The opening day started with an introductory session. During the two hours we first spent together we got to know each others’ names, backgrounds and origins. What a diverse group! As Markku said during the session, WOW. Just wow. So much expertise from various fields packed into a single room. Certainly provides great opportunities for learning from each other! One of our goals in this course was to learn from each other, and not just from the lecturers. We feel very confident that this goal will be very well met!
Our group on the first day (missing a few students)
After our own first session, it was time for Helsinki Summer School’s Opening Ceremony! The whole summer school has somewhat 300 students, from very very many different countries all around the world. During the ceremony we heard welcoming words from the vice rector of the University of Helsinki, as well as from a representative of the city of Helsinki. What a warm welcome! Also a buffet was served. We also saw (and heard) a very curious performance from a beatbox artist Rudi Rok. You can check him out on youtube, he’s capable of producing some quite strange noises with his mouth for sure!
The program of the ceremony
A view of the audience
With the opening formalities behind us, it feels great to get to start the actual course! First we’ll go to Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station for a couple of nights to kickstart the course with a blast!
Saska
It is a great pleasure to be together with nationalities from so many countries in a ceremony. Studying is, of course, my number one priority at Helsinki Summer School but i realized that the period will be an opportunity to mingle and get to know fellow participants from all over the world and at the end of the course have story to tell back at home in Kenya.