How to get to Korea, Seoul and HUFS

So, it happened that I didn't have time (read: was lazy) to write before, but now: I've moved to Seoul!

(Warning: some of the pictures are really bad quality!)

From the bus window while driving from Incheon to HUFS

Let's go back to Finland... First I needed the official Acceptance letter from HUFS (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies), which came around midway of July. Then I was able to fill the SoleMOVE application my university needed for my exchange. Or more like Kela needed it from my university as a proof of my student exchange agreement... Kela is this Finland's government's funding system (or something) that makes it possible for everyone to study by providing a little money once a month and a possibility for a student loan. (FYI: This is only from a student's point of view, Kela does other things, too.) So, I really need the monthly money and the loan from Kela to fund my exchange period.

   (Finland doesn't have tuition fees, at least for students from European Union. And because this is not a normal university between university student exchange, but a freemover student exchange by Asia Exchange (AE), I don't get any scholarships or other money from my university and I need to pay the tuition fee of HUFS, though it is cheaper for me because of AE. As a contrary, my friend is in the US at the moment doing her regular student exchange and she didn't have to pay tuition fees and she gets money from Kela and our university. Altough she did have to pay some money, but it's much less than what I had to pay and will pay and she will kinda get the money back, because the money she gets from Kela and University of Oulu. The same goes with my other friend going to Japan as a regular exchange student. She will get money from Kela and University of Oulu, too. Plus she is supposed to apply for a scholarship provided by Japan's government, I think, and she will get it 'cause she is such a good student, so she might even get richer during her exchange period!)

   The third problem was that all the official workers of unioulu (University of Oulu) were on a vacation till August. So, even when I filled the SoleMOVE application as soon as possible, no-one was there to handle the application and the information didn't get to Kela on time. I did sent the student allowance application to Kela soon after I filled the SoleMOVE application. The Kela application normally takes two weeks for handling. So there was time even at the beginning of August for unioulu workers. Which is why I was a bit annoyed when at the beginning of August Kela send me a message that "Hey, we didn't find your application from SoleMOVE, will you send us your Acceptance letter or something that proves the student exchange". Well, I did put my application on SoleMOVE almost month ago... (Just realized that I haven't even checked if my SoleMOVE application has been accepted by my university... But it should be, because I got the student allowance decision from Kela saying I will get the money given to Finns studying outside of Finland...)

   The next problem was my visa. The problems were I didn't have the Acceptance letter from HUFS and I didn't know where I was going to stay at in Korea. After I got the Acceptance letter and other papers, the first problem was solved. I also applied for a dorm when we were supposed to apply but didn't get any respond, except that all AE students who applied for dorm housing will be placed in a dorm. The proplem: there is three dorms... So, I didn't know my address and where I would be staying at. When we got an email about the course registration and got our ID:s in the beginning of August, I got the housing information. There was a list of us, the visiting students, and after our name and student ID there was mentioned in what dorm we were going to be in. My destiny was to be put in a different dorm then which I applied for. A bit problematic because I am a vegetarian... (More about that later!)

   But so, then I was able to apply for a visa. The new problem: scheduling. For a visa I needed to go to Helsinki where I was going to go anyway though. My old friends got married there in the beginning of August and during my stay at Helsinki I was also seeing my friends from Alkio. At the same time I had a vaccination time at Tampere's YTHS (the health service of many universities in Finland) and I needed to go to Oulu to do an organic chemistry exam (curse that course!) and to visit my friend going to the US before she leaves. So, I went to Helsinki, got a proper registered letter for getting my passport back from the Embassy of Korea, went to the Embassy of Korea with a little help from locals and applied for the visa. Of course I had miscalculated my cash and realized it while applying for the visa, so I had to run to the nearest ATM, break the money for smaller and get back to the Embassy. Luckily there wasn't other people doing their visa business, got to leave my luggage there and the woman on the application counter was really nice. She even chit-chatted with me a bit. A thing you rarely encounter in Finland.

Yay, they are married!

