Italians

Chiara and Serena

Simone and Stefano. Stefano looks small because he is sitting

Italy have been great. Serena has introduced me to her friends and many of them don't speak English, therefore Serena has been translator. I have practised Spanish with one ex-erasmus student and one forthcoming erasmus student. I wish I had studied a little Italian before this so I could have learned much more Italian than I have been now able to learn. Staying in a Italian family and going out with Italian people have been great. By knowing the language you could take even more out of it.

Italians do not eat only pasta. So far we have had pasta only once. With meal they have cheese and ham. Italian men fight that who will offer the drinks and they don't let others pay for the drinks.

Up in the mountains

Picture of Asiago

I got email from Alcalá. Letter said that there will be test of my level in Spanish on third of September. I also received email from my tutor Ana. Nice to get some email from Alcalá.

In Italy we climbed yesterday to the top of one mountain which has been battlefield during the world war. Unluckily the view was not clear so we could not see the landscape very well.

Venice

Weather is hot in Italy and it gets hotter when we go down from the mountains. Today I visited Venice with Serena and Michela. I couldn't feel the romantic side of Venice. Girls didn't find it very romantic either so I wasn't the only one. Venice was really crowded. Narrow streets (2. picture) were full of people and Gondols filled the canals (1. picture). It took one and half hour to walk to the famous San Marcos place (3. picture). There were long cues to the church and to the tower which we visited. While being in the tower they suddenly started to ring the bell and everyone in the tower were scared and surprised about the big bell ringing right above you.

In Asiago Italy

Journey to Asiago went well. I met some Spanish people and Italian man when coming to the airport. I had long talk with the Italian dentist who had made many trips around the world with motorbike. It wasn't difficult to find train station in Bergamo and train changes went smoothly. Serena came to Thiene to pick me up with her friend Michela. What a warm welcoming to Italy!

Today I went with Serena to see Asiago sight seeing and to the semetary build by mussolini (picture 2.). After lunch we drove to Bassano and met Marika and Valentina (picture 1.) there. It was nice to see them.

I have alrady noticed some differences between Italy and Finland. In gas station they pump gas for you and driving style is different. In Italy they drive right behind the car in front of them and drivers don't seem to care about speed limits. They drive how they feel. They slowdown to the curves and in narrow parts but when the road is free they speed over the limits right away.

In the evening we are going to have "notte nera" party which means black night

Good bye Finland

Picture is from my balcony in Kuopio

Tomorrow early in the morning I am leaving Finland. Before going to Spain I will spend one week in Italy. I have long travel ahead. First I will travel by train from Kuopio to Tampere. My flight is from Tampere to Bergamo and then I will go by train to Thiene. Car ride to my final destination Asiago I should reach after 22:00. Most nervous I am about travelling by train from Bergamo to Thiene.

Serena kindly helped me with the travel plan and will she will also give me the final ride. I am really happy to see her again after long time. She also told be about nice plans what she have planned for the upcoming week. Anxiously waiting what Italy is going to offer.

Goals

Here are my goals for exchange period.
- learn fluent Spanish
- join Spanish floorball team
- see la liga football match live
- eat churros and octopus
- play field hockey
- earn at least 50 credits
- meet Spanish people who I got to know in Joensuu

TV-series

I have watched two Spanish spoken tv-series with Finnish subtitles. Today I saw the final episode of Los Serrano and I was dissapointed to the end. I have seen almost all the episodes during last summers. Great tv-serie but was it just a dream. Other tv-serie what I have watched is Colombian Sin tetas no hay paraiso. I have seen the first ten episodes but I won't be able to see rest of the episodes because I am leaving.

These tv-seires helped me to learn Spanish and latin culture. Los Serrano definetely taught me how to swear in Spanish.

Joensuu

Today I am going to Joensuu. I will have exam on Friday about business research methods. I will hand out form to get Erasmus fee and copy of my European healthcare card. I still need to fax confirmation from Alcalá to prove that they have accepted me because I never received confimation letter from Alcalá. At least they replied to my email that I have been accepted and told me when the studies will start.

I have bought now new camera, train ticket and souveniers. I also made online check in to my flights today.

One week to go...

Next Monday I am going to leave Finland and I am really excited about my exchange year.

I started 3 month Campus Europae hook up language course in May and now it is finished. Course was good revision for me and I also learned something new. Carlos the teacher of the course was good and really helpful. During the course I got to know some students who are also coming to Alcalá in same exchange program. We used learning platform called moodle. There we had excercises, texts and links to useful sites. We had virtual classes in Wiziq and conversations in Skype

I have prepared to exchange year by filling forms to get student fee and fee for the rent. I have received European healthcare card, paid annual student union payment, bought new laptop and taken immunity against hepatitis. I still need to buy at least train ticket, camera and souveniers.