What's left of Me from Conferment of Master Degree Ceremony in Finland?

Memento of the Graduate Ceremony

Helsinki Airport Train Station

I passed again through that magical door of platform nine and four quarters. I was transformed, evolved, I saw myself in the reflection of the frozen lakes, I questioned myself, I said what I has been, what I was, what I could be.

A Street View from Jyvaskyla City

Little snow this time. Does it matter? The country is the same country both with snow and snow-less. Calm, serene, peaceful, happy, but alone; refreshing, breathable; It is the place that smells of health and blends comfort with simplicity. Life is slow, unhurried, uncomplicated, there is order and peace. "God, I don't want to go back to that mess!" the voice inside me shout. “Still a little too calm?!” ' your Southern blood rushes through your veins.

Then the day and night of the ceremony time stroke. Don't mind what I said, "at night". The start time was five in the evening. Considering that the sun sets at three o'clock and they are conceived to sleep at nine o'clock in the night, five seems like a valid night start for them.

I have never seen Finnish advisors and professors that I have seen during my two-year master's degree so frank, sincerely, and more excited and enthusiastic than I am. My teachers, who did not smile unless it was necessary and preferred not to speak unless there was an important message they wanted to convey, greeted me with such a nice hug that this greeting made me say, "Oh my stupid head, why did you turn back".

Former and Current Graduate Students and Counselors

During the sharing of experiences we gave to graduate students who had just joined the caravan, when I was not sharing, I left the environment and watched the new students for a while. I wanted to say a lot of other things, but if I started, I wouldn't be able to stop talking, I know myself. How could I explain what I went through in these two years, what I couldn't?! While they were so eager and sworn to change the world, sitting there waiting to hear hopeful words... How could I say to them:

"Nothing will go as you planned. One-tenth of what you hope for, maybe not. Realism will hit you like a slap in the face when you leave this country where you came with your idealism and made you believe you can be. You will have to work. Wherever you go, you will not be accepted as a decent person because you will be seen as different and too utopian. The reality of this country will not match the reality of any other country. You will fall ten times and get up once, be content with that and continue on your way with the same motivation and determination and turn goodness as a torch, you'd have to carry it."

I didn't say. Innocent out of the five or six questions they asked me:

“You are an English teacher in a primary school, but you chose educational leadership as your specialty. Where are you using this?"

question, I answered:

“You can use your leadership skill anywhere”

I couldn't give them enough of the underlying meaning of my answer. I could not explain that the leadership they saw there, blended with humility, transparency, togetherness, common goal and guidance, and the leadership that is now whirling around the world with dictatorship, cruelty and individual ego wars are not the same concepts. Your only problem is that they say "I do, I do very well, I never make mistakes, I am the most perfect, you are missing, it is not because of you" and try to get somewhere by emphasizing people, trying to get along with the tyrants called leaders and find a way to speak the same language. I couldn't tell they had to find it. I couldn't tell them that they had to fight with themselves every day to achieve these.

I could not show that the quality of leadership is not to step in at these points and say, "If he is doing it, then I will do the same". I really wanted to say that only the smallest creatures they lead can get from the love in the eyes of their students and the progress they show, but I couldn't say that they hold on to the humanity they believe in and are taught there and how successfully they manage the crises they face every day of God's life.

"You have to face the difficulties that you are exposed to and may face every day. You have to listen to the complaints that are ringing in your ears and say in return, “I understand you, but there is this side too”. You have to find a way to fulfill the leadership quality"

I couldn't say.

Graduate Graduation Ceremony

I was under the spell of Finland, my graduation and being surrounded by friends. I focused on being grateful for what was given to me, absorbing the bitter feeling of pride that it was over, the good deeds done around the world, which were enthusiastically told. My eyes filled with tears and my throat was tight. I didn't tell them all that I was talking about.

Instead, I enjoyed the moment. I thought how satisfying and adequate the most quiet and unpretentious celebration I had ever seen in my life was. I realized that the person who celebrates an event is that handful of people with whom you set out with the same goal and crossed paths, whose culture, country, language, and characteristics are completely different, but when you shared your happiness and joy during the two years you spent, you can become one. When one of my professors came out and sang for us, I realized that humility, kindness, love, and good manners are universal and can only occur in very special people. I realized that besides the splendor of Turkish cuisine, a celebration dinner can also be served with limited products from the barren Finnish lands, and that what makes that table a table is to share the memories of the past.

Our Reunification Meal

When I saw the way a Finnish baby and a Uyghur baby look at each other, I took a deep breath and sighed what I couldn't say and waited for them to bloom to write here. I think it's better that way for new students. After all, the Finnish education system is based on the philosophy of learning by experience, right?

