If you wish to see the videos in better quality, this is best done by accessing YouTube directly.
Copy the URL location, given below, and then paste it into the URL box of your web browser. When you click, you will go to the video on YouTube.
At the right, just underneath the picture, there is a link "watch in high quality". Click on this link to watch in high quality. If you want the video to cover the full screen, then click on the little icon just above the word "high"; it looks like a rectangle inside a rectangle.
URL locations:
Young Musicians - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JzAvVrtLgk
This Old Man - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS7c4vLBNOQ
Sunday, 30 November 2008
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Heading East
A part of Elk Street Ltd will soon be heading east.
For those not lucky enough to be joining us, below a brief itinerary. (Click on the picture to make it bigger)
Elk's Street are certainly looking forward to the trip; some for the food, some for the people, and some for the adventure.
Watch this spot for more news!
For those not lucky enough to be joining us, below a brief itinerary. (Click on the picture to make it bigger)
Elk's Street are certainly looking forward to the trip; some for the food, some for the people, and some for the adventure.
Watch this spot for more news!
The pianist
The local music school had a concert for its youngest pupils and one of the participants was Henry.
He accompanied a young cellist in one piece and later played a short solo.
Below the piece, Liisukka. (Video photography by H-M.)
The most difficult bit seemed to be finding out where on earth the cellist was hiding!
Henry's solo was "This Old Man". (Video photography again by H-M)
Performed with some aplomb! Well done, Henry!
He accompanied a young cellist in one piece and later played a short solo.
Below the piece, Liisukka. (Video photography by H-M.)
The most difficult bit seemed to be finding out where on earth the cellist was hiding!
Henry's solo was "This Old Man". (Video photography again by H-M)
Performed with some aplomb! Well done, Henry!
Monday, 24 November 2008
An Unwanted Gift
Beep, beep! A Nokia mobile phone SMS message.
Sender: After-School Club.
Message: Many children in the group have been found to have head lice. Please check everyone's scalp. Washing with lice shampoo recommended. Best regards, After-School Club.
Just the sort of message to lighten up your day!
So, off I went to the chemist's shop to buy the shampoo. Only to find that they had sold out. No problem. Through the damp, dark night I went to the next pharmacy. Armed with bottles of Nix shampoo (total cost - 36 Euros!) I returned and the cleaning began.
Everyone had to wash with the shampoo, all the bedclothes had to be changed and washed. All headgear, woolly hats (it's cold in Finland), hoods etc. had to be washed, as all the stuffed toys. The latter caused some complaints, our boys are really fond of their animals.
Below a photo of the animals drying after bathing in the washing machine.
From top to bottom, left to right: Luigi, Pilchard, Sam Squirrel, Muumi Mamma, unnamed monkey, Stanley, Softie, Aki Buah, Hippo (legs visible only), Musti, Gustav, George the Dog.
Below the same animals with the proud owner of some of them.
In case you were wondering, no lice were found in our household, but better safe than sorry. The joys of being a parent!
Sender: After-School Club.
Message: Many children in the group have been found to have head lice. Please check everyone's scalp. Washing with lice shampoo recommended. Best regards, After-School Club.
Just the sort of message to lighten up your day!
So, off I went to the chemist's shop to buy the shampoo. Only to find that they had sold out. No problem. Through the damp, dark night I went to the next pharmacy. Armed with bottles of Nix shampoo (total cost - 36 Euros!) I returned and the cleaning began.
Everyone had to wash with the shampoo, all the bedclothes had to be changed and washed. All headgear, woolly hats (it's cold in Finland), hoods etc. had to be washed, as all the stuffed toys. The latter caused some complaints, our boys are really fond of their animals.
Below a photo of the animals drying after bathing in the washing machine.
From top to bottom, left to right: Luigi, Pilchard, Sam Squirrel, Muumi Mamma, unnamed monkey, Stanley, Softie, Aki Buah, Hippo (legs visible only), Musti, Gustav, George the Dog.
Below the same animals with the proud owner of some of them.
In case you were wondering, no lice were found in our household, but better safe than sorry. The joys of being a parent!
Monday, 10 November 2008
Fathers' Day
Sunday was Fathers' Day. The Chairman was in Helsinki to watch a modern dance performance so only the boys were at home. Woken at 7.15 a.m., I was instructed not to move from the bed. Two little chaps went downstairs and there were sounds of damage and destruction, interspersed with giggling. Then, true to Finnish tradition, they arrived with a tray with a cup of freshly-made coffee, Fathers' Day presents made at school, and Fathers' Day cards, see the picture below.
The dog card was by Henry, the green card by Thomas. Note also the neat arrangement on the plate - brown crystal sugar, a Marianne sweet, and a Fazer truffle which had been carefully hoarded since Christmas.
And before you ask, it is indeed an Everton F.C. mug.
Happy Fathers' Day to all!
The dog card was by Henry, the green card by Thomas. Note also the neat arrangement on the plate - brown crystal sugar, a Marianne sweet, and a Fazer truffle which had been carefully hoarded since Christmas.