A guest, a bridesmaid (me) & a maid of honor

   After a week I had my visa, had applied for the courses (I applied for most of my courses while traveling to Helsinki), had the health examination form signed by a doctor (getting the tuberculosis skin test wasn't a simple thing either...), had met friends in Helsinki and Oulu, had been in the wedding, had had the exam, had helped friends to move my other friends and what else? Oh, and had been contacted by my atti! Atti is something like the tutors we have in Finland, I guess (not the teaching tutors, they help at everything). He said it means 'a good friend'. The funny thing is that he contacted me in a weird way, in Google hangouts, who even knew you can contact someone in Google hangouts! Ok, it was my fault, 'cause I hadn't replied to the email he had sent, but I really hadn't had time to even read the mail properly! For a moment I was freaked out by a random person contacting me like "who are you and how did you find me??" and then that person just keeps talking to me and I'm like "why do you keep talking to me?? Why would anyone keep talking to me? You weird person" but no, I am the weird person, other people are just nice.

From the inside of our mini bus

   Then we got an email about how to get from the airport to the university. Some people took a taxi with a group of people. Then there was an option to go by a train or a bus to the City Hall and then get someone to get you from there, or something. I understood that if you ordered the ISO pick-up, they would come to get you from the City Hall station. (Realizing I'm not very informative and I know nothing about anything... Sorry!) Anyway I think I chose the easiest option: the enterance airport pick-up. I applied for it in advance and got the information to go to in front of the gate A at the Incheon Airport and then they would get me in a bus. (Didn't know where the bus would take me exactly but hoped for the best.)

To the mini buses! (See? Kim Soo Hyun <3)

   So, when my flight (straight from Helsinki to Seoul, under 9h) arrived to the Incheon Airport I went through immigration and such, got my luggage and searched for the gate A. It was really easy, almost too easy. Still I was super nervous (and scared) and was shaking and wanted to cry, but also I was really excited and overwhelmed by the cool differences. Like the first thing you see on the wall: a huge add about something with a huge picture of Kim Soo Hyun! And when I walked from the gate D to the gate A I passed a crowed of people with cameras and such. "Wow, something quite big is happening in here." Luckily, in front of the gate A there wasn't many people. I walked straight to the enterance people with signs and they told me to wait there. (My bus was supposed to leave after an hour, ups, was a bit early...) So, I sat there (still my college on, don't know why, it was really hot and humid... Like a cool sauna!), other people came, we waited (I finally got my college off), paid for the trip on cash (they really seem to like cash here in Korea) and waited a bit more. Then people in training suits walked past us. Soon I realized that that was South Korea's Olympic team and that they had been the reason for the crowd earlier. (They looked so young...) And then came the time for the ride. We were put in mini buses, waited a bit more and left. The driver was really good. Even though first he drove way too fast (the fastest over 140 km/h at 100 km/h area, the car was shaking and whining a lot) and then we got in a traffic jam (under 10 km/h at 50 km/h area) where cars moved a lot from lane to lane, I wasn't afraid even a bit. After a long drive we arrived in front of HUFS.

HUFS Main Building

Globeedorm and Law School

   At HUFS there was people getting us to our dorms. Me and a couple of Swedish girls from my bus went to Globeedorm where we signed in, got more information and was taken to our rooms. Mine was in 10th floor with a really beautiful view! Then if we had ordered something from Townus beforehand, we were taken back to the lobby and paid (in cash) for the stuff we had ordered and got them. I got my beddings, hangers, soaps and stuff and then signed for the new sim card I got for to be able to contact people without WiFi. Then went to my room to put everything on their places. My roommate hadn't arrived yet so I got to choose my side of the room. Unfortunately the room hadn't been cleaned and there was black hair everywhere. I was really tired so after I got my stuff in order I went to sleep. There would have been a group going to a market at 3 pm but nope, I needed my nap. Besides there was another group going to the market at 9 pm! After my nap I went out. (Mainly because I needed WiFi 'cause I couldn't make my new Internet connection to work and there wasn't WiFi in the dorm.) I walked around the campus a bit and sat down to check my social media. Stayed there for a while.

