Publications by the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University 4/2010

Hi and welcome to Turku. My name is Mia Pusa and I am working as a pastor for

the Turku International Congregation and as a University Chaplain.

There are Holy Communion Services every Sunday at 4 pm either in the

Tarkk’ampuja Chapel of the Cathedral or in Aurelia, Aurakatu 18. The Aurelia

Services are family Servicesand especially suited for families with children. Every

third Sunday of the month the Service is an Anglican Holy Communion Service.

We are an active congregation. Check out our website:

www.turunsrk.fi/portal/en/international_congregation

You are warmly welcome.

I do pastoral care and counseling as well. If you wish to talk with me, no matter

about what, don’t hesitate to contact me. I speak Finnish, Swedish and English

fluently.

Mia PusaTel +358 40 3417 308

mia.pusa@evl.fiTurku and Kaarina Parish Union

Eerikinkatu 3 A, 5th floor

P.O. Box 922FI-20101 TURKU

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Welcome to Finland 4 What is the Student Union? 7 Who is who at Kåren? 10 What benefits do I get as a member? 12Where can I find information in English? 17The Student Union Houses 18Recycling 20Finland-Swedish student life and traditions 26Overview on Overalls 29Maps 36

Contents

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Vasa Fact Sheet:

Population 59.175 Swedish-speaking 24,7 %

Åbo Akademi University

Vaasa/Vasa Campus

Åbo Akademi University

Turku/Åbo Campus

Helsinki/Helsingfors

FINLAND

Åbo Fact Sheet:

Population 176,087 Swedish-speaking 5,2 %

Welcome to Åbo Akademi University!

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Welcome to Finland and to the Student Unionof Åbo Akademi University!

When you get this information guide in your hands for the first time, you have probably just arrived in Finland. You might have seen your new home, met the first new people and got an idea of what your new home town is like. Everything might still seem very different and strange, or it might feel perfectly right. I can assure you that if at first you feel lost, there is no need to worry – the beginning is usually the hardest part, and in a few weeks you will probably see that your stay here will be a time you will never forget.

As you can see on the map Åbo Akademi University has two main campus areas, one in Åbo and one in Vasa. Åbo and Vasa are situated approx. 340 km from each other.

The city of Åbo is known as one of the main student cities in Finland. It used to be the capital, and you can still see signs of its history around town and also in the university campus. The city of Vasa was founded in 1606 by Charles IX around the oldest harbour and trading point in Ostrobothnia. The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University (shortened as ÅAS) was founded in 1919 and operates both in Åbo and Vasa. Membership of a student union is compulsory by law for all Finnish undergraduate students – and for those interna-tional students who are studying for a Finnish degree (bachelor’s or master’s). Exchange students studying in Finland for three months or more can join a student union, too. The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University (ÅAS) is a public corporation completely inde-pendent of Åbo Akademi University. The Student Union at Åbo Akademi University has around 4800 members.

The purpose of this guide is to inform you about what the Student Union is and what it does, as well as introduce you to the different student associations that organise lots of activities for their members. At the moment there are all together 70 associations in Åbo and Vasa, so there is a lot to choose from. The Student Union has two student houses:

This is where you can find the board and the secretariat, and it is also where many events are organised. Wishing you all a wonderful time in Finland! Ilona Salonen & Anette Uuttussu-karen@abo.fi saa-karen@abo.fi+358-22154653

Kåren in ÅboTavastgatan 22Office opening hours 12pm-15pm

Havtornen in VasaInre hamnenOffice opening hours 12pm-15pm

We

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end!

Wel

com

e!Kauppiaskatu 6Turkup. 010 764 3160

Eerikinkatu 10Turkup. 010 764 3190

Eerikinkatu 12Turkup. 010 764 5650

Aurakatu 5Turkup. 010 764 5815

Eerikinkatu 15Turkup. 010 764 3980

Kauppiaskatu 6Turkup. 010 764 3170

Eerikinkatu 10Turkup. 010 764 3151

Eerikinkatu 12Turkup. 010 764 5817

Aurakatu 5Turkup. 010 764 5823

Sokos WiklundEerikinkatu 11, Turkup. 010 764 2761

Popular restaurant with French country cooking and rustic décor

The best pizzas in town backed in an open fl ame oven!

Praised the best food restaurant in town

Trendy and youthful café bar serves from dawn till dust

Café Wiklund in the center of the city, in the heart of department store Sokos Wiklund

Asia, India, America- various tastes from all around the world

Fresh Scandinavian bistro with delicious food and relaxed atmosphere

The best meeting place with the best location in town!

Italian-American restaurant, known for its juicy steaks!

The best tex mex in town together with rocking bar party!

Eerikinkatu 23Turkup. 010 764 3180

Tasty Spanish delicacies at cosy Sevilla Bar y Restaurante

Aurakatu 12 ATurkup. 010 764 5530

Rosso serves food for the whole family

-ALWAYS GOOD COMPANY-

Phone and Mobile: 0,0821 /call + 0,149 /minute S-Etukortti

S-Förmånskort

MEIKÄLÄINEN MAIJA

4318 7101 2345 6789

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What is the Student Union?

The Student Union tries to make sure that the conditions for your studies are as good as they can be. This is done by influencing the decision-making bodies of Åbo Akademi University at all levels (including faculty and department levels). Student representatives, elected by the students, are members of all these bodies. The Student Union also tries to influence decision-making through statements and delivering opinions on current proposi-tions. Another important area of work is social affairs that are particularly important for students, e.g. housing, health care, student discounts, and most importantly, financial aid for students.