And before you ask, it is indeed an Everton F.C. mug.
Happy Fathers' Day to all!
Trick or treat?
This year Halloween came early for employees of the university. At 14.03 on 28th October all employees received the following email.
"XYZ University has decided to start co-operation procedures concerning the university's entire personnel in order to rationalize its operations and improve competitiveness. A briefing concerning these procedures will be held today at 15.00 in XYZ Hall.
- Rector XYZ"
So, what are "co-operation procedures"?
They are negotiations between staff representatives and the employer that are obligatory under Finnish law when employees are to be made redundant.
Needless to say, the email caused some considerable consternation.
Elk's Street was unable to attend the meeting at such short notice, although did spy a national broadcasting corporation vehicle heading in the direction of the university. In an atmosphere of silence, staff were told that 30-50 people would be fired and the redundancies would affect all units and all staff, including researchers and teachers.
The announcement was big news in the local media with headlines such as "XYZ University staff silenced by surprising lay-offs" and "News of lay-offs surprises university staff".
And then the spinning began.
With gobbledegook messages such as:
"The co-operation procedures are a result of the implemented measures above and pending long-term plans. The aim is to create the best possible operational preconditions for the expertise that supports the university's strategy. For this reason, the university has decided to strengthen the resources of functions which support the university's targets and core know-how."
And the appearance in newspapers of statistics of mysterious provenance and of an accuracy that would make Brezhnevian bureaucrats blush, under headlines of "Administration swallows in XYZ twice as much as in comparison university".
When unions representing workers pointed out that the university was not under such financial strain that immediate lay-offs are unavoidable, and when it became clear that the university does not yet have a defined strategy, the propaganda spinning accelerated.
Interestingly, the right-wing student union came out with proclamations such as "students support lay-offs", probably because the neoliberal business theory taught here proclaims that lay-offs of state employees must by definition be good. The caveat that any changes must not be to the detriment of the student body becomes rather untenable in a context where the rector has acknowledged that "compared to international standards the teacher-student ratio is dreadful."
What does Elk's Street think?
This farce has been extremely damaging for the image of the university. There was absolutely no need for such grand announcements; rationalisation measures could just have well been carried out by not replacing retiring workers and transferring workers from one function to another, particularly since the redundancies seem to be affecting the support staff more than teaching or research staff. Following the disastrous implementation of the so-called new university pay scheme, this has been another example of the unbelievable incompetence of university management.
While the university will still be able to attract students - today's news is tomorrow's chip wrapper - the effect on staff will be more long-term. Motivation has already been affected, there is no point working hard if you are in for the chop, and people are honing their CVs and tending to their network of contacts. The ability of the university to attract and retain good members of staff has been badly damaged. It is already difficult enough to get good people to work here. The location is remote, in a small town in the middle of the forests, and the salary, with the exception of those on professor pay scales, nationally and internationally uncompetitive. As it becomes evident that the university had no clearly defined strategy when the announcement of redundancies was made, it is increasingly obvious that the aim of any strategy is to reduce the number of employees; research and teaching considerations are secondary.
How will Elk's Street be affected?
Elk's Street is unlikely to be made redundant in this round of lay-offs but the outlook for 2010, when the new Finnish university law comes into force, is somewhat stormy. The new law is ostensibly to give universities greater autonomy but is basically a Helsinki-based money grab. Only the new so-called "peak" university, an amalgamation of three existing universities in the metropolitan area, has been guaranteed funding, with the regional universities left to fend for themselves. University staff cease to be state employees, meaning a considerable reduction in benefits (pension, medical etc) and protection against redundancy.
There is one last thing to note - Finland is going through a wave of announced lay-offs and retrenchments, with daily announcements in the past weeks. The fact that the announcements started immediately following the elections, when the usual suspects were returned to power, is of course entirely coincidental.
"XYZ University has decided to start co-operation procedures concerning the university's entire personnel in order to rationalize its operations and improve competitiveness. A briefing concerning these procedures will be held today at 15.00 in XYZ Hall.
- Rector XYZ"
So, what are "co-operation procedures"?
They are negotiations between staff representatives and the employer that are obligatory under Finnish law when employees are to be made redundant.
Needless to say, the email caused some considerable consternation.
Elk's Street was unable to attend the meeting at such short notice, although did spy a national broadcasting corporation vehicle heading in the direction of the university. In an atmosphere of silence, staff were told that 30-50 people would be fired and the redundancies would affect all units and all staff, including researchers and teachers.
The announcement was big news in the local media with headlines such as "XYZ University staff silenced by surprising lay-offs" and "News of lay-offs surprises university staff".
And then the spinning began.
With gobbledegook messages such as:
"The co-operation procedures are a result of the implemented measures above and pending long-term plans. The aim is to create the best possible operational preconditions for the expertise that supports the university's strategy. For this reason, the university has decided to strengthen the resources of functions which support the university's targets and core know-how."
And the appearance in newspapers of statistics of mysterious provenance and of an accuracy that would make Brezhnevian bureaucrats blush, under headlines of "Administration swallows in XYZ twice as much as in comparison university".
