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INSIDER K Y M EN L A A KSO U N I V ERSIT Y OF A PPLI ED SCI ENCES | 05.12.14 | Vol. 17

STUDENT MAGAZINE

THIS ISSUE School event

KYAMK DESIGN MARKET 2014 21st century Finland

MARRIAGE RIGHTS TO SAME SEX COUPLES Hobbies

BOFFERING

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O AK AM A LE TDIN

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H OA

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ALE X

MA T T E A N ÄV E R I

OUR TEAM

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INSIDER is published and printed at: Kymenlaakso University of Applied Sciences Campus Paraatikenttä 7, 45100 Kouvola, Finland

Tel: +358 44 702 8758 / Fax: +358 5 230 2433 E-mail: insider@kyamk.fi Website: insider.kyamk.fi Personal e-mails: firstname.surname@student.kyamk.fi

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EDITORIAL

There is only one week before the to our great exchange students. Many of them exams, and cold winter evenings have already visited Rovaniemi, and made a do not help our students to tune wish under the shine of the Northern lights. If into educational mood. Insider team you have not decided where to travel on your was not discouraged, and we pre- vacation, then Rovaniemi, indeed, one of the pared for you a lot of interesting must-have places this season!We hope you events that will turn you into the will have many interesting stories on vacation, right mood!

which you can tell to the Insider as well as with the entire university.

Firstly, be sure to visit hockey, which will be held December 6th. Hockey We wish you success in your exams, nothing - is the real source of the northern worth comes easy! Do not forget to leave time Finnish culture, which you can learn for yourself, a little rest and interesting events so easy in the winter season.

helps to work more efficiently and make unfor-

We also want to draw your attention gettable moments of our lives!

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EXCHANGE VIEW My friends in Carlow are mainly If she introduced the thanksgiving to us, what taught well when they were younger, exchange students. Unfortunately I have other nationalities shared here? The but I believe it’s also a Dutch thing. don’t spend my days with that many German people here have introduced their Irish people, so at the moment my mentality about studying. I’m seriously afraid So what are we going to share about strength isn’t the knowledge about of them, as they are all really good students Finland? We are preparing to have Irish Christmas. However I have with high expectations to success. However, Finnish Independence Day get-tolearnt something about the Christ- they are good motivation for others too which gether next week with all the natimas in France, the Christmas in the is absolutely great.

onalities. We are not probably going

Netherlands and the Christmas in

to stream the president’s gala and

Tampere. Last week I learned about As I live with my lovely French roommates I watch that, but so far we have ganot only the American Christmas, have had a great chance to get to know their thered some Finnish music to share but also about the Thanksgiving.

food culture. They have cooked for us so many with everyone. We are going to make times that we are all familiar with their apple Robin internationally successful.

We have one exchange student pies and cheeses by now. from America and she treated us

Of course this isn’t as deep as good

with proper Thanksgiving meal with The Dutch boys don’t probably even realise manners or high motivation to sucturkey and cranberry sauce. It’s themselves, but they have introduced their good cess, but maybe that’s our thing. great that it takes only one girl from manners. They never let anyone walk alone, they Gathering people together and enTexas to hold an American tradition always open the doors and are every time ready joying each other’s company. with international friends in Ireland.

to help. It might be that the boys have been Text & Photos: Karoliina NIemi

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FINLAND TO 21ST CENTURY

On last Friday Finland was anxiously gave the last minute interviews peowaiting parliament to vote for equal ple saw them doubting and losing marriage rights. The voting started the poker face so they noticed that at 13.00 and one hour later our capital Finland was closer than ever to be Helsinki was filled not only with Christ- the 12th of European countries gimas markets but with happy people ving the same marriage rights to sawearing rainbow colours. The Finnish me-sex couples. Some said that the Parliament voted 105-92 in favour of voting had already come to the point a citizens’ initiative to extend marria- that if it doesn’t go through now it is ge rights to same-sex couples.

going to be reading for that long that it goes through.

