Vol 21 Issue 23

P r of i l es 路 R e v i e ws 路 L esson s 路 Stories 路 Travel

INSIDER Student Magazine of XAMK

12.04.2019

volume 21 issue 23

Contributors

Polina

Lena

Leif

Nikita

Trang

Gloria

Long

Elizabeth

Marija

Lidiia

Anna

Muhammet

INSIDER STUDENT MAGAZINE South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences Paraatikenttä 7 45100 Kouvola Editor in Chief: Hugh Clack INSIDER ISSN 1457-1587

PHONE +358 44 702 8758 WEBSITE insider.xamk.fi EMAIL insider@xamk.fi

Editorial Chào, In this issue, you can join an educational trip to Kausala with Elizabeth. It is filled with knowledge exchange and multicultural spirits. Treasure Week Exchange is reported by me with some insights about “second-hand” culture in Finland. Do not forget to “travel and discover” with Lidiia to a mystical place in Spain. Lena gives you tips and hints on how to prepare and beat off skype interviews.

Moreover, the exchange student Elina is a star in the Profile column. Are you curious about her? Sex Education TV series is on fire on social media these days. Let check out what Polina says about that. Nikita comes back with his critical comments about Shazam.

This is my last editorial for Insider. Time flies so fast. My journey with the magazine has been almost two academic years since I was a sophomore student. It is time to put an end!

In this journey, I went through ups and downs, which taught me a lot. I feel that I have been growing up every day with Insider and its members also known as (aka) my colleagues. They are amazing people coming from different countries and continents. Each of them has a unique characteristic. Together, we create a colourful Insider.

The first thank is sent to Hugh Clack, our Editor in Chief, for having been maintaining the magazine for more than 20 years and always supporting us. The second thank is for Xamk as the school lets us freely express our ideas and opinions about activities and topics that we believe are interesting for students.

Without my colleagues, I would have had unforgettable moments. All of these memories will always stay in my heart as a part of my youth. Thank you all, Insider 20 and 21! You, our readers, thank you!

You are the motivation for each of us to be more creative in order to produce better and better articles.

I hope you have enjoyed reading our magazine.

Tạm biệt (Goodbye),

Long Nguyen

Tr a v e l a n d D i s c o v e r ! A l l A b o a r d !

S E C O N D S TO P : C U E VA S D E L D R AC H . M A J O R C A . S PA I N Cuevas del Drach (“Dragon caves”) are four great caves that are located in the island of Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. They were first mentioned in a letter dated 1338 year. The caves extend to a depth of 25 m and reach approximately 4 km in length.

There are four caves: Black Cave, White Cave, Cave of Luis Salvador, and Cave of the French, are connected to each other. There is an underground lake situated in the caves called Martel Lake, which is about 115 m in length and 30 m in width, and its depth varies between four and twelve meters. The temperature in the cave does not fall below 20 ° C. It is the largest underground lake in the world. It is named after the French explorer and scientist Édouard-Alfred Martel, who is considered the founding father of speleology (the study of caves). He was invited to explore the cave in 1896. Also, German cave explorer, M.F. Will, had mapped the White and Black cave in 1880. After M.F.Will, Martel found two more caves, as well as the underground lake.

Nowadays, these caves open and attract not only citizens, but tourists from all over the world! Tourists who are visiting caves are struck by the most beautiful stalactites and stalagmites - the fossilized calcium carbonate that has fused together for many centuries. This is really a magnificent and amazing creation of nature, because one centimeter of stalactite has been growing for almost thirty years! The most incredible and capturing here is a small classical music concert, its members swim in boats in front of the audience and play classical music. The lake, like other zones of the cave, is highlighted in a special way, thanks to the game of highlights and shadows it looks charming! After the visit of this place, i was at delight, so mysterious and mysterious place in normal days do not see! Advice to visit it and you!

S OME INT E REST ING FACTS ABOUT THIS PL ACE According to legend, the pirates and the Templars used the Dragon Caves - they considered them to be the best place to store treasure. However, neither the natives of Mallorca nor the pirates entered the labyrinth further than 200 meters.

The cave is called dragon because the legend goes that the dragon guarded this cave and its treasures are still kept in it!

Cuevas del Drach was described in one of the novels by Jules Verne!

It is time for us to fly on other interesting places!

Text and photo: Lida Benkovskaya

4

Te enagers of K a u s a la High Sch ool

Here is my last article for Insider student Magazine. It is surely the end of my Erasmus Program. According to Santosh Kalwar’s quote that says “for every beginning, there is an end and for every end has a beginning. I have so much loved working here and learnt a lot. Here is a quick and short article about my educational visit in the little city of Kausala.