When unions representing workers pointed out that the university was not under such financial strain that immediate lay-offs are unavoidable, and when it became clear that the university does not yet have a defined strategy, the propaganda spinning accelerated.
Interestingly, the right-wing student union came out with proclamations such as "students support lay-offs", probably because the neoliberal business theory taught here proclaims that lay-offs of state employees must by definition be good. The caveat that any changes must not be to the detriment of the student body becomes rather untenable in a context where the rector has acknowledged that "compared to international standards the teacher-student ratio is dreadful."
What does Elk's Street think?
This farce has been extremely damaging for the image of the university. There was absolutely no need for such grand announcements; rationalisation measures could just have well been carried out by not replacing retiring workers and transferring workers from one function to another, particularly since the redundancies seem to be affecting the support staff more than teaching or research staff. Following the disastrous implementation of the so-called new university pay scheme, this has been another example of the unbelievable incompetence of university management.
While the university will still be able to attract students - today's news is tomorrow's chip wrapper - the effect on staff will be more long-term. Motivation has already been affected, there is no point working hard if you are in for the chop, and people are honing their CVs and tending to their network of contacts. The ability of the university to attract and retain good members of staff has been badly damaged. It is already difficult enough to get good people to work here. The location is remote, in a small town in the middle of the forests, and the salary, with the exception of those on professor pay scales, nationally and internationally uncompetitive. As it becomes evident that the university had no clearly defined strategy when the announcement of redundancies was made, it is increasingly obvious that the aim of any strategy is to reduce the number of employees; research and teaching considerations are secondary.
How will Elk's Street be affected?
Elk's Street is unlikely to be made redundant in this round of lay-offs but the outlook for 2010, when the new Finnish university law comes into force, is somewhat stormy. The new law is ostensibly to give universities greater autonomy but is basically a Helsinki-based money grab. Only the new so-called "peak" university, an amalgamation of three existing universities in the metropolitan area, has been guaranteed funding, with the regional universities left to fend for themselves. University staff cease to be state employees, meaning a considerable reduction in benefits (pension, medical etc) and protection against redundancy.
There is one last thing to note - Finland is going through a wave of announced lay-offs and retrenchments, with daily announcements in the past weeks. The fact that the announcements started immediately following the elections, when the usual suspects were returned to power, is of course entirely coincidental.
Monday, 20 October 2008
Roofs and Assurance
A quarter of a century ago, Catherine and I were persuaded (coerced?) to take out a savings and life assurance policy, with 'the Pru', naturally. The monthly fee was GBP10 per month, which at the time was a quite substantial amount. For comparison, as a student my weekly budget, after paying the rent, was GBP20 per week. Nowadays, of course, you would be lucky to get half a dozen 99 flakes from the ice cream van for GBP10.
After paying for years and years, the policy finally matured, and the money allowed Elk's Street to replace the old roof on our house. Below a couple of photos.
The builders arrive - only a few weeks late.
A builder hard at work. (Photo courtesy of neighbour Kaisu.)
For the inquisitive among you, the total cost was EUR 16,170 (incl. 22% VAT). We do qualify for a tax deduction for homeowners of EUR 3,200 but the moral still remains; don't buy old houses!
After paying for years and years, the policy finally matured, and the money allowed Elk's Street to replace the old roof on our house. Below a couple of photos.
The builders arrive - only a few weeks late.
A builder hard at work. (Photo courtesy of neighbour Kaisu.)For the inquisitive among you, the total cost was EUR 16,170 (incl. 22% VAT). We do qualify for a tax deduction for homeowners of EUR 3,200 but the moral still remains; don't buy old houses!
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Older Brothers (Part 2)
For various reasons, I was at work and Hwei-Ming had to take Thomas to his horn lesson, Henry was left alone at home for a couple of hours. Having done his homework and piano practice, he decided to give us a surprise - he decided to bake a cake.
Below, the outcome.
A Swiss roll. (It must be in the genes!)
While the cake tasted nice and was a great success, for reasons of safety, Henry has been discouraged from cooking when he is on his own in the house. Oh, and any rumours that one week later we are still clearing up the kitchen are considerably exaggerated.
Below, the outcome.
A Swiss roll. (It must be in the genes!)While the cake tasted nice and was a great success, for reasons of safety, Henry has been discouraged from cooking when he is on his own in the house. Oh, and any rumours that one week later we are still clearing up the kitchen are considerably exaggerated.
Older Brothers (Part 1)
Sometimes it is better to view the bright ideas of brothers with a degree of scepticism!
Below a photo of Thomas after Henry persuaded him that it would be a good idea to fix a suction cup to his forehead.
Luckily, it didn't hurt and the bruise wore off after five days.
Below a photo of Thomas after Henry persuaded him that it would be a good idea to fix a suction cup to his forehead.
Luckily, it didn't hurt and the bruise wore off after five days.
