An internal presentation (orientation to new students) giving a very brief overview of Jakobstad/Pietarsaari and Finland. Presented in September 2016. Video elements may not function.

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Welcome to Finland
Darren Ingram
September 2016
Image:pinterest.com
Internal orientation for arriving
students at Centria UAS

2. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
Disclaimer
This is not sanctioned by
any tourist organisation…

3. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
Ongoing Questions?
Shout them out!
Source: Wikipedia

4. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
You got here?
• Who came to Jakobstad?
• Who came to Pietarsaari?
• Who thinks they should be in
another town?
Source:Wikipedia

5. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
A quick overview
• 5.495 million people (07/16)
• +8,522 YTD
• Record low birthrate: lowest in “independece
history”

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Many languages
• Two official languages plus three Sami languages in
parts of Lapland.
• By population (2014): Finnish (89%), Swedish
(5.3%), Russian (1.3%), Estonian (0.8%), English
(0.3%) as stated “mother tongue”.

7. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
Many owners, much history
• -3000 Various settlers occupy the country.
• 1100 Swedish crusaders came to “convert” Finns to
Christianity.
• 1323 Sweden formally takes over ownership.
Swedish language’s influence extends.
• 1543 Bishop Mikael Agricola develops the first
written Finnish book (to teach the language and
eventually aid Bible study).

8. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
• 1808 Russia invades Sweden, Finland ceded 1809.
• 1812 Capital moved from Turku/Åbo to Helsinki.
• 1899 “Russification” begins. Welcome to the
Russian army boys… Russian is an official
language.
• 1917 Russian revolution / 6.12.1917 is important!
• 1918 Finnish civil war. 30,000 dead. Reds repelled.
• 1919 “Republic of Finland” is born.

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• 1939 World War II. Finland is neutral. USSR
disagrees and comes visiting. Winter War
commences. Children evacuated…
• 1940 Finns concede, ca. 10% of country lost.
• 1941 Germany attacks USSR, Finland seeks to
regain territory, UK declares war on Finland.
Hostilities remain with USSR (“Continuation War”)
• 1944 (June) USSR invades again after bombing
campaign. Armistice signed in September. More
land lost and much “war damages” to pay.

10. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
• 1952 “War damages” paid-off. Industry roaring.
Coca-Cola comes for the Helsinki Olympics
(delayed by war in 1940).
• 1955 UN and Nordic Council membership.
• 1995 EU membership.
• 2002 Euro replaces the domestic currency.
• 2017 100th anniversary of independence…

11. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
Locally
• Jakobstad: 19,464 persons
(56.4% SV, 40.2% FI)
• Larsmo: 5,132 persons
(92.5% SV, 6.5% FI)
• Kronoby: 6,654 persons
(83.3% SV, 15.5% FI)
• Pedersöre: 11,098 persons
(90.1% SV, 9.0% FI)
• Nykarleby: 7,559 persons
(89.3% SV, 8.1% FI)
Image:Jakobstadsregionen.fi

12. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
Did you know…
• Finnish doctor (Lönnrot) collected rural Karelian folk
tales that formed “Kaleva” (reconstructing the myths
prior to Christianity). Inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to write
“Lord of the Rings” in a very similar vein.
• Finnish industry started by… a Scot (Finlayson).
• 188,000+ lakes, 179,500+ islands, 2m+ saunas.
• Linux, Angry Birds & Father Christmas…

13. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
• Master of sports: Wife Carrying World
Championships, Air Guitar Championships,
mosquito hunting, mobile phone throwing, swamp
football, rubber boot throwing.
• … don’t ask about hockey and certainly not soccer.
• Most successful Olympic country (number of
medals, per games contested, per capita)…

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• You can sleep, swim, sail, fish or forage anywhere
you like, even on private land. (“Everyman’s right”, a
few small exceptions apply).
• First Internet browser (Erwise). Sank due to lack of
funding (common problem…) Others follow.
• SMS, molotov cocktail, heart rate monitor and other
inventions.
• Many industrial and commercial developments too.

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• We drink a LOT of coffee. 13kg/person/year avg.
• We drink a LOT of milk. 1l/person/day avg.
• Income-related fines… including speeding (max fine
to date ca. 200,000€!)
• Lordi, Nightwish, Children of Bodom (most heavy
metal bands per capita).
• Tango.

16. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
Stereotypes?
• Sauna-mad
• Religious
• Left-leaning
• “Different” food
• Difficult language
• Heavy drinkers, party animals
• Suicidal, quiet, insular
• Honest, trustworthy, reliable
Image:http://finnishness.blogs.tamk.fi

17. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
Finnish food…
• Karjalanpiirakka (Karelian pastries)
• Kalakukko (Filled herring pie)
• Grillimakkara (grill sausages)
• Ruisleipä (rye bread)
• Korvapuusti (“Slapped Ears” / Cinnamon Buns)

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• Mustikkapiirakka (Bilberry pie)
• Rapu (crayfish) - Swedish import!
• Poronkäristys (Reindeer “stew”)
• Leipäjuusto (“cheese bread” / “squeaky cheese”)
• Salmiakki (“salty liquorice”)
• Mämmi (at Easter)
• Lipeäkala (at Christmas)

19. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
What did Gordon
Ramsay think?

20. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
High-tech…
• Extensive high-tech industry, sometimes let down
by commercial activities.
• Business “fear of failure” compared to U.S., etc?
• Highly educated workforce, yet still a rigid society.
• We love gadgets…

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Nature
• Yet we love nature too. Summer cottages, hiking,
skiing, boating….
• Four seasons: you can form a love-hate relationship
with each.
• Lots of animals to cause harm, from mosquitos to
bears and wolves.
• But don’t be scared. There’s greater risk of being
run-over in city traffic!

22. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
Important: Sauna
VisitFinland

23. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
Use your time…
• Visit Finland as much as you can: ask Finnish students,
teachers, people you meet, tourist guides and use the
Internet.
• Get inspired: https://www.youtube.com/user/VisitFinland
• Keep an eye on VR.fi for special offers. Use your
student card. Student union may have some excursions.
• Even locally there are many things to see and do.

24. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
In Jakobstad…
• The tourist office is just
opposite the university.
• The city library also has a lot
of brochures.
• Remember online!
• Don’t forget to visit the polar
bear in Jakobstad (Nanoq).

25. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
If you are lucky…
VisitFinland

26. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
I could talk for hours…
…yet I’ve not done all the
tourist stuff (I’m a “local”)!

27. © 2016 Darren Ingram. All links are correct at the time of publication. No endorsement or specific recommendation is made unless clearly stated. DarrenIngram.com About.me/DarrenPIngram
Questions?
Disagreements?
Darren Ingram
darren@ingram.fi
linkedin.com/in/DarrenPIngram
about.me/DarrenPIngram