Summary of activities

4.5.2011 – 19:59

Due to the urge to finish my thesis, lately I have not had much time to write. However, I think it’s only fair that I update a little about what have been my activities since my last post.

From June to December I worked at the lab on my thesis topic. DNA extraction, PCR and other related normal work at the lab. For those who decide to try DNA fingerprinting, believe me when I say that I wish you the best of luck, may your PCR reagents work and may your pictures after the gel electrophoresis show you clearly that you were successful.

 

During September I attended for the first time the Opening Carnival, by the Student Union of the University of Helsinki. During this festivity – that coincides with the opening of the academic year – all the student unions and clubs are present to give you information about their activities. Some may even give a show, like the Capoeira club, the choir or the several martial arts clubs. There is a club for almost anything that you can imagine, there is even a club for manga/anime lovers.

Probably the idea of “Carnival” might get people the wrong impression, so I will make this very clear: this is not Rio de Janeiro. The Carnival is composed of several stands where clubs give you information about their activities, timetables, what can you do to join, if a fee is needed and so on. Several people attend the Carnival but it is not as noisy and crowded as the name might indicate. Personally, I liked it.

After that Carnival we, my husband and I, decided to join a club. He chose the Debate club and after some consideration I chose the Karate club.

Since most of my preferred hobbies include painting, dancing and basically more artistic-related activities, this new decision came as a shock even for me. Among the many reasons behind this path I chose is that I though a better way to integrate into this culture would be participating in a student club. A friend of mine told me that the members of the club were very friendly and that there were social activities around the club, where people could meet and know each other better. Hence, we joined the club and I have to admit it was one of the best things we have done since we arrived in this country.

The Debate club is also a nice option, after each debate they go to a bar to continue debating and/or get to know each other better.

It’s a real pity I did not participate in the Carnival when I arrived, there are really many interesting clubs and I recommend to any new student to go there to find information about them. Although it’s true that many do go and present themselves to the international students during the first weeks we arrive before the academic year starts, the information you get in the Carnival is more complete.

Other activities that I have been engaged in have been finishing courses, writing reports, and writing the thesis.

One interesting course I attended was Tropical Forest Pathology. It consisted of 3 days of presentations carried by local and international experts. It was particularly exciting because I have been reading some articles written by some of these people. A nice little surprise is how gentle, easy to talk to and ready to answer these experts are. The same goes for the experts present on the course of Fungal Interactions. I am still fascinated by how nice these experts were with the public and with interested students, listening to them and answering as if they were discussing with peers. When humbleness accompanies wisdom the person glows with a special charm.

Another important issue about courses at the University of Helsinki is how baby-friendly they are. During the course of Fungal Interactions a mother was participating with her recently born child, that required her attention and also breast-feeding sometimes. The complains of the baby did not disturb the participants nor the lecturers. That was very beautiful indeed, coming from a country where until recently pregnant girls where forced to abandon school this was a very positive contrast for me. Hopefully, other universities around the globe would copy that attitude and be places where mothers can continue their studies if they wish to do so.

So, basically, I have been working on my thesis, writing it, participating in nice courses and also in student clubs. It can be tiresome but until now it is a very enriching experience.

 

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Complicated day = learning day

2.7.2010 – 21:44
Working at the lab is a great experience at the University of Helsinki. There are many instruments, machines and chemicals I have never used before so for me this is a complete learning experience.
And speaking about experience, I remembered today a famous saying by Confucius – I may not appreciate all of what he said in his lifetime but this one is good – the saying is: “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and Third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
A day tasting the bitter way of the learning experience has taught me a lot.  First, that nothing is obvious. When you start working in your project you spend hours reading and discussing about it with people that have equal or more information about it than you. When everybody you talk to tells you even more about your subject and everything you talk about is only related to that you start imagining there are certain things that are obvious to everybody. Then, suddenly you meet or have to work with someone who is not that “into” what you are and this person is totally at loss of what you are talking about. If you have to work together, you might forget to tell things that seemed to you very common but to this person are completely new. So, there is no “overexplaining” when talking to someone who does not work on your field or is not so familiar with what you are doing.
Second, I remembered what we – the group of MScFB –were told when we first came to Finland and were discussing the courses: the most stupid question is the one that you do not ask. All that you do not know you should ask and ask again if you are forgetting something, especially when you are new in a group of people who have a lot of experience in an area you are just learning now.
Third, that humble people make you feel comfortable when you make mistakes, without caring really how big those mistakes are. People who look ways of calming you and that look for solutions are the best company when works advances slower or when unexpected errors occur.
Also, the best way to react to these conflicts is to try to calm down yourself first and think of a solution, help when the others are thinking and choose. I believe it could be annoying when someone seems to be just an spectator of the disaster and is not contributing anything to the team. If you become more and more nervous then it will be harder to think about a solution and probably your back – or other part of your body – will hurt some more.
It is nice that the group of people at the lab is always there to help and that you can always ask when feeling lost. Another positive aspect is that there is a possibility of having an office when you need to work at the lab –at least in my case is like that and other students have access to this as well.
Problems can become big headache – or backache – but can also be the bitter way to learn and hopefully not forget a lesson.