The difference wasn’t big between NO and YES –votes but Finland has come a The next step will be presenting the long way from year 1906 when it gave decision to the Grand Committee foremost to other European countries of the Parliament for consideration, rights for women to vote.

then again to the Parliament for final approval. If all the necessary chan-

Even though most of citizens showed ges are implemented before the end their support spreading YES I DO! – of 2015 the first same-sex couple photos In Facebook, some were real- could marry earliest on 1st of March ly against the change of the law. The 2017 in Finland. strongest arguments were based on religion and rights of children but after The decision was the same as 65% all, in my opinion, for children it is best (based on March survey) of Finnish to have two parents no matter what citizens hoped for. The road to this gender they are and what it comes day was a long and rocky but the to religion – We all have our different selected direction looks good and beliefs so the law must therefore be can give an example for other counequal to all.

tries to do the same.

When some of the members of the Text : Riia Järvinen, Parliament who were against the law Photo:Solene Roussel

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KYAMK DESIGN MARKET Text & Photos: Hoang Anh Nguyen

and styles. Whilst some of them were made of talk or just for enjoying the cookies leather, plastics and wools, others were made before going another round to the

Hi there, have you felt the festive from piece of wood or metals with great dex- market. People had a chance to join atmosphere around the corner? terity.

as both sellers and shoppers. Besides

Kyamk Design Market was brought

students from our university, there are

back as a tradition, spreading sea- Wasn’t it a good chance to choose some spe- lots of local people who came around, sonal atmosphere. The novel Christ- cial Christmas gifts for your beloved? Even if making the atmosphere feel more like mas Market experience was created you already got your prepared presents, you a local market. thanks to enthusiastic and hardwor- would be likely to come up with many extraorking design team. It was on Saturday dinary ideas for customising your own cards. At this time of the year, it’s very com29th of November that Kyamk’s Many beautiful and creative cards were nicely mon that the weather is not favourable Paja was lightened up with festively made in vibrant hand-drawing and painting for for the events with a wet snowy day. It meticulous decoration. Pine cones, your choice. From cute multi-coloured cards, was held on the weekend when many Frosted Liberty Star, twinkle lights… to vintage designed ones were very attracti- folks prefer to stay at home for a warm made up such a quirky theme!

ve. More interestingly, home décor accessories long sleep. Those were probably the were other appealing stuffs in the market. Some reasons why the market was not really

What the unique market offered this of them were brought from the wood academy crowded as expected. It is guessed that year? The Design market was open with beautifully hand crafted pieces for your it would attract more people if the marfor 7 hours of the day from 10 am Christmas home decoration.

ket would last longer and take place

to 5 pm in Paja. About 15 talented

together with some more activities like

lovely vendors hosted their own small Simultaneously, the market was filled with plea- last year such as the Christmas wishing stalls, selling various self-made stuffs. sing music by Jouni Kuivainen as the DJ. It’s trees or Kyamk’s Christmas Kirppis. You would fall in love with diverse even more entertaining while live music was DIY colourful knitted hats, woollen performed consecutively almost every hour by Above all, it was a good chance headbands, bandeaus, mittens and Uliana Kovaleva, Jouni Kuivainen, Hana Culková for all people to come and admire scarves. Tote bags and wallets were & Tereza Vyhlídalová, Menno Snel, Ringo, Miska talented Kyamk-ers! Visiting the also offered in different hand-printed Karvinen, Liya, and Miska & Mattea. Attendants Design market, many people might styles. More notably, you would be could also enjoy the great atmosphere of music get unique Christmas gifts for your overwhelmed with a wide range of and shopping or grasping some sweet cakes, beloved and some might not. Even eye-catching handmade jewellery: candies or warming up with some hot drinks if you couldn’t buy anything, it has rings, bracelets, necklaces, hairpins and coffees selling by Loma Cafe. The café was been such an inspiring experienand especially earrings were avai- hosted around the little lounge, enabling atten- ce to see how creative and skilful lable in different materials, colours dants to have the chance to sit down for a small Kyamk’s artists are!

