Hi ya´ll who might still read me blog. It have been a while, since I have posted something. Lot´s of school work going on.
First week of school is over and another one started already. Five courses, 16 weeks, 10-15 exams, 20 papers to write and couple programs to write. Sounds like lot´s of work and that is what it is!
So I have American Government, Introduction to International relations, Social issues in computing, video game design and Unix programming. Funny thing is that only two of those courses would be in my curriculum in Finland. I don´t want to bore you about course syllabus info, but I can tell you little about the classes itself.
The last for 50 minutes normally and are lecture based. All the professors I got, they are really good, specially American Government one. What differs from Finnish system, here we read and write a lot, A LOT. In first week, I had already one paper assignment, one computer task and 100 pages of readings. And that is just the beginning.
On the other hand, way of teaching is very slow paced and thorough. Issues are repeated multiple times and I get the feeling "we got that". Maybe you remember things better like that, who knows.
In my free time I have basically worked out at the Colvin. I love that place! I am there maybe more time than at my dorms. Last week I played basketball for three days, worked out at the gym, went to Pilates lesson (and yes, I was the only guy) and did some jogging. So I think I´m gonna be a disappointment to my friends, who be happy to see chubby cowboy rolling back, not going to happen! I also found the OSU lacrosse team and I am able to practice with them during the fall. We are also going to play one tournament in Tulsa in October.
Night time, we have been going to Stonewall Tavern, which is a pub here in Stillwater. There is not so many night clubs here (actually none), which is quite odd for me, who have been going more to clubs then pubs. We might go to Oklahoma city and Dallas someday, to check out the night life there.
Next weekend is the first College football game! We play against Georgia and it is going to be huge! This town goes crazy, when it´s game day. People come to camping, grilling, brings their own tv´s if they don´t have tickets to games. Luckily I do and I have chance to cheer for the Orange cowboys with 61,000 other people! That is going to be awesome!
GO POKES!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
"We are from all over Europe."
Howdy again!
It´s been a while, since I last had chance to tell about how it is going.
Loads have happened last week, so I will catch up a bit.
On Wednesday, we had our first day of international student orientation. There is total of 51 exchange students and app. 2000 international students in whole OSU.
In the morning, I got know most of the new exchange students and we have already formed our small "European group". Students from Belgium, Spain, Germany, Italy and UK have been extremely nice and although we are also from different cultures, we share the same experience, which makes it easy to get along.
In the orientation, there where mostly this bureaucratic stuff about immigration, health care, public safety and cultural issues.
Immigration here is quite serious issue. You have to have a good reason, to be in this lovely country of freedom. We have to maintain 2.0 GPA (Grade point average), which would be around 2.5 in 1-5 scale. We have to have at least 12 credit hours registered (app. 24 ECTS). What was kinda funny, that we have to be culturally involved. This is required by our visa status. This means, that we really need to go to cultural events, for example rodeo, football game etc.
You can see it clearly, that the state of Oklahoma is very conservative. People are very friendly here, but the social issues can be quite different. People here are very reserved about certain issues, like open relationships, having fun without boundaries and homosexuality. When you think about it is obvious. We are in the most republican state of the country.
On Thursday we went out with bunch of people. Our regular hangout place have been bar called Stonewall. There is nice patio and some pool tables etc. Only minus is that, you are allowed to smoke inside. Thursdays Stonewall is full of people. They have this "Trance night", when people dance on the tables and everybody are there. The whole yard was full of people dancing and having fun. Like in Finland, alcohol is not the main issue, but having fun is. Our European group partied so hard, that we broke one table!
Friday was the exchange student orientation, where I met the rest of the students. We have people from Mexico, China, Japan, South Korea and all over Europe of course.
In this orientation, we mostly just got to know each other and had a tour of Stillwater.
Quite interesting fact about Oklahoma is that when Europeans came here, all the Native Americans needed to move to Oklahoma. Wanted or not.
Saturday morning we went with International Student Organisation, to Oklahoma City Memorial. In 1995 happened the largest domestic terrorist attack in US soil, made by an American citizen, Timothy McVeigh. In Federal Building bombing, 168 people died, which includes 19 children. Memorial was very nice and sad of course. I post some pictures to facebook.
Saturday evening, we partied A LOT. We have got very close with Europeans, but I have got friends also from Mexico, South Korea and India. Where ever we also go, people asks "Where you guys are from." There is more than 10 nationalities all the time, so we basically response "All over Europe."
Tomorrow the vacation is over and the schoolwork start. I have five courses. Four of them are being teach on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I have only class on Tuesday and Thursday. So they are going to be my exercising days. I really look forward to see, how educations in higher level here.
It´s been a while, since I last had chance to tell about how it is going.
Loads have happened last week, so I will catch up a bit.