What I will say is that I am proud not to graduate today, but to be “human”. This is the biggest takeaway from my experience in Finland. How little isn't it? This is exactly what they are experiencing, what we cannot live, maybe we will never want to live; less is more. This is the essence of being human. On this occasion, I wish you and myself to be happy in life with less, but more.

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...Finland/Suomi...

While Finland was a piece of land between Russia and Sweden for a long time, Soviet Russia finally reached its goal and added Finland to its territory. However, when the courageous, free and devoted structure of the Finnish people came to the level that would threaten Soviet Russia, the Finnish people could not come to the restrictions of Russia and declared their independence in 1917, and they have been governed by a republic they created with their socialist genes from Russia.

Finnish are the people with a population of only five million, with white skin and blue eyes, settled on the pieces of all sizes of land between the lakes, and their only concern is to establish a family and live in peace. As a Turk, I can join the part where they say that people in a cold climate are also cold. However, when we look at it, can we say that the Turkish people are not overly sincere? For example, if you turn a Finn on the road and ask for the address, if he knows, he will tell you as much as he knows, if he does not know, he will say "I don't know", wish you a good day and continue on his way, contrary to the curiosity of Turkish people to prove that they know, even if they don't know. Oh, just like us, there is a difference between rural and urban dwellers in them, and the accent of the Finnish language can vary from city to city.

Speaking of Finnish... Finland's Finnish name is Suomi. It is surprising that our language origins are the same, and that both Turkish and Finnish are descended from Ural-altai. Except for the agglutinative and the sameness of our letter "ö", the two languages ​​are not even remotely related to each other and are very difficult to learn. Of course, the learning speed may vary according to your motivation and perception. The fact that Finnish is a language that reads as it is written can also make it easier for you to learn. Just be careful, "y" is pronounced as "ü" and "j" is pronounced as "y" :) Also, Finnish is not the only language in Finland, Swedish is also the second official language.

Finland is a member of the European Union and you will appreciate that its currency is the euro. That euro run over mw, it broke my heart the whole time I studied in Finland. Still, for those who will go for touristic purposes, there is no such difference between them and other European countries. Oh, but if you're going to study, then my advice is to either save money or look for a job wherever you go.

What is Finland famous for? Let's see...

Northern Lights. Head straight to the north point, find the city of Lapland, stop by Santa's village, mingle with the Huskies, feed the deer, stay in the glass igloos if you can, and eat lots of salmon.

Sauna. It's something you can experience anywhere, because every settlement in Finland has at least one. The only difference from saunas in Turkey is that the temperature reaches 90 degrees. If you want to have a different experience, you will see holes drilled into frozen lakes in winter. After getting out of the 90 degree sauna, jump into that hole, I'm sure it will be a memory you will never forget.

Coffee in the morning, vodka in the evening. One of the perks of being Finnish is getting used to this routine. For those who don't like vodka, the "Glögi" drink, which has a sour flavor with the taste of our famous cinnamon rock sugar, is one of the indispensable winter drinks of the Finns. It is a hot drink with alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties.

Moomin. Finland's mascot is a white hippo-like animal that I don't look like much. It is a brand that was famous as a cartoon before and then became a mascot. It can be bought as a gift for children.

Salmiaki. It is a black aroma that should be tried by those who love the taste of anise, and should not be missed by those who do not. You can find all kinds of food in almost every shop. It is also famous for its liquor. In general, I recommend you to try the "Fazer" branded chocolate, which is the most famous chocolate brand in Finland.

Due to its location and climate, these suffering people are the best example of cooperation, solidarity and being a society in my opinion. I think the secret of the success of this country, which created an agricultural country from those unproductive lands and then became an industrial country, that is, created out of nothing, is hidden in two beautiful words; respect and tolerance.

When you say that Finland became Finland, everyone will definitely show the 2000s, of course, after the golden age of the once world giant "Nokia". You ask why? While it is a country, that keeps its head down and stands on its own two feet, dominated by silence, calmness and serenity, in the 2000s, students who grew up with the Finnish education system are scrutinized for their success in PISA (International Student Assessment Program) among other OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries. However, Finland had no problems with advertising or bragging about its achievements. I went, I lived, I saw. I think they are the most humble, selfless, most generous people in the world. I don't know either that's what happened to me or I'm very optimistic, but you can get a share from here;

Whether you're a professor, CEO, or president, people call each other by their first names. They don't have to worry about dressing up and showing off. Of course, those who want to wear a suit and dress, they can, but no one judges each other by their clothes and looks at each other from head to toe. Regardless of the institution, home, cafe, restaurant, workplace, school you go to, comfort is the first rule, so interior designs are designed accordingly.

I will search for utopias throughout the world during my life, but if you ask me what country has been suitable for their ideals so far, I would say "Finland" without hesitation. It is a perfect country to feel like a human being and to stay and live for a long time, not from a touristic point of view, but as a settler. Hoping you can see the white lilies emerging from the mud...

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