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MENNO & RINGO

& Text: Alena Kiianichenko, Photo: Uliana Kovaleva

that the biggest difference is the social bound between stu-

How it feels to be on exchange in cold and “boring” Fin- dents and teachers. In the Netherlands the teacher is a doland for two energetic, full of life and passion Duch guys? minant person who explains what you have to do, but here Let’s find out!

in Finland, which is positive in my eyes, you are more on the same level with teachers, sometimes even close to friends.

Hi, what degree program you are at here?

When I talk with teachers here, I feel like I talk with my fri-

Menno: I’m studying International Business.

end, sometimes on the subjects you wouldn’t expect to talk

Ringo: I am studying International Business. It’s more or about with a teacher. It makes it fun, it makes it social. If you less the same that I’m studying in the Netherlands. In my have a teacher that is socially interested in you, you feel like home country I am studying Small Business and Retail Ma- this person can help and teach you. That’s a valuable thing nagement, so it’s actually mostly business, but more related that sometimes is missed in the Netherlands: the teacher to own company.

is not there to help you; you have to do more on your own.

Why have you chosen to study at this particular field?

Ringo: As Menno already said, the distance between tea-

Menno: This is because for me it’s an extension of my own chers and students is different. Furthermore, it’s the size of education in the Netherlands: I study Media Entertainment the university: my university has 21000 students, so it’s quiManagement and I believe that in this kind of field it’s im- te a lot. My university is way bigger that this one. Moreover, portant to have some business knowledge. We don’t have studying process here is more laid-back but the content is a particular business education in my school which I could way more complicated. Another difference is that even if follow, so I was looking for business exchange program and my school is big, we have a lot of departments, which are Kyamk University in Finland was highly rated, that’s why located close to each other. The biggest challenge you experienced being a student

I’ve chosen it.

Ringo: My relationship with business started with my in a foreign country? family. My whole family: my mother, father, uncle, grandpa- Menno: The biggest challenge for me was to bond with local rents had and still have their own company. I grew up with people because bonding with exchange students is rather it. In addition, I think I have some skills which suit business simple – we live together, we party together, and we are management. Therefore, my interests are completely focu- basically on the same boat. There are also a lot of Russian full sed on business.

degree students living in our buildings, so it was also pretty

What is the most significant difference between Kyamk easy to bond with them. Speaking about Finns, we have and your home country university?

some distance between us and them. You only meet them

Menno: We talked a lot about differences with other Dutch when they go out and when they do go out, they are shy: students, for example with Ringo. We came up with the idea they don’t want to talk; they seem to be a little bit introvert,

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which we are not. So, creating a real bond and they asked to solve this problem with Finland is a good place for living, but the and friends in Finland with Finnish people presenting it with innovative and creative question is, do you really want to live in was the most challenging thing for me.

idea within the time of 24 hours. Our compa- this kind of environment.

Ringo: For me, the first challenge is living ny was Taffel chips, which is a market leader Ringo: Yes and no. Yes because the Finon my own. Second one is that you go in selling snacks in Finland. Together with nish way of life is very relaxed, the ecoon exchange to a foreign country for 4 our group which consisted of Anke, Anna, nomy is stable; the health care is quite months, knowing no one, so everything Azzurra and Ringo we worked 24 hours fin- good. Saunas everywhere! I’ve learned is completely new: studies, the people, ding a solution for increasing sales of this that there are 2 million saunas in FinFinnish culture, Finnish circumstances like company. We worked in a cottage somewhere land, which is quite a lot. No, because weather, food. Actually, everything was near Jyväskylä. After working for 24 hours, we there are big distances between cities. completely new for me, but it was still inte- presented our ideas to the head of innovation Moreover, Finnish people are strange to resting because I am always curious about and marketing director of Taffel Company. We me: Dutch people are more extroverts new things, challenges and experience received great feedback, had great results. We and Finnish people are so introverted. which make me energetic and passionate. did not win, but it doesn’t matter because we It feels like home here mostly because What is the most memorable thing you had experience, which is the most important of exchange students, I think. If there will remember with your Finnish studies? thing. That was the most interesting project were no exchange students, building Menno: The most memorable thing is fun I participated in. For the rest, as the greatest relationships with Finns would be comthat I had during classes. Being not serious is passion of mine is music, I did some projects as plicated for me. interesting for me. If I was asked about Fin- a musician at Kyamk. I performed with Ringo If you had a chance to stay here for a land, I would tell people that I was studying, and Finnish friends on several occasions. It was longer time, would you stay? but I never felt I was studying. I was just extremely nice to keep with my musical passion Menno: Yes, but it would be possible if having fun, and even with teachers and they and contribute to these events and to make peo- I had the opportunity to do an internsaccepted it – there was time for jokes, time ple happy with what makes me happy.