On Wednesday, we had our first day of international student orientation. There is total of 51 exchange students and app. 2000 international students in whole OSU.
In the morning, I got know most of the new exchange students and we have already formed our small "European group". Students from Belgium, Spain, Germany, Italy and UK have been extremely nice and although we are also from different cultures, we share the same experience, which makes it easy to get along.
In the orientation, there where mostly this bureaucratic stuff about immigration, health care, public safety and cultural issues.
Immigration here is quite serious issue. You have to have a good reason, to be in this lovely country of freedom. We have to maintain 2.0 GPA (Grade point average), which would be around 2.5 in 1-5 scale. We have to have at least 12 credit hours registered (app. 24 ECTS). What was kinda funny, that we have to be culturally involved. This is required by our visa status. This means, that we really need to go to cultural events, for example rodeo, football game etc.
You can see it clearly, that the state of Oklahoma is very conservative. People are very friendly here, but the social issues can be quite different. People here are very reserved about certain issues, like open relationships, having fun without boundaries and homosexuality. When you think about it is obvious. We are in the most republican state of the country.
On Thursday we went out with bunch of people. Our regular hangout place have been bar called Stonewall. There is nice patio and some pool tables etc. Only minus is that, you are allowed to smoke inside. Thursdays Stonewall is full of people. They have this "Trance night", when people dance on the tables and everybody are there. The whole yard was full of people dancing and having fun. Like in Finland, alcohol is not the main issue, but having fun is. Our European group partied so hard, that we broke one table!
Friday was the exchange student orientation, where I met the rest of the students. We have people from Mexico, China, Japan, South Korea and all over Europe of course.
In this orientation, we mostly just got to know each other and had a tour of Stillwater.
Quite interesting fact about Oklahoma is that when Europeans came here, all the Native Americans needed to move to Oklahoma. Wanted or not.
Saturday morning we went with International Student Organisation, to Oklahoma City Memorial. In 1995 happened the largest domestic terrorist attack in US soil, made by an American citizen, Timothy McVeigh. In Federal Building bombing, 168 people died, which includes 19 children. Memorial was very nice and sad of course. I post some pictures to facebook.
Saturday evening, we partied A LOT. We have got very close with Europeans, but I have got friends also from Mexico, South Korea and India. Where ever we also go, people asks "Where you guys are from." There is more than 10 nationalities all the time, so we basically response "All over Europe."
Tomorrow the vacation is over and the schoolwork start. I have five courses. Four of them are being teach on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I have only class on Tuesday and Thursday. So they are going to be my exercising days. I really look forward to see, how educations in higher level here.
Monday, August 10, 2009
First weekend.
Moikka!
Days goes by and it is already Monday evening!
During the first weekend on campus I met a fellow Fin! I was thrilled to speak Finnish again. We are Finns, so we are polite and we speak Finnish only when there is nobody else around. Antti comes from University of Helsinki and is here also for the semester.
We got familiar with the most amazing thing on campus this far, Colvin recreational center. Basically, it is a sport center. Just with two floor gym, 12 basketball courts, indoor and outdoor pools, climbing wall, golf simulators, indoor football field and dance rooms. This is one the Americas largest recreation center and it is here in OSU!
We were hanging at the outside pool playing volleyball, getting tanned and talking with friends.
It is still quite hot in here, sometimes over 100 Fahrenheits (app. 40 celcius).
This week we start our international student orientations. Mostly they are about practical matters here in OSU. We also get to meet all the other exchange students. In total there is 51 exchange students and 2000 international students.
Today we got our season tickets for football! Football here is crazy. In Boone Pickens stadium can fit 61,000 people! Game days are like carnivals here. Everybody are there wearing orange, eventhough they dont have tickets. And we gonna be there, where the action is, GO POKES!
Picture updates is coming to Facebook every now and then. Check it out!
Days goes by and it is already Monday evening!
During the first weekend on campus I met a fellow Fin! I was thrilled to speak Finnish again. We are Finns, so we are polite and we speak Finnish only when there is nobody else around. Antti comes from University of Helsinki and is here also for the semester.
We got familiar with the most amazing thing on campus this far, Colvin recreational center. Basically, it is a sport center. Just with two floor gym, 12 basketball courts, indoor and outdoor pools, climbing wall, golf simulators, indoor football field and dance rooms. This is one the Americas largest recreation center and it is here in OSU!
We were hanging at the outside pool playing volleyball, getting tanned and talking with friends.
It is still quite hot in here, sometimes over 100 Fahrenheits (app. 40 celcius).
This week we start our international student orientations. Mostly they are about practical matters here in OSU. We also get to meet all the other exchange students. In total there is 51 exchange students and 2000 international students.