There is considerable cooperation with the other student unions in Åbo; the Student Un-ion of the University of Turku (TYY) and the Student Union of Turku University of Applied Sciences, as well as the National Union of University Students in Finland (FSF in Swedish, SYL in Finnish). The Student Union also tries to offer students at Åbo Akademi University leisure time activities by arranging e.g. subsidised cultural and sport events. Moreover, ÅAS supports the different student associations financially.

The organisationThe Student Union Parliament is the highest decision-making body of ÅAS. It has 31 mem-bers, who are elected by the student union members every November for a one-year man-date period. Being the highest decision making body, the parliament has to approve of all important appointments (e.g. the election of the Student Union Board and the Business Sector Board) and statements. At the December meeting, the activity plan and budget for the coming year are approved.

The Student Union Executive Board is appointed by and needs to hold the confidence of the student parliament at all times. If not, the parliament can dismiss the board members. The board has one president and five members and the board operates both in Åbo and in Vasa. Each member has his or her own area of responsibility and the areas of responsibility will be introduced later in this guide.

The business sector has its own board consisting of three student representatives and three other members.

Remember that as a member of the student union you can influence the decisions of The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University by voting in the student union elections, which are held every year in November.

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The Student Union in Jakobstad, Mariehamn and HelsingforsÅbo Akademi is not only situated in Åbo and Vasa, but also has filials in Jakobstad, Marie-hamn and Helsingfors.

Committees The committees are open for all student union members, and this is where much of the actual work takes place. Each committee has a specific area of responsibility. Here are the committees at the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University. For easier identification, the Swedish names are given in brackets.

The Committee for Educational Affairs (Högskolepolitiska utskottet)This committee deals with current issues within education that affect Åbo Akademi Univer-sity, its students and issues concerning the higher education system as a whole in Finland. Every year the committee hands out roses to deserving teachers (nominated by the stu-

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dents). The Student Union contact persons are Matias Kallio, haa-karen@abo.fi and Jonna Lindqvist, hav-karen@abo.fi.

The Social Affairs Committee (Socialpolitiska utskottet)This committee deals with social issues concerning students, e.g. student grants, housing, health care and student welfare associations. The committee organises each year a wel-fare day and participates in different events such as handing out red ribbons and condoms on the aids-day etc. The committee also deals with sports and catering. The Student Union contact persons are Anette Uuttu, saa-karen@abo.fi and Janni Lindholm sav-karen@abo.fi

The Environmental and Development Affairs Committee (Miljö- och biståndsutskottet)The environmental committee works for sustainable development by discussing current environmental problems and by thinking of ways to make Åbo Akademi a more environ-mentally friendly university. The activities arranged by the committee include excursions, debates and recycling days, where students bring things they no longer need and others can pick them up FOR FREE. The committee also organises different campaigns to increase students’ knowledge of development and charity issues and it arranges all kinds of char-ity events. Money for good causes is rased through e.g. cake sales and donations of old clothes or shoes. The Student Union contact person is Jonna Lindqvist, hav-karen@abo.fi.

The Equality Committee (Jämlikhetsutskottet)The Equality Committee deals with questions concerning equality and the committee works for an equal environment for everybody. The Student Union contact person is Janni Lindholm, sav-karen@abo.fi.

The Information Committee (Informations- och redaktionsutskottet)This committee is involved in spreading information around Åbo Akademi University so that it can reach the students. This means e.g. developing the homepages of the Student Union and the information bulletin Bullen. The Student Union contact person is Matias Dahlbäck, is-karen@abo.fi.

The Event Committee (Evenemangsutskottet)This committee organises cultural events (concerts, Trivial Pursuit evenings, you name it). The Student Union contact person is Lasse Mäki-Hokkonen, stua-karen@abo.fi.

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Who is who at Kåren?

The Student Union Executive Board of 2010The Student Union Executive Board consists of a president and five board members. Four board members are situated in Åbo and two in Vasa. Each board member has a specific area of responsibility. You can contact any of these persons in issues or questions related to their tasks.

President Daniela Sundso-karen@abo.fi

Educational Affairs in Vasa Jonna Lindqvisthav-karen@abo.fi

Educational Affairs in Åbo Matias Kallio haa-karen@abo.fi

Social Affairs in Vasa and Vice-President Janni Lindholm sav-karen@abo.fi

Social Affairs in Åbo Anette Uuttu saa-karen@abo.fi

Internal Affairs and Student Activities Lasse Mäki-Hokkonen stua-karen@abo.fi

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Staff

The Board is assisted by the Secretariat and the coordinator for the student house Hav-tornen.

The Secretary General An-niina Pirttimaa is the chief of the staff. She prepares proposals by the Board and the Student Union Parliament, participates in interest group activities and is responsible for financial affairs. gs-karen@abo.fi +358 (0)2 215 4652

The Secretary of Educa-tional Affairs Petra Lind-blad is responsible for educational affairs, higher education policy and the protection of student’s rights. hs-karen@abo.fi +358 (0)2 215 4139

The Secretary of Social and International Affairs Ilona Salonen works with issues related to student housing, health care, equality, student’s general well being and exchange students. She is also the contact person for disabled students and for students subject-ed to different kinds of harassments. ssu-karen@abo.fi +358 (0)2 215 4653

The Secretary of Informa-tion Matias Dahlbäck is in charge of the webpage and the weekly news bul-letin Bullen. He is also re-sponsible for the weekly information mails. Ad-ditionally he works as ombudsman in the event of harassments together with the Secretary of Social and International Af-fairs.is-karen@abo.fi+358 (0)2 215 4656

The Office Secretary Markus Heikkilä takes care of most of the administra-tion at the Student Union Office and he is the one you will meet first when you come to the office in Åbo. ks-karen@abo.fi +358 (0)2 215 4650.

