# data[].attributes.body
this photo was taken in Ruissalo, and we can see a couple of swans (national animal symbol of Finland)

# data[].attributes.body
in kindergarten we sang and danced songs with the children

# data[].attributes.body
through this video the recent Finnish history was explained to us, and how this led to the creation of what is today's society.

# data[].attributes.body
In the woods with Iida and Daphne

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Just chilling and cooking some finnish specialities.

# data[].attributes.body
"classroom number 2" is a somewhat special class, in which you have to take off your shoes before entering. In this class, lessons are held in which the sharing of ideas and debate is important.

# data[].attributes.body
Kuhankuono is a perfect place to spend a day in typical Finnish nature. There are numerous routes of different lengths, which take you to unique landscapes where you can pick berries and mushrooms.
Grelli T.

# data[].attributes.body
Mi piace riassumere la mia esperienza in Finlandia in un momento ben preciso: il giorno della partenza, nel momento in cui sono salita nel pullman, con gli occhi pieni di lacrime mi sono girata verso Daphne e con uno sguardo di intesa abbiamo capito che dovevamo scendere per salutare ancora una volta Iida, colei che ci ha accolte come se facessimo parte della sua famiglia. Ho amato in modo genuino la mia esperienza, dalla A alla Z. Le persone pur apparentemente fredde hanno un grande cuore, sono buone e molto gentili, almeno la maggior parte di quelle che ho conosciuto. Ogni singolo momento mi è servito per rendermi conto di ciò che il mio paese vanta e di ciò che nel mio paese scarseggia, e per questo ritengo questa esperienza pazzesca.

Mi è sembrato di vivere un mondo parallelo, un mondo fiabesco, a Mynamaki governa la quiete.

I like to summarise my experience in Finland at a very specific time: on the day of departure, when I got on the bus, with my eyes full of tears I turned to Daphne and with a look of understanding we understood that we had to go down to greet Iida once again, the one who welcomed us as if we were part of her family. I genuinely loved my experience, from A to Z. People, although apparently cold, have a big heart, are good and very kind, at least most of the ones I've known. Every single moment has served me to realise what my country boasts and what is scarce in my country, and that's why I think this experience is amazing.
It seemed to me to live a parallel world, a fairytale world, in Mynamaki the tranquillity rules.

-Marta

# data[].attributes.body
The Finnish social  system includes various forms of financial support and benefits designed to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to take part in working life and society in general.

# data[].attributes.body
Their room without shoes

# data[].attributes.body
among the various lessons we also participated in the mathematics one, the photo in question is a problem that the pupils had to solve. Thanks to this lesson we have seen that Finns are studying the same topic as us.

# data[].attributes.body
The school’s basketball court

# data[].attributes.body
although spring has already arrived, the snow persists in places where the sun's rays light up in a few moments of the day

# data[].attributes.body
26/04
"It's just the best thing to do an Erasmus in a country so different from your own," Arta said today. "Who would have imagined taking a sauna in a wooden cottage and then jumping into a frozen lake?"
Some days later...
"Life here in Mynamaky flows quietly, and I feel that I am slowly getting used to certain daily actions, such as going to school by quod (I know the way by heart), seeing the deers by the side of the road, or having dinner at four in the afternoon: every now and then I forget that I am so far from home. "Life is so strange", I thought today as I walked through the streets of the small town: I felt like I was living in a bubble, in a dream. I know all about Mynamaky (of course, it doesn't take much), but a few months ago I wouldn't have even imagined I could be there. This whole experience was something unique, and something I will definitely carry with me forever."
- Vittoria

# data[].attributes.body
Before leaving for Erasmus, I didn't really want to come because I had many things on my mind. On the day of leaving however, I didn't want to go home because with my first Erasmus experience I could take attention away from  the daily  and focus on a different world for behaviours and habits : I knew and liked a new culture; I have visited wonderful lakes and woods; I attended the Finnish school and experienced a very different teaching method from the Italian one with different activities and a more formal relationship between pupils and teachers. With this erasmus I also strengthened my friendship with my classmates (although the first few days I haven’t been with them so much) and with my host who I know I will miss a lot. I hope to have  an experience like this again because it was very instructive but at the same time exciting.
-Matilde

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Maybe a little bit scary monkey painting in Turku.

