untenured
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« on: October 17, 2008, 01:14:19 PM » |
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I have been given the opportunity to speak at universities in Turku, Finland. I am intrigued by the opportunity. Never having been to that part of Europe, can anyone share what I might expect? Are there interesting things to see? What's the quality of the schools in Turku? Any information much appreciated.
Untenured
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qrypt
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« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2008, 01:18:37 PM » |
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Haven't been to Turku, but I've spent time in Helsinki and Tampere. If you want to take a pass on this opportunity, send it to me!! Finland is wonderful. Finnish schools are, I believe, among the best in the world. Finns are fun -- forget everything you've heard about taciturn. Well, at least once people start drinking, which isn't exactly rare. People regularly started conversations with me when I was sitting alone in pubs.
I can't see a down-side to this one.
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"I'm tired of being your love slave!"
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donstefano
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« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2008, 01:47:13 PM » |
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It's a relatively small city in Finland. Nice, but not a top tourist destination. They have a castle and that's about it... I remember staying there years ago on my way somewhere else. I remember going for a hike in Ruissalo (just outside the centre), and also (but this probably isn't relevant) that they have an excellent youth hostel.
Turku university is quite good as far as I know.
If you have a lot of time, go north to lapland for nature, or combine with a city trip to Helsinki (from Helsinki, Tallinn is very nearby as well)
Finnish people are very nice, but not very talkative - If they don't talk to you, don't think they don't like you. They generally only talk to convey information
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kissa_mau
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« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2008, 03:36:12 PM » |
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Turku is lovely. It would definitely be worth taking the train to Helsinki for at least a day (the high speed trains make the trip very easy). Tallinn has an intact medieval city center, which is really nifty, and the boat from Helsinki is quite fast. Of course, you can't go to Finland without spending some time in nature. Honestly, there is not a single season where things outside are not incredibly peaceful and lovely.
Be ready to drink lots of coffee.
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untenured
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« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2008, 10:40:46 PM » |
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This is great advice. More, please!
I confess not only my complete ignorance of Finland but of some nerves toward traveling abroad. Although I've been to Europe and India with a group or a family member, I've never travelled alone out of North America. Flying into a city where only one person in the entire country knows I even exist makes my pulse race. I know it shouldn't, but it does.
My travel and accommodations would be paid by the hosting institutions.
Untenured
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socsci
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« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2008, 01:39:05 PM » |
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Haven't been to Turku, but definitely second Helsinki and Tallinn. If your hosts are paying, this may not be relevant for you, but alcohol is extremely expensive in Scandinavia (less so in Tallinn).
Tallinn's walled city is gorgeous. When I was there two years ago, the Russian Orthodox Cathedral was in the midst of renovations; I don't know if they are complete yet. It was beautiful even then.
Cheers,
chessplayer
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kilpikonna
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« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2008, 02:07:51 PM » |
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untenured, don't worry about nobody knowing you exist -- if you're going to be there long enough, they make you register with the police...
Turku is lovely -- I say go! I believe there is a pretty cool farmers'-market kind of thing, and a nice river, and a very old church or two. Helsinki is, as others have noted, a very easy train ride away, just 2 hours or so.
The country is, really, extraordinarily safe. Finland is near the top of the list on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (meaning it is perceived to be among the least corrupt nations worldwide). The language is wonderful, in this strange, Sanskrit-is-closer-to-English kind of way. The food is heavy on the fish and potatoes -- not unlike other Scandinavian food, I guess? -- and some of the sweets, like Finnish pancakes, are rich and very good. Mmm, now I am craving Fazer chocolate.
kissa_mau, as I would have guessed from her name :) is spot on about the natural beauty in Finland. It is solemn without being depressing: acres of tall, narrow evergreens, covered in snow. You do have to get used to the low light levels, if you're there in the winter, or the manic everlasting sun, if you're there in the summer...
It's not actually that cold there. I mean, yes, it is cold, but like Chicago, not like northern Canada. I guess much of Europe is like that: warmer than you'd expect for the latitude, if what you're used to is the USA. I'm told the Gulf Stream has something to do with it.
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biomancer
trying to be the person my dog thinks I am
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« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2008, 02:28:27 PM » |
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Hi Untenured -
I got to travel to Helsinki for a conference a few years back, and it was fantastic. The Finns are very friendly, the city is very clean and safe, and the food is tasty (3 different kinds of deer for dinner in one week! Lots of seafood, too, though I can't eat that).