Marcus Beijar works as a coordinator in the student house Havtornen in Vasa. vl-havtornen@abo.fi+358 (0)6 324 7225

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What benefits do I get from being a member?

The membership fee at the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University (ÅAS) is 106 € per academic year and 53 € for half-a-year. The fee must be paid before registration at the University. If you want to use the sports facilities and activities available at Åbo Akademi University, then you should pay an extra sports fee. The sports fee in Åbo is 20€ and 15€ in Vasa.

42 € of the total sum goes to the Students’ Health Care Service, which provides low cost health care for students. You can use these services all over Finland. See: www.fshs.fi

For more information on membership benefits, please see:www.abo.fi/karen/en

The Student Union Card The Finnish student identification card is called Lyyra and is your Student Union membership card. The Lyyra card is your personal student ID card that offers you all kinds of services and benefits. The Lyyra card also functions as a library card at the university libraries.

In order to get your Lyyra card, you have to pay the Student Union fee. Remem-ber to include your name and faculty in the bank giro form. You will get a special bank giro form from the International Office. After you have paid the fee, you can register at Åbo Akademi at the International Office. The Lyyra card can be ordered and paid at: www.lyyra.fi. The charge for the card is 16,60 € and you will need a digital photo for it. Before you order the card you have to pay the Student Union fee and register at ÅA University. It takes about three weeks before the card is ready to be picked up from the Student Union office. You will be informed when the card is ready.

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Finnish Student Health Service The Student Health Service provides low cost health care for Student Union members all over Finland. A visit to a doctor or a nurse is free. A dental check-up costs 4,50 euro and a visit to a specialist is 6 euro. For more information, see the student healthcare website at www.fshs.fi

Health Center in Åbo Kyrkovägen 13, 20541 Åbo Open Mon-Fri 8-16.00 Appointments: General practitioners and specialists 046 710 1050, 8-15.00 Dentists 046 710 1047, 8-15.00 Mental health services 046 710 1045, 9-11.00

Health Center in Vasa Hovrättsesplanaden 15 C, 65100 Vasa Open: Mon-Fri 8-14 Appontments: Preventive health care and medical care: 046 710 1097 Dentists: 046 710 1098

Discounted travel You get 50% off rail travel and coach travel (for journeys of over 80 km), by show-ing your student card when you buy the ticket in advance. For more information on trains, see: www.vr.fi, and for coaches, www.matkahuolto.fi. You can also get discount travel cards for local buses in Åbo and Vasa with your student card or an official student certificate from the university. The place to buy these cards in Åbo is the public transport office at Eriksgatan 10. See: www.bussit.turku.fi or in Vasa at Vasa Lokaltrafik Ab on Hovrättsesplanaden 11.

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Student restaurants and student lunchAt student restaurants you can eat cheap student lunches if you show your stu-dent card. The cost for a student lunch is around 2.60 euro. The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University is the owner of six student restaurants and one student café in Åbo:

Café Arken, Biskopsgatan in Åbo . Lunch Mon-Thu 11-15.30, Fri 11-15 Café Fänriken in the ASA building, Fänriksgatan 3 in Åbo. Lunch Mo-Thu 11-15, Fri 11-14.30Café Kåren, Tavastgatan 22, 2nd floor in Åbo. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-15 Café Gadolinia, Porthansgatan 3, 2nd floor in Åbo. Lunch Mon-Thu 11-16, Fri 11-15 Café Hanken, Henriksgatan 7 in Åbo. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-14.30 Café Sydväst, Nunnegatan 4 in Åbo. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-14 Bibbacafé in the main library in Åbo, Domkyrkogatan 2-4. Open Mon-Fri 14.45-18.30 You will find weekly menus etc. at the address: www.studentlunch.fi

There are other student restaurants located all around the university area, for example there is a student restaurant in Academill in Vasa.

General discounts With your student card you can get discounts at most youth hostels in Finland. Ask for a discount when booking. You can also get discounts on everything from takeaway pizza to haircuts by showing your student card. It’s always worth ask-ing!

Kårkalendern Kårkalendern is the Student Union calendar which follows the academic year. The calendar is pocker-sized and helps you organise your life. It’s mainly in Swedish, but contains e.g. dates for the biggest Finnish student events.

Studentbladet This is a Swedish-language student newspaper that comes out every second week during the academic year to all Student Union members including exchange stu-dents.

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Legal advice As a Student Union member you are entitled to legal advice. You can turn to the legal counsellors in matters of inheritance, housing (e.g. tenancy agreement), taxation, employment etc. Please notice that writing or making contracts don’t belong to the counsellors work description, but they can give you useful legal advice.

The counsellors are situated in Åbo. You can visit or call the legal counsellors every Tuesday and Thursday 18-19.

Address: Student Union of the University of Turku (TYY), Yo-talo, Rektorsåkersga-tan 4, ground floor (02 276 9614). Both counsellors speak fluently English and the service is free of charge.

Student priest There are student priests working in both Åbo and Vasa.