Autumn Colours
As the long days get shorter, the warmth of summer gives way to the cooler weather of autumn. Finland has two autumns - 'dry autumn' and 'wet autumn'. Dry autumn, in September and the beginning of October, has misty mornings, dry days, and the first night-time frosts. In wet autumn, the nights draw in, the skies darken, and the country is enveloped in a shroud of damp darkness, broken only when the first snows of winter arrive.
Below a few photos of 'dry autumn' in Lappeenranta.
Lake Saimaa, even closer to the factory making the above-mentioned famous sweet with a "crisp mint shell and a soft chocolate filling ."
Landing stages at Huhtiniemi. (Many of the boats have already been taken out of the water in preparation for the winter.)
Sammonlahti beach. 'Compare and contrast' fans should look at July's post "Sunny Days" to see what it looks like in summer.
For the meteorologists among you, the photos were taken in the early afternoon, temperature +9 degrees celsius, and with a stiff breeze blowing.
Below a few photos of 'dry autumn' in Lappeenranta.
Lake Saimaa, even closer to the factory making the above-mentioned famous sweet with a "crisp mint shell and a soft chocolate filling ."
Landing stages at Huhtiniemi. (Many of the boats have already been taken out of the water in preparation for the winter.)
Sammonlahti beach. 'Compare and contrast' fans should look at July's post "Sunny Days" to see what it looks like in summer.For the meteorologists among you, the photos were taken in the early afternoon, temperature +9 degrees celsius, and with a stiff breeze blowing.
Saturday, 27 September 2008
Researchers' Night
Once a year, Lappeenranta University of Technology has a ”Researchers’ Night”, an open day for the public. The programme starts around 6 p.m. and ends at 1 a.m. the following morning. There are various demonstrations and lectures, and the night ends with a concert.
The boys and I, accompanied by Tiina, went to this year’s event.
The fun started with blowing giant soap bubbles. Henry managed to make one about 1½m long. Meanwhile, Thomas was making clouds of smaller soap bubbles using a badminton racquet.
The secret recipe:
120ml water
24ml washing-up liquid
12ml glycerol (available from a chemist’s)
1.6g sugar
Mix all the ingredients carefully, making sure that the mixture does not foam. Let the mixture stand overnight at room temperature.
And you have an excellent mixture of soap bubbles!
Then it was off to the Department of Chemical Technology, where Henry made plastic jewellery out of milk, and both boys built a rainbow in a small glass, made a super bouncy ball, and got to see crystals being formed under a microscope.
Below three photos of young researchers hard at work in the chemistry lab.
Researcher Thomas kitted up for action.
The boys and I, accompanied by Tiina, went to this year’s event.
The fun started with blowing giant soap bubbles. Henry managed to make one about 1½m long. Meanwhile, Thomas was making clouds of smaller soap bubbles using a badminton racquet.
Making giant soap bubbles (Thomas in black, Henry in stripes).
The secret recipe:
120ml water
24ml washing-up liquid
12ml glycerol (available from a chemist’s)
1.6g sugar
Mix all the ingredients carefully, making sure that the mixture does not foam. Let the mixture stand overnight at room temperature.
And you have an excellent mixture of soap bubbles!
Then it was off to the Department of Chemical Technology, where Henry made plastic jewellery out of milk, and both boys built a rainbow in a small glass, made a super bouncy ball, and got to see crystals being formed under a microscope.
Below three photos of young researchers hard at work in the chemistry lab.
Henry building his rainbow.
Researcher Henry kitted up for action.
Researcher Thomas kitted up for action.From the Department of Chemistry it was over to the Department of Energy Technology, to grill some marshmallows in an industrial furnace, and then to the Department of Information Technology to be greeted by a talking robot and to watch a robot using machine vision to stack wooden blocks.
Some of the exchange students had stands and we dropped by to say hello to my Nepali students, below a photo of Thomas with Bishal. Thomas was very pleased to be given a small Nepalese flag.
Some of the exchange students had stands and we dropped by to say hello to my Nepali students, below a photo of Thomas with Bishal. Thomas was very pleased to be given a small Nepalese flag.
Thomas, Bishal, a Nepalese flag and a Nepalese hat.
After watching some examples of computer animated films, it was, unfortunately, time for the little boys to go home and to bed.
And we hadn’t even managed to test quite how loud we can shout, nor use the rally simulator, nor seen the robot welding station, nor … nor…
Maybe next year!
Saturday, 20 September 2008
Theology and Little People
Actors: Peter and Thomas (7 years)
Place: In the basement
Activities: Peter – hanging the clothes
Thomas – hanging around
Thomas: Daddy, this door?
Peter: Yes?
Thomas: Last night, was it open?
Peter: Uh, yes.
Thomas: So, there must be dwarves in our house.
Peter: Hm, why?
Thomas: I closed it, and in the morning it was open. Henry said he hadn’t been down here. It must have been dwarves.
Peter: You never know what you can find in our cellar.
Thomas: Like the Christmas dwarves.
Silence
Thomas: How does Father Christmas know Uncle Stephen?
Peter: Oh, he knows everyone.
