Pyhäjoki (Finland)
(April 2025)

[EUS]

Gaur gure hurrengo abentura hasi dugu. Oraingoan Pyhäjokira (Finlandia) etorri gara. Hona etortzeko bidaia lasaia izan dugu, kontroletan ez da arazorik egon eta hegaldia garaiz irten da. Hegaldia Loiutik Oulura izan da, Munichen eskala egin ostena, eta maleta guztiak gurekin batera etorri dira . Bidaian zehar, lasaitasuna, barreak eta loak izan ditugu. Pirineoak eta Alpeak elurtuta ikusi ditugu. Oulutik Pyhäjokirako bidean elurra ere gure zain zegoen, baita itsaso izoztua ere.

Familiak ezagutzeko poz eta urduritasuna zegoela konturatu gara, nahiz eta orain dela hamar egun haien finlandiar lagunak Laudion eta Orozkon haien etxeetan egon. Inoiz aurretiaz hegazkinez bidaiarik egin ez dutenek ere poz-pozik egon dira.

Ouluko aireportuan autobusa hartu dugu Pyhäjokira joateko. “Saaren Koulu” eskola heltzerakoan familia guztiak gure zain egon dira, guztiak irribarretsu, alai eta pozik. Handik zuzenean ikasle bakoitza bere “host family”aren etxera joan da.

Bost ordu pasa dira, heldu garenetik eta gure ikasleen partetik ez dugu mezurik jaso. Honek Finlandiako abentura ondo hasi dela esan nahi du.

[ENG]

Our next Erasmus adventure has just begun. This time we came to Pyhäjoki, Finland. We had a quiet trip to get here, there was no problem at the checkpoints and the flight left on time. The flight left Loiu to arrive in Oulu, after a stopover in Munich, and all the suitcases arrived with us. We had a calm journey, with some laughter and some sleep too. We saw the Pyrenees and the snowy Alps. On the way from Oulu to Pyhäjoki the snow also awaited us, and so did the frozen sea.

We realized that there was joy and excitement in meeting the hosting families, even though their Finnish friends were in their homes in Laudio and Orozko ten days ago. Even those who had never flown before were delighted.

We took a bus at Oulu airport to Pyhäjoki. When we arrived at the Saaren Koulu school, all the families waited for us, all smiling, cheerful and happy. From there each student went straight to their host family.

It's been five hours since we arrived and we haven't received any messages from our students. This means the Finnish adventure has started well.

[EUS]

Gaur goiz osoa “Saaren Koulu” eskolan egon gara. Ikastetxean sartu bezain pronto, dagoen pantaila handi batean “ongi etorri” bideoa ikusgai zegoen. Gure ikasleek hobeto elkar ezagutzeko jolasak egin ostean, eskola bisitatu dute haien finlandiar lagunekin. Irakasleek ere aukera izan dute eskola ikusteko eta finlandiar hezkuntza-sistemari buruz gehiago jakiteko. Eskola duela hiru urte erakin zen irakasleen beharrak eta iradokizunak kontuan izanda, beraz, espazio zabalak, argitsuak eta malguak dira nagusi. Nahiz eta 300 ikasle inguru espazioak partekatu, isiltasuna eta lasaitasuna edonon sentitzen dira. Bazkalordua 11etan izan da, eskolako ikasle eta irakasleekin batera. Ondoren eskolako sukaldean gure ikasleek finlandiar sukaldaritza tradizionala tailerra egin dute eta “Karelian” pastelak prestatu eta dastatu ditugu. Arratsadez, gure ikasleak familia baten etxera joango dira picnic-a antolatu dietelako, ziur une dibertigarriak eta ahaztezinak bizi izango dituzte.

[ENG]

We've spent the morning and afternoon at Saaren Koulu School. As soon as we entered the school, the video "Welcome" was displayed on a large screen. After our students played games to get to know each other better, they visited the school with their Finnish friends. Teachers also had the opportunity to see the school and learn more about the Finnish education system. The school was built three years ago, taking into account the needs of students and suggestions of teachers, so the spaces are spacious, bright, and flexible. Although about 300 students share spaces, silence and calm are felt everywhere. Lunch time was at 11:00 with the students and teachers at the school canteen. Then our students had a traditional Finnish cooking workshop and we cooked and tasted "Karelian pies" with Heikki and Susanna. In the evening, one of the host families has organised a picnic for our students who will have hotdogs and marshmallows in the fire, they'll surely have fun and unforgettable moments.