Peter Gustavson is the Student Union’s own priest in Åbo. If you want to talk about issues concerning religion or life in general, you can always contact Peter. He is at the Student Union office (Tavastgatan 22, 3rd floor) every Tuesday 12-14. You can also call (+358 2 215 4139 / +358 40 341 7296) or e-mail him: peter.gustavson@evl.fi

In Vasa Janne Hänninen is the student priest. You can call him (+358 40 480 8325) or e-mail him: janne.hanninen@evl.fi

Kåren’s gym – Roddis The Student Union has its own gym in Åbo, located in the cellar at Kåren (Tavast-gatan 22). The price for getting your key programmed to the gym is 40 euro for half a year and 70 euro for the whole year. Pay this amount to: Nordea 228418-125636, recipient Åbo Akademis Studentkår. Include your name, matriculation number and the period of time you wish to pay for in the message. Take the receipt to the Student Union office and we will activate your hid key. If you don’t have a hid key, you can get one from the Åbo Akademi Main Building at Dom-kyrkotorget 3 in Åbo.

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Starting Package The Student Union has a starting package service in Åbo and in Vasa. You can borrow a starting package containing household-items and return it before you leave Finland.

Starting Package - Åbo The Student Unions of the universities of Åbo run a starting package storage to-gether located on Rektorsåkersgatan 4-6 B room 213.

After having paid your Student Union membership fee, pay the 65 € for the pack-age*, go to the starting package storage with your RECEIPTS of these payments, SIGN your loaning contract and take the package home. If you have any ques-tions about the starting package, e-mail: startingpackage@utu. fi. You will also find more information on the website, including opening hours: www.tyy.fi/start-ingpackage

*Payment details: Bank account number (Tilinumero in Finnish): 430918-2675 Reference number (Viitenumero in Finnish): 9111 Amount: 65 € (of these 50 € are a deposit, which you will get back if you return all the items clean and in good condition)

Starting Package - VasaThe Starting Packages for exchange students in Vasa can be brought from the Students Union house Havtornen. The price of the Starting Package is 50 euros of which 40 are a deposit which you will get back when returning the package. In Vasa you pay the package in cash to the Student Union.

Developmental Assistance through the Student UnionWhen paying your membership fee to the Student Union, you can choose to sup-port one or more of our projects for developmental assistance. The projects are confirmed for one year at a time by a proposal from the Committee of Environ-mental Issues and Developmental Assistance. In the academic year of 2010-2011, you can support the following projects: Mali: Sinsibere, DODO r.f., Mexico: Ajagi, The Student Union of Turku University, The Baltic Sea: För ett renare hav, Natur och Miljö.

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Where can I find information in English?

The main source of information about what is going on is e-mail. In Åbo interna-tional students receive information through the Nuntii e-mailing list. ‘Nuntii’ is the Latin word for ‘news’. On this list you will find information both about courses and social events, as well as other things that are important to know. The Inter-national Office, ESN and the Student Union all use this e-mail list for sending in-formation. You will automatically receive e-mails to your abo.fi e-mail address. In Vasa international students receive information through the Måndagsmail (Mon-day mail) once a week, which includes a section in English. As a student in Vasa you will automatically receive this e-mail.

The Student Union news bulletin is called Bullen, and it is released every Tuesday. You can find it on the tables of all student restaurants and in the Student Union buildings in Åbo and Vasa. Most of the informa-tion is in Swedish, but on the last page you will always find “Bullen in English” which is aimed for you, the international students. It is also a good idea to check out notice boards around campus for information about events in the near future.

Information is also spread through the Student Un-ions fan page on Facebook. Search for: Åbo Akademis Studentkår - ÅAS

The Student Unions home page: www.abo.fi/karen/en

vecka 426.1.2010nummer 1

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The Student Union houses

Kåren in ÅboKåren is not only the shorter Swedish name for the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University, it is also the name of the Student Un-ion’s own building that is located at Tavastgatan 22.

Kåren was designed by the architect Erik Bryggman and is protected by the National Board of Antiquities, as it is considered to be ar-chitecturally valuable. The students themselves started the building work by digging the foundations. Sponsors supported the project financially and they were honoured when the building was ready and its rooms named. For example, Argentinasalen, (the “Argentina Room”) is called so because 12 million old Finnish marks were raised by selling coffee from Argentina, donated by a former Åbo Akademi University student in Buenos Aires.

Many student parties are organised in the Kåren building, either in the great hall or in the pub on the ground floor. Kåren is the home of more than 40 students, who live in Tavasthem dormitory. There are shared kitchens and bathrooms on all floors, but the lodgers have their own rooms.

If you have any questions concerning your stay in Finland, you can always turn to the Student Union offices. The Student Union office in Åbo is located in the Student Union’s own building Kåren on the second floor and is normally open Monday through Friday 12pm-15pm. There you can find the Secretary for Social and International Affairs, Ilona Salonen. To contact her call: 02 215 4653 or e-mail: ssu-karen@abo.fi.

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Havtornen in VasaThe students at Åbo Akademi Vasa have a unique Student Union house, Havtornen “The sea towers”. Havtornen was officially inau-gurated in 2007.

Havtornen is a lively meeting point where you can find conference rooms, general facilities, a sauna, a kitchen and even a large ter-race facing the Gulf of Bothnia. All students and associations at Åbo Akademi University have the right to use Havtornen free of charge, and this possibility is often used by our active student associations who use the building for all kinds of parties and get-togethers.

The two towers and the bridge joining Havtornen and Academill were built in 1891 when the Vasa steam mill was rebuilt after a fire, even though they had to be reconstructed in 1908 due to faults in the foundations. The two towers and the transport bridge are valu-able from historical, architectural and ecological perspectives, and the building has even special meaning for the image of the city of Vasa. The building is a symbol for the Vasa steam mill and the entire inner harbor.

If you study in Vasa you will visit Havtornen with your tutor for a cup of coffee and a guided tour of the building. This is a great op-portunity to learn more of the history and the usage of the building. The Student Union Office is located in Havtornen and is open from 12pm-15pm. Welcome!

