Vasatokka, inari

Here we are in the middle of nowhere (Vasatokka, Inari)

Monday night, we left by train from Kokkola. Surprisingly well we are be able to move with a few hours of sleep.

The purpose was that the Italians would come at five to Finland, so that we could continue the journey to Inari at six. But as surprising it is the Italians were late. Italians are always late, okay now it was not their fault because there was a hurricane at the airport they flew from. In Vasatokka we arrived at two in the night time. At that point I heard that bed was screaming my name.

New morning, new tricks

“Early” wake in the morning. Quickly breakfast to the stomach and outside to play.

No matter how many name game we had, it is impossible to remember all the names.

You don't have much time as it was already lunch. Like this it is in every camp: food, food and food. And still everyone complaining that they are hungry? The evening we warmed the sauna and all went to the cold sauna. Why cold? But that´s okay everyone was having fun. We were jumping at the sauna for a swim. It is interesting to hear that it was the first time for many, because in Finland, it is routine.

Raise your camera

Now we are getting to the point, morning started during morning exercise and after that we went to the lapin tupa (theory room). Were the Italian leader start by telling us how to use our camera. Yea it was interesting to listen, at least everything what we was able to understand. PIIP PIIP PIIP, what is that horrible voice? At least it is not anymore cold sauna. quickly everyone out of the building, we need wait just a second and we was able to go sauna again. Nina got her shampoo from the room and when she got back there was a naked man in the sauna showers.

Yesterday we went to Inari to see the center and to get to know Sami culture at a museum. The prices were something in the village – you had to pay over 3 € for a bag of candy. There wasn’t much to do in the village, Niko went to eat a pizza and others were eating their snack. It is good that Sara knows how to swim because she “fell” in to the water when we had water fight.

*#¤*%*&*/ you could hear to the other side of the lake when the Finnish girls go canoeing. But Was the fault with the paddlers or the canoe? Who knows… But that’s it, maybe we’ll go to eat now.

- Henna 17 yrs, Jenni 13yrs and Nina 14yrs. 

Trbolje through our eyes

During preparation to this youth exchange »Take a pic« we also had an activity called “Trbovlje through our eyes”. Trbovlje is the city where we come from and the place where will be the last meeting of all people that meet here on this exchange. 

During preparation to this youth exchange »Take a pic« we also had an activity called “Trbovlje through our eyes”. Trbovlje is the city where we come from and the place where will be the last meeting of all people that meet here on this exchange. 

Short description of Trbovlje: 

For the past two centuries it has been known for high-quality brown coal and turbulent history. The area of Trbovlje is 57,57 km 2 large, which represents 0,28% of the area of Slovenia . The  valley is 7 km long and more than 60% of the area is covered with forrests. In this valley lives 

approximately 18.000 people, who love their town with all their hearts. Not only the town has rich mining and industrial heritage it also has many beautiful sights.

According to finds from archeological sites, the local area was populated as early as Celtic times, but the first written records of the town date from 1220-1230. Trbovlje attained great historical significance with the opening of the first coal mine in the early 19th century. In fact, the 200th anniversary of the beginning of mining is this year.

The history of town's and mining development is offered to you in central museum of the region (Zasavski muzej Trbovlje) where you can learn about miners and how they lived and worked. 

You will also see the typical miners appartment in situ in workers' settlement Njiva. If it is in your interest you are welcome to see more mining heritage such as other coalminer's settlements, 

colliery landscapes, shafts and maybe also the underground. Your story teller will be our naughty elf of the underground - Perkmandeljc. One of interesting sights in connection with industry is also the highest chimney in Europe - 360 m tall.

And Trbovlje through our eyes:

First field trip of the Slovenian group

As somebody of you know the end of year 2012 and the beginning of 2013 was quite turbulent for

Slovenian people. In November 2012 started first riots in Maribor against the corruption of Maribor major.

This was the trigger for the rest of people in Slovenia. In total we had 32 protests in almost every city in

Slovenia. The biggest protests with the most people involved were in Maribor and Ljubljana. In each of the

protests attended around 20.000 people.

Our group decided that we will also attend one of the protests and that we will take a picture because we

wanted to show you all about this social change in Slovenia. On 27

fift all Slovenian riot that was in Ljubljana. We invited on of our friends who is really good photographer

Ines de Gama to join us. On the way there she explained us some basic things about camera and how to

take photo in this kinds of situations. Below you can see the result of our work and about presenting social

Slovenian problem through the picture.