[EUS]

Goizean eskolan Finlandiako historian eta hizkuntzean murgildu gara. Alde batetik, Finlandiako historian inguruko herrialdeek (Suedia eta Errusia) izan duten eragina; bestetik Finlandian hitz egiten diren hizkuntza desberdinak eta finesaren dialektoak. Guretzat ezezaguna zen herrialdeko kirol ofiziala ezagutu dugu, “pesäpallo” izenekoa, eta saioa bukatzeko fines hizkuntzaren ezaugarriak azaldu dizkigute eta esamolde batzuk ikasi ostean, horri buruzko jokua egin dugu. Ondoren, hockey izotz-zelaira joan gara eta eskolen arteko txapelketa ikusi dugu. Berriro guretzat “hamaiketako” ordua dena, bazkaldu dugu eta Annala herri museoa bisitatu dugu. Bertan, Heikkik, herriko liburutegi arduraduna eta museoaren zaindaria, XIX. mendeko hemengo bizimodua azaldu digu, jokoen bidez eta gara hartako etxebizitza desberdinak erakutsiz. Basotik paseo bat emanez, eskolara bueltatu gara izotzan patinatzeko beharrezkoak diren patinak eta makilak hartzeko eta izotz-pistan gure ikasleek hemengo ikasleen laguntzaz, hockey-an aritzeko trebetasuna erakutsi dute. Eguna bukatzeko, ikasleak berriro familiekin joan dira plan desberdinak egiteko.

[ENG]

In the morning at school we were told about the history and languages of Finland. On the one hand, the influence of neighbouring countries (Sweden and Russia) on the history of Finland; on the other hand, the different languages spoken in Finland and the dialects of Finnish. We were also told about the official sport of the country unknown to us, called pesäpallo, and at the end of the session we learnt the characteristics of the Finnish language. After learning some expressions, we played a game on it. Then we went to the ice hockey rink and watched a game of the championship that the teams of the area schools played. We had lunch and visited the Annala People's Museum. In it, Heikki, the library manager of the town and patron of the museum, explained to us the life here in the 19th century, through games and showing us the different types of homes we were visiting. Taking a walk in the woods, we went back to school to pick up the skates and sticks necessary for ice skating, and on the ice rink our students, with the help of local students, showed their ability to play ice hockey. By the end of the day, the students went back with their families to make different plans.

[EUS]

Goizean ikasleek Raahe hiria bisitatzeko aukera izan dute, itsas-museoa eta herriko museoa, hain zuzen ere. Raahe kostaldeko herria da, XVII. mendean sortua, eta arrantzak eta arrantzaleek izan duten garrantzia herriko historian itsas-museoan ulertzerko auketa izan dugu. Ondoren, herriko museoan munduko urpekaritza jantzirik zaharrena kontserbatzen da, txahala larruarekin XVIII. mendearen hasieran eginda, “Manhan herran” izenekoa.

Bazkalorduan “Langin kauppahuone” hotelera joan gara. Eraikin historikoa da, alde zaharreko plaza nagusian kokatuta eta XIX. mendeko merkatari batek eraikia. Finlandiar janari tradizionala bazkaldu ostean, gida bat gure zain zegoen Raaheko alde zaharreko bitxikeriak guri kontatzeko (herriko sorrera, egurrezko erakin tipikoak, biztanleen ohiturak eta bizimodua…). Ordubeteko bisita egin ostean ikasleek haien lagunekin Raahe bisitatzeko aukera izan dute eta familiek jaso dituzte asteburuko plan interesgarriak hasteko. Hemengo familiek gure ikasleak iparraldeko hiri nagusira eramango dituzte, Oulu izenekoa, eta familia batek beste bati Laponia ezagutzeko aukera emango dio.

[ENG]

In the morning the students had the opportunity to visit the city of Raahe, the maritime museum and the local museum. Raahe is a coastal town, founded in the 17th century, and the importance of fishing and fishermen in the history of the country has been understood in the maritime museum. Then, in the village museum, the oldest scuba diving suit in the world, made in veal leather at the beginning of the eighteenth century, and it's called "Manhan Herran."