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Recycling

Recycling of paper, cartons, metallic tins and glassware Recycling trash is part of sustainable and ecological way of living. In Fin-land it is common to recycle as much trash as possible. Check outside your apartment to see what is written on the different containers of trash. The words for paper, cartons, metallic tins and glassware in Finnish are paperi, kartonki, metalli and lasi and the name of recycling is “kierrätys”. Newspa-pers, envelopes and letters go into the container marked ‘paper’. Cartons are for example the boxes containing milk, cereal or cookies. Milk con-tainers as well as metallic tins should be washed before they are put in the container. Glassware should be unbroken, and cups or plates that are ceramic do not qualify. A practical piece of advice is to have small contain-ers (for example paper bags) in your apartment in which you can separate the trash, so that you do not have to go outside for every single piece but empty them once a week for example.

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Recycling of bottles and beverage cans Bottles and beverage cans are usually marked with the word “pantti” (Finnish) or “pant” (Swedish). This means that when they are empty, you can return them to the super market or grocery store and get some mon-ey in return. This custom of recycling has proven to be very effective, and makes a big difference in keeping the nature clean.

Printing For students, the internet has become one of the most important sourc-es of information. Libraries do not always have enough copies of course books, and you might have to resort to taking copies of the most impor-tant issues. Copy machines have instructions on how to copy on both sides, and most printers offer the same possibility. This is good both for you and for the nature: you get half the amount of paper to carry in your bag, and paper is used to its maximum by not printing one-sided copies. Should you by accident forget to print double-sided, you can use the old print-outs as paper for taking notes.

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Finland-Swedish student life and traditions

Like every country, Finland has its own cultural traditions that vary regionally. In addition, student life brings its own traditions to the part of Finnish culture, which you will see during your stay here. Here is a presentation of the highlights of the year:

Gulnäbbsintagning As an initiation process, the student associations and faculties organise a hu-morous race with small competitions for the new students. Students compete in teams, and if you want to you can join the event. You will recognize the event from the black plastic bags that the students wear, as well as from their noses which are painted yellow. This is because a new student is called “gulnäbb”, Swed-ish for “yellow beak”.

Gulnäbbsakademin (Fresher’s Fair) The Fresher’s Fair, arranged in September in Åbo and Vasa and is an opportu-nity for student associations to present their activities and recruit new members. Some companies are also present at this fair. This is also a chance for international students to find a student association, so do not hesitate to come.

Lilla Wappen Lilla Wappen marks the end of the summer. Back in the day, when being a student was highly reputed in society, students used to wear their student caps all sum-mer and only put them away for the winter. Lilla Wappen is a reminder of that time. Traditionally, there is a party at the end of September, and at midnight eve-rybody takes off their caps and turns them inside out. Lilla Vappen is celebrated both in Åbo and Vasa in 2010.

Glöggrundan Glögg is a hot spiced drink which is drunk around Christmastime. Traditionally on the Friday before Advent, there is a chance to try some, courtesy of the student associations. The event is outdoors on Biskopsgatan in Åbo.

December 6th – Independence Day Finland’s Independence Day is a quiet festivity compared to many other coun-tries. Usually people stay at home and eat dinner, and watch the President’s an-

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nual independence ball. The student unions of Turku also have a procession to the cemetery in order to honour the memory of those who died in the wars.

Årsfest (Annual Ball) The Student Union and many student associations celebrate their birthday through an annual ball. The dress code is tailcoat or evening dress, and the tradi-tions for the ball are very specific. The Student Union’s annual ball is always on a Saturday in mid-February and alternates between Åbo and Vasa. In 2011 the ball is held in Vasa.

Fastlagstisdag / Fastlaskiainen - Shrove Tuesday Fastlaskiainen is the common celebration among the Finnish- and Swedish Uni-versities in Åbo and Vasa, and the name of the event is a combination of the Finn-ish word Laskiainen and the Swedish word Fastlag. This winter day in February is celebrated through sledge competitions at the hill called Vårdberget in Åbo and at “fiskstranden” in Vasa. Shrove Tuesday buns are also a must for this day.

Trivial Pursuit –tournament In this tournament, pairs can compete for awards in the board game Trivial Pur-suit. The event is organised both in Åbo och Vasa in springtime.

Wappen Wappen, also known as Wappu, Vappu or Valborg, is one of the most important student festivities. In Åbo there is a picnic by the river on the last of April, and in the evening all the Swedish speakers of Åbo gather at Vårdberget to hear the speech of the president of the Student Union board, as well as spring songs by the choir Brahe Djäknar. Afterwards there is a dinner at Kåren, and on the First of May, Vårdberget is filled with picnickers – both students and families. In Vasa the students gather at the church square in front of the old Lyceum to listen to the songs of the university choir Pedavoces. A speech for the students is given and the statue of Zacharias Topelius receives it’s student cap. After this the students arrange picknicks in the park around the Court House, or meet at the restaurant Strampen.

The national day of Pampas – “Pampas nationaldag” The name Pampas is used for the flatlands of Österbotten, the area surrounding Vasa. The national day of Pampas is a day to celebrate it. The day starts with com-

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petitions between different teams from the Swedish-speaking universities and continues all day until the olympic finals in the afternoon. The festivities carry on all night until dawn when breakfast is served. This is the biggest party of the year among the Swedish-speaking students in Vasa.

