Long Trip

Hello all, I just returned to Helsinki from a long trip to Poland, Ukraine, Norway, and Sweden. Pics are on photobucket. The albums are called: Gdansk, Warsaw, Krakow, Kiev, Dnipropetrovsk, Larvik, Göteborg, Kristiansund, Trondheim, Norway Sweden Train Journey, Uppsala, and Ferry Sweden to Finland. Enjoy!

Jyväskyä

Last week I went on a 1-day trip to Jyväskylä... new pics on photobucket!

Went to Lapland

It was amazing. Pictures on photobucket.

New Pictures

Check them out on my photobucket!

First 2 Weeks Of Class

Hello everybody, the 1st week of classes went off without a hitch. I like all my instructors. Classes here are small, just like Tulsa. I have made many friends at Hanken and am starting to learn some Swedish. I will post some new pictures on photobucket today, so be sure and look at them!

Cary

Orientation Week

So, this week has been quite busy. My roommates arrived Monday, there are 2 of them. Mikael is from Stockholm, Sweden and Miguel is from Zurich, Switzerland. Wed-Fri we went through an Orientation program which told us most of the things we need to know about living in Helsinki and studying at Hanken. I will be taking 5 courses: GIS for Business, European Integration, International Economics, 20th Century American Culture through Litrature, and Swedish as a Foreign Language I. I am happy to finally take a Geography class at University level, even though it still has business applications.

One of the best things I have experienced yet is the University cafeteria. The food is delicious, hot, and fresh and lunch is only 2.60 Euros (approx. $3.50). The food service is subsidised by the Finnish government. It includes one entree and unlimited salad bar, side items, and fresh-baked bread and butter. And I won't forget Thursdays, pea doup with a pancake (more like a crepe) and lingonberry preserves.

I do intend to send postcards and gifts, but I have not yet figured out the postal system here and all the information is in Finnish and Swedish (Swedish being significantly easier to decipher in writing).

I have met all the other exchange students and they are all very interesting and conversational. I am AMAZED at their English skills, although I belive Peter (my Chinese roommate from last semester in Tulsa) is still the best English speaker I know. Here is where the exchange students come from: France (8), Germany (6), Poland (2), Sweden (3), Norway (2), USA (3), Canada (2), Greece (1), Mexico (1), Switzerland (1), Austria (1), Italy (2), Russia (2), Singapore (2), China (1), India (4).

I start classes next week and will be very busy, but I will try to put some more pics on my photobucket soon!

TTFN,
Cary

Tallinn for the Weekend

I write to you a bit exhausted and with a sore throat, but I had a great weekend in Tallinn, Estonia. I rode the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn and back. It is by far the most charming European city I have ever visited. Pics posted on my photobucket!