There are some unusual facts that make this country all the more unique. When most people think of Finland, they think of cold weather, Nokia phones, the Arctic Circle, Santa Claus, ski resorts, snowmobiling, reindeer rides, and husky farm visits.
And, of course, having saunas and then run naked into an icy lake. Then back in the sauna, maybe roll around in the snow for a while, then back to the sauna again. Then grill some sausages in the fireplace. And get drunk on beer or vodka. Finlandia vodka, of course.
In the sauna everyone is equal. Maybe that is why equality and democracy are so important in Finland. There is a great deal of equality between the sexes – more than 40% of the Members of Parliament are women. The same Finnish word is used for both “he” and “she”. Finland is a Western democracy, with a President elected for a 6-year term (with a maximum of two terms). The year 2006 was the 100th anniversary of universal and equal political rights in Finland. The year 1906 represents an important milestone for women’s social and political participation. Finland was then the first country in the world where women could fully exercise their voting rights and eligibility to stand for elective office. Altogether nineteen female were elected to Parliament in 1907. And in the year 2006 Finland’s President Tarja Halonen has been elected for a second term. Finland is one of the few countries in the world which has a woman president of the country.
In recent studies, Finnish students topped the list on rigorous educational standards. This is due to the fact that the country places an emphasis on the fundamentals as well as higher education, expects a fluency in at least two languages, and focuses on a less stressful work environment for students.
Finland is credible: is known as a safe country with well-developed infrastructure, good service and high technology. Finland is really into the future, one of the leading countries in Europe when it comes to technology; in fact, it is the home of Linux, Nokia, and other phone-related items.
Finland is contrasting. Located between East and West, with cold, dark winters and warm, light-filled summers, Finland offers many fascinating contrasts.
Finland has it all – snowy winters, pleasantly warm summers and colourful spring and autumn.
Lapland is the most snow guaranteed place in the Europe.
Not only the climate but also Finns are considered to be cool – a bit quiet and reserved. But they are actually warm, friendly, hospitable and especially honest people.
Finland is know as the land of the thousand lakes, but there are actually over 188.000 lakes with 180.000 islands and about 2 million saunas., while the population is 5.3 millions.
Jyväskylä is considered Human Tech Center of Finland and focus on well-being and the environment. This simply means that the city of Jyväskylä puts its faith in human-centered planning, the people`s opinion are heard are involved in planning processes. The humaneness in urban architecture meas that the development of the city is brought close to people, is something to be looked at, something to be lived in.
The Jyväskylä region is easily reached by land and air: the distance of 270 kilometers from Helsinki takes only 35 minutes by plane and some 3 hours by car or by rail.
Jyväskylä is easy to reach and simple to move around in. It is a very compact town. In Jyväskylä and its immediate surroundings you can enjoy the beautiful Finnish nature as well as the activities of a lively urban centre.
Finland’s second largest lake, Päijänne, located in Jyväskylä is highly popular for boating and pleasure cruising.
The city is constantly on the go, since all four seasons of the year are full of activity. You can enjoy the city as a modern urban area, as a lively arena for events or a cultural stage with a long, proud history.
Jyväskylä is a city of education: everyfourth passer-by is a school goer or a student in Jyväskylä. Jyväskylä is a school and university city with 47 000 students during the academic year.
Jyväskylä is home for a large variety of cultural activities such as concerts, festivals, museums and theaters.
Jyväskylä is one of Finland’s centres of growth, the second most important fair city in Finland, a city of skills, competences, innovations and creativeness.
A city of sports. Jyväskylä has a wide range of possibilities for those keen on excising and sports. There are approximately 450 sports venues and 200 local sports clubs in Jyväskylä.
And even when you drive and outside is -32C you can see throught icy windows of your car someone biking.
In the winter you can ski on the lake in town, no need to find a special ski resort.
In April 2012 Jyväskylä will host the World Indoor Champpionship for masters athletes. The host city status granted by World Masters Athletics indicates that the city is held in high regard as an organizer of major sporting events.
Finland s only Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences is in Jyväskylä.
Jyväskylä is a city of light.Light is much more than lighting.
During dark hours, light creates pleasant atmosphere and safety into the city. Light makes people feel, experience and excited. It emphasizes the city architecture, and lets people see their environment in a new way.
Jyväskylä is safe and pleasant to live in. The landscape of Jyväskylä is varied with lakes, forests and hills within a walking distance of the city centre.
It is cosy and international, youthful and innovative at the same time.
Thanks to the short distances and the lively urban centre, Jyväskylä is a “little big city” where all the services, shops, schools and work are close at hand.
Jyväskylä is the city of the world famous architect Alvar Aalto. He lived and attended school in Jyväskylä. The City of Jyväskylä has some thirty buildings designed by him, more than any other city in the world. Jyväskylä has a strong architectural profile. Welcome to Jyväskylä!
Nursing in Jyväskylä is one of the cornerstone of educational system and working environment. Jyväskylä was granted with Award for Excellent International Activity 2011 after, with a notable open-mindedness City of Jyväskylä, and the City’s Service Centres started an educational joint project with the JAMK University of Applied Sciences in 2010. In this project were employed several foreign workers, apprentices, interns and stand-ins in different Service Centres over the years. Also twenty foreign students have participated in the project in which a Finnish nursing/midwife/public health nursing student is paired up with a foreign nursing/midwife/public health nursing student in international training and assigned to an elderly person with whom they take part in various events and outdoor activities.
Jyväskylä is looking into the future when it comes about student welfare. Students have access to newest technology and good facilities in school.
You can study and practice in small groups
Teachers are your equal and as a student you can call your teacher by his/her first name.
You can have fun in practicing in the laboratory classes, where you can find all equipment from any treatment room from hospital
Studying nursing in Jyväskylä you become professional, can be relax, you can easily balance studies and leisure, you can be involved in new models of studying which focus on individual learning methods and study support technology and where eServives provide increased flexibility.
And in the end, but not the last, Finnish students in International Degree Programme in Nursing are very nice and hospitalier. They would introduce you to Finnish homes, culture, society.
Welcome to Finland..
Welcome studying Nursing in Jyväskylä!
See you in Jyväskylä! Monica
p.s. I have done my part of blogging for Jamk Students Diary. I hope you have found it interesting and educating, and you have got to know more about Finland, Jyväskylä and Nursing education as well as nursing profession.
I am over and out, Paula will take my shift. d.s
For Finnish students of IB it is required to spend at least one semester of studies abroad – just to gain international experience and perspective. Other students, as they are already in foreign country, are not forced to go anywhere…but they can 
