In Lakelandcenter at Rantasalmi sounds lively and unimaginable murmur of talk. Middle of Italian, Russian and Finnish words blends shared English commentaries, wich meaning is effectiness is increased by hands. International summer high school is much more than just learning.
Athmosphere made by youth from different culturies is more like summer camp than school. Even though it's summer high school, more important than learning seems to be getting know new people and enjoying summer. Youth have energy also in lessons kept in English.
At Thursday is turn course which handle trees as source of knowledge, money, history and way of life. Even in lecture is easy spirit; teacher Jaakko Laukka apologize first his knowledge of English language. Youth don't hesitate to help in tough situations, things are explained in four languages and also with hands.
Matter is now information packet before trip to nature.
-These things are quite familiar to Finnish people. Plan is to familiarize foreing youth to Finlands nature. This lesson guides us to this thing and then we go to nature explore trip, geography and biology at Rantasalmi junior high school teaching Laukka tolds.
At lecture is learn about Ice Age, evolution of Finnish nature, development of trees and protection, lichen about natural state indicator and different forest- and treetypes.
In forest is happy mood.
In three multicultural group youth rush to trees and landscape.
-You must put this into...and now you...youth introduce each other and explain rest with hands and emotions.
Italian Carlo, Finnish Joonas and Russian Dimitri drill sample from trees growing rings. Counting them is accurate job.
-50 rounds and there you add five years, so tree is 55 years old, Carlo counts as teacher has told.
Next pine is under other group prospection. There is finaly found five different lichen, every one is classified carefully.
-This is easy because we have same kind trees at Italy, Eugenia declares.
Roberto tells that he has learned much about Finnish people relationship to trees. He has noticed that nature is kept very important in Finland.
-Also we have much forests, but more of them are lost every year. In Italy should be more careful about nature, Roberto thinks.
Youth measure high pine with primitive, but quite accurate stick-method. Co-operation works too, cause height what three youth from different countries get is counted to average. Pine is 28,5m high and that's it.
Also when examining ground sourness everyones opinion is taken. Hole what Jaakko Laukka dug turns out trough examples that first layers are more acid than deeper. Results are interesting and youth can even explain why that is so. Teachings haven't poured in ditch in Italy, Finland or Russia.
Niina from Mikkeli is satisfied that co-operation works and groups have started to mix together. She tolds that especially with Italians are learned languages and customs from each other.
-I would like to be here still month, shame that this ends after week, Niina thinks.
Italians Iris and Erik tell that they enjoy being in Finlands beautiful nature very well. Both have learned to know Finnish culture. Iris states that athmosphere is very different from Italy because Finlands trump is serenity. Either doesn't think even a moment what is most unforgettable thing in summer high school.
-Landscape, Iris and Erik sight like from one mouth.
Laura Lemettinen