Vol 21 Issue 03

INSIDER 28.09.2018 | VOL. 21 | ISSUE 03

STUDENT MAGAZINE OF XAMK

EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES

EXCHANGE IN HUNGARY FAMILY FRIEND PROGRAMME EXCHANGE IN CZECH REPOVESI TRIP

RECIPE PROFILE MOVIE REVIEW

EDITORIAL STAFF

Stela Demaj Kouvola Current Affairs

Leif Heflin Kouvola Current Affairs

Marija Marash Kouvola Current Affairs

Van-Trang Le Kouvola Current Affairs

Polina Vishnya Kouvola Current Affairs

Alisa Kivirian Exchange View Affairs

Minh-Trang Le Kouvola Current Affairs

Long Nguyen Layout Editor

Trung Dao Layout Editor/ Kouvolan Current Affairs

Nikita Munenko Kouvola Current Affairs

Hugh Clack Editor in Chief

INSIDER STUDENT MAGAZINE South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences Paraatikenttä 7 45100 Kouvola Editor in Chief: Hugh Clack INSIDER ISSN 1457-1587  /INSIDERSTUDENTMAGAZINE 2

PHONE +358 44 702 8758 WEBSITE insider.xamk.fi EMAIL insider@xamk.fi

EDITORIAL

Hey everyone, it’s been a long time since I last wrote an editorial so excuse me if I suck at it, I totally forgot how to do this. This week we have a lot of new variations and themes, where I think everyone will find themselves a lot.

I am sure most of y’all will find the movie recommended this week both romantic and funny at the same time, which for me is pretty awesome don’t you think? On the other hand we have different points of view from different people who went for exchange in Hungary and Czech Republic. I bet there are still some of you thinking about going for the exchange right? if yes then these will be perfect for you.

The recipe this week is amazing and I can guarantee that because it looked so good that I decided to go ahead and try it for myself. Since I got a cold lately I thought that a hot dish would actually give me some more energy and more motivation, and guess what? Yup I already felt better after cooking and eating it all to myself: 3.

Another interesting topic is the profile for this week starring Annika Salmi as well as the insides of the Family Friends program who had a lot of interested participants getting to know new people and why not making some new friends as well.

Stela Demaj 3

EXCHANGE TO CZECH REPUBLIC Part 1. Choosing a country for exchange programme

City centre of Brno If you ever get a chance to go on exchange, you should use this opportunity without any hesitations!

Studying abroad opens new horizons, deeps you in a diverse multicultural atmosphere and broads network. It provides a possibility to travel to various countries and cities, meet people from all over the world and exchange cultures, knowledge and ideas. It is a perfect way to explore the world, people, cultures, learn new languages, study in a foreign University and have fun!

In order to go on exchange, you need to go through certain process which includes the following steps: 1) Choose country, city and University 2) Make application and wait for nomination from home and host Universities 3) Choose suitable courses from host University course catalogue so that can be transferred later 4) Collect all documents needed including insurance, language certificate, learning agreement and so on 5) Get visa 6) Apply for accommodation and enrol for the necessary courses in time 7) Buy your ticket and get on the road!

From multiple variety of offered countries and Universities it might seems a bit hard to make up your mind and choose one of those. I was considering Germany and Czech Republic. Finally, I went for Czech Republic, Brno for these set of reasons: 1. Brno as a destination for my exchange was recommended by my student counsellor and international coordinator. They have described it as a very student oriented, small but incredibly beautiful and cozy city with a wonderful architecture and interesting history.

2. Travelling is one of the main constituents of any exchange. So as Czech Republic is located in central Europe, it makes traveling pretty easy and affordable. It takes several hours to travel by bus to neighbour countries like Austria (Vienna) and Slovakia (Bratislava) and 6 hours to Poland (Krakow), 7 hours to Germany (Berlin), 11 hours to Italy (Venice) and so on.

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3. Czech Republic is fairly cheap comparing to costs of living in Finland. If you study and do part-time job or have some savings you can afford going there for your studies, even travel around and participate in various activities and events.

4. Masaryk University is a highly prestigious educational institution and especially Economic faculty considered to be the best in Czech Republic.

In order to make the most suitable choice of country for your exchange programme I would recommend starting with financial and geographical aspects, because in many cases those factors make a list of main priorities for a student decided to go abroad.