A short silence
Thomas: You know, Jesus knows everyone and knows how many hairs they have on their head.
Peter: Hm.
Thomas: I think he must have written down the names on paper for Father Christmas. Then he can bring the presents.
Peter: Hm.
Place: In the basement
Activities: Peter – hanging the clothes
Thomas – hanging around
---***---***---
Thomas: Daddy, this door?
Peter: Yes?
Thomas: Last night, was it open?
Peter: Uh, yes.
Thomas: So, there must be dwarves in our house.
Peter: Hm, why?
Thomas: I closed it, and in the morning it was open. Henry said he hadn’t been down here. It must have been dwarves.
Peter: You never know what you can find in our cellar.
Thomas: Like the Christmas dwarves.
Silence
Thomas: How does Father Christmas know Uncle Stephen?
Peter: Oh, he knows everyone.
A short silence
Thomas: You know, Jesus knows everyone and knows how many hairs they have on their head.
Peter: Hm.
Thomas: I think he must have written down the names on paper for Father Christmas. Then he can bring the presents.
Peter: Hm.
Monday, 8 September 2008
Good Behaviour
Thomas came home and said he had something to show us. It was a badge from his school for good behaviour. As proof, it is in the picture below.
This leaves us with one question; since his school is about 250m from our house, what happens between him leaving our front door and getting to his class?
Well done, Thomas!
Saturday, 6 September 2008
Official school photos
Once a year, schools and kindergartens in Finland are visited by a photographer, who takes portraits of the children, as well as a class photo. Here are the boys' official school photos from the academic year 2007-2008.
Henry
Thomas
Thomas does not normally have a hairstyle reminiscent of 'The Beatles' but in the days leading up to the photo shoot, he had been ill with a stomach bug so we hadn't quite managed to get him to the barber's.
We'll try to be better organised for this year's photos.
Henry
Thomas
Thomas does not normally have a hairstyle reminiscent of 'The Beatles' but in the days leading up to the photo shoot, he had been ill with a stomach bug so we hadn't quite managed to get him to the barber's.
We'll try to be better organised for this year's photos.
Thursday, 4 September 2008
SaiPa and Finnish humour
Many of you will know that Finns have a peculiar sense of humour - think of the Monster rockers, Lordi, first ever Finnish winners of the Eurovision Song Contest.
As a further example of Finnish humour, click on the link below to see the 20-second advert for SaiPa, Lappeenranta's ice-hockey team:
Saipan-TV mainos
(Link fixed: 11 Sept 2008)
So, what is it all about?
From the point of view of the city slickers of Helsinki, people outside the Kehä 3 ring road are all ignorant, uncivilized country yokels, 'juntti' in Finnish. The TV advertisement plays up to this stereotype.
The motorbike in the video is the classic 'Pappa-Tunturi' or 'Grandad-Tunturi', a 50cc, 2-stroke machine from the 1960s.
While the advert is all in good fun, I'd like to know whether the local tourist board are laughing.
The new ice-hockey season starts on Saturday, 13 September 2008. So remember to give the boys a shout - the chap in the video shows you how!
As a further example of Finnish humour, click on the link below to see the 20-second advert for SaiPa, Lappeenranta's ice-hockey team:
Saipan-TV mainos
(Link fixed: 11 Sept 2008)
So, what is it all about?
From the point of view of the city slickers of Helsinki, people outside the Kehä 3 ring road are all ignorant, uncivilized country yokels, 'juntti' in Finnish. The TV advertisement plays up to this stereotype.
The motorbike in the video is the classic 'Pappa-Tunturi' or 'Grandad-Tunturi', a 50cc, 2-stroke machine from the 1960s.
While the advert is all in good fun, I'd like to know whether the local tourist board are laughing.
The new ice-hockey season starts on Saturday, 13 September 2008. So remember to give the boys a shout - the chap in the video shows you how!
I found a French horn
The holidays are over, school and work are in full swing, the sky is grey, but for some people, the sun is shining; Thomas's French horn has arrived! When he got it, his smile suggested that Christmas and his birthday had arrived all on one day.
Below some photos.
Thomas blowing his horn. (The instrument is not a full-size one. )
Luckily for his parents, the music school has an instrument rental scheme as French horns are rather expensive.
After only one lesson, Thomas's playing is not to everyone's liking! Maybe because the noise sounds like a cross between an alphorn and a fog horn. But even the greatest virtuosos must start somewhere!
Below some photos.
Thomas blowing his horn. (The instrument is not a full-size one. )Luckily for his parents, the music school has an instrument rental scheme as French horns are rather expensive.
After only one lesson, Thomas's playing is not to everyone's liking! Maybe because the noise sounds like a cross between an alphorn and a fog horn. But even the greatest virtuosos must start somewhere!
Sunday, 17 August 2008
Off to School
It is mid-August, which in Finland means the end of the long summer holiday.
For Thomas, it was the start of his school career. And for Henry, a move to a new school. Below, a few photos.
