We arrived in Finland with great anticipation and weeks of preparation. We had already contacted our host families, but we didn’t know exactly what to expect. On arrival we were warmly welcomed and moving into our inns was very pleasant. Everyone was extremely nice and polite and we first introduced ourselves to our family so it would be easier for us to communicate properly and generally get to know each other better over the coming week. The week started on Tuesday, where we got to know the school and other participants in the exchange project in a playful way. It was a very exciting first day, which is why we all fell into bed in the evening. In the following days we learned a lot of interesting things, for example about the film history of the other countries, and we also had a lot of fun with the final quiz. We played the Finnish sport „Floorball” and tried out typical Finnish musical instruments such as ukulele and kantele. The food was also partly new to us. We tasted it curiously and it actually didn’t taste that bad. We used the afternoons and evenings to do something with the Finnish youth, to get to know the area and the people better. We were also in the sauna and then put one, maybe two fingers in the cold lake (ice bathing). On Saturday was the big trip to Helsinki. We went to two exhibitions and then we all ate together. After that we were allowed to explore Helsinki in groups and did a rally through the city. We got to know the history of Finland and important buildings in Helsinki. In the evening we all met at the bus and drove back late, where of course we fell into our beds exhausted from the exciting day. On Sunday we went back early. During the time in Finland we took a lot of pictures. Lots of pictures of buildings or bridges. a different country also means different history and culture of the country and architecture. It struck us every time we walked through the town of Nummela, the location of our exchange week, or the cities we visited. Glass was used in many houses. Be it glass balconies or entire glass walls. It looks stunning when several glass buildings stand side by side. We saw this on our Helsinki trip on Saturday. The large city library and the buildings next to it are all made of glass or a material that looks like glass. Back to the library. It is an eye-catcher with its modern design. The few corners of this building draw attention to itself. The inside is also very modern. Not just the looks, the job opportunities too. Because the library also includes a cinema and event hall, a recording studio and much more. We also noticed that the family houses in our town were often made of wood. Due to the many forests in Finland, the small wooden huts look very good and for the weather it is smart to build with wood, as they promote good air quality and there is no mold or condensation. Almost every house has its own sauna, which is like beer and pretzels in the fridge of a German household. The houses are often painted, creating a colourful, colorful environment. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there. We improved our English, which we had to use every day to communicate, and made many new friends. We are very happy and grateful to have had this experience, especially in a difficult time like this. We would also like to say a big thank you to the organizers who helped to set up and implement the Erasmus+ project. Thanks so much!
