CURRENT GRANTEES
Exploring
All That Finland Has to Offer Alexandra Lobdell, Abraham Kipnis, and Alexander Beattie are 2020-21 Fulbright-LUT University Graduate Awardees and among the first U.S. Fulbright grantees who arrived in Finland in the beginning of the fall 2020. Alexandra and Abraham share their experiences of exploring Finnish nature and culture.
Text ALEXANDRA LOBDELL
soon as we arrived in Lappeenranta.
was a weekend trip to Koli National Park,
Since our arrival, the three of us have
where Abraham and I hiked the 35-kilome-
eginning a Fulbright journey
been lucky enough to explore Finland
ter Herajärven kierros, and slept out in a kota.
amidst a global pandemic cer-
through a variety of outdoor adventures
Through these adventures, we collectively
tainly presented many challenges
with each other, other Lappeenranta-Lahti
embraced the Finnish appreciation for the
for Abraham, Alexander, and me. These
University of Technology (LUT) students,
outdoors and are incredibly grateful to be
ranged from simply getting to Finland via
and Lappeenranta community members.
able to explore all that Finland has to offer.
ing a network in a brand new continent
Embracing the Outdoors
us taking dips in Lake Saimaa, trekking
during the age of social distancing. We are
Our first trip was a damp but joyful
through national parks on the weekends,
so grateful for the support of the Fulbright
40-kilometer bike ride around Lappeen-
biking through Lappeenranta, and enjoy-
Finland Foundation in our arrival process
ranta to celebrate our first weekend out of
ing lingonberries in the woods near LUT’s
and creating a network for us to join as
quarantine together. Another highlight
campus.
B
many added bureaucratic hoops to creat-
When we are not studying, you can find
www.fulbright.fi | 9