things such as teaching jobs or Master's programs you need a degree. Well I have the degree, the problem is that it is not Finnish. This means I have to get it translated. That requires me obtaining a course list of all the classes I took at the University with there credit hours. So this afternoon when I got home from class I printed out a transcript request form. As far as I know that is the only way to get an official list of my courses and credit hours. At least I hope that it comes with the credit hours listed with the courses. I have honestly never really looked. They don't need my grades, but it looks like they will be getting them anyway. The list of courses is necessary to compare with what is taught here at the Universities to see if they are compatible. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I won't have to take any extra courses here. I would just like to get a job and begin taking graduate courses. The Finns are very serious about their education, but it sure is a hassle for me. Not to mention that it is 189 euros or more to get the silly thing translated!! I am sure it will be all worth it in the long run.

Kalevala Day

Today is Kalevala Day here in Finland. The Kalevala is the National Epic (poem) of Finland. I have a copy of the book in English back in NC, and I have to admit that I have never read it. I will get around to it though (I promise, Kai). It seems to be a big deal for the Finnish people. In honor of Kalevala day my homework for the weekend has been 5 pages worth of work about it. Wikipedia has a nice little write up about it on their page if anyone is interested.

I think I might just pull out my hair!

These are just a few examples of what has been driving me mad for the past 5 months. These links I am posting are what I was working on in my MediaTech class yesterday. Fun Stuff!!!

http://www2.edu.fi/ymmarrasuomea/index.php?moduli=tekstit&teksti=8

If you click on Käy nyt teksti läpi jakso kerrallaan ja vastaa tämän jälkeen monivalintatehtäviin after reading the above, you will be taken to the work page that we had to do after reading the story. There is even listening to go along with it if you want to hear how the spoken language sounds. It really just sounds like gibberish, but these crazy people understand one another!!

http://www.yle.fi/java/elearning2/$40zkuq7icpx9l5vntf5z/lesson/index.nvl?0.task=1026

http://www.yle.fi/java/elearning2/$11a6g4xqpdgqugf9j9qw/lesson/index.nvl?0.task=725

Cheers! :-)

Where can she be?

I have been such a bad blogger here of late, and I sincerely apologize. I have been quite overwhelmed lately by my new course (Finnish Level 3) and work here at home. I do promise to be back more frequently after this coming weekend. Things should be more settled in my world by then!!

Cheers!

Snow and School

I am one tired girlie. My Finnish classes are very mentally draining and by the time I get home in the evening I feel as though I could laydown anywhere and sleep for weeks! Thankfully I do not have school tomorrow. I have another reading day because I have a test on Monday and Tuesday. I am nervous about them, but I think I will do fairly well on the Monday portion. Not quite so confident about the speaking portion on Tuesday.

Classes, tests, and tiredness aside...I have been loving the snow. Since moving to Finland I have learned what a real Winter is suppose to feel (and look) like. And nothing is ever closed for the snow. Not even school. These kids here do not know the meaning of snow days!


My apartment building


The backyard...part of it


Across the street

It snowed for 3 more days after I took these pictures. So we have plenty of it. And I LOVE it!!!

Neglectful!

I have been so busy with school and house work that I have had no time for blogging. Although I have been neglecting my blog, I have been able to keep up with what is going on in the blogosphere thanks to Bloglines! It is a convenient site. Anyway, so as not to feel too neglectful, I thought I would share something that happened to someone else today. I was a witness of course. How could I not be?!? I ride the bus everyday to and from class, and today a very careless little boy (looked to be about 11 years old) was running towards the road and was looking behind him at the same time. Real smart, huh? Well he happens to finally look where he is going when he is just maybe a foot away from my moving bus. Poor thing (careless thing) runs right smack-dab into the side of my bus. The bus driver stopped the bus and got out to check on him, but he made a horribly loud sound when he collided with the side of Bus 52. Thankfully he is ok, nothing was broken but he did have the air knocked out of him. I guess that'll teach him to watch where he is going from now on, and also not to run towards the road!!!

Teenage girls all around!

My husband actually went with me to see the new Twilight movie last night. Needless to say the opening night had a packed house. The theater we were in seats 703 people, and I am pretty sure all but 4 of those seats were occupied by overly excited teenage girls! They even clapped for the movie as the ending credits rolled. Ah...teenagers. Though you do not have to be a teen or tween girl to enjoy this movie. My husband said that even he was pleasantly suprised by it. Of course I liked it. It followed the book pretty close, and that is a big deal for me. I am not much into these movies that just go off on their own and leave me screaming, "that's not what happened in the book!" So I guess I am a little bit excited that they are making the sequel to it. And I admit, the lead character is kind of a cutie. Though I am not obsessed with him I can definitely understand why all of these teen girls swoon whenever they see him. Hm...maybe I should go watch it again?! :-)