Today we got our season tickets for football! Football here is crazy. In Boone Pickens stadium can fit 61,000 people! Game days are like carnivals here. Everybody are there wearing orange, eventhough they dont have tickets. And we gonna be there, where the action is, GO POKES!
Picture updates is coming to Facebook every now and then. Check it out!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
"Welcome to Stillwater, Oklahoma."
Howdy!
I´m finally here! The fly-over state, the bible belt, the home of rodeo and cowboys, Oklahoma!
Last 36 hours have been quite crazy, let´s go back a bit:
08/06
So I flew from Stockholm to Atlanta, which is the busiest airport in the world they say. In the plane, I sat next to Swedish exchange student, Mikael, who was going to California to play football(the European one). In Atlanta I had only less than two hours to catch my flight to Oklahoma City. Luckily border control went smoothly and Mikael helped me to go through customs and security control.
I was on time in Oklahoma City and OSU greeters where there to help me get to campus. I came together with British and Ethiopian student. It was clear, that football is big think here. First American who I saw, the taxi driver asks: "Go Pokes!", which refers to the OSU football team Oklahoma State Cowboys. They start their season in one month. Expectations are big.
In OSU I got my apartment right away, although we were there around 11.30pm. Residence advisers helped me to get a pillow for a night. Blanket I did not have, so I slept with a towel. I didn´t care, I´m in OKLAHOMA BEIBI!
08/07
After some night sleep, my first stop was at the Student Union and Study abroad office. The Student Union building is huge, largest in the world. In US, Student union has a different meaning than in Finland. Here, it basically means student services, like Finland we would speak it as a organisation.
I met exchange student advisers, who were extremely nice people. I signed forms and jumped back and forth medical center, computer science department and study abroad office.
In my first hours in OSU, I met immediately other international students. Sandra from Germany and Juan from Spain. I have been hanging out with them all the time. I have been very lucky, to get friends in my first day. I also met one European, Giovanni from Italy, who have been here before.
After formal matters, we went to Wal Mart. That is insane store. It is like we have Prisma or Citymarket in Finland, but three time in size and it is open 24h!
There we saw once again the friendliness of an American. This one lady heard us talking English with some foreign accent. She introduces herself as Esther, who have been knowing many international students at OSU. She helped us out with the shopping and gave us even a ride back to campus.
In the evening we went to Giovanni´s place to have italian dinner. Afterwards we went to check out Stillwater night life to a pub called Stonewall. Beer does not taste like beer in here, but it is cheap. Can of two litres was 6$. Bad thing here, is that bars close around 2am. Well anyway very nice first day.
There is couple things that get your attention at first:
Transportation, there is now proper public transportation here. There is campus bus, but most of people are not using it (read, only international students). Today we were walking to nearby store and were the only ones. Nobody is walking in US, expect to his/her car and back. We even saw drive in beverages store, can you imagine?
People, I´ve been stunned to see how friendly people are here. Simple things, like saying "hey, hello, thank you, how are you" you can here from almost everybody. If you are lost, everybody helps, stop to talk with you and welcomes you to Oklahoma. It is nothing special, but it makes you feel welcomed and safe, when people around you are treating you well. Although many things are better in Europe, this is something we should really learn from Americans.
Check out picture updates from Facebook!
I´m finally here! The fly-over state, the bible belt, the home of rodeo and cowboys, Oklahoma!
Last 36 hours have been quite crazy, let´s go back a bit:
08/06
So I flew from Stockholm to Atlanta, which is the busiest airport in the world they say. In the plane, I sat next to Swedish exchange student, Mikael, who was going to California to play football(the European one). In Atlanta I had only less than two hours to catch my flight to Oklahoma City. Luckily border control went smoothly and Mikael helped me to go through customs and security control.
I was on time in Oklahoma City and OSU greeters where there to help me get to campus. I came together with British and Ethiopian student. It was clear, that football is big think here. First American who I saw, the taxi driver asks: "Go Pokes!", which refers to the OSU football team Oklahoma State Cowboys. They start their season in one month. Expectations are big.
In OSU I got my apartment right away, although we were there around 11.30pm. Residence advisers helped me to get a pillow for a night. Blanket I did not have, so I slept with a towel. I didn´t care, I´m in OKLAHOMA BEIBI!
08/07
After some night sleep, my first stop was at the Student Union and Study abroad office. The Student Union building is huge, largest in the world. In US, Student union has a different meaning than in Finland. Here, it basically means student services, like Finland we would speak it as a organisation.
I met exchange student advisers, who were extremely nice people. I signed forms and jumped back and forth medical center, computer science department and study abroad office.
In my first hours in OSU, I met immediately other international students. Sandra from Germany and Juan from Spain. I have been hanging out with them all the time. I have been very lucky, to get friends in my first day. I also met one European, Giovanni from Italy, who have been here before.