My room at the first night (wasn't that messy later!)

The view from the room window! See the mountains!? (And my finger...)

The view from the room to another direction!
The main building and the field where is people all the time.
(Except at that moment...)

Need to get through these with your room card that you can go up to the girls' rooms.
The boys' elevator is on the opposite wall.

The main street from the subway station to the uni.

   Apparently the other AE students were going to meet in Hongdae for a drink at 9 pm. It would have been cool to go to meet people but wouldn't try to make it alone in the subway, especially when we have a curfew at midnight in Globeedorm and someone said in our Whatsapp chat group that the last subway to come back would go at 11 pm. Luckily one of the girls said she needed food and I offered to go to eat with her. We decided to stay near the campus and have some Korean food. We walked around the main street, the street from the campus to the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies station. So many colors and sounds and people! So cool! Every shop played their own choice of music but I still recognized more than half of the songs. We went to eat to a little restaurant, which offered vegetarian food, too. (I know I'm gonna cause many problems to people especially 'cause I can't speak Korean...) Luckily my new friend could speak a little Korean and ordered us vegetarian food (bibim bap, I believe). It was delicious! A bit spicy but it was okay, I was prepared for it. I had really practiced to eat spicy food since spring. While we were eating, I think some other AE students went past us. Who other would wave furiously to us? After eating we wondered if we should go to meet people but decided not to go. We would have been able to stay there only for an hour or so... (We were supposed to meet the next day originally, but apparently they changed the day, not added another meeting like we thought.)

Vegetable bibimbap! (Maybe...) It was really good anyway...

   We went past the group going to the market and decided to join them. In the emart, there was a real size cardboard picture of Song Joong Ki and lot of stuff with idols' faces on them! (I saw I.O.I's Somi on a pink package) I will never get used to this... So weird but so cool. My new friend told me that we shouldn't put toilet paper in the toilet but instead into a garbage bin, but I didn't have any garbage bins in my room... (A bit disgusting in my opinion but hey, when in Rome...) The next problem was to find garbage bags. Like seriously! How can that be a problem? Got some bags from the cashier (problematic again because of the language barrier, goddammit) and talked a bit with my French friend and some other exchange students. I kinda admire that French girl, she was able to communicate with the locals and easily talked with other people, too, making friends. Why am I so shy?

Song Joong Ki! XD

I.O.I ramyun(?)

HUFS Main Building at night

   After that I parted from others, had a little SoMe session and went to my room, to clean it. Suffering a little from the lack of Internet connection I went to sleep. And woke up around 4:30... My sleeping rhythm is so f'*cked up at the moment... So, I cleaned more and had a shower thinking my roomie could come at any moment. At midday I went out for couple of hours because of the Internet. I am so lost case... Then had a nap again. No-one contacted me so I didn't meet anyone for the day. A bit surprising was that I had used to the cool sauna weather (over 30°C and humid) and when I put the cooling machine on I felt cold at 25°C! How is that even possible?

Middle of the campus area, Globeedorm is the high building

The difference in temperature...
Well, the time might have something to do with it, too...

The Main building behind the Minerva Complex,
which has the school's motto on it.

Walk thorough the campus

Standing before the Globeedorm,
watching the Main building.

   Later I got my Internet connection fixed and left to buy something to eat from emart. As soon as I left Globeedorm some people from the school's church (club?) run after me and gave me a welcoming gift and talked to me. "You are from Finland? I have flied on Finnair!" "Me, too!" Lovely. One of them asked me if I was a Christian and hearing me being an atheist backed up a little bit but one of them didn't care at all and continued chatting happily. She was so cute. And after I came back from the market they waved at me and greeted me cheerfully. "Annyeong, Uta! (then some Korean which she translated to 'oh, you went to the emart')" She even remembered my name! Well, sorta...
   People have been so nice~ But I feel like I'm being rude 'cause I can't speak Korean and don't know how things work and am too shy to talk to people... I just stay alone and look cold. Sigh... I know it will get better and maybe my roommate will show up, too, but at the moment I feel a bit lonely. Let's see what happens tomorrow when the orientation starts!

