Let’s wander where the WiFi is weak!

Finally, the time had come. We treated ourselves to the full dose of Finnish culture.
The two founders, whom we advised in our project, invited us on a cultural trip over the weekend. They prophesied special places, incredible nature, and local food for us. Basically, a "Cultural Overdose".

Friday afternoon marked the start of eventful three days. Luis' car was packed to the brim, as if we were going on a two-week trip. In our defense: we were advised to bring lots of warm clothing. Besides, the weather app predicted a high chance of rain.
At around 2 p.m., we started our journey towards the harbor, which was near Imatra (shoutout to the train station. Fantastic place!). When we arrived there, our six-member project team was waiting for Tomii, our guide and host for the day. After a short briefing, choosing seats, and safety precautions, we "set sail" on Tomii's small fishing boat. The destination: Muukonsaari. A small but lovely island (without two mountains, just in case someone needs an earworm)
After a five-minute high-speed sea voyage, we docked at the island's pier. The weather was mixed, but fortunately, it was dry. However, that was about to change quickly...
After a short walk around, the group dispersed to explore the island on their own. When Konsti, Flo, and I returned to the others after the walk, the food preparation was in full swing. In the morning, Tomii had already been busy and had caught a whole bunch of small fish, which were now being prepared in the smoker. Since Marco is not the biggest fan of fish and will continue to not be one, he naturally hoped for a good alternative.
However, before the food, which took quite a long time, was ready, we had to heat up the ovens in the sauna and our cabin. Because there was no electricity on this island. Fire, a few flashlights, and a well for drinking water. That was all the comfort we could afford.
In the meantime, it finally happened! The sun blessed us with countless rays of sunshine, which made the island appear in a whole new light. A Frisbee and a volleyball even tempted us to be physically active once again.

It's worth mentioning that professional basketball player Konsti is much more accurate with his foot than with his hands (Sorry, dear beer can)

Dinner time! Unfortunately, there was no real alternative to the fresh caught fish, much to Marco's dismay. The freshly caught fish was the main course, accompanied by carrots and mashed potatoes. For everyone else, it was a successful meal that finally felt truly Finnish.
After everyone had enough time to digest, it was sauna time. We were really looking forward to it because without the sun, it had cooled down quite a bit. To our disappointment, we found that the fire in the sauna and the resting room had gone out. It was downright cold, and we had to get everything going again.
It worked somewhat. Therefore, it was not surprising that our sauna session lasted a total of three hours until we started sweating. Nevertheless, it was a cozy time in good company. After relaxing, we made our way to the cabin to spend the night there.

The next morning, we fortified ourselves with a hearty breakfast. (Luckily, there was no fish!) Then it was time to pack our things and head back to the mainland. Hanna, one of the founders of the company, was already waiting for us when we got off the boat. We thanked Tomii and divided ourselves into the cars. The next destination was the center of Imatra. Hanna is a volunteer guide. She shows tourists the sights of Imatra, and we were her next "clients". We walked along a disused riverbed, over some ancient bridges, to an active power plant, and past historic sculptures to a museum. The museum focused on the history of Finland and specifically Imatra. There also lived a 93-year-old lady who personally collected many of the exhibits. After this tour, we stopped by the adjacent hotel "Cumulus Resort Imatran". An architecturally excellent hotel of the upper class. Here we had a few cool drinks and discussed the progress of our project with Hanna.

From there, we continued to her farm. She owns an apple plantation and, as a hobby, makes apple juice herself. Here, too, we received an extensive tour of the premises, which finally led us to the kitchen, where the almost finished lunch was waiting for us. Fresh salad, boiled potatoes, and a kind of meat stew with three different types were prepared for us. A simple but delicious dish. Of course, an apple cake and coffee or tea were not to be missed. Finns love their sweet desserts and coffee.
Back in the car, we drove to our overnight accommodation, the "Koitsan-Bed and Breakfast". After a short stop at the Russian border, an abandoned theater in the middle of nowhere, and a dam, we arrived at the hostel. But before we could settle in there, a "doll park" was on our schedule. The "Parikkalan Patsaspuisto" was built by an artist. About 300 dolls are exhibited there. It's amazing how many artists are not, the dolls don't look particularly friendly. Fun fact: Real teeth were even used in some of them. Our plan to visit the park at sunset or in the dark did not necessarily make the faces look friendlier. An atmospheric place, until about 4,000 Russians (no, we're not exaggerating) flooded the entire park with their flashlights and mobile phones.

Back at the Koitsan B&B, we had dinner consisting of different types of quiche. One with lamb and one vegetarian version, which was hard to decide between. There was also salad with excellent dressing, the ever-present butter bread, and homemade malt beer. Jukka and Sirka, the hosts, made it possible for us to have a great evening in their guesthouse.

Jaana, the other main responsible person in the company, joined our group at breakfast time. She took us to her home that day. Before we arrived there, we made a stop at Siikalahti Bird Lake. A huge nature reserve where countless bird species gather to rest. Of course, October is not the perfect time to see birds, as most of them head south, but it was still impressive to see how many were frolicking around at the place. We even spotted two eagles in the distance.
When we arrived at Jaana's house, we were given another tour of the entire estate. Jaana's cat had recently given birth, so we were busy with five little kittens for quite some time before the last meal of the tour was served. Potato soup, with various types of bread and homemade juice. A perfect ending to this cultural experience.

Other exchange students signed up for "Meet a local family" and hoped to get to know Finnish culture a little better through that. Many were disappointed because not enough families participated. On the other hand, we were able to get in touch with many locals for free (the university paid) and get to know the REAL Finland. It was a great experience for each one of us.

We ended our Sunday evening with a pizza from the Selam regular shop and the NFL Red Zone on DAZN. This weekend was like a touchdown for us!