# data[].attributes.body
All together

# data[].attributes.body
The kindergarten children

# data[].attributes.body
We made posters with EU’s civil rights

# data[].attributes.body
baking the berry pie

# data[].attributes.body
unlike our school, here they have rooms in which to rest and spend time together between one lesson and the next.

# data[].attributes.body
A typical Finnish baseball game

# data[].attributes.body
after our excursion we had a barbecue based on typical sausages

# data[].attributes.body
Erasmus is not a cultural exchange. Or rather, it's not just that. Erasmus, at least what I had the honor of doing in Finland, is a personal exchange, with the proper meaning of exchange-between-people. In Mynamaki we have known a new way of being people, perhaps colder, perhaps more blonde, perhaps more civilized. In fact, it is striking how the landscape, completely different from the Mediterranean one, affects people. How they are colder, in the sense of more reserved, blonder and paler, obviously in the literary sense, and more civilized. To talk about Finnish civilization, you can just think of the Norwegian one represented in Quo Vado by Checco Zalone because it is very similar to it.

Or maybe we're just noisy...

In short, there aren't few times we've been scolded because we spoke too loudly, disturbing the environment around us. “Shhh we are near some houses stop making that noise” … “houses”, you could hardly see 5 of them each square kilometre! Disturb what?! Plants? The asphalt?

Well, they don't even ask for this. In Finland there are unwritten rules that everyone respects, and that in Italy, which as Checco Zalone says (yes I like Checco Zalone that's fine) is all a "magna magna", they wouldn't work. To name a few: what is public belongs to everyone, therefore everyone must take care of it, it is necessary to respect the quiet of the neighboring houses without making any noise, …

Speaking of the school system, I can say how impressed I was by it, and I don't know yet whether in a positive or negative way, but certainly due to the enormous difference with the Italian school. In Finland the teachers usually call the students by name and have themselves called by name, the classrooms are large, beautiful, the canteen works, there are 4 lessons a day of 75 minutes and the students can come and go when they want. In short, it almost seems like an utopia, but are beautiful classrooms and nice books enough to have beautiful heads? Unfortunately I am anchored to the Italian school system, however stressful, ancient, unbearable it is, but it is objectively a system that has always produced good heads. This is also due to the great artistic heritage present in Italy, and which I have not found in Finland.

To conclude, otherwise I'll make it long, it was thanks to this Erasmus, or rather, to the diversity it made us experience, that we appropriated more of our identity as Italians. We are more aware of our characteristics, and perhaps, of strengths and weaknesses…

# data[].attributes.body
The sea

# data[].attributes.body
The children’s welcoming dance

# data[].attributes.body
choosing the bag

# data[].attributes.body
in the Finnish school system students also stay at school for lunch. The canteen is free.

# data[].attributes.body
Pesäpallo (also known as Finnish baseball) is a team sport that is widespread mainly in Finland, where it is considered a national sport, and in other countries including Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. Very similar to American football, it differs because the ball is not thrown, but is lifted by the setter who is next to the hitter

# data[].attributes.body
Wonderful room in Myna-Myna-Maa

# data[].attributes.body
Vlog with Daphne To go to Vilja's house on Sunday morning

# data[].attributes.body
When I decided to take part in this Erasmus project, actually I wouldn't have expected to live such a whole beautiful experience. I had the opportunity to visit a very particular country where I discovered a different lifestyle, diverse habits and amazing landscapes.  Certainly, for me an aspect that had an important role in making this experience so perfect was the beautiful group that was born between Finnish and Italians students, in which I found very special people. Even if sometimes Finnish seemed to be colder than us, most of them had a big heart, in fact I felt really at home at my host's house, thanks to her kindness. This experience also helped me to better understand what are the positive and negative aspects of my country because Finland is very different from Italy. A big difference, which I was able to experience firsthand, was the school system. In Finland is based on a close relationship of trust between students and teachers instead of the Italian one,  which is actually colder and stressful. However, for all these different habits and behaviors, for me it seemed like I lived a week in another dimention, a quiet, peaceful and beautiful one.
Margherita Staccioli

