SciFest 2008 – A trip to Finland
May 2008
In the month of April, 24 students from Taiwan travelled to Finland to take part in a science expo in the small city of Joensuu. These students were not going on a pleasure trip, but had been chosen to represent Taiwan in the high tech field of robotics.
For the previous few months, the students attended robot classes in order to prepare for this major international event, in the process gaining the necessary knowledge to allow them to introduce this complex technology to foreign students.
Even though the students were there to share their knowledge, they were also there to learn about other cultures and to experience a way of life quite different to their own.
Even though the students were there to share their knowledge, they were also there to learn about other cultures and to experience a way of life quite different to their own.
The trip started in the early hours of a Monday morning. Bleary-eyed, but brimming with excitement, our group set off into the unknown. First stop – Thailand. Here, we had several hours between flights, so we decided to explore the city rather than sit around in the airport.
In Thailand it was Songkhran, the Thai water festival, and so several of our students had the good fortune of getting drizzled with the joyful water. We ended an eventful day cruising up the river, watching the city glide by.
Since we were in Finland we were not going to give up the chance to do some sightseeing. Back in Helsinki we immersed ourselves in what the city had to offer. We visited an island fortress called Suomenlinna that guards the seaward approaches to Helsinki. We also visited Sea World, one of the best aquariums in Northern Europe. The city did not just provide a feast for the eyes. In order to satisfy our stomachs and broaden our knowledge of Scandinavian cuisine, we made sure that we had at least one truly traditional meal. The restaurant we chose had a very authentic regional menu that included reindeer. Everyone tried this exotic dish, but reactions were mixed.It was a long flight from Thailand to Finland, and then a train ride through the beautiful countryside before we arrived at our final destination, Joensuu. We settled down quickly in what was to be our home for the next five days – a cozy wooden cabin on the outskirts of the town.
Outside, the snow was gleaming in the weak sunlight. It held the promise of limitless fun. During the next few days, our students spent several hours every day lobbing snowballs at one another, sculpting fabulous snowmen, and constructing snow slides.
The science expo, known as SciFest, was held in a large indoor arena at the local university. At one end of the cavernous hall, we had a stand that was manned by our students. Each student had a job to do. Some gave presentations in English, others helped the robotics teacher to teach the Finnish how to build robots, still others presented information about Taiwan to interested visitors.
The students did a phenomenal job under demanding conditions. There was a lot of positive feedback from the attendees about how well the student performed. The word about the exciting program that we had on offer spread rapidly throughout the Arena. We were soon engulfed by eager festival-goers who wanted to find out more about robots and participate in our workshops. We had about 1000 visitors each day! Soon we were even appearing in the local newspapers. The organizers of SciFest were so impressed by the professional way in which we ran our stand that they immediately extended an invitation for us to attend next year.
During our stay in Joensuu, we also attended a local school where we sat in on some classes. Our students introduced Taiwan and their speeches were enthusiastically received by the local kids. At break time, we challenged them to games of basketball and soccer. Winning was not important. It was all about overcoming cultural barriers and making new friends.
Since we were in Finland we were not going to give up the chance to do some sightseeing. Back in Helsinki we immersed ourselves in what the city had to offer. We visited an island fortress called Suomenlinna that guards the seaward approaches to Helsinki. We also visited Sea World, one of the best aquariums in Northern Europe. The city did not just provide a feast for the eyes. In order to satisfy our stomachs and broaden our knowledge of Scandinavian cuisine, we made sure that we had at least one truly traditional meal. The restaurant we chose had a very authentic regional menu that included reindeer. Everyone tried this exotic dish, but reactions were mixed.
We also traveled out of Helsinki to see what the hinterland had to offer. In the town of Hameenlinna, we went for a short hike through a leafy forest and visited an old medieval castle. In the suburb of Vantaa, we visited the world famous, and truly awe inspiring Heureka science museum. Some of the displays were breathtaking in their ingenuity. Among the more memorable were a bicycle balanced on a high wire, simulators that allowed the students the experience to drive on ice, and an F1 pit-stop, where the students could see how fast they could change the tires of a race car.
Finally, ten days after we arrived it was time to say good-bye to a country that had been so kind to us. Loaded down with presents for our loved ones back home, we boarded the plane for the long return journey. Many a child and adult were observed with a tear in their eye and many vowed to come back at the first opportunity.
Finally, ten days after we arrived it was time to say good-bye to a country that had been so kind to us. Loaded down with presents for our loved ones back home, we boarded the plane for the long return journey. Many a child and adult were observed with a tear in their eye and many vowed to come back at the first opportunity.
