A day for the princes and princesses

The second graders danced their prom on the 13^th of February. A prom for the second graders is an old tradition and it is usually organised in February after the third period when the  third graders have ended their school year and the second graders are the oldest at school. The prom is called “Wanhojen tanssit” in English “Prom for the old ones”.

   The second graders' day started at 10 o’clock but the girls had woken up really early to do their hair and makeup. Everything was beautiful. The girls looked like princesses and the boys were so handsome in their suits and tuxedoes. You could feel the excitement in the school before the prom began.

   At 10 o’clock the  9^th graders from the junior high and the 1^st graders from the senior high were in the gym hall which the 1^st graders had decorated  the day before. The prom was ready to begin. Everything was beautiful. The 2^nd graders' dances were awesome and they danced really well, the dresses and the decoration were so amazing that it didn’t feel like it was our gym hall.

   After the 2^nd graders had danced in our school they went to the primary school in Kyröskoski and danced the same dances there. There was also a party in the evening.

Written by Johanna 1B

Interview with our Japanese exchange student Tomoka

I was very happy to interview our lovely exchange student Tomoka Okita who is from Japan. Here are some of her thoughts about her exchange year. 

Why did you decide to come to Finland?

I was interested in a society where women and men are equal. In Japan, there is a big gap in society between women and men. For example, men get better salary. Also the school system was something I wanted to learn about because Finland is always one of the top countries in PISA-tests. Finland is famous in Japan for its architecture, nature and brands like Marimekko and Moomin and I wanted to see those things.

Now that you have seen the education system, what do you think about it?

I really like the Finnish education system. There are several things, which make it so great. Everyone can receive the same education, which is important. The equipment that you have here, like in the art class, is wonderful. Hallways, toilets are always clean, you get free warm meal every day, the building looks nice. One of the most important things is that the teachers are professionals in the subjects they teach. It isn’t always like that. And those teachers who teach foreign languages do so much more than teach only the grammar. They teach the culture too. For me it’s also nice that almost every teacher can speak English. I also like that students are somehow “free”, you don’t have so strict rules. Also no second school after the normal school day, as we have in Japan.

What do you think especially about F. E. Sillanpää Upper Secondary school?

 It’s a nice environment for exchange students. And as I said, the teachers here are great. I also like the building of F. E. SIllanpää high school. Oh, and I like “tupa” where students can hang out without the teachers.

How about the students here?

Every student can speak English. And everyone is so nice! Especially I like 1B because it’s cheerful and chatty.  They throw some great parties too.  

What do you think about Finnish people in general?

The first impression for me was that Finns are very shy but now that I have been here, I can say they are not. Finnish people are very open-minded and honest. All Finns are also very logical, like when they explain things to me in English. They usually make it very easy for me to understand. One thing that is completely different in Japan is that I have to put an effort in making a relationship with everyone. In Finland if I don’t like someone, I don’t need to be with them, and it’s okay. No bigger drama. In Japan if I don’t like someone that can become a big problem. Finnish people are also very wise and I like that they don’t always show that to everyone.

Which are the best things about Finland?

Parties! For me parties are a place where I can meet new people because everyone is so chatty and open-minded there. Nature is the second best thing. In Tokyo there is always so hectic that is so nice to be in a country, where is quiet and calm. I also like sauna, snow and the fact that Finland is a safe country. I don’t really have to worry about getting robbed.

 

Is there something that you really don’t like in Finland?

Busses are not on time. 

What are your favorite foods in Finland?

Salmon, chocolate (especially Fazer’s), Karelian pasty, coffee, sausage, salty liquorice, Christmas dishes (the Christmas ham is the best!), ice cream, hot wings, vegetable sushi (It’s different here than in Japan and I really like it!), gravlax, cloudberry jam, mead, cinnamon roll and the food that my host mum makes. I don’t really know are these all Finnish dishes but these I have tasted the first time in Finland. I would also like to point out that Munkkila is the best bakery!

Did you know a lot about Finland before you came here?

Not a lot. I knew that Moomin and Santa Claus are from Finland. I knew about 500 words in Finnish before I came here. When AFS decided that I would come to Finland, I started to search information about Finland. For example, I sought information about the equal society. But almost everything that I have learned about Finland, I have learned by living here and experiencing this Finnish lifestyle, not from books.

You are leaving soon, what are your thoughts about that?

I will miss all my friends the most. And the great education system. I don’t want to go back to Japan! I have had so many great adventures here, so many wonderful memories. I feel so sad that I have to leave but at the same time I’m happy to go back to home and see my family and friends. Although I already know that in a few years I will come back, I just wouldn’t want to leave. Because I love Finland.  

Written by Sara 1B

The Pirates of the FES

This year´s (2015) school leaving party was on the 12^th of February. The third graders in our senior high school left the “regular school days” behind themselves and celebrated with this day the last chance to have some fun before they have to start studying for the  matriculation examinations. 