At lunchtime we went to the “Langin kauppahuone” hotel. It is a historic building, located in the main square of the old town and built by a 19th century merchant. After eating traditional Finnish food there, a guide was waiting for us to tell us about the curiosities of the old town of Raahe (the origins of the village, the typical wooden buildings, the customs and lifestyle of the inhabitants...). After a one-hour visit, the students had the opportunity to visit Raahe with their friends and the families picked them up to start interesting weekend plans. The families here will take our students to the main town in the north, called Oulu, and one of the families will give one of our students the opportunity to see Lapland.

[EUS]

Asteburu ederra pasatu dute gure ikasleek finlandiar familia eta lagunei esker. Ostatua ematen ari diren hamar familiek plan desberdin eta interesgarriak antolatu dituzte gure ikasleek finlandiako bizimodua hobeto ezagutzeko. Larunbatean ur izoztuan bainua hartu zuten eta Oulu hiria bisitatu zuten. Igandean, Finlandian oso tipikoa den ekintzan parte hartu zuten. Basoan barbakoa modukoa prestatzen dute saltxitxa erreak dastatzeko. Hara ikasle baten familiako traktorean igota heldu ziren. Gauez ikuskizun zoragarriaz eta paregabeaz gozatzeko aukera izan zuten, “Ipar argiak”.

[ENG]

Our students have had a great weekend thanks to their Finnish family and friends. Ten families who are hosting have organized different and interesting plans for our students to learn more about the Finnish way of life. On Saturday, they bathed in cold water and visited the city of Oulu. On Sunday, they took part in a very typical activity in Finland. In the woods they prepared a kind of barbecue to taste roasted sausages. They arrived there on the tractor of a student's family. At night, they had the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful and unparalleled spectacle, "Northern Lights"

[EUSK]

Gure ikasleen finlandiar esperientzia amaitzear dago. Gaur goiza berriro eman dugu Pyhäjokiko eskolan, eguneroko jardunetan parte hartzen. Musika tailer batekin hasi gara eta Riikkari esker “kantele” musika tresna tradizionala jotzen ikasi dugu. Abestu eta jo dugu “Kalevala” finlandiar olerki epiko bildumaren kanta bat.

Ondoren, ikasleek beste tailerra egin dute euskal eta finlandiar ondare kulturaren inguruan. Bitartean, Elina Vehkalak, Pyhäjokiko Hezkuntza sailaren arduradunak eskola bisitatu du eta Laudioko irakasleek harekin egoteko aukera izan dute eta bi herritako hezkuntza sistemei buruz hitz egin dute.

Ohiko goizeko bazkalordua eta gero, arte tailerrari ekin diote gure ikasleek. Berriro, “Kalevala” olerkien bilduman oinarrituta, marrazkiak sortu dituzte kondaira horien ikonografia inspirazio moduan hartzen. Goiz oso aberasgarria eta interesgarria bizi izan dute. 14:30etan, saioak amaitu bezain pronto, familiekin joan dira azken arratsaldeaz disfrutatzera.

Bihar, asteartea, azken eguna izango da eta goizean finlandiar ikasleen ohiko klase saioetan egoteko aukera izango dute. Bazkaldu ostean Ouluko aireportura abiatuko gara etxera bueltatzeko.

[ENG]

Our students' Finnish experience is coming to an end. We spent this morning again at Pyhäjoki school, participating in our daily activities. We started with a music workshop and thanks to Riikka we learned to play the traditional "Kantele" instrument. We sang and played a song called “Kalevala” taken from the Finnish epic poem collection.

Then the students took part in another workshop on Basque and Finnish heritage and culture. Meanwhile, Elina Vehkala, head of the Pyhäjoki Department of Education, visited the school and the teachers in Laudio had the opportunity to meet her and talk about the education systems in the two countries.

After the usual morning lunch, our students started the art workshop. Again, based on the collection of poems "Kalevala", they created drawings inspired by the iconography of these legends. They had a very enriching and interesting morning. At 14:30, as soon as the sessions were over, they went home with their host families to enjoy the last afternoon here in Pyhäjoki.

Tomorrow, Tuesday 8th, will be our last day in Finland, and in the morning they will be able to attend the regular classes with the Finnish students. After lunch, we will leave for Oulu airport to go home.

Pyhäjoki (Finland) (April 2025)

Pyhäjoki (Finland)
(April 2025)