Thomas standing in the schoolyard on his first day of school. Note that in Finland there is no school uniform, although for boys, baseball caps seem to be de rigeur.
The Class 1 children lining up. Note that the teachers have a very relaxed dress code, too. Spot Thomas for extra points!
Unfortunately, there are no photos of Henry's first day at his new school - I still haven't managed the art of being in two places at the same time.
You may be wondering why Henry is changing school after only two years? Well, it's not because of bad behaviour or itchy feet, his new school has a class with emphasis on music, and Henry was lucky enough to be selected. The good news is that he has one less P.E. lesson, one more music lesson, music theory instruction at school, and lots of singing; the bad news is that on most days he has to leave the house at 7.15 a.m. to catch the bus to town.
For those of you interested in the Finnish school system, which has done very well in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, below the boys' school timetables.
Henry:
Henry has started his foreign language studies this year. In Lappeenranta, this means English for all pupils. The situation is a little tricky as Henry is, in effect, a native-speaker of English. Next week we have a meeting with Henry's teacher and the headmaster of the school to discuss how to handle this predicament. After one lesson, Henry said that he couldn't understand his teacher's English and that the class had been taught the words; camel, beach, and ball.
Thomas:
Thomas's timetable is for the first month only. The children are given a 'soft landing' to school, which means that there are only three hours of school each day. After a month, a couple of hours are added to the week's schedule. (XXXXXX means school, blank means no school.)
Looking at the very few hours that Finnish children are in school, the conclusion could be drawn that the best way to success in learning is to spend as little time as possible in school!
For many, homework is a problem. Not in the first week, it isn't! Below, Thomas hard at work.
For Thomas, it was the start of his school career. And for Henry, a move to a new school. Below, a few photos.
Thomas standing in the schoolyard on his first day of school. Note that in Finland there is no school uniform, although for boys, baseball caps seem to be de rigeur.
The Class 1 children lining up. Note that the teachers have a very relaxed dress code, too. Spot Thomas for extra points!Unfortunately, there are no photos of Henry's first day at his new school - I still haven't managed the art of being in two places at the same time.
You may be wondering why Henry is changing school after only two years? Well, it's not because of bad behaviour or itchy feet, his new school has a class with emphasis on music, and Henry was lucky enough to be selected. The good news is that he has one less P.E. lesson, one more music lesson, music theory instruction at school, and lots of singing; the bad news is that on most days he has to leave the house at 7.15 a.m. to catch the bus to town.
For those of you interested in the Finnish school system, which has done very well in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, below the boys' school timetables.
Henry:
Henry has started his foreign language studies this year. In Lappeenranta, this means English for all pupils. The situation is a little tricky as Henry is, in effect, a native-speaker of English. Next week we have a meeting with Henry's teacher and the headmaster of the school to discuss how to handle this predicament. After one lesson, Henry said that he couldn't understand his teacher's English and that the class had been taught the words; camel, beach, and ball.
Thomas:
Thomas's timetable is for the first month only. The children are given a 'soft landing' to school, which means that there are only three hours of school each day. After a month, a couple of hours are added to the week's schedule. (XXXXXX means school, blank means no school.)
Looking at the very few hours that Finnish children are in school, the conclusion could be drawn that the best way to success in learning is to spend as little time as possible in school!
For many, homework is a problem. Not in the first week, it isn't! Below, Thomas hard at work.
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Sunny Days
During a very wet summer there have been a few sunny days. Below a few photos of what we have been up to when the sun has been shining.
Thomas and Hwei-Ming washing mats. Finnish homes generally have wooden floors decorated by mats, which need to be washed once in a while. Traditionally, this is done in a local lake and the town provides outdoor facilities where mats can be washed and dried. For children, it is great fun.
Thomas and Henry paddling in Sammonlahti. After the "hard work" of washing mats, the boys got to spend some time enjoying the lake.
A few days later we were invited by some Chinese colleagues to a sauna and barbecue at the university's "beach sauna". Below some more photos.
Our hosts around the barbecue. The menu was very Finnish and included potatoes, grilled courgettes, grilled mushrooms and the ubiquitous Finnish "makkara" (sausage).
Henry practising his rowing.
Meanwhile, Thomas is in shallower waters.
The final photo is at the request of Hwei-Ming, who wishes to provide evidence that I can indeed be persuaded to make contact with cold water.
Luckily there is a warm sauna nearby. Brrrr!
Thomas and Hwei-Ming washing mats. Finnish homes generally have wooden floors decorated by mats, which need to be washed once in a while. Traditionally, this is done in a local lake and the town provides outdoor facilities where mats can be washed and dried. For children, it is great fun.
Thomas and Henry paddling in Sammonlahti. After the "hard work" of washing mats, the boys got to spend some time enjoying the lake. A few days later we were invited by some Chinese colleagues to a sauna and barbecue at the university's "beach sauna". Below some more photos.
Our hosts around the barbecue. The menu was very Finnish and included potatoes, grilled courgettes, grilled mushrooms and the ubiquitous Finnish "makkara" (sausage).