Almost in front of the Globeedorm, watching Cyber building.

The big intersection in front of HUFS Seoul Campus

   Oh, the food thing! I had heard that there isn't that much vegetarian food in Korea or at least it is harder to find. It's kinda like going back five years in vegetarianism in Finland. Then my atti told me that there isn't any vegetarian food in the school cafeteria... So, it would be better for me to be able to make my own food, but in Globeedorm you can't cook... And I can't speak Korean (yet!) so it is hard for me to go to eat out every day... So I'm feeling a bit hungry...

   Aaand in the evening I get some text messages in Korean, of course, and my Internet connection dies... Goddammit!

- yukiakitsune 2016.08.25

(Posting this on 2016.09.01 so Happy JungkookDay! XD)

Back in the game! About next next year...

It's been ~year and a half... So many things have happened... I kinda forgot this blog, too :'D So, I have maaany things to write about... But now I just announce the greatest thing happening now~ I'M MOVING TO KOREA!! = ^_^ = 

Ok, not until at the end of August...

   I'm still a biology student at the University of Oulu, ending my second year. Next academic year I'm studying at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) in Seoul, South Korea. I'm going there as a free mover, an exchange student who pays the tuition fee by them-self. Though I'm not a regular free mover 'cause I'm going there by Asia Exchange, a Finnish organization which makes it possible to go studying at Asian universities. Most people choose to go to Bali, but you can also choose to go for example to Thailand, China or South Korea. Choosing Korea and HUFS wasn't difficult for me.

   Now I am in point of waiting for the official acceptance letter from HUFS so that I can apply for visa and fill the SoleMOVE application for my uni. I also bought the flight to Seoul today. You can find pretty cheap flights to Korea from Finland (~300€), if you are ready to travel ~30h... :'D I chose the bit more expensive flight option. If you are 18-25 years old, Finnair offers you a chance to travel with youth fare prices; straight flight from Helsinki-Vantaa to Incheon International airport (8h 50min), price 430€. Ok, it can be more expensive, but I got the flight with that price + the extra luggage 60€ ('cause I can't travel light & I'm staying there 10kk)...

   Why I chose Korea & HUFS? I'm still thinking the answer, but for starters I have always been interested in East Asian cultures. Don't know if my dad being a first mate and bringing souvenirs from China had anything to do with it. Or that in our living room there is a huuuge pretty fan on the wall brought from Japan. Or that my parents made me watch anime since I was a toddler. Or those mangas I read. Or the fast rising popularity of Japan in Finland when I was a kid. Or those Jackie Chan movies, which made me fancy martial arts.

   Or my friend doing taekwondo and suggesting it to me and my other friend, too. Or my friends being Japan fans, too (Avril Lavigne, Gwen Stefani). Or the western singers I listened being Japan fans, too. Or me doing taekwondo for ~3 years. Or listening to j-rock (I recommend to listen One Ok Rock and nano, they are my favorite!). Or me watching youtube.

   Or studying Japanese with my friend. Or in high school meeting a friend, who was a huge kpop and kdrama fan. Or that friend making me watch kdramas and listening kpop (especially EXO and Hyuna). Or that friend telling me many things about Korean popular culture. Or also my cousin liking East Asian things and kpop (EXO). Or me going to Japan for almost three weeks with my friends (who are getting married this summer!). Or me getting an idea of studying archeology in Japan (not gonna happen). Or me wishing to live in Japan in some point of my life. Or me generally finding Asian facial and body features very beautiful and lovely. Or me learning to love those cute Asian styles and clothes.