Procession of flags An old and dear tradition of the Student Union is the procession of flags. It is a solemn way of celebrating the Independence Day, and it also gives colour to the First of May and Annual Ball festivities. The Finnish flag always leads the proces-sion, and it is followed by the flag of the Student Union as well as the flags of the student associations. The procession is formal and the people walking in it should wear dark clothes and the student cap.

Sitzes A sitz party is a traditional student party with its specific rules and style. In short, it is a two-course dinner with a lot of singing, eating and drinking. The singing is led by one or more toastmasters. It is important to respect the toastmasters, who have a big task in setting the style and pace of the evening. Usually people drink schnapps (a shot of vodka) at the sitz, but there is always a non-alcoholic alterna-tive available. Before each schnapps, there is a song. Sitzes are usually arranged by the student associations, and their traditions differ quite a lot from each other. There is often also a specific theme for a sitz, for example Halloween, super he-roes, summer or international stereotypes.

NB! You never have to drink alcohol if you do not want to, it is always your own choice whether to drink and how much. At sitzes, there are usually people who take a nonalcoholic alternative. Getting blind drunk is not an obligatory part of the sitz culture.

Student caps and overalls During your stay in Finland, you can be sure to encounter students dressed in overalls of different colours. The student cap is also worth mentioning, although it is worn more seldom. To give you an idea of what these pieces of clothing are all about, this overview has been written.

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Student Caps In Finland, if and when you pass your upper-secondary school leaving certificate, the studentexamen, you can wear the student cap, studentmössa. This is some-thing to be proud of, and the school leaving ceremony, where the cap is worn for the first time, is an important occasion. At university, students wear the stu-dent cap on a number of occasions. One of these is 30 April, when Åbo Akademi students gather to celebrate the start of Wappen, the first of May. Another is Finland’s Independence Day, 6 December, during a procession to the graves of war heroes.

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Overview on Overalls (written by Markus Heikkilä, and first published in a newspaper of the University of Joensuu in 2002)

The official party wear for Finnish students is overalls. Finland is not the only coun-try in the world to have such strange party wear. Overalls are also used among students in Norway and Sweden. And it is Sweden where the story begins.

The first students using overalls as party wear were students from the Royal Uni-versity of Technology in Stockholm at the beginning of the 1970s. After their labo-ratory lessons they were so eager to get beer that they didn’t bother to change but went straight to the student pub with their overalls on. Later on, overalls overtook the more traditional party wear, the “spyfrack” (vomit tailcoat), which was an old tailcoat bought from a flea market. The word spread and within fifteen years most of the Swedish students had their very own overalls. Overalls first landed in Finland in 1979 when the University of Technology in Esbo had guests from the Royal University of Technology. Finnish technology students were very interested in their Swedish friends’ overalls. So interested, that they borrowed overalls from a Finnish power company for their excursions to Germa-ny in 1980 and 1982. The first Student Union overalls were bought during the semester of 1982 to 1983. And soon they spread through other universities of technology and later on to other universities too. Nowadays, even most of the polytechnic students have overalls.

Colours of the Rainbow Overalls come in all colours. They are black, white, yellow, green, red, pink and blue. The colour marks your identity. Your overall is your uniform. You can tell who belongs to your group just by checking out the colour of his or her overalls. That is a good thing. But the bad thing is also that it at the same time separates groups from each other when you stick to your own group. That is at least before everyone has had their ten beers and different groups start to mix together. The colour shows which group you belong to, but it is really the badges that dis-tinguish your identity in the sea of colours. Nobody knows who was the first to attach a badge to his overall. But today if you have an overall, you are most likely to have badges on it too. It is a question of aesthetics. A plain overall just happens to look naked, even silly. Besides that, badges have meanings. They tell where

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you have been, who your friends are, what you like and which political party you support. They tell if you are a dog or cat person. But badges, other party gear like handcuffs, whistles and bottle openers attached to your overall, are however most of all meant to be funny. So you can find out someone’s sense of humour by looking at his overall.

Some people are more interested in “overallism” than others. They collect every single badge they can get their hands on and wear their overalls on every occa-sion possible. Their badge collection tends to grow beyond the reasonable limit of fifty and some go far, far beyond that. These people are mostly from universi-ties of technology, where overalls are a more important part of student culture than in others. There is one person at the University of Technology in Esbo that has the unbelievable number of twelve hundred badges. How is it possible to fit all them on your overalls, you now ask. The answer is that it is not. The guy has a few extension parts on his overalls, including a calf.

It is also a common thing to exchange parts of your overall with people dressed in different colours. One might, for example, cut off a part of a sleeve and exchange it with another person, then knit on a new sleeve in place of the old one. That is to show friendship, love, minor subjects or even having two main subjects, which is in overall terms called “double citizenship”.

Since the overalls are party gear, you need some parties where you can wear them. The most important is Labour Day, Wappen (Vappu, Walborg) on the first of May and the evening before. For students, it is not just one single day but at least three days. For technology students, Labour Day lasts for two weeks. It is a hard time for students and a hard time for the overalls too. Days of drinking can do serious harm to both of them.

Spilled drinks, vomit, dirt, food and anything you can imagine makes the overalls look like they were twenty years older than they were just a few days ago. And one thing about overalls is that you never wash them. The dirtier your overalls are, the warmer welcomed you will be when you arrive at the party place. That is because people can actually see that you are a party maker and they are going to have good time in your company.

