One week untill the Netherlands!

EMCup is getting closer and in one week we will be in the Netherlands! We are so excited about going there and joining EMCup 2016! The preparations for the competition are in a good point, but we still have some things do before the plain departures from the Rovaniemi Airport on Friday morning. 

So what exactly have we been doing lately?

• Getting ready for the competition with different rehearsal assignments
• Shopping for the outfits for the competition
• Being super busy with studies and starting the thesis process
• Planning what needs to be packed for the trip 

And of course launching the latest competition! Watch the video to see what it is! ;)

Have a nice weekend everyone! :)

Degree Programme in Tourism

We are back from the holidays with a new post! Hope you all had a relaxing holiday and a great start for the year 2016.

As promised, I'm going to tell you a bit about our Degree Programme in Tourism where Linh and I study. After 3,5 years of studying you should gather 210 ECTS and graduate as a Bachelor of Hospitality Management (in Finnish restonomi). The intake is 30 students per year and studies are located in Rovaniemi at MTI campus. Half of the students are Finns and half foreigners. Our group is quite small with only 15 students. You can find more information by visiting our webpage from here. From there you can find groups curricula and interesting student stories!

Studying in English is a great way to practice the language. People (at least in Finland) are often too shy about their language skills, but that's usually unnecessary. It is actually not that common that there are native English speakers in the international groups, so no one is perfect. The first semester is the hardest, but when you get past that phase, you soon realize how difficult it is to study even in your mother tongue.  Besides, you get to know people from different countries and cultures! :)

Picture: Essi Koski

Linh and I are in the same group, now in the third year of our studies. Thesis project is starting and graduation is getting more serious! So what have we been actually doing the last two and half years??

We do have normal lectures and exams (sometimes). But mostly we do group works, presentations and write reports. However, we have organized several events where we students have planned and implemented the whole thing right from the beginning. We have also visited lot of local companies and learned about their operations. There are two training periods included into our degree and also a field work during the first year. The field work is done in SantaPark as an elf! 

Studying is not just boring lectures from eight in the morning till four in the afternoon (at least not always). It is so much more and the school can give you so much if you just take the chances. The best thing about University of Applied Sciences compared to University is to learn by doing and at least that is the best way to me. 

Got interested? Great! You can apply to English degree programmes untill 27th of January!

- Anni

Have you met Anna?

Tandem skies!

Hello! Now it's my turn to introduce myself! 

My name is Anna Pälä. I'm 21 years old and studying hospitality management in Multidimensional Tourism Institute in Rovaniemi. Oh yeah, and a team member in Pure Arctic Madness!! I come from a little countryside village called Suodenniemi which is located in the Southern Finland near city of Tampere. In my family there are mom, dad, sister, brother, his girlfriend, my nephew and our dog.

My graduation with my brother Lauri and Annika

I've always loved Lapland and since we were little, my family visited some ski resort every year. In my gap year I worked in a restaurant in Pyhä Ski Resort. There I found the spark to study hospitality management and I didn't want to leave Lapland so Lapland University of Applied Sciences was an answer to my wishes. Now I'm here and loving what I do!

Skiing in Ylläs

A view in Pyhätunturi

At school I've found amazing friends and plenty of opportunities to be a part of different projects. This EMCup2016 is a good example of these kind of opportunities :) Next summer I hope to do my advanced training somewhere abroad to experience even more.

Hosting Resto2015-competition with Lauri

I love traveling, cooking and baking, outdoors, snow, hanging out with friends, sports and trying everything new. I'm bad at saying "No" when someone suggests something new to do. Due to that I always find myself in different situations and that's also something that keeps me going!

Berlin

Just chilling in Turkey

Visiting Stockholm

Okay, I think one of the best ways to get to know someone is to hear their Bucket List. So, here's few parts of mine:

- Go interrailing through Europe

- Go Bungee jumping

- Participate in a food war

- Make a perfect Creme Brulee

- Try skijoring with a horse

I don't know if you agree with me about the Bucket List's but at least now you know something more about me!

Tourism tutors in Autumn 2015

Maybe that's enough about me for now but stay tuned, our EMCup journey has only began!

- Anna

Here is Lauri calling!

Well, Hello You! 

It is my turn to introduce myself. I'm Lauri and I'm part of this great team from Finnish Lapland.. 

The red spot is Sastamala, 
but where is Rovaniemi?

Let's go 700 km to Southern Finland and find my home town, a place called Sastamala. Sastamala's population is about 25 000 people. We have there more entrepreneurs than any other city in Finland. That is quite cool! :)

Do you know this game?

I'm a 22-year-old second-year Tourism student in MTI (Multidimensional Tourism Institute) and I am studying with a Finnish group. I have got great experiences in participating in different competitions and events in my studies. In October me and Anna were at the Barents in Levi for one week. We were there hosting VIP guests from neighbouring countries. And now we are coming to Maastrich! I'm so exited!

To the top of the hill and over it!

But how did I get the idea to move to Lapland?

Well that is a good question... First it was an accident, but nowadays I would not change a single day being here. I have enjoyed my stay here near the Arctic Circle, Snow, Northern Lights and people. This all here is just so amazing, and nature, how pure it is... 

You can just imagine it...

Stay tuned, 

This all is just beginning... 

Pure Arctic Madness has landed

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