   Or meeting friends in uni, other being a manga, anime and kpop fan and other loving Japan and dancing and having a Japanese boyfriend (they are so cute together~). Or studying more Japanese (still a beginner >.<). Or this kpop fan making me watch Bangtan Bombs and making me an ARMY. Or kpop and these friends making me love dancing again (dancing even though I'm not that good at it is so freeing<3). Or wanting to go to Japan as an exchange student, but realizing that I had no chance (they prefer to send graduate students or people with really really really good grades to there). Or applying to be an exchange student in America or Canada and in the process realizing a minimal chance to get into a Korean university (didn't make it there either, haha... Dunno was it because of my grades or my poor motivation letter -_-'). Or me not even trying to get to Japan as an exchange student. Or me starting to watch youtube videos again (found a youtuber whose videos I enjoyed before, too. I recommend watching Megan Bowen aka chonunmigooksaram's videos! She lives in Korea, but is originally from USA.).

   Or someone sending an email to our biology mailing list about Asia Exchange. Or me researching AE website and finding a chance to study at an East Asian university. Or HUFS having so many interesting courses taught in English. Or me trying to figure out, if I would be able to have those courses as part of my degree (no-one really knows, but none has said that I couldn't have them as part of my degree, so at the moment the answer is yes :'D). Or me getting pass at the English proficiency test. Or me applying for the exchange program and getting accepted... Maybe at least the last things had something to do with me choosing Korea and HUFS... :P

   And here is almost my whole life story, haha! XD Probably still forgot something important... Oh well, next time I'll write about something else, but now I need to go to sleep 'cause I'm going to help in my friends move tomorrow... or in fact today 'cause it's already 1:30AM. Good night~ ^.^

Finally here!

Tällä kertaa aiheena: viimeinkin Ouluun!

http://kuvat.oulunmiekkailuseura.fi/oulu.jpg

Elikkä toissaviikko vierähti mukavasti nähden kavereita ja pakaten... :D

Norppis & Jenkkis, juurikin näin selväjärkiset lapsuudenystäväni... <3
Näistä ei pääse kulumallakaan! :D

Aren't we cute? ^_^

Ma: Pakkaamisyritystä, paino sanalla yritystä... XD

Ti:   Ensin kahville Masan kanssa, sen jälkeen Rins ja Jasse liittyivät seuraan, tämän jälkeen

       näin Hannua ensimmäisen ja viimeisen kerran moneen kuukauteen... :'D

Masa... :')))

Jasse, Rins & Masa <3

Hannuu!
Hannu&Julius since -08 <3

Ke: Enskan, Rinsin ja Jassen kanssa kävimme katsomassa 22 Jump Streetin! XD Oli ihan

       paras! Jos haluaa nähdä erittäin loistavaa komediaa (itse en ole kovin suuri komediafani)

       niin kannattaa käydä katsomassa... Jos ykkösosan on nähnyt (kannattaa katsoa ensin!),

       niin tietää suurin piirtein, mistä on kyse... Tällä kertaa mukana on vain hieman enemmän

       romantiikkaa... ;) Kuolimme muutamaan kertaan elokuvan aikana... X'D

http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/393/3936684/2557391-5712726259-22_ju.jpg

To: Viimeiset pakkaukset ja illalla Norppiksen kanssa katsomaan loistavaa keikkaa Jack The

       Roosteriin. Ihanan kaverini Marskin bändi The Nymans, jossa mukana mm. Marskin veljet,

       esiintyi siellä silloin... Vaikka aamulla piti olla lähtö klo 5, en olisi vaihtanut keikkaa

       nukkumiseen, joten seuraava päivä menikin vain muutamilla torkuilla. :D Regret soi

       päässä... <3

The Nymans! Marski, you go girl! (Y)

Pe: Ja muutto alkaa! Lähtö tosiaan piti olla tuolloin klo 5, mutta viivästyi erinäisten ongelmien
      vuoksi puolitoista tuntia... :D Matkaan sitten puoli seitsemän, asuntoautolla sekä                               peräkärryllä... En edes tiennyt sen olevan mahdollista... O.o