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Associations in Åbo

AnomiSociologföreningen Anomi vid Åbo Akademi r.f. is an association for any-one who studies sociology in any fash-ion, but also for like-minded people. We have our own room in the Asa house, where we do whatever we please. Knock on our door and join us! Our webpage can be found atweb.abo.fi/karen/special/anomi/

AKDSAbo KDS is constituted by curious stu-dents and teachers at Åbo Akademi University, and we tend to work by the principle of a good relaxed atmos-phere, honest interest and dedicated work. We also participate in as many courses (both national and interna-tional) as possible in order to increase our collected level of knowledge in KDS Karate. We are happy to welcome eve-ryone with an interest in KDS Karate to our club. For more information, go to www.abokds.org

AsterixAstérix est une organisation d´étudiants pour les étudiants de la langue française est tous qui s´intéressent au français et à la culture francophone. Bien que nous soyons une petite or-ganisation, on organise du programme varié : des soirées vin et fromage, des soirées cinées et le printemps dernier, nous sommes allées à Paris ! En plus, on coopère avec les autres organisa-tions des langues et Date. Visitez notre nouveau site : http://chezasterix.abo.fi

AxelbandetDo you enjoy big band jazz? If so, join Axelbandet, the student orchestra at Åbo Akademi University!Axelbandet is a university big band that has been around for over 50 years. Our repertoire comprises numerous mu-sical styles, including jazz, swing and funk, and we happily welcome new members. For more information, check out our website: www.axelbandet.fi

Britannica at Åbo Academy University Britannica is mainly the association for students of the English language

Student Associations at the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University

There are almost 70 student associations within the Student Union. The associa-tions unite people according to for example common subject of study, area of Finland, and interest or hobby. A number of associations both in Åbo and Vasa are introduced below.

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at the Faculty of Arts, but also every-one else who is interested in the Eng-lish language and culture is welcome to join the association. Britannica ar-ranges, among other things, parties (a.k.a sitzes), either by ourselves or in collaboration with other associations, light-hearted sport events such as Ho-htominigolf and so called department-get-togethers, where both staff and students meet up.

DendriticumDendriticum is the student union for all biology students at Åbo Akademi Uni-versity, i.e. cell biologists, environmen-tal biologists and biology teachers. The 40-year-old union is extremely active – we organize “sitz” parties and often we invite students from other subjects to join as well. That means you get to know many kinds of different people by participating in our events! Apart from the parties we also arrange excur-sions and more serious activities, like a cleaning competition in the park where students gather on the First of May. The rest of the time we chill in our cof-fee room in Biocity, and depending on the main subject we spend our time in the forest in rubber boots or in the lab in a lab coat. Welcome to join our stu-dent union! Homepage: http://www.dendriticum.abo.fi

ESNESN (Erasmus Student Network) is an European student organization aim-ing at promoting student mobility and functioning in over 300 higher educa-tion institutions in over 30 countries. ESN at ÅA is the association for inter-national and internationally minded students at Åbo Akademi University. Our goal is to improve the integration between local and international stu-dents by organizing a variety of activi-ties from movie evenings and bowling until gigantic parties and trips. More information about us in www.esnabo.eu. See you around ;)

Ex TemporeHello fellow Pharmacists! Ex Tempore is the student association for pharmacy students at Åbo Akademi. Our head-quarter is situated on the third floor in Biocity and the overalls we wear are white. We organize lots of fun events troughout the year and have a lot of cooperation with other associations. Don’t miss out on all the fun! Join our merry crew!

FUIFöreningen för underliga intressen vid Åbo Akademi r.f. (FUI) or The Society for Strange Interests is this university’s society of the weird. We’re interested in science fiction, fantasy, anime and weird things in general. If you feel that you are weird we will make you feel

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that you are normal, if you so desire. We organize bar evenings and video watching events. Join our mailing list by mailing jolin@abo.fi .

HomoglobiiniHomoglobiini is an organization for gay, lesbian, bi and transsexual stu-dents living in the Turku area, and for those who are not yet certain about their sexual identity. We have meetings twice a month, on every first and third Monday. We also have a special event for newbies on Monday, the 20th of September. It’s held at VY’s party room (Inspehtorinkatu 4 B). Check out our website www.homoglobiini.fi for fur-ther information!

Humanistiska FöreningenHello stranger! Humanistiska Förenin-gen a.k.a. HumF is the main association for the subjects taught at the Faculty of Arts at Åbo Akademi. We’ll tell you what happens at Faust, who Grill-Britt Gul is and what it means if someone drew a dinosaur or a penguin on your arm. So come have a cup of coffee with us in our office at Arken at lunch time mon-thu!Love, HumF.

Die KurtisanenStudying German, arriving from a Ger-man-speaking country or otherwise familiar with the German language? Then Die Kurtisanen is just the thing

for you! The peculiar name is allegedly derived from a former professor by the name of Kurt, who was still teaching at the time of the founding of the associa-tion. Die Kurtisanen - resurrected aftersome years of inactivity - consists of small group of active boardmembers, although a lifetime membership is giv-en. Events take place throughout the year, including the yearly Oktoberfest-party and other events in collaboration with other language associations.Willkommen!

Merkantila KlubbenMerkantila Klubben r.f., or just MK, is an active student organization for stu-dents who major in economics at Åbo Akademi University. We have over 400members and are one of the largest student unions at Åbo Akademi. To learn more about us, please visit our website at www.merkantilaklubben.org or visit us in our office at the sec-ond floor of the hanken-building.

Nyländska Nationen“Love across the institutional borders”, is our motto at Nyländska Nationen! Wether you orgin from the fine plains of Nyland or just feel strongly for the spirtit of Nyland, we wish you warmly welcome to our delightful fellowship. NN is one of the biggest (also believed to be best and most beautiful) - and is according to the tales offering the richest organisation life, the most leg-

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endary parties and the most awarding events. We offer you a part of the aca-demic life you do not want to miss out on! On the Internet, you can find us atwww.nylandskanationen.org and Face-book (in Swedish).