Henry practising his rowing.
Meanwhile, Thomas is in shallower waters.The final photo is at the request of Hwei-Ming, who wishes to provide evidence that I can indeed be persuaded to make contact with cold water.
Luckily there is a warm sauna nearby. Brrrr!
Monday, 21 July 2008
Watercolours
Hwei-Ming, Chairman of Elk Street Ltd., decided recently to try her hand at watercolours. This was a new medium as previously she had done oil-painting. She joined a course at Joutsenonopisto, an adult education institute, and below are some results of her efforts.
Swans
Orchid flowers
View from the veranda of the school
Swans
Orchid flowers
View from the veranda of the schoolSunday, 20 July 2008
Visit to Suomenlinna
When Elk's Street is visiting Helsinki, I am sometimes given a couple of hours off to "go and do something" (quote: Chairman). One of my favourite ways of spending some free time is to take the ferry from the marketplace and visit the Fortress of Suomenlinna. Suomenlinna, in Swedish 'Sveaborg', is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Finland's main tourist attractions.
Below are a few photos taken when Finland is showing its sunny side.
The ferry to Suomenlinna leaves from the marketplace. The photo shows the red "Koff" beer tram passing the marketplace. The tram has been converted into a bar and tourists can hop on board and enjoy a beer while looking at the sights.
It's difficult to believe that this is in the heart of Helsinki.
A Silja Line vessel setting out on a cruise to Stockholm, Sweden.
A small bay on the island of Länsi-Mustasaari. This is a part of the fortress complex that is ignored by most visitors, who tend to stay on the main island of Susisaari, where the main attractions are situated.
The view from Tykistölahti (Artillery Bay?) looking towards the straight of Kustaanmiekka.
The Finnish flag. Those with sharp eyes will notice that it is a little different from the 'normal' Finnish flag. The swallow-tailed state flag, or 'war flag', is flown on Suomenlinna.
When I returned on the ferry to the marketplace, there was a rather handsome sailing vessel, Sea Cloud II, moored in front of the Palace Hotel. This is a luxury cruise ship, Helsinki being a popular stop for many cruise liners.
Another view of Sea Cloud II. To find out more go to the Sea Cloud Cruises website.
One attraction on Suomenlinna deserves to be mentioned, an attraction that brings me back to the start of this post; Suomenlinnan Panimo. This is a small restaurant that brews its own beer. I usually have a glass while waiting for the ferry back to the mainland and it's much better than the insipid brew 'Koff'. So, next time you are in Helsinki, skip the beer tram and get the ferry over to Suomenlinna. Unfortunately, the Suomenlinnan Panimo website is mostly in Finnish but click on the 'Oluet' link to see the beer labels and the 'À la carte' link to see what I can't afford to eat.
Below are a few photos taken when Finland is showing its sunny side.
The ferry to Suomenlinna leaves from the marketplace. The photo shows the red "Koff" beer tram passing the marketplace. The tram has been converted into a bar and tourists can hop on board and enjoy a beer while looking at the sights.
It's difficult to believe that this is in the heart of Helsinki.
A Silja Line vessel setting out on a cruise to Stockholm, Sweden.
A small bay on the island of Länsi-Mustasaari. This is a part of the fortress complex that is ignored by most visitors, who tend to stay on the main island of Susisaari, where the main attractions are situated.
The view from Tykistölahti (Artillery Bay?) looking towards the straight of Kustaanmiekka.
The Finnish flag. Those with sharp eyes will notice that it is a little different from the 'normal' Finnish flag. The swallow-tailed state flag, or 'war flag', is flown on Suomenlinna.
When I returned on the ferry to the marketplace, there was a rather handsome sailing vessel, Sea Cloud II, moored in front of the Palace Hotel. This is a luxury cruise ship, Helsinki being a popular stop for many cruise liners.
Another view of Sea Cloud II. To find out more go to the Sea Cloud Cruises website.One attraction on Suomenlinna deserves to be mentioned, an attraction that brings me back to the start of this post; Suomenlinnan Panimo. This is a small restaurant that brews its own beer. I usually have a glass while waiting for the ferry back to the mainland and it's much better than the insipid brew 'Koff'. So, next time you are in Helsinki, skip the beer tram and get the ferry over to Suomenlinna. Unfortunately, the Suomenlinnan Panimo website is mostly in Finnish but click on the 'Oluet' link to see the beer labels and the 'À la carte' link to see what I can't afford to eat.
Saturday, 28 June 2008
Missing Members of Elk Street Ltd.
Those of you with insider information about Elk Street Ltd. will know that there are some members of the business who, despite their key roles, have Greta Garbo-like tendencies - their shunning of publicity becomes part of their mystique.
So, here, from the Elk Street archives, are a few more photos.
Tiina - "The Godmother"
Lilli - Senior Adviser
Uncle Stephen - Chief Technical Officer (Computer Technology)
Hwei-Ming - Chairman of the Board
So, here, from the Elk Street archives, are a few more photos.