Secondly, compare host University course catalogue with a list of courses that you are supposed to study at your home University and see if it matches and if there are any courses that seems appealing to you.

Thirdly, go to University website, Facebook, Instagram etc to learn more about it and check on other student’s reviews.

Masaryk University

Talking with coordinator and asking your classmates could be also quite helpful to gather more information and valuable feedback.

In addition, you can get some insights about various destinations for exchange programme from exchange reports written by students, which are posted at XAMK webpage.

Lastly, ask your international coordinator for contact information of students who have already been on exchange in a country/city/University of your interest and communicate with them to make things clearer.

Feel free to contact me if you plan to go on exchange and need any help or advice!

Polina Vishina

International dinner

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PROFILE Annika is originally from Finland but for a period of time she lived in Switzerland. Below you will find more about her experience with both countries.

1. When did you start studying in Xamk?

I actually started a long time ago but I decided to restart my studies this year.

2. Can you explain the reason/reasons you decided to move in Switzerland?

Well I lived in the US when I was a kid for a while and I always had the need to travel and go abroad.

My husband, Toni, got a job as a firefighter in Cern and I urged him to take it!

ANNIKA SALMI

3. While in Switzerland, did you work on anything?

I was a hairdresser for a while but after I had my kids I started working on importing organic and natural clothes for babies, kids and adults, from Finland to Switzerland. The brand of the clothes was a Finnish brand called Ruskovilla. I also created a web shop called Ruskovilla Switzerland.

4. What did you miss the most about Finland?

Most of all I missed my family but however i actually really missed Salmiakki, Maksamakkara, Minttuviina and sauna. I also missed the quietness and the smell of summer cabins on a lake sometimes, which are things you don’t usually find in Switzerland. Not to forget about the cheap kindergartens and the free education.

5. What’s one thing that you dislike about Kouvola/Finland?

I wouldn’t say I dislike but I am not a fan of the routine here, going to work, doing groceries for the house and then staying at home. I would say that people here have a more sense of seriousness.

6. Why did you decide to come back to Finland?

We came back because my husband’s job ended and I also decided that I wanted to get a university degree but since in Switzerland is too expensive to study and it would also be harder to do that with 2 small kids it was easier to be near my family so they could help out.

7. What do you miss the most about Switzerland?

I miss going out for drinks and tapas and nice food near the beautiful lake. In Geneva there is a lot of amazing restaurants and the attitude of people is completely different. We would go for example with the kids near the lake in parks, barbeque, drink wine and chill for hours.

8. Which one of the two countries would you recommend to students searching for a new study place?

Well if we compare them together Finland is cheaper and more exotic but on the other hand Switzerland has a more central location, more opportunities to have fun and pass time. In conclusion I would say whichever country suits the student the most because both are amazing countries with different characteristics.

Stela Demaj

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YORKSHIRE PUDDING

Yorkshire pudding – the ultimate treat one can make out of three simple ingredients that can be found in every pantry: egg, flour and milk. The method to create this fluffy, versatile pudding is also as easy. I tried my best to come as close to the utmost traditional recipe as possible, so let’s jump right into it.

Instructions: 1. Crack the eggs into a bowl one by one, give them a light whisk.

Ingredients: - 4 eggs - 200 ml milk - 200g all purpose flour a pinch of salt - lard or vegetable oil

2. Pour in the milk. Whisk the mixture again until it is combined.

3. In a smaller bowl, whisk the flour until there is no lump left (this replaces shifting – which is an outdated method which I absolutely loath and only use in certain circumstances. Besides, washing a bowl is much more pleasant than a sieve in my opinion).

4. Add the flour to the egg & milk mixture and mix well until a thin, smooth batter forms. Cover and leave it to rest outside for at least 30 minutes.

5. Drop a small bit of lard into each cupcake mold. You will need eight in total. Put the tin into a 230 degree oven until the lard is melted and slightly sizzles.

6. Pull the tin out of the oven and fill up each mold with the pudding batter up to ¾. Place the tin back into the hot oven and wait for 15-20 minutes.

7. Once the batter has popped up to a golden brown and fluffy consistency, take them out and leave to rest for just a few minutes. Your Yorkshire pudding is now ready!