After formal matters, we went to Wal Mart. That is insane store. It is like we have Prisma or Citymarket in Finland, but three time in size and it is open 24h!
There we saw once again the friendliness of an American. This one lady heard us talking English with some foreign accent. She introduces herself as Esther, who have been knowing many international students at OSU. She helped us out with the shopping and gave us even a ride back to campus.
In the evening we went to Giovanni´s place to have italian dinner. Afterwards we went to check out Stillwater night life to a pub called Stonewall. Beer does not taste like beer in here, but it is cheap. Can of two litres was 6$. Bad thing here, is that bars close around 2am. Well anyway very nice first day.
There is couple things that get your attention at first:
Transportation, there is now proper public transportation here. There is campus bus, but most of people are not using it (read, only international students). Today we were walking to nearby store and were the only ones. Nobody is walking in US, expect to his/her car and back. We even saw drive in beverages store, can you imagine?
People, I´ve been stunned to see how friendly people are here. Simple things, like saying "hey, hello, thank you, how are you" you can here from almost everybody. If you are lost, everybody helps, stop to talk with you and welcomes you to Oklahoma. It is nothing special, but it makes you feel welcomed and safe, when people around you are treating you well. Although many things are better in Europe, this is something we should really learn from Americans.
Check out picture updates from Facebook!
Monday, August 3, 2009
DL0173 Departing 06.08, 13.15 Stockholm
Whupwhup.
Final days in Finland are now at hands. On Wednesday I´m leaving Finland, when taking a ferry to Stockholm. In Stockholm I´m flying to Oklahoma City via Atlanta. In Oklahoma City, there should be a person picking me up, towards city called Stillwater.
In Stillwater I have on-campus housing. One room apartment with own bathroom (yeah!). Most of the campus housings are dorm halls, where people share at least bathrooms, even bedrooms. Lucklily I got a private room from Village D dorm. It looks something like this: http://www.reslife.okstate.edu/housing/layouts/suite1b.gif
In every floor, there is kitchen, lounge and balconies where to hang out. Something around 40 students live in this building, in the largest ones there can be over 500 people.
Next time you going to here with is from OSU, if I haven´t rejected to enter USA :D.
If you want to check OSU website, go to http://osu.okstate.edu/welcome/
POKES!
Final days in Finland are now at hands. On Wednesday I´m leaving Finland, when taking a ferry to Stockholm. In Stockholm I´m flying to Oklahoma City via Atlanta. In Oklahoma City, there should be a person picking me up, towards city called Stillwater.
In Stillwater I have on-campus housing. One room apartment with own bathroom (yeah!). Most of the campus housings are dorm halls, where people share at least bathrooms, even bedrooms. Lucklily I got a private room from Village D dorm. It looks something like this: http://www.reslife.okstate.edu/housing/layouts/suite1b.gif
In every floor, there is kitchen, lounge and balconies where to hang out. Something around 40 students live in this building, in the largest ones there can be over 500 people.
Next time you going to here with is from OSU, if I haven´t rejected to enter USA :D.
If you want to check OSU website, go to http://osu.okstate.edu/welcome/
POKES!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Two weeks and counting.
Howdi!
When writing this first post, I have two weeks left before I´ll leave to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. OSU is a public university which helds both undergrad (bachelor) and graduate (master) programs. The school has four different campuses with more than 32,000 students. I am going to study in the main campus, Stillwater, which has 25,000 students and extremely popular NCAA football and basketball teams, Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Before my departure I still have to go through medical examination and tuberculose test. I also have to move out from my apartment, cause I am renting my flat for 5 months.
Other than that, I am quite ready to go and can´t wait for my trip!
I am leaving from Finland on 5th of August to Stockholm. I am flying from Arlanda airport on 6th. Flying from Stockholm and back was 200 euros cheaper than flying from Helsinki. I really recommend to check that option too, if you are planning to fly to USA.
So it is now 15 days to go. Can´t wait!
When writing this first post, I have two weeks left before I´ll leave to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. OSU is a public university which helds both undergrad (bachelor) and graduate (master) programs. The school has four different campuses with more than 32,000 students. I am going to study in the main campus, Stillwater, which has 25,000 students and extremely popular NCAA football and basketball teams, Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Before my departure I still have to go through medical examination and tuberculose test. I also have to move out from my apartment, cause I am renting my flat for 5 months.
Other than that, I am quite ready to go and can´t wait for my trip!
I am leaving from Finland on 5th of August to Stockholm. I am flying from Arlanda airport on 6th. Flying from Stockholm and back was 200 euros cheaper than flying from Helsinki. I really recommend to check that option too, if you are planning to fly to USA.
So it is now 15 days to go. Can´t wait!
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