This year´s topic was the Pirates of the Caribbean and the third graders had really made a big effort for their show and costumes. 

Of course, traditionally, the senior high school was totally messed up. There were a lot of newspaper chaff, tape and toilet paper all over the floor and the walls. Then, because the day gives the students a chance to tease the teachers, there were also some sentences written on the walls (funny ones of course) that the teachers had said and that the students remembered from their lessons. 

The show was in our school hall as usual and all our the students were there. The decorations were suitable for the topic and very nicely done. The third graders made a wonderful entry with a dance and the Pirates of the Caribbean film soundtrack.

After the dance the teasing of the teachers started. The third graders had made plenty of tasks, quizzes and competitions for the teachers with a little twist of course. For example our Finnish teacher had to explain for the other teacher which third grader she saw in the picture. (There were some pictures where some of the third graders were posing) Of course she had to use paraphrases and not to say the third grader’s name and the other teacher tried to guess.

Then there were different kinds of tricks that some teachers had to do. For example Taina Salonen, our language teacher had to fence with Jukka Saastamoinen, our mathematics and physics teacher. It was of course forbidden to use hands. Then there was some putting on a jacket as many times as you can in a short time and drinking three bottles of soda water for Asko Mielonen, our history and philosophy teacher. Jukka Saastamoinen also had to guess some sentences and combine the right teacher and sentence.

Then there was also a game for our English teacher and for our biology teacher. They had to throw the ball into a bucket. The ball had to pounce from the floor. The teachers were quite good in this game, so in the end they were also the one who made it to Tortuga (the better place). 

The day also included some candy throwing, watching the third graders' baby pictures, watching the abi-video and finally our third graders left our school behind themselves and drove away by lorry.
The day was successful and I think all had fun, especially the third graders. I also wish the third graders  luck for the final tests! 

The text and photos by Miranda 2B

Merry Christmas

Finally it arrived! The day that all the pupils had been waiting for eagerly.  The last school day before the Christmas holidays.

This year, all the pupils and teachers gathered in Hämeenkyrö church.  There the musicians from both the junior and senior high school performed wonderful Christmas melodies conducted by our music teacher. It is amazing how talented musicians we really have in our school!  

The audience had a chance to participate, too, by singing Christmas carols. We also heard the Nativity story and our principal's story about a very special Christmas in his childhood.

At the end, the pupils of the junior high school got their reports, and everyone wished each other happy holidays. I am sure that this Christmas concert filled everyone's hearts with peace and joy and was a perfect starting point for the Christmas holidays. 

I hope that we all can enjoy the holidays, relax and gather strength for the new year and the new school term.

Merry Christmas to each and every one and many thanks to the performers for the awesome concert.

Halloween

Scary monsters wandering on the hallways… You can feel the horror every place you go…

Yes, the scariest time of the year was here again! I mean Halloween, of course. It arrived to our school on the last day of October. You could even see it on the walls. Bats, spiders and pumpkins adorned the walls and I saw a skeleton in the canteen. The whole day was truly fun! In the first two lessons we were hardworking students like all high school pupils are.  After that the fun began! We all went to the gym hall. There was music playing and they offered juice. Everybody was in a good mood.

 

Like last year, we had the sports day and Halloween put together. This year the sports were volleyball and floorball.

   At first, it was time to play volleyball. On another field played 1A, 2A and 3A against each other and 3A won. 1B, 2B and 3B played on another field. Although the games were really intense and everybody played well, eventually 3B won.

   So in the final there were the third graders playing against each other. It was a rough game. The teams were very equal but after a tough final 3B won the tournament.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  After the volleyball tournament it was time to play floorball. The teams were the first class, the second class and the third class. The games were equal and tough. The first and the third classes made their way to the final. Many  thought that the first graders would win because they had beaten the third class in the first round overwhelmingly. But it didn’t happen again. The third graders gathered up themselves and won the tournament.

 

 The day was fun and the tournaments weren’t too serious. The games were fun to watch and there were fun and cheerful vibes. After  the tournaments it was  time to clean the gym hall and go home.

One of the main things in Halloween is the costumes (or at least I think so). And boy there were really many great outfits in our school this year! I’m not sure if it’s just my point of view, but I think that in the junior high  school the pupils don’t really put an effort on their costumes if they even are wearing anything special. Maybe they feel that it’s stupid and so uncool. But that’s not how it is in the senior high school! You can really see that these students have put a thought on their costumes. I don’t even understand how can they get such amazing ideas for their costumes but they really are fine for sure!

I have always thought that in Halloween you are supposed to look really scary but I don’t think so anymore! There were great non-scary costumes like the SpongeBob SquarePants and a smurf. They looked really cute and even though they weren’t scary they fitted in just fine among all the zombies that I saw.

Every class had their own color code which you could notice in their outfits. The first graders wore green, second graders had red and the seniors were wearing blue.

So this is what Halloween looks like in F. E. Sillanpää’s high school. I hope that it will be as fun next year!

Written By Johanna and Sara 1B