Yorkshire pudding is best served warm. As aforementioned, this is such a versatile dish that it can be eaten with literally anything. For savory dishes, you can stuff them with roast beef, pulled pork, or any kind of protein you could get your hands on. If you have a sweet tooth, a simple bit of whipped cream or jam with fruits can also fill you up to satisfaction real quick. Get creative and have fun!

Minh-Trang Le

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HUNGARY EXCHANGE

Cultural Shock in the new university New semester leads to new adventures! Especially if you are moving to a new country for the exchange studies…

And ta-da! Here I am, Alisa from XAMK, a third-year student, starting my autumn semester in the capital of Hungary, a beautiful city of Budapest! I’m going to study in Budapest Business School, Faculty of Tourism, Commerce, and Marketing. Stay tuned and I’ll lead you throughout my journey sharing the best moments and top tips about life here.

Let’s start with the period before the exchange itself. Before moving to a new country, you obviously need to choose your exchange destination and once you’re accepted you need to start looking at your possible courses.

Make sure the program fits your personal study plan because otherwise, your exchange studies can be kind of useless. Personally for me, I needed to fill an Erasmus application with courses I would like to take. However, when I arrived at the place, some of them were not available and some of them were already full. Don’t miss the deadline for the enrolment or your studies will become unexpectedly problematic!Moreover, be aware of the place of your stay. The earlier you start looking for a room or a flat, the better it will be. 80% of the students are facing the accommodation issues when moving to another country. The university in Budapest does not provide the dormitory possibility. Therefore, you need to find the place to live yourself.

Do not forget about the residence permit card if you need one! To get it, you will have to apply in Finland beforehand and then get it in Hungary with some of the university papers and the accommodation contract.

University also can give you a temporary student card to buy a cheaper travel pass (only 10 euros per month!).

All in all, starting in BBS (Budapest Business School) was quite a shock. Things don’t work here the way they do in Finland and it is going to take time for me to adjust and get used to a new country. Let’s see how it goes!

Alisa Kivirian

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FAMILY FRIEND PROGRAMME Hello there again it is meeeee, This time I am going to surprise you with my article because I am sure you will want to join this program.

I bet all of you when you first came here you wanted to know as many things as possible about Finland, its culture and every other thing that pops up on your mind. Well this year there was a huge opportunity to do that through the “Family Friend Programme�.

I first heard about it in spring 2018 and I was informed that this kind of program has been done before, but for some reason they stopped. Anyway, I am glad they decided to do it again.

With this kind of program you get assigned a Finnish family that might have different family members. The family first contacts you via email and then you get the chance to talk with them. After that the school made a kind of gathering where all the students that applied for the program were invited and all the families as well. In this meeting I had the pleasure to meet a family with the mother, the father, the daughter and their dog (which was not there that day).

The meeting started with a speech explaining the rules that we had to follow, but do not worry no big deal. It was just to make clear to all the students that the family was not responsible for their mistakes or their economy. After that we got to sit with the families. I was not the only one that was assigned to this family. There was also a girl from Spain, who I need to mention was very nice. All of us started to discuss about ourselves. What we were studying/ working, what were our interests and what would we like to do together. In the end we agreed to try sauna and after that swimming in the lake, going for sushi and cooking for each other so we could all try Finnish, Spanish and Albanian food. I need to mention that there were refreshments as well during the meeting and what it more important is that there was pulla my favourite.

I personally applied for this program the moment that I heard about it because I would love to meet a Finnish family and get together with them. After all who else can show you the real Finland and make you live this experience to the fullest than a Finnish family?

Marija Marash

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THE PREDATOR OR STOP SCREWING UP CLASSICS

STUDIO 123 Kymenlaaksonkatu 1 45700 Kuusankoski 044 375 3686 www.studio123.fi 28.09 - 04.10.2018 STUDIO 1 OOPPERA: LA TRAVIATA (S) | 23€ | 2h45mins Sat 12:00 Tues 18:00 NUORI ASTRID (12) | 11€ | 2h3mins Sun 15:00 IHMEPERHE 2 (7) | 11€ | 2h6mins Fri 17:15 Sat - Sun 15:10 Mon, Wed - Thurs 17:15

DIRECTOR: JON M. CHU WRITING: PETER CHIARELLI, ADELE LIM LEADING ROLES: CONSTANCE WU, HENRY GOLDING, MICHELLE YEOH, GEMMA CHAN ROMANTIC, COMEDY / BUDGET: $30 MLN

We haven’t had too many comedies this Fall, apart from the Predator, its stupidity was real fun to watch. So Crazy Rich Asians was perceived as somewhat fresh and desirable and served as a good warm-up before the next week’s movie.