Ouluun pääsimme iltapäivästä. Ensin yrtitimme löytää PSOASille, mikä ei aivan niin helppoa ollutkaan... :D Monen mutkan ja umpitien jälkeen toimistolla, jossa kävi selväksi Oulun kansainvälisyys. Ihmisiä joka puolelta maailmaa! :D Ihanaa, että ihmiset uskaltavat tulla näinkin pohjoiseen, itseäni kyllä tuo pitkä ja pimeä talvi vähän pelottaa... :'D
    Avaimet hankittu! Olin aika yllättynyt, että asiakaspalvelu paikanpäällä oli ystävällistä, sillä kun olin aiemmin ollut sähköpostin ja puhelimen välityksellä yhteydessä PSOASiin, niin palvelu ei aina ollut ihan parasta luokkaa. Välillä oltiin todella avuliaita ja ystävällisiä, mutta välillä niin elämään kyllästyneitä tai pelottavan ylivirallisia, että tuntui kuin pitäisi pyytää anteeksi olemassaoloa ja vain kadota maan rakoon. Esimerkiksi vuokrasopimukseni lähetettiin kaksi viikkoa myöhässä ja vasta sen jälkeen, kun puhelimitse tiedustelin sitä, sekä lähes koko ajan annettiin ristiriitaista tietoa ja muuttopäiväkin varmistui vasta kolme päivää ennen muuttoa... :/
   Noh, seuraavaksi asunnolle! Peruskorjauksesta juuri valmistuneen kerrostalon kolmen hengen solu aivan keskustan tuntumassa, helppo kulkea joka suuntaan, todella kaunis ympäristö, tilavat ja hienot huoneet, tosin värimaailma vähän erikoinen... :D Ja oma kylppäri! <3 Jokaisella oma jääkaappi??? ( Alkiolla meillä oli kahdellatoista hengellä yhteinen lähes samankokoinen jääkaappi... :'D )
  Ja sitten tavaroiden raahausta... Suurimmat paketit kuten sänky oli kyllä mukava raahata kuudenteen kerrokseen portaita pitkin... ^ _ ^ Sitten tavaroiden kasausta, purkua, putsausta ja paikoilleen laittamista! Ei kyllä yhden päivän homma... :'D
   Joskus alkuillasta saapui myös toinen kämppis, jota kutsun Idikseksi... :D ( toinen ei ole vieläkään tullut... :O ? ) Idis ainakin pikatutustumisen perusteella vaikutti todella kivalta, mikä oli suuri helpotus. Varmaan kaikki, jotka muuttavat soluun, pelkäävät kämppiksien olevan kamalia. Sitähän minäkin pelkäsin. Viime vuoden unelmakämppiksen jälkeen odotuksetkin olivat aika korkealla, mutta myös tiesin, ettei jokainen kämppis voi olla unelmakämppis... Jos ei tule toimeen ihmisten kanssa, joiden kanssa asuu, tai jos he ovat todella likaisia, ei elämisestä tule mukavaa... Onneksi Idis kuitenkin on osoittautunut ihan kelpokämppikseksi! :D Sitä toista odotellessa...
     Illalla pääsikin sitten nukkumaan omaan kämppään omassa uudessa sängyssä... :)) Love it!

La: Vähän lisää muuttamista... Idis vanhempineen katosi ilmeisesti heti aamusta, koska ei
      näkynyt kun seuraavan kerran vasta sunnuntaina. Kävimme äiten kanssa kiertelemässä
      vähän keskustaa pyörillä. Tärkeimmät kaupat ja ruokapaikat heti bongattu ja ilmainen
      parkkipaikka viereisestä saaresta eli todella läheltä! :D

Su: Viimeiset tavarat kasaan! Kävimme äiten kanssa taas pyöräretkellä, tällä kertaa
      yliopistolle... Valmiiksi olin moneen kertaan tarkistanut reitin Mapsista, kerran täytyi                           varmistaa reitti, mutta muuten matka oli kuin unelma. Vaikka matkaa onkin se lähes 5 km,
      niin sen polkee helposti. Tasaista lähes koko matka, ja vain suoraa, suoraa ja suoraa täytyy
      mennä. Tieviittojakin löytyy lähes joka risteyksestä.
           Päivällä jäimmekin sitten Idiksen kanssa lopullisesti kaksin. :D Vähän kyllä jännitti...

