Kallahdenniemi is an esker peninsula with two nature conservation areas.
One of my favorite summer activities is cycling by the seaside. Helsinki is situated on the southern peninsula, which makes it so easy to reach the water. It is so relaxing and soothing to see the endless blue sky and ocean when I enjoy the summer breeze and bright sunlight.
Excu is short for “excursion” and it means a short trip that implies leisure activities. At Aalto University excu is an organized visit to some company or organization by a group of students. Usually guilts and student associations are in touch with the representatives of different companies and organize those visits. The chosen companies of course function in a certain area of business that interests the student group and could become a future workplace for those students.
A couple of weeks ago I participated in one such excus organized by the Real Estate Economics student’s Association – FUNDI. We visited one of the buildings that were developed by HGR Property Partners – Accountor Tower in Keilaniemi district in Espoo. The building is 84 meters high and it is the 9th tallest building in Finland at the moment.
Façade of the Accountor Tower (YIT 2019)
It’s quite common that Finnish summer cottages situate on islands with a dense forest. Those white dots near the shore are summer cottages.
Mökille is the must-do for Finns in the spring and summer, it means going to the summer cottage in Finnish. Finns crave Mökille all year round. Why is that? There’s a joke about the real reason – so Finns can avoid people. We all know Finns love personal space and don’t like small talk. So once a while, they need to be left alone in the middle of nowhere.
EntryPoint Mentoring Program is organized by the Helsinki Chamber of Commerce once every year. This is a great program for international students or graduates who’d like to stay in Finland to build a career. This program matches mentees and mentors in the same or similar fields.
I joined the program from Jan till late May 2020. It’s a 5-month journey full of inspiration. I highly recommend international students and new graduates to participate in this program. The new application is open now till Aug 31, 2020. Apply for it quickly.
It’s mid-July and the first Mustikat begins to ripen and show their characteristic dark blue color between the conifer trees and the marshes. It’s the start of the berry-picking season and one of my favorite places to find blueberries is the Nuuksio National Park.
Nuuksion kansallispuisto was established in 1994. It’s only 30 km from the city center of Helsinki and easy to reach with public transport. From Aalto University you can take the metro and bus to Esbo and from there the 245A bus will take you right to the start of Nuuksio’s hiking trails.
Temppeliaukion Church
One of my biggest leisure in Finland is to visit museums and see exhibitions. It is an excellent way for me to get to know the local history, knowledge, and get some inspiration and reflection on design.
You can find all kinds of museums in Finland, and you would definitely be impressed with its sheer range, diversity, and depth.
My single room in the HOAS shared apartment.
I remembered when I received a student housing offer from Hoas and there was not much information about how a shared apartment looked like. I was worried that it’s going to be my first home in a foreign country and what if the roommates are not nice.
Lucky me, those are unnecessary worries. I liked my room immediately when I first arrived. Windows were 4-meter wide, looking into a small green bush. Two Finnish roommates were friendly. The first roommate I met in the hall wall noticed that I just moved across countries and had nothing but two suitcases, kindly offered me to use all her kitchen stuff.
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In the middle of our Campus in Otaniemi unfolds an area of brilliant green. If you have a passion for the vegetable world or simply a curiosity for gardening then the Otaniemi Urban Gardening Association might be just the place for you.
View over Vallisaari, Soumenlinna and Kauppatori
During the summer Helsinki offers many refreshing spots to forget about your thesis for a day and to recharge after a long spring semester. One of the unique things of southern Finland are the countless islands of the Archipelago Sea. You could spend every day on a different island during the summer and you’d still only discover a small fraction. There are 257 islands that are over 1 km2 and over 17000 smaller islands. When you have so many islands to choose from, it’s not easy to decide where to go. Fortunately, some of the most fascinating ones are just a short ferry ride away from the Market-square. Here are three popular islands that are super easy to reach from Kauppatori. Continue reading
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Here are some frequently asked questions.
Please see all up to date information on admissions and the beginning of your studies on Aalto’s website (aalto.fi) or by contacting Aalto’s Admissions Services (admissions (at) aalto.fi) or your programme’s student services.
How is the Corona virus affecting the contact teaching in Aalto University? Will the Fall semester 2020 be delayed? What if I cannot get a residence permit on time?
