Finland First Part

When I knew that I was choosen to go in Norway by my university, I was so glad to have finally the opportunity to discover Scandinavia. A region that I admirated when I was young and that I would absolutely visit in my life.

When I learned that Deborah should go to Malmö (Swenden, cf. previous articles) and Sarah to Jyväskylä, we promized to visit each others and we did so. After that I learned that Laurent also should go in internship with a teacher of sociology. I couldn't avoid such a travel so I decided to spend four days there.

I arrived from Gdansk to Turku where Laurent is working. The first picture of Finland in my head is that one.


Fortunetely I found the bus stop behind the building that you can see. The advantage is that you can not confound buses. There is only one line to go to Keskusta (downtown).

I made that and arrived to Kauppatori (Market Square in Finnish). I saw there a kind of global orgy where everybody were drunk and were dressed strangely.



Before to see that I heard from Paul: "There is nothing to do in Finland, nothing to see, I don't know what you can do there except the fact to drink alcohol". Imagine what I thought. An other time stereotypes were illustrated in front of me.

When Laurent arrived he explained me that the day before May 1st there is a tradition in Finland to celebrate the end of examinations and workday. Everybody must have the white cap and go drinking in the street. I didn't do so because I should be awake at 8 to take a bus and be on time to Jyväskylä to watch the rugby game of Stade Toulousain (semi-final of Europa Cup).

However I didn't sleep and followed Laurent to a party with Finnish girls (that study French) and stayed on the street after midnight.


Afterwards, I spent one day to Jyväskylä. We stayed at home playing cards and sleeping early to be in shape for our departure to Talinn.