Reading about a subject is one thing but having the experience on the same subject already is a very different business. People with experience and humble character are a jewel. You can find those jewels in these Labs, so the learning experience – however sour it could be – becomes easier and more bearable than without them.

Summarizing, when all seems to be a mess is better to focus on the solution and it is nice to have near helpful people with knowledge and that are capable of sharing it.

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Interesting lectures in Master thesis seminar

2.7.2010 – 18:12

It was Friday 30 of April, we were at FOR530 (Master Thesis Seminar) lecture listening about different master’s thesis projects. One was about the environmental impacts of urban development on a wetland area with an important forest species, another was about resistance of Scots pine and Norway spruce to root rot and the other was about the feasibility of application of REDD in Tanzania. They were all very interesting but the one about REDD – or should I say REDD+? – was the one I was more interested in.

Before coming to Finland I was working in something related to that topic so I was curious about how people in that place in Tanzania would react to REDD+. For those who do not know, REDD+ means Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in developing countries; it is a new tool that is being considered to be one day included in a Climate Change agreement. This new tool in the making has caused much polemic and opposite reactions in many sectors and many people suspect of it but at the same time some people – me included – hope this tool will help save endangered and beautiful forests in the world. Hopefully the tool will be well designed, will respect original land owners and will reach communities’ expectations.

Anyway, going back to the presentation, it was very nice to hear how positive the reaction of that community was, taking into account that recently in a meeting in Bolivia indigenous communities indicated that they are against all REDD projects. So, seeing that the reaction in that area is very different I am hopeful that someday agreements that really help communities can be made. I was also curious, since the student that was presenting the subject indicated she conducted interviews, if the people in this area really knew what she was talking about. The reason behind my worry is that in many cases some people try to answer just what you want to hear so that the interviewer will go away; other times they repeat words they do not know but heard in the past. In this case the interviewer made sure to use very simple words and try to make the interviewees say what they thought the meaning was.

I find the experience very interesting; students in this Programme or in other Programmes in this University can travel to Ethiopia, Tanzania, Indonesia, or other countries, maybe to Latin America and study specific cases in those countries. I believe that having that opportunity is crucial to help broaden people’s idea of how the world works. Hopefully one day some student will visit Paraguay as well.

Now that a friend of mine has left us, now more than ever I hope his dream will come true and that forests would be saved by well organized projects and with the mutual agreement of the different groups that live in and of the forests.

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Happy Vappu!

7.5.2010 – 19:40

Friday April 30th, after a very interesting lecture, I had a very vague idea of what to do next. It was the very much awaited Vappu – worker’s day. Traditionally a day to celebrate the working class, somehow in time it turned into a students’ festivity – so there were many options. I ended up going with a friend to the Esplanade park. Before going there I had to go and take the bus to meet her, so I went to do so and when I was arriving to the bus stop I could see from far away that the bus had arrived there. There was no way I could reach it even if I ran so I just resigned myself to the idea of waiting for the next bus. Surprisingly the bus driver waited for me, he was smiling when he opened the door for me I could only mumble “moi” instead of “kiitos paljon”. That had never happened before to me, so I was surprised in a good way. That was going to be a nice day.

Much of what went on later that day had to be explained to me; assuming you are the same as me and have no idea about all these costumes, I will explain them here.

As far as I understood, in Finland, and in other European countries, when students finish high school they receive a cap. At first I thought they looked like sailors but it is actually very nice to see them using their caps with pride. Also, when you are, for example, a student of forestry and belong to the Forestry students’ association you can order a red overall. The colors of these overalls vary according to the students’ association, and usually you see they have their overalls with several badges covering them. These badges represent how many parties they have attended and if they have attended many parties and have no more space in their overalls they wear a cape with more badges sewn there. Also, if you have friends from other careers, Pharmacy, Biology or others, then you can cut a part of your overall and exchange it with them. The result is a very colorful overall.