hip at a bigger company. It wouldn’t

for relaxing. You are learning by having fun! Ringo: I participated in Innovate or Die. For be school related since I am a 4th year I was always told by my parents that it is al- me, it was fascinating to brainstorm, which is student and I am graduating next year. ways important to like things that you learn. very important in problem solving and decision This means that I’m finishing my studies Ringo: I think that was a course on Interna- making. The brainstorming sessions were good with internship. The only reason I would tional Negotiations which was interesting with a couple of ideas which were quite com- stay in Finland is the internship. After for me: we were learning how to make a plicated. The biggest problem we faced during exchange I’ll go back to Netherlands to research for a company. For me it was fas- our collaboration was that we didn’t know do the internship or in another country. cinating to discover new strategies, to learn which idea to choose, so the decision making In the future I’ll definitely come back to to think in another way and to take a look part of the Innovate or Die was the hardest part Finland to my friends, but most likely not inside a company which I was never doing and most interesting at the same time.

for a living. I have the feeling that bigger

before. Besides courses, I play the piano a Do you think Finland is a good place to live? cities in the Netherlands or somewhere little bit, so along with my friends we did Menno:Yes, it is a good place to live, but it has else would suit my personality more. and going to do performances at Kyamk. to fit your personal character. There’s nothing Ringo: To have fun – yes, to learn soI love it, that’s my passion! Following your wrong with Finland: the society is good, the mething – no. I would like to live here, passion is the best thing you can do.

economy is stable, and the people are nice. So, if I stayed with the same exchange stu-

Have you participated in any projects,?

it’s a nice environment to live in. However, for dents: we had a lot of parties; we are

Menno:Yes, together with some of my fri- me, I am from the Netherlands, you see that enjoying our time every day, so I don’t ends I participated in Innovate or Die last the life is totally different – our life is busy, want to go home in three weeks, but, on week. For those who don’t know what it unpredictable, you never know what you get. the other hand, I look forward to going is, Innovate or Die is a project in which six The culture of my home country is very ener- back home and go on internship. Living companies are given the actual problem getic. Here in Finland it is more laid-back. So, here is not challenging enough for me.

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BOFFERING

Have you ever had that day dream Boffering is often used as part of bigger LARP whenever there are battles part of just getting your hands on old of a particular stage within that LARP. timey weapons and just have it out with with that one annoying But why though? person you dislike so much?

It is undeniably a great means of exercise. You can vent your anger at life the universe and everything at people instead of eating all the feels and at the same time meet new

Now, what is Boffering?

people and learn to work in a group and become a team player. If you are interested

The term comes from the word “bof- in history and reenacting historic events you can do that without the dangers of real fer” which is generally a weapon weapons. And even if history is not your thing than maybe the battle of the five armies made from lightweight materials is something you can enjoy. You can do all of that while safely learning martial arts. such as wood and then covered in padding material like foam in or- Boffering in Finland der to prevent injury when fighting The biggest Boffering event in Finland with about 600 participants is Sotahuuto with them. These weapons can be which takes place every year. There is an extra training camp for it called NOXBO. swords, daggers, bow and arrow, Another annual event is Ropecon. Other events are Vainovalkeat, a two day around axes, throwing weapons, shields and the clock survivalevent in the summer as well as Orivesi training camp next weeanything else you can think of.

