2008 - Report from Simple Life TSU

Article posted: 19.08.08

Elina Varvas (Turku) & Elina Miinalainen (Helsinki)

The Simple Life Travelling Summer University (TSU) in Finland started on Saturday 19th July when our 26 participants from all around Europe arrived at Turku. The goal of our event was that participants would experience the Finnish way of life close to the nature – bringing one peace and refreshing one’s body and soul – life at its simplest.

The part in Turku included a Finnish language lesson, a sightseeing tour, a couple of museums and a hiking tour in an island of which a large part is a nature reserve. Furthermore, we visited a town next to Turku, Naantali, well-known for its beauty (and of course the Moomins:) ). We partied all night long in different bars and on river boats, which is something typical of Turku. We had an evening full of traditional Finnish games and went canoeing, fishing and walking a nature trail along the Aura river, which traverses Turku.

After five nights in Turku, we moved forward on Thursday 24th to spend a weekend at a cottage located between Turku and Helsinki. On our way, we paid a visit to the idyllic village of Fiskars – a popular tourist attraction, which hosts a community of handicraftsmen and beautiful scenery. After that started the most-loved part of the whole TSU: Cottage weekend! During this weekend, everyone could experience the most basic and wonderful things of the Finnish summer: going to sauna, swimming in a crystal blue lake on a warm summer night, canoeing in the middle of small islands at sunset… Furthermore, we showed our air guitar playing skills, learned to know the mythologies in different European countries in a workshop, had a barbeque evening with guitar music and singing. Everyone made a big effort preparing presentations and delicacies for the amazing European Night. While we savoured delicious foods from all over Europe, even Santa Claus himself came to greet the AEGEE people. We were lucky as this weekend also coincided with the best weather of the whole summer in Finland!

After the cottage weekend it was time to move on to capital of Finland, Helsinki. The week started with sightseeing and a visit to the parliament house. The district of Kallio in Helsinki was the scene for a different kind of tour. Participants travelled in small groups along tram line no. 3 and visited several bars on the route. At each place they faced a funny challenge, such as singing karaoke, drinking shots, or finding out what their baby would look like.

The participants also had a workshop, where we had a change to practice handicrafts by ourselves. Well, some of us used glue instead of sewing, but the result was at least as a unique and colourful mobile phone-bag! Probably the highlight of this week was a sweet visit to Fazer Chocolate factory. After the guided tour there was a change to taste different chocolates. Most of us did, and were so full of chocolate that they would never ever want to see it again.

AEGEE-Helsinki collaborates with other international student associations. During the summer university we visited the campus of Helsinki University of Technology and met with BEST – The Board of European Students of Technology. Conclusion of the evening was that the internationally-inclined technical students share some common values with aegeeans.

Helsinki is well connected by boat lines to Estonia, and it would be a shame not to visit Tallinn. We made an excursion to the city, which has a long history as part of the Hanseatic League. We explored the the Old Town, guided by our colleagues from AEGEE-Tallinn, stopped for lunch and shopping before it was time to head back for the ferry.

As a conclusion to the event, we gathered to feast at traditional Finnish restaurant. At the farewell party it was time to rock once more. Everyone felt sad about leaving their new friends. But after two weeks of intensive program it was really good to get home and sleep. Even the wildest party animals need some rest. Maybe well see some day, somewhere in Europe. Vivid memories of these two weeks in dreamland will stay and warm us during the winter!