So, at 6 pm students from one of the many students associations have the honor to place the cap on Havis Amanda – a statue situated in Market Square Kauppatori. At this moment all the students that were just recently having a picnic in Esplanade Park or other places go there and at the moment the cap is placed on the statue they all place their caps on as well. They all do this very quietly I must say, and even at that very crowded place, Finns still respect your personal space. So do not be afraid to go and experiment this. It is true, though, that many Finns prefer to avoid crowds whenever possible, but personally I have to say it was not really that crowded and people were not pushing each other at all.

After this, there are many student parties you can choose to go to, but usually you have to buy the tickets before that day. Remember this: planning is very important in Finland!

The following day everybody goes to Kaivopuisto, another park, and have a picnic there starting 9 am. Many associations go there and have tents, and you see the students with their caps, and their student clothing. There you can also see mobile saunas and many fun games.

I have to admit that for being a weekend where people are allowed to be drunk, this was a very quiet and peaceful weekend. It was surprisingly clean as well. If honesty is permitted, I was surprised how people were cleaning things practically at the moment someone threw things and that I saw very few people fall due to drunkenness; so all in all people control themselves pretty well and even with alcohol they do not scream on the streets and still respect your space. I believe it is amazing and very nice of them. Also – being a Latin American girl and missing a little physical contact as I do now – I was very happy to receive a nice dose of hugs during those days.

By Ximena | Posted in 1 | Comments (0)

Kevät

15.4.2010 – 14:37

Spring does not come alone. Birds and insects, grass, trees, all seems to wake up and you start seeing people waking up not so late and walking – alone  or with their dogs – in the streets of Helsinki.
Spring also bring us a new student for this blog, from now on I will be updating it and hope you enjoy it as much as I do. My name is Ximena Silva, I come from Paraguay – South America – and I’m studying for a Master’s Degree in Forest Ecology with emphasis on Boreal Forests. Now, you may wonder why coming from the tropics would I want to study Boreal Forests?
Well, I am a very curious person and having studied subtropical forests, I would like to have a broader view on Forests and plus, since I am here in Finland I decided to take advantage and study its forests.
Since I entered the International Master’s Degree Programme in Forest Science and Business the first thing we did together with the other students was travel to EVO, Hyytyälä among other places. That was a lovely experience where we were introduced not only to our very international group – people from Vietnam, United Stated, China, Spain, Russia, England, Scotland, Latvia and Finland, of course – but to the best Finnish costume: Sauna. When reading about sauna and that costume of jumping into very cold water, my first impression was that it would not be possible for me to do it. I was mistaken, and I totally fell in love with this tradition.
Of course, we also got to know Southern Finnish forests, peatlands, management practices and many other interesting things. I must say Finnish people are quite friendly and I was amazed how open to critique they are.
Wintertime is the best time for me, therefore adaptation to Finnish weather was not a complicated task but it can be if you prefer lots of sunshine. Nevertheless, as it was mentioned before by the other student blogger, adaptation to Finnish culture can take a while. It shouldn’t be a surprise that part of that – in my case – is because of cultural shock, yet coming from the tropics I was expecting that. Also part of the shock can be because you start having what Paraguayans call ‘techaga’u’ – the Guarani word that means homesickness.
The good news is that meeting new people can distract you from this techaga’u, getting to know Finnish culture, as well as other cultures, through their people can be a very gratifying experience and help you leave this eerie feeling behind.
Then you also have the opportunity to take many interesting courses – not only related to forestry – and there are many activities that as a student of the UH you are invited to participate in such as the debate group, dance classes and yoga, among others.
You can also improve your language skills in French, Swedish, German, or some other languages. Maybe you can try and learn Suomi, it may be hard but it can also be helpful. Not that you cannot survive with English, but I believe it may add an extra flavor to your experience here if you can learn at least some Finnish words. Talking about English, it is amazing how well people speak English here and it is very nice of them to make that effort.
So, as I said before, spring does not come alone, it comes with many new possibilities and experiences to explore Finnish life reviving.

By Ximena | Posted in 1 | Comments (0)

VITRI

18.6.2008 – 21:06

Undeniably, one of the first questions asked by a Finn is, “Why are you here in Finland?”  It’s a question I’ve always pondered to find a suitable answer.  Even a straight-forward answer like, “I’m studying tropical forestry,” gets a peculiar look.  Yes, the University of Helsinki has a tropical forestry unit, which is part of the Department Forest Ecology called Viikki Tropical Resources Institute (VITRI).

Under the directive of Prof. Olavi Luukkanen, VITRI is a multi-disciplinary institute which focuses on forestry in the tropical and developing countries in the world.  Courses under this department include Agroforestry, Agriculture and Forestry in Developing Countries, and Participatory Methods in Sustainable Management of Natural Resources.  However, what stands out from the VITRI is the opportunity to go out and be in the field.

