Thursday 17th February

We started the day off by visiting Parkunmäki Primary School, on the way to Savonlinna.

We were treated to Auld Lang Syne in Finnish, by the school band!
The children showed us how they sing and dance!
The girls taught English colours to their Finnish peers at Parkunmäki school.
Delivering the Powerpoint presentations.

Lovely salmon for lunch!




Snow football...Finland v Scotland
After playing snow football...check out the frozen eyelashes!

Before we left Parkunmäki koulu primary school at lunch time.



At Savonlinna. What a scene!
In Olavinlinna Castle.
Can you see the steam rising by the "boiling" water? !!


How deep is this snow?
Our accommodation, by night.

Some thoughts from a very busy and wonderful day today here.

Katrina: We went to a tiny school this morning and we had salmon there for lunch. We went to Oskari seal centre to learn about the Saimaaa ringed seal. In Savonlinna, we went to the supermarket to buy things. On the way home in the bus, we went a bit mad, singing songs!

Catriona: In the supermarket in Savonlinna, we bought some Finnish stuff. I bought these “functional chewy pastilles” which are really nice.

Amy: We went to Olavinlinna Castle and we got to see lots of things there. It was -35C when we left here this morning, and -27C this afternoon. It was really fun! We went to a restaurant for dinner and had really nice pork. I'm loving it here!

Iola: I thought the sledging at the school we visited this morning was brilliant. We visited a huge castle this afternoon- it was cold there, but good. I liiked the pork we had for dinner at the restaurant.

Frazer: We did lots of fun things today. We played snow football at the school we visited this morning. The score was Finland 1, Scotland 1. The castle we visited had great views. After that we shopped for some things, and I have eaten most of what I bought. I bought some Lego people and a car. Later, we went to a restaurant in Rantasalmi and I had lots and lots of mashed people. I have really enjoyed this week so far.

Ryan: I have enjoyed playing in the snow. I had great fun skiing yesterday, and the football today was good. The score was 1-1. Tonight we are going to try the sauna.

Irwin: Playing football was really good- I scored the goal for Scotland! I also enjoyed ice-skating yesterday. It's very cold! Tomorrowe I will be skiing at the link school.

Michael: I enjoyed going to the museum. I enjoyed playing football with the Finnish children today. At half time, Finland was leading 1-0. But we scored in the second half. The castle today was very good. I bought a historic envelope opener at the castle. So far, I am having a great time!!

Kyle: I have enjoyed the music museum and the castle. The ice skating at Kuvansi school was very good. Tomorrow, I am looking forward to going skiing. The weather is really cold- it's freezing!

Ewan B: I liked the ice skating and the museum was funny. I am quite excited about going to try the sauna. Finland is really great. It's cold. The snow football this morning was cool. This afternoon we visited Olavinlinna Castle and it was weird going out this morning when it was -35C!

Dean: I really enjoyed the snow football because it seemed to have no rules. The final score was 1-1 and Irwin scored the goal for Scotland. Afterwards, I had frosting of my eyelashes- Mr Purves took a photo of it! I am really enjoying Finland!

Mrs Hilsley: We are having an absolutely fantastic time here! The children are real stars, and they are an absolute credit to you and the school. The children have thrown themselves into everything we have done, and we are being very well treated by all the Finnish people here.

And some final thoughts, after the sauna!

Quote from Lewis: That was AWESOME! It's the best thing I have ever done in my life!!!

He is referring to the fact that when the boys all went to the sauna, they raced out and rolled in the snow afterwards!! It was certainly an experience of a lifetime!

Wednesday 16th February

On the plane from Edinburgh to Tampere, Finland



The beautiful setting of Kuvansi's primary school, Eastern Finland.

Cross country skiing at the school earlier today.
The weather has been brilliant- sunny and cold!
On the ice rink!
Ice skating in the fantastic sun!
Marjo, the ice skating instructor.
Penpals help each other out at the skiing tracks.
Cross country skiing in the sun at Kuvansi!
Reciting some Burns for the Finnish children, and teachers!
Jyrki- a real Finnish "Scotsman!"

Tonight, in the hut where we had sausages and snacks after playing with our penpals outside.






Inside the hut, with the roaring fire, which ensured we kept warm.

Quotes from Wednesday 16^th February 2011

A summary of the day:

Breakfast was at 9am- after our long journey yesterday.

We then got the bus to Kuvansin koulu- our school, about 10km away, where we met our penpals and saw around the school, which is very different to our own.

We watched as our penpals introduced Finland to us via various Powerpoints. Then, we took our own turn to present our own Powerpoints to the Finnish class.

After lunch, we split into two groups and our penpals helped us outside as we headed off to either ice-skate or cross-country ski.

After cross country skiing, we had snacks and drinks, then came back to Varkaus, where we visited the mechanical music museum.

Then, back at our accommodation, we had dinner then played with our penpals, who came with their parents.