# data[].attributes.body
Turku’s castle

# data[].attributes.body
The cathedral of Naantali

# data[].attributes.body
Matilde and the teacher sewing the bags

# data[].attributes.body
during a break the students can relax on the sofas that the school provides and talk to each other
Margherita Bocci

# data[].attributes.headline
Playing Finnish baseball “pesapallo” in the school playard 

# data[].attributes.subject
Playing Finnish baseball “pesapallo” in the school playard 

# data[].attributes.body
A room disco with Lorenzo and Arta

# data[].attributes.body
It is not easy to find the right words to describe my experience in Finland.

Everything was perfect from the second I stepped off the plane.

To be honest I had high expectations which were even exceeded because I had one of the best week of my life.

In particular I have to thank my host family because they did everything they could to make me feel at home. Then I have to thank all of the Finnish students, including the ones who didn’t take part to the Erasmus project because they all were so nice and welcoming with us.

Through this experience not only I saw different environments than usual but I also learnt a new culture.

I can never thank this experience enough to say how grateful I am.❤️

-Lavinia

# data[].attributes.body
The wood of Ruissalo

# data[].attributes.body
we danced with the kids both italian and finnish songs😊

# data[].attributes.body
playing basketball during free time

# data[].attributes.body
The Art House in Mynamaky was originally a rest home, where old people could live and receive healthcare and help. Destinated to demolition, is now a place where all kinds of non professional artists gave space to their creativity and decorated every room. These are the results!
~vittoria

# data[].attributes.body
during the walk we saw many frogs

# data[].attributes.body
I've always wanted to travel and discover new cultures, so when I took part in this Erasmus I thought that it would be the best opportunity to do both. At the beginning I didn't exactly know what to expect from this experience, but I was very enthusiastic for everything that was going to happen.
When I arrived at my host's house I immediatly felt as part of her family and her life thanks to their hospitality and kindness. With the Erasmus I had the possibility to live for a week as a person of another country, trying and discovering all thier customs and traditions: I never thought in my life that I would have swam in the cold water of a Finnish lake after having sauna. In this jounrey I have aslo noticed the diffrences betweeen our country and Finland, that in some ways are similar but in others are very diffrent, for example their school system is more modern and less strict compared to our, and I think that it helps the students to have a better school experience during their youth.
In conclusion I am really grateful for having had the chance to take part in this Erasmus because it has left in me knew knowledges, frindships and a lot of beautiful memories that I will never forget.
-Daphne

# data[].attributes.body
The sea

# data[].attributes.body
An amazing lake

# data[].attributes.body
it is not easy to summarize all that I have learned in one of the most intense weeks of my life; but for sure the love and hospitality that a family can give me will remain forever.  Despite the differences in culture and habits it was wonderful to have been hosted by a wonderful family. It is nice to discover new ways of living and dealing with different situations, especially the different way of living school.

# data[].attributes.body
A welcoming Finnish class

# data[].attributes.body
Aurora boreale

# data[].attributes.body
a tipical Finnish barbecue

# data[].attributes.body
the first steps before sewing our bag

# data[].attributes.body
The relax room

# data[].attributes.body
a room of the art house

# data[].attributes.body
the teacher watching the birds while walking in the woods

# data[].attributes.body
The nice cooking place at Martha’s

# data[].attributes.body
An English lesson

# data[].attributes.body
During this day we went hiking in this beautiful place in the middle of nature.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Me and Thomas taking photos on the art house

# data[].attributes.body
Naantali

# data[].attributes.body
We made a typical Finnish berry pie

# data[].attributes.body
we have been able to see that the Finnish school system is very different from the Italian one. The Finnish strategy for achieving equality and excellence in education has been based on building an adequate public funding system. Kindergarten, for the Finns, is a fundamental part of learning: the idea is that children learn through play until they are 7 years old, when they will then go to elementary school and will be curious and willing to learn. In high school the kids have a lot of freedom, which we wouldn't be able to say if it would work in Italy too. The management of tests is different: in Finland periods of lessons (in which the subjects to be studied can be chosen) are alternated with a week of testing.