My father-in-law works very closely with the Finnish division of his company and spends 6-8 weeks of each year in Finland. He gave me one piece of advice that was really helpful: "Do not try to outdrink a native Finn - and don't even try to keep up." I thought he was being kind of slanderous (and a bit naive as my tolerance is higher than his), but then after the first night's dinner I realized that the Finns we were with drank vodka like the rest of us drank iced tea, and had vastly higher tolerance for alcohol that we did. Three of the non-Finns I shared a table with tried to match the Finns drink-for-drink and wound up quite sick. I do not intend in any way to paint an entire culture with one brush, but I can say that the alcohol tolerance of the Finns hosting our gathering was considerably higher than that of any of the non-Finns at the conference. I'm glad Dad warned me or I'd have been sick too. However, the drinks (many made with a locally produced vodka) were very tasty, and a good time was had by all.
I highly recommend that you go. I want to go to Finland again for a long vacation with my husband sometime, because the spare time I had during that conference just wasn't quite enough.
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Clueless people can be dangerous. The acidic environment they can spread often needs to be neutralized, and humor is basic. - Dellaroux
Viruses invented people so that people would invent airplanes so viruses could get around better. - R. Duda
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prytania3
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« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2008, 02:50:36 PM » |
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This is great advice. More, please!
I confess not only my complete ignorance of Finland but of some nerves toward traveling abroad. Although I've been to Europe and India with a group or a family member, I've never travelled alone out of North America. Flying into a city where only one person in the entire country knows I even exist makes my pulse race. I know it shouldn't, but it does.
My travel and accommodations would be paid by the hosting institutions.
Untenured
Oh my Lord, Untenured, you'll be just fine. My first solo trip was to Cairo when I was 23, and terrorists were dropping bombs around town. It was probably a stupid trip now that I think back on it, but hey, I'm still here to tell about it. Go to Finland and have a great time. Finland's safe as can be. Then come back and tell us all about it. Oh wait, you won't be alone. You'll have the fora there! |
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Clowns, I tell you. Clowns.
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donstefano
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« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2008, 01:26:42 AM » |
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And don't forget to eat herring! Herring in dill sauce, herring in mustard sauce. You find them everywhere, in every supermarket, and even with breakfast.
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case_insensitive
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« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2008, 07:59:12 AM » |
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This is great advice. More, please!
I confess not only my complete ignorance of Finland but of some nerves toward traveling abroad. Although I've been to Europe and India with a group or a family member, I've never travelled alone out of North America. Flying into a city where only one person in the entire country knows I even exist makes my pulse race. I know it shouldn't, but it does.
My travel and accommodations would be paid by the hosting institutions.
Untenured
It's a free trip to an interesting place that is not a war zone or otherwise undesirable. It's for a limited amount of time, so it's not like you are marrying Finland or anything. Go! It's a great opportunity; don't waste it. I've gone to less desirable places on longer trips with more responsibility and less knowledge of the culture and no acquaintance with any locals, and had a great time. Just do it. |
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untenured
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« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2008, 08:16:55 AM » |
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You all are absolutely right. And yes like Prytania said I will have the fora there too! :)
I just said 'yes' yesterday and received a 'that's great' reply today. Apparently this will be a busy week filled with lectures to faculty, students, and maybe industry. And it's a week so there's gotta be some sightseeing filled in.
Untenured
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You are among the Pure and Truthful, however small their Number.
My goodness, that was an exceptionally good analysis of the forum. |
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socsci
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« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2008, 10:10:37 PM » |
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That's great! I'm glad we talked you into it. :-)
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untenured
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« Reply #13 on: October 21, 2008, 10:39:09 PM » |
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Looks like sometime in Spring 2009. I'll be there a week so I should have some time for touristy things. I'll shoot for March or April to avoid the dead of winter and the long long nights.
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You are among the Pure and Truthful, however small their Number.
My goodness, that was an exceptionally good analysis of the forum. |
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kilpikonna
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« Reply #14 on: October 22, 2008, 06:17:23 AM » |
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Be aware, March and April are both still effectively winter months in Finland. You won't have the long nights, but you'll probably still have snow. Just so you know what to pack... :)
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