An American-born Asian professor Rachel Chu meets a Singaporean man and decides to go to his home country with him. She realizes there that her humble boyfriend is in fact a son of the holders of the main building company in Singapore. The number of “huntresses”, who would like to marry the guy, Nick Young, is overwhelming. But the biggest challenge is yet to come: Rachel still needs to prove to Nick’s mother that she is worthy of him.

The movie has got $28,5 million on its first weekend in America which is quite a decent start for a romantic comedy like this (considering their budget, Asians almost reached a breakeven point). Asian actors have had quite a rough time getting to the best movies and TV-shows, so seeing a movie like this is a surprise, and a pleasant one. It is not a case when actors are substituted with their colleague of a different race, gender or sexuality (sorry, black Hermione, you will never be loved). You can see that this movie was made by Asians and for Asians. And it’s a good one!

You can get some laughs along the way, and I am sure our huge Asian population will enjoy the film greatly. Make sure to grab your boyfriend, girlfriend or just a friend and go see the movie. It is not perfect but it’s definitely worth its price.

 Nikita Munenko

NUNNA (16) | 11€ | 1h37mins Sat - Mon, Thurs 19:40 THE PREDATOR (16) | 12€ | 1h48mins Fri, Wed 19:40

STUDIO 2 JOHNNY ENGLISH ISKEE JÄLLEEN (7) | 11€ |1h28mins Every Evening 17:00 ILOSIA AIKOJA, MIELENSÄPAHOITTAJA (12) | 12€ | 1h58mins Every Evening 18:45 Sat - Sun 14:30, 18:45 Silver-Star show Thurs 13:00 CRAZY RICH ASIANS (7) | 12€ | 2h01mins Fri, Sun, Wed 19:30

STUDIO 3 WHERE IS EMILY? (12) | 11€ | 1h57mins Sat, Mon - Tues 19:30 A SIMPLE FAVOR (12) | 11€ | 1h57mins Every Evening 17:20 TYHJIÖ (12) | 11€ | 1h37mins Sat, Mon - Tues 17:30

Students/armed services, pensioners 1€ discount on all full priced tickets of 10€ or more

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REPOVESI TRIP So, erm…we had a small hiking trip to Repovesi last Wednesday and it was great. Repovesi is basically one of the many national parks in Finland and offers free adventures for everyone. There was a tour guide who spoke mostly in Finnish, giving us information as the majority of our group were Finns. For the ones who are disabled in Finnish like us, even though we’ve been staying here for two years or so, there was, I think a student, who translated everything for us.

We mostly hiked around a very teeny tiny part of Repovesi and made a few stops to listen to our guide.

First time ever I went on a hand-operated Fox’s Ferry. It was so cool and my arms malfunctioned for a minute after pulling the ferry’s rope to go to the other side of the lake. We had a rest stop mid-way of our hiking to have free sausages, bread, coffee and tea but apparently, I was too busy enjoying the sausages and tea that I forgot to take any kind of pictures for documentary. There were a few Insider staffs who also participated the trip but it seemed no one had the intention of letting others know that we had free sausages there. The hiking was awesome: the breezy weather, the greeny scenery, a free leg-day, the free sausages and such. We sat on cliff looking down the overall view of the national park, listened to the sound

of nature and imagine how ancient people used had a fire camp there, guarding their territories. I wouldn’t have done that if our guide had not told us to though.

I was too busy finding a good spot to take pictures for this article but the forests and the rocks got in my way. couldn’t come up with any other good idea so I just followed those wise words of the guide instead.

On our way back to the entrance of the park, we had to cross the lake but the rope bridge was down so we row the boats instead. It was awesome. Overall, the trip was so worth it and after an afternoon of exhausting our strength like that, I thought to myself: “Let’s do it again lol.”

Trung Dao

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