Kuvia kämpästä:

Eteinen, ehkä vähän turhan iso

Keittiön mielenkiintoisen väriset kaapit

Keittiön normaalimpi puoli

Liitutaulu keittiön seinänä :D

Näkymä huoneen ikkunasta

Oma huone!

Huone toisesta suunnasta! :D
Siellä näkyy vielä oma pikku eteinen, josta toiseen isompaan sekä kylppäriin

Pikkuinen kylppäri, mutta oma <3

Ma: Poljenpa sitten taas yliopistolle. Tällä kertaa paikalla on ihmisiäkin. :D Vähän tunnusten
       käyttöönottoa ja kalenterin hakua sekä huomisen paikkojen etsimistä. Ei kyllä maailman
       helpoin rakennus liikkua... :'D

Ti: Kouluun! Ja siitä sitten enemmän ensi kerralla... ;)

yukiakitsune kuittaa

Mitä minä täällä teen?

Apua! Oma blogi! Ei ehkä nykyaikana kauhean uusi tai hieno juttu, kun kaikilla jo on oma bloginsa, mutta itselleni aika siisti asia... 😄 Pitkän harkinnan jälkeen, kun vihdoin saa jotain aikaiseksi.

   Noh, päätinpä nyt sitten alkaa kirjoittaa ylös pään sisäisiä asioita! Ei kyllä mitään hajua, miten sen kuuluisi tapahtua, kun ei ole tuota kokemusta päiväkirjamuodossakaan ole tullut hankittua, mutta ehkä omien tarinoiden kirjoittelu pienestä pitäen auttaa asiaa... 😜

Studying...

   En ole täysin varma, mitä kaikkea tänne kirjoittaisin, mutta varmaankin aika lailla kaikkea laidasta laitaan. Suurin syy tähän ryhtymiselle on ehkä muuttoni tuossa viikon päästä tuonne 500 km päähän pohjoiseen! 😱 Näin siksi, koska pääsin opiskelemaan biologiaa Oulun yliopistoon. 🎉

   Juttu tuli kyllä aika yllätyksenä, sillä en ole koskaan ollut mitenkään erityisen hyvä biologiassa. Yo:issakin kirjoitin vain B:n, vaikka kunnolla luin. 😅 Mutta tämähän vain todistaa, että jos tarpeeksi jotain haluaa, niin omistautumisella asialleen ja riittävällä työn teolla voi saavuttaa vaikka mitä! Kun luku tuntuu raskaalta, täytyy vain muistuttaa itselleen, minkä tähden edes aloitti urakan, mikä on se goal, mihin tähtää, mikä on unelma ja mitä sen saavuttamiseksi tarvitaan... 💪

Alkio <3

   Tosin omin avuin en kyllä olisi pystynyt suoriutumaan urakasta... Viime vuosi vierähtikin mukavasti Alkiolla eli Alkio-opistolla tuolla Jyväskylän Korpilahdella opiskellen biologian perusopintoja. Siellä sai hyvän kertauksen lukion biologiaan sekä vähän syventävämpää tietoa perusopintojen pohjalta, mikä ainakin minua auttoi huomattavasti tajuamaan lukion asiat. Samalla sai suoritettua alta pois akateemisen ruotsin, osan englannista ja kirjotusviestinnän. 😀

   Paikka on superpieni ainakin, kun on tottunut Tampereeseen ja yli 800 hengen lukioon ( TYK<3 ), mutta hyvässä seurassa ei haittaa, vaikka asuu keskellä ei mitään. Kaverini muun muassa törmäsi kahteen hirveen vain noin sadan metrin päässä opistolta. 😁

