My Place in Finland is a learning journey designed for adult migrants who wish to understand the society and its people better.
My Place in Finland is targeted at adult migrants who have stayed in Finland already a couple of years or more, and feel the need to understand the Finnish society, culture, and its people on a deeper level.
My Place in Finland activities are based on thematic sessions and guided expeditions or trips, where knowledge is brought to life through experience. We'll be exploring interesting cultural places, folklore spots, and nature destinations, while promoting sustainable lifestyle and feeling good in nature.
You choose how many places you wish to explore: just one, a couple, or all five of them. During the programme we get to know, not just the society, culture, and surrounding environment, but also each other as the diverse people living here in Vaasa-Mustasaari region.
Expect some joyful and relaxing moments in nature, reflection and dialogue among information and knowledge sharing. You can be active or just focus on listening and observing. Come as you are!
During the programme, learning happens through exploring five different places. Each place consists of an indoor meeting where we learn about the specific theme, and a full-day expedition where gained knowledge is brought to life and deepened.
Story Place
Real-life story places are natural objects such as rocks, cliffs, trees, water bodies or land, associated with traditional knowledge or folklore. In the Story Place we’ll be discussing the Finnish folklore of different natural sites and reflect the meaning of these stories for navigating today’s society. During our full-day expedition we’ll be focusing on animal myths, without forgetting the gnomes and other forest creatures.
Forest Place
The Forest Place takes us literally into the forest. We’ll be discussing forest as cultural heritage, forests’ importance for biodiversity, forests as an economic commodity and an object for political debate as well as forests as places of relaxation and well-being, which will be our focus during the full-day expedition. As a bonus, those who wish to experience complete darkness and sauna in the forest, will have a chance to do so.
Meeting Place
The Meeting Place focuses on active citizenship. We’ll figure out what does active citizen mean and how to become one, and play an engaging game for testing different ways for participation and taking action. During our full-day trip we’ll be discussing the state of Finnish civil society, and explore concrete work of different associations. In the end, we’ll hope that everyone is a step closer in finding their own place in the society.
Thinking Place
The Thinking Place focuses on socially impactfull books that describe societal transformation in Finland. We’ll be discussing for example Väinö Linna’s Under the Northern Star trilogy and Minna Cant’s Workers Wife in their historical context, as well as from today’s perspective. During our full-day expedition we’ll be traveling to Nykarleby to visit the father of Finnish children’s literature, Zacharias Topelius.
Home Place
During the Home Place we’ll be discussing the meaning of finding places that feel like home in the new environment. We’ll be identifying outdoor places that can strenghten our well-being and sense of belonging, and at the same time dive into cultural and social aspects of our physical environment. Our full day expedition will focus on well-being and connecting with nature. Our learning journey ends here, welcome home.