Lewis: I liked the skiing- the place we are staying is really nice and it's bigger than I thought it would be. The food has been really nice too!

Ethan: The woodwork room in the school is really cool. It was fun playing with our penpals.

Harry: The museum was really fun. The skiing was harder than I thought it would be but I enjoyed it! The snow is really deep, much deeper than I imagined.

Ewan J: I liked the skiing, even though I fell over in the really deep snow. The accommodation is massive.

Kathryn: Meeting my penpal was nice. It was fun skiing, but hard work. The school is really different.

Ruby: I really enjoyed the ice skating and I am having a really good time.

Megan: I learned how to ice skate today. We need a sewing room in our school, like in Kuvansi!!

More from the rest of the class perhaps tomorrow!

Note from Mr Purves:

Unfortunately, the internet is not working properly at our accommodation, so I have had to come to Mr Ikonen's house to upload this work. Please understand that we are trying to do all we can to let you see what we are doing, but it is possible that we won't manage to upload material each day, as originally planned.

Everyone has had a brilliant first full day here today- and it has been really great to see the penpals working so hard with each other when we were skiing or skating earlier today. As I write this, it's -28C outside, so it's very cold, but it many have been surprised and have said that it doesn't feel as cold as they thought it would feel!

We're off!!

Outside the school, as we prepare to leave for Finland!

Final preparations...

With only a few days left until we leave for Finland, here are a few little reminders:

• Remember to be at the school at 12.30pm on Tuesday 15th February. Don't be late- we want to leave by 12.45pm. The plane won't wait for us!
• If you look at the latest weather forecast, you'll see that it is likely to be sunny, but very cold, so don't forget your thermals, and other items that will help keep you warm.
• Remember that you should have had a good lunch before we leave Gifford.
• Mrs Hilsley and I will buy drinks and snacks at the airport- so please remember that you should not have any drinks or other liquids in your hand luggage.

See you all on Tuesday!

Mr Purves

Webcam meeting

We had the chance to speak directly to our penfriends in Kuvansi yesterday, when we enjoyed a very successful FlashMeeting webcam conference. There were lots of great questions asked, and once everyone got over their initial shyness, things went very well, and certainly everyone now knows quite a bit more about each other!

Thank you to Mr Ikonen and his pupils for their excellent participation. :-)

VisitFinland calendars

Our very good friends in Helsinki from VisitFinland have excelled themselves again- sending us all a calendar each and a CD rom that shows some short films about Finland. Each of the class went home very happy with their souvenirs. We have been very lucky- receiving lots of things before we even step foot in the country!
Once again, from all of us, a big thank you to Lea who works for VisitFinland :-) We really appreciate your gifts.

And, in addition, at the end of the day today, the hoodies that the children ordered have all arrived as well!

How much daylight will there be in Varkaus?

Some parents have asked me what time it's likely to get light and dark while we are in Varkaus.

Bear in mind that where we are travelling to is much further north than we are here in Scotland- and that during December, it's not light for very long at all! However, the length of day is already beginning to stretch quite quickly in Finland, so it's much lighter now than it was a month ago.

You can find the exact answer on this site.

Bag packing at Asda...and total of all monies raised so far.

Earlier today, we were in Asda at Dunbar, bag-packing to raise funds for our trip to Finland.
Thank you very much to all the pupils, and their parents for their fantastic help.
I have now counted the money, and the news is very good...
We have raised a total of £663.10 for the fund :-)

Once again - thanks again for all your help.

Below, is a list of all the money we have raised towards the trip to Finland.

Sponsored cycle £1412.80
Other donations £ 360.00
Longyester Quarry £ 200.00
Gifford Community Council £ 150.00
Coop Funeralcare £ 100.00
Rugby Films via Coop £ 100.00
Table-top sale in school £ 157.05
Bag packing - Asda £ 663.10

Total so far £3142.95

Welcome from Kuvansi!

Here are some photos from Kuvansi today- showing how snowy it is there! Thank you again to class teacher Jyrki, for sending us these pictures.

This is the ice rink, that we will have a chance to skate on!

Four of the pupils from Kuvansi, showing their Finnish and Scottish flags. I think they are looking forward to seeing us all in February!

Looking back towards the school, from the ice rink and the football pitch.

Thank you to VisitFinland!

Today, all the primary 7 children have received two posters each from VisitFinland, who very kindly allowed each child to choose a couple of posters from a pdf file that contained 11 fantastic, yet different images from Finland.
I'd like to record my sincere thanks to Lea Ololube, who works for VisitFinland, and who sent us these great posters. Lea sent us all brochures and pens back in November, and she has also promised each of the class their own Finland 2011 calendar, which should hopefully arrive from Helsinki next week sometime!
Kiitos paljon!


Some of the girls show off one of their posters.


This is most of the class, happy with their new presents!


Three of the boys, with one of their posters.

The brochures and pens we received in November.