   Uudet kaverit olivatkin ne vuoden paras asia, tietenkin. 😘 Asuin opiston asuntolassa ja siellä kahden hengen huoneessa eli kämppiksen kanssa olisin tekemisissä suurin piirtein 24h/7. Vielä kun kämppikseni opiskeli myös biologiaa. 😄 Olisi tullut ongelmia, jos emme olisi tulleet toimeen, mutta onneksi Valmuli olikin paras mahdollinen kämppis! Toinen ystävä, jonka kanssa pidämme koko ajan yhteyttä, vaikka asumme eri puolilla Suomea, on Pare. Valmun ja Paren kanssa olemmekin jo matkustaneet ympäri Suomea ja itse asiassa vähän Norjaakin. 😄 Linjamatkan ( = "luokkaretki" ) teimme Osloon keväällä. Muitakin kavereita saimme yli tiedekuntarajojen, vaikka kovasti aina pelotellaan, että mihin porukkaan syksyllä päätyy, siihen loppuajaksi jää. Asiahan on vain itsestä kiinni! Jos jää vain tiettyyn porukkaan niin that's it, mutta jos haluaa, niin tutustua voi muihinkin. Tiedän, ettei se ole helppoa, olen itse todella ujo, mutta kun pakottaa itsensä, niin pystyy yllättäviinkin aisoihin ja niistä voi nauttiakin.

   Uusia asioita lisää... Opin tältä hikke-Valmulta mm. kuinka siivotaan huone kerran viikossa 😅 ja kuinka oikeasti opiskellaan! Sanotaanko vaikka, että nyt ymmärrän, kuinka aasialaiset pystyvät siihen yötä päivää opiskeluun. Lukemalla opiskelu ei ole koskaan ollut vahvinta alaani, varsinkin kun lukihäiriöni hidastaa tahtini etanan tasolle, mutta se ei estänyt minua lukemasta. Keväällä, kun ei ollut paljon tunteja, istuimme aamusta iltaan kirjastossa. Ennen kahdeksaa ylös ja aamupalalle, sieltä kirjastoon, kirjastosta lounaalle, lounaalta joko tunnille taikka kirjastoon, tunnilta kirjastoon, kirjastosta päivälliselle ja päivällisen jälkeen joko vielä pariksi tunniksi kirjastoon tai sitten muuhun puuhaan, esimerkiksi elokuvailtaan... Pidimme paljon elokuvailtoja... 😂  Muutaman viikon ajan tällainen ohjelma oli aika normaali. Joidenkin ihmisten opiskelu oli vielä enemmän Level Asian -tasoa... 😳 Sunnuntaisin päästimme itsemme sitten vähän vähemmällä. Huh! Mutta tulos palkittiin, sillä kaveriporukastamme lähes kaikki pääsivät opiskelemaan! 😊 Valmu ja Pare pääsivät tietysti ihan eri paikkoihin kuin minä eli ei tuttuja kämppiksiä Ouluun... 😶

   Alkiolta ei tietenkään saa unohtaa Tähkä-iltoja eli paikallisessa baarissa vietettyjä bileitä, joita järjestettiin noin joka toinen viikko. Torstai aamut olivatkin monille aika vaikeita... 😂 Syksyllä paikka oli täynnä porukkaa, vaikka dj ei mistään parhaimmasta päästä ollutkaan, mutta kun ei ollut paljoa valinnan varaa. Keväällä ihmiset keskittyivätkin enemmän pääsykokeisiin lukuun. Sumareihin eli Sumusuunnistuksiin porukkaa myös kerääntyi. Keväälläkin! Sitä hauskempaa Alkiolla oli, mitä enemmän kaikkeen osallistui. Öiset teehetket Walking dead:n ja muiden mukavien seurassa, sumopaini, Black Birds -joukkue, random reissut Jyväskylään, vaellukset pitkin metsiä, flipperi & bilispöytä, eri murresanojen ymmärtäminen tai ainakin ymmärtämisen yrittäminen, muut päättömät keskustelut... ❤️

   Jos ei heti ensimmäisellä tai toisella tai myöhemmilläkään kerroilla pääse opiskelemaan ( Alkioltakin löytyy niitä n:nnen vuoden opiskelijoita 😂 ), niin suosittelen Alkio-vuotta lämpimästi kaikille. Kunhan ei nyt sentään ykkösvaihtoehtona hae Alkiolle! 😱😂

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