This past year, a course was offered to go to Thailand for three weeks as part of the FORRSA program (Forest Restoration and Rehabilitation in Southeast Asia).  This course I have written about on a previous post.  This summer, I will be going to Ethiopia as part of the CIMO North-South-South program to collect data for my Master’s Thesis and also attend a two week field course organized by the university.

While this three-month trip into the heart of the Horn of Africa will all be about forestry, it is also about gaining practical experience and learning new cultures and understanding the way they subsist.  It will surely be an adventure like no other.

The real reason why I’m here in Finland?  To get the much-vaunted Finnish beer belly.

By Tommy | Posted in Tommy | Comments (1)

Master’s Thesis Seminar

5.3.2008 – 13:05

In an enthusiasm rarely seen in typical seminars, Mike Starr’s intricate blend of motivation and animation in his Master’s Thesis Seminar is a drink preferably served bubbly. One of the endearing features of this program is the thesis seminar which guides me through the process of thinking about my thesis from its conception to the final outcome. While my advising professor is there to give me advice and progress pertaining to my thesis, this seminar considers the typical mistakes one encounters when writing the thesis – which many people often neglect.

Through a series of seminars covering proposal basics, accessing the University’s journal database, and more recently a review of tables and figures, Mike picks the topics with a fine-toothed comb and the assignments; relevant and thought-provoking. In addition, for non-native English speakers, there’s an Academic Writing Course which helps students with writing their thesis. Using scientific articles as guidance, the instructors show the how the difference between informal and formal writing styles are meticulously distinguished. My colleagues who are in other programs hastily clamour as they don’t have the opportunity to take part in such valuable seminars.

This seminar runs for the duration of the Master’s program and with my peers around me during my studies, one thing’s for certain; help is always within an arm’s reach.

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Thailand

3.2.2008 – 7:54

After three weeks in Thailand with FORRSA, I’m back in Helsinki. It has been a stimulating course which took us to the northern parts of Thailand. The main purpose of the course was identifying forest restoration and rehabilitation in a tropical country. Thailand, for this, was certainly a good choice as their progressive practices and policies are clearly evident in today’s rapidly globalizing world.

We covered such topics like: non-timber forest products, plantations, and forest restoration methods, as we visited many development centres, universities, and even home-stayed at a rural hill tribe village. Of course, not all was work during the course. While there was much to be done, on some days we had days off to see the grand vistas of northern Thailand, sporting with elephants; lounging about in Chiang Mai and Laos; getting Thai massages; and grooving the night away at the numerous clubs.

Miles from the beaten track, will these experiences leave a mark? Indelibly so.

By Tommy | Posted in Tommy | Comments (1)

Tervetuloa!

10.12.2007 – 12:45

Hello,

I’m Tommy and I’m in the first year of a two year program in the Master’s Degree Programme in Forest Sciences and Business (MScFB). I’m studying Forest Ecology with an emphasis on tropical silviculture. Now that I’ve been here for a few months, it’s safe to say that academically, I have untangled a deluge of yarn – understanding where the program fits in with the university and our expectations from it.

This year, along with thirteen other international students in the programme, we met together for the first time in September during an orientation period. This included presentations from professors of different forest departments; an excursion of Helsinki, campuses, and surrounding regions; and a weekend field course to Southern Finland, where we stayed overnight in a rustic cabin in Seitseminen National Park, and
Hyytiälä field station, located just at an arm’s reach from Orivesi.

The multi-disciplinary approach that the programme offers is one of the reasons why I applied for this programme. I am able to choose different courses from other forestry departments; Qualitative Methods in Forest Economics, Multi-Attribute Forest Planning in Forest Resource Management, and Special Topics on Silviculture in Developing Countries in Forest Ecology. No joke, it’s quite flexible.

One of the great things about the programme is that while we must take a core of required courses, we are allowed to extend our knowledge to other departments within the University of Helsinki. Typically, many would take Finnish as a first choice. Aside from that, I also am taking a few law courses and social sciences courses.

Although I’m from Canada and quite well travelled, Finland’s weather and culture does require much adapting and integration within society is not as easy as one would find. Suffice to say, things have been quite well and the people are very receptive; my colleagues and I maintain fruitful relationships on and off campus.

While exams loom, Christmas is just around the corner. Helsinki, like any European city is filled with cheerful hues of red and green. Unfortunately I won’t be here to enjoy the crisp Finnish winters as I’ll be off to Asia for winter. Come January, I’ll be going to Thailand for an exciting three week forestry field course; organized by the Viikki Tropical Resources Institute (VITRI) – part of the Forest Ecology program.

Until then, happy holidays and a wonderful new year!

Tommy

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