Tiina - "The Godmother"
Lilli - Senior Adviser
Uncle Stephen - Chief Technical Officer (Computer Technology)
Hwei-Ming - Chairman of the BoardA Trip to England - Part 4
The last couple of excursions were to Liverpool and the Fylde coast, Lytham-St. Annes.
The Liverpool trip gave us time to test different modes of transport:
Preston - Southport by car.
Southport - Liverpool by train.
Liverpool to Birkenhead (Hamilton Square) through the Mersey rail tunnel.
Woodside Ferry Terminal to Wirral Transport Museum by replica double-decker tram.
Wirral Transport Museum to Woodside Ferry Terminal by replica double-decker tram.
Woodside Ferry Terminal to Liverpool Pier Head by ferry.
Liverpool Central to Southport by train.
Southport - Preston by car.
But the highlight of the trip was the Shore Road Pumping Station, where we were treated to a tour of "The Giant Grasshopper", a steam engine pump used in the past to draw water from the rail tunnel beneath the River Mersey.
After having visited the excellent Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, we'd really been spoilt with steam engines.
Below are a few more photos.
For engineers, and would-be engineers, a diagram of 'The Giant Grasshopper'. Note the size of the people on the right.
The Wirral tram, a copy of a tram from 1948.
(Apologies for the poor quality of the photo, the battery ran out on the camera, so this is courtesy of Nokia 5500 Sport.)
.jpg)
The boys standing next to one of the 'Super Lamb Bananas'.
As part of Liverpool's celebration of being the European City of Culture, there are over one hundred of these statues around the city, all decorated in different colours. The 'Super Lamb Banana' is a lamb at the front and a banana at the back. It was created by the artist, Taro Chiezo as a warning about the dangers of genetically modified food. For more about 'Super Lamb Bananas' go to the official website. While many people may hate them, Elk Street thinks they are pretty cool, especially as there is even an Everton F.C. version, the 'Super St. Domingo Lambanana'.
A former London Transport bus, now plying its trade between Lytham and St. Annes.
"That big six wheeler, scarlet-painted, London Transport, diesel-engined, 97-horsepower omnibus"
Hold very tight, please! Ting-ting!"
The boys on Lytham-St. Annes beach. As you can see, the tide is most definitely out.
Back home in Elk Street - our garden has flowers, too.
The Liverpool trip gave us time to test different modes of transport:
Preston - Southport by car.
Southport - Liverpool by train.
Liverpool to Birkenhead (Hamilton Square) through the Mersey rail tunnel.
Woodside Ferry Terminal to Wirral Transport Museum by replica double-decker tram.
Wirral Transport Museum to Woodside Ferry Terminal by replica double-decker tram.
Woodside Ferry Terminal to Liverpool Pier Head by ferry.
Liverpool Central to Southport by train.
Southport - Preston by car.
But the highlight of the trip was the Shore Road Pumping Station, where we were treated to a tour of "The Giant Grasshopper", a steam engine pump used in the past to draw water from the rail tunnel beneath the River Mersey.
After having visited the excellent Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, we'd really been spoilt with steam engines.
Below are a few more photos.
Ferry 'cross the Mersey. (Liverpool city skyline in the background, with the Liver building.)
Oh, and for those of you who have forgotten, the song was by 'Gerry & The Pacemakers' :
Life goes on day after day
Hearts torn in every way
So, ferry 'cross the Mersey
'Cause this land's the place I love
And here'll I stay
People they rush everywhere
Each with their own secret care
etc. etc.
Oh, and for those of you who have forgotten, the song was by 'Gerry & The Pacemakers' :
Life goes on day after day
Hearts torn in every way
So, ferry 'cross the Mersey
'Cause this land's the place I love
And here'll I stay
People they rush everywhere
Each with their own secret care
etc. etc.
For engineers, and would-be engineers, a diagram of 'The Giant Grasshopper'. Note the size of the people on the right.
The Wirral tram, a copy of a tram from 1948.(Apologies for the poor quality of the photo, the battery ran out on the camera, so this is courtesy of Nokia 5500 Sport.)
.jpg)
The boys standing next to one of the 'Super Lamb Bananas'.As part of Liverpool's celebration of being the European City of Culture, there are over one hundred of these statues around the city, all decorated in different colours. The 'Super Lamb Banana' is a lamb at the front and a banana at the back. It was created by the artist, Taro Chiezo as a warning about the dangers of genetically modified food. For more about 'Super Lamb Bananas' go to the official website. While many people may hate them, Elk Street thinks they are pretty cool, especially as there is even an Everton F.C. version, the 'Super St. Domingo Lambanana'.
A former London Transport bus, now plying its trade between Lytham and St. Annes. "That big six wheeler, scarlet-painted, London Transport, diesel-engined, 97-horsepower omnibus"
Hold very tight, please! Ting-ting!"
Oh, and for those of you who have forgotten, the song was by Flanders and Swann and is called "Transport of Delight."
The boys on Lytham-St. Annes beach. As you can see, the tide is most definitely out.
Back home in Elk Street - our garden has flowers, too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