kend on the 29th of November. This camp is more of an athletic competition where people compete in small groups or on a personal level.Especially in winter though,

If you are wondering why anybody events are rare with all the cold weather and such. would go through all the trouble of building themselves weapons and Curious yet? then cover them up? Well, obvious- I would not be writing this if there was not a big reveal at the end that you can ly if you want to actually use your actually become active in this sport here in Kouvola. In spring last year a Boffering weapons but also have a strong group was founded by a student of Kyamk: Noora Saarinen. As of yet, there is no aversion towards going to prison official team but you can join the group by going to their meetings. If you want to for accidentally maiming/killing a find out about those check out their Facebook group “Boffaus Kouvola” (https:// fellow human being, this just might www.facebook.com/groups/337364723071599/). be a clever idea.

Text:Sarah Rosenthal, Photos:Juho Jurvanen

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MOVIE REVIEW

THE JUDGE(2014) / Director: David Dobkin / Genre: Drama / Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga / Rating:

JAKTUU|(16)|10€ Fri,Sat 17:00|2h15min INTERSTELLAR|(12)|10€

This family drama, somewhat a thriller, is about a very successful lawyer, estranged from his family, coming back home to help defend his father, a famous judge accused of murder, and the process of bringing him closer to his family.

Fri-Tue 19:15|2h49min NÄLKÄPELI|(12)|10€ Fri,Sat,Mon,Tue 18:45, Sun,Wed,Thu 19:30 |2h03min

The cast alone, is worth seeing this film. Robert Downey Jr. once again does a fantastic role playing a strong, heard headed and brilliant man. With some love interests and marriage issues, everything is complicated in his world. If you added millions, knowledge and a fancy iron suit, you could easily have Mr.Stark. If you want to watch Robert do his „thing“ ,you should definitely go see this one.

HOBITTI-VIIDEN ARMEIJAN TAISTELU|(12)|10/12€ 2D Wed 00:03, 18:45, Tue 18:45 3D 00:03, 19:45, Tue 19:15|2h24min YLLÄTYSLEFFA|(12)|8€ Fri 19:30|?h??min

The story of who did what, when and how keeps you interested and guessing of the truth. The dramatic family feuds give the film the depth of emotion it needs on top of the base story. As the movie goes, you keep on guessing, watching a man crumble, a man succeed, and the story evolve. Somewhat silly of me, but I like the colours in this movie; the leather and the wood, the suits and ties and the leaves in the trees. It gives you the feeling of depth and texture and makes this movie so much more interesting. The title of the movie, the feeling of it all makes you think of gentleman’s clubs, which, I believe, was the point. Well done, this movie has it all; life, death, disease, sex, hate and love. Definitely worth watching!

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us d n Fi on k! o o b e c Fa

KOUVOLA 06.12 Irina @ House of Rock Starting 23.00 House of Rock / Kouvolankatu 28 06.12 Ice hockey: KooKoo - Leki Starting 16.00 Kouvolan jäähalli / Topinkuja 1 Tickets: starting from 9€ 11.12 Students’ Board Game Night

KOTKA 06.12 Hiphop X-mas Starting 14.00 Ruonalan palloiluhalli Tickets: starting 23,50€

Starting 18.00 Ravintola Aula / Sokos hotel vaakuna

LAHTI 10.12 LAMKO’s Pre-Christmas Party

HELSINKI 05.12 Church Festival Temppeliaukio Tickets: 10€ 10.12 Enrique Iglesias Starting 18.30

Starting 22.00 Tivoli / Lahti Tickets: 2€ student card / 4€ 13.12 Skate with Pelicans Starting 9.00 Isku Areena / Lahti

Hartwall Arena / Helsinki

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