OttoAre YOU interested in music? Do you wish to meet others with similar inter-ests? Join Otto! The club for all students at ÅAU interested in music.

ProsaÄmnesföreningen Prosa is the associa-tion for those who study comparative literature or are generally interested in literature. Our association is small, but vital. We arrange parties and par-ticipate in cultural activities both inside and outside Åbo Akademi. Our gath-erings are characterised by a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Prosa has also published an anthology of prose and poetry written by our members. If you like nice people, wine and interest-ing events, Prosa is the association for you!

RÅAThis is the association for all of you who want to play music on your own terms and meet others just like you. RÅA has a fully equipped rehearsal space on Biskopsgatan and the membership fee is a mere 30? and that gives you the chance to rehearse there. Apart from

this we arrange concerts like Pub Eve-nings at Kåren, Klubi-gigs and the leg-endary RÅA på Kåren. For more infor-mation and up to date gig listings check www.rockforeningen.fi or join our FB-group

Statsvetenskapliga KlubbenStatsvetenskapliga Klubben vid Åbo Akademi r.f (SF-klubben) is the stu-dents’ association for political science students at Åbo Akademi Uiversity in Turku. SF-klubben is the oldest political science association in the Nordic coun-tries and has a long tradition in student activities. We promote our members interests, arrange debates, seminars, sporting activities and entertainment.More information at www.sfklubben.com.

StudentmissionenIFES Finland (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students) - The IFES work in Finland is organised as registered as-sociations in university cities. These as-sociations are lead by student boards and supported by a staff worker. In Turku/Åbo the association is called “Studentmissionen”. If you are looking for a christian fellowship in Turku feel free to contact us!www.studentmissionen.fi (Klick the link in the upper right corner for infor-mation in English)

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Turku Academic RowingWe are a rowing club for the two uni-versities in Turku: Åbo Akademi and the University of Turku. During the summer months we train on water and during the winter months we train in-side at a sportshall. The training level depends on your fitness and timetable. In August-September we are training for Aurasoudut regatta which is our most visible event. You will find more information from our web pages: www.academirowing.net. You are welcome to come and try a new sport and meet new friends in an amazingly beautiful environment.

VocalisVocalis is the subject association for the students of Speech and Language Pathology at Åbo Akademi University, that is, for all of us who want to be-come speech therapists. Our subject association was founded in 2009, and since then, there have been a lot and a wide variety of activities. The academic year starts with our annual “gulissitz”, a party in honour of our first-year stu-dents, and an icebreaking party, and comes to an end with a spring party. In the course of the academic year, a lot is going on in Vocalis, for instance game nights, Gladiator Day and blood dona-tions. Welcome to join us!

Associations in Vasa

KatharsisKatharsis is an association for all de-velopmental psychology students at Åbo Akademi in Vaasa. We arrange several events for our members, such as cheese- and wine evenings, coffee meetings and discussion evenings. We look forward to seeing all new stu-dents, so attend to our events!

OpticaOptica is a newly formed photoclub for students in Vasa. Come with us and take pictures and listen to interesting lectures. Anyone can join as long as you have an interest in photography. The important thing is that we have fun and learn something.http://www.opticafoto.webs.com/

PedactusPedactus r.f. is an student organisa-tion for general and adult education students in ÅA Vaasa. Pedactus is also known as PI and the PIs are the stu-dents in pink overalls. Please, join us on our parties!

PedavocesThe Student choir Pedavoces welcomes you to your new studies!We are constantly looking for new singers, so if you enjoy singing, and would like to meet new friends in the same time, we’re the ones to talk to.

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We arrange weekly practices and get-togethers, and are currently planning a trip to Cork, Ireland, for the upcoming Spring! So don’t hesitate, just show up for one of our auditions that are held every Thursday in September. We look forward to singing with you!www.pedavoces.com

PolitivasIn Politivas you find people who study politics. We take everything and every-one dead serious and give back to the community. Or that is what we are try-ing to do. Politivas is the best students’ association you can find if you are stud-ying at Åbo Akademi in Vasa! Join us and we guarantee the most fun years of your life. Please visit our webpage as well at www.politivas.fi

RockföreningenRockföreningen (RÅAV) (english: “Rock Society”) is a special organization at Åbo Akademi in Vasa. It is an asso-ciation for those who like to listen to music and for those who like to make music themselves. Our members have access to our rehearsing premises in Åbo Akademi in Vasa and they can also rent our equipment to an affordable price. Throughout the year we arrange all kinds of events like: “Idol”, “Musik-sitzen”, “Så skall det låta” and “Allsång på Kvarnen”, just to name a few.

WasaspexetWhat is spex? The word comes from spectacle. A spex is based on a histori-cal event, that we revise and tell the real story about what happened. A spex contains singing, dancing, com-edy, wordjokes and interactivity; the audience is allowed to shout for exam-ple “again” or “backwards” if they think that something is really funny! Take a look at wasaspexet.fi for more informa-tion! All new members are welcomed with open arms, there is something to do for each and everyone! Welcome :)

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Fastlaskianen,Shrove Tuesday,in February

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City of Vasa / Vaasa

University Library Tritonia Vaasa University

Åbo Akademi Vasa

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Student apartments Lärkan

Vasa övningsskola

Train andbus station

City center

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Market Square

City of Åbo / Turku

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ÅA Arken ÅA ASA

TYS OFFICE

Student Health Center

ÅA Gadolinia

ÅA International Office

Kåren - Student Union