Firstly, I had the chance to participate in “Erasmus in school program”. This is a nationwide programmed aimed at Erasmus students, international exchange students as well as Erasmus + volunteers who are interested in visiting day care centers and schools during their stay in their host countries. The programme is aimed at increasing intercultural communication and awareness about foreign countries and cultures.

In Finland, it was introduced to explore prospects of studying abroad. You can check more information on www.erasmusinschool.com.

I was very curious about this programme, so I decided to subscribe on their website. Few weeks later I had an invitation to visit Litin Lukio secondary school in Kausala.

These high school students were between the age range of 16-19 years old. During the educational visits, over 15 nationalities (Brazil, Spain, Ghana, Argentina, China, Japan, Croatia, Nigeria ect) were present on 3othof November 2019. Representatives from different nationalities had the chance to introduce their home country, language, and culture to these Finnish students and contributed to other educational activities when appropriate.

I gave to students an interactive workshop about my home country Nigeria telling about the culture, food, tabous, etc. They all loved it because they learned something new. I also learned things about the Finnish culture as well. At 6pm, it was time to prepare dinner. I had 5 students who were ready to take up the challenge, they wanted to make the most popular meal in Nigeria “Jollof rice” and “moimoi” the Nigerian bean cake.

The night continued with a big dinner. Everyone seems to be excited about tasting the food made from the different groups. After dinner, it was time to play games and watch movies. I had the chance to teach the “Ayo game”. In English, it is called the “Awale game”. They all loved it. While others play games, some were watching movies while some were already falling asleep.

At the end of the multi-cultural night, you will be given a certificate of participation given by the “Erasmus in schools program.

Text: Elizabeth Akinlabi

5

THINGS THAT YOU DID NOT KNOW:

SEX

Education Review

If you have ever wondered what you have missed in life, I am here to tell you. It is Sex Education! It is a British comedy-drama serial that had its recent premier in January 2019 on Netflix. Sex Education is gaining popularity day by day, even on the first week after releasing it has been watched by over 40 million people.

The plot brings something new and unusual and the whole serial brightens up every day routine with its humour and extraordinary approach to the life issues.

Serial tells about unconfident teenage guy – Otis, his black gay friend – Eric and cheeky classmate Maeve. Otis`s mom is sex therapist and as they say, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the trunk”, Otis takes some skills and knowledge after his mom. Maeve and Otis decide to start their own school sex-therapy clinic and there it goes…

Sex Education raises up a bunch of burning issues that spring up in life of every person. Serial shines a light on the topics like high school time and being a teenager in general, true friendship, relations in family and love, of course. It also drives a line between rich and poor showing differences and at the same time similarities in their lives. In addition, if we dig deeper, Sex Education invokes its viewers to be who they truly are and fighting for it. It will catch you by surprise with a simplicity and easiness of how it puts up all the cards on the table talking about masturbation and various sexual problems in both teenager boys and girls sexual life and you are just left there sitting in front of the screen with your jaw dropped and wondering what a hell is going on?!

All in all, it underlines in a funny way importance of sexual education in every teenager life as well as it reflects to initial sexual experience through the prism of irony and sarcasm. From my point of view, Sex Education is something extremely new and it gives a perspective what other series can not provide. It hooks you up from first minutes till the end and it keeps you craving for the next episode SO what are you waiting for?? Switch on your Netflix and travel to your own sexual journey and ride with it till you reach the climax!

Text: Polina Vishnya Photo: Netflix Media center

6

P R E PA RAT I O N for an interview

The summer is coming, the semester is ending and many of us are looking for some possible activities during the summer break for example an internship. Many times, the interviewers will not invite you directly to a job interview in the company itself but for an interview via phone or skype. If you have never done something like that before it might be first quite challenging to manage the new way of doing an interview that’s why you can find here a step by step guide that will help you.

Skype

Te l e p h o n e

Find a good room where you can be undisturbed. Make sure that your electronical device with which you will hold the interview works properly. You can do some tests with Skype to check if the microphone is working. Then, be sure that the background which will be seen in the video is clean, don´t put any unnecessary and deflecting nor embarrassing items in the background. The perfect background would be for example a plant on a shelf. A white wall is not a good solution, it will make you appear too bright. Don´t choose the option to sit with your back facing a window, it will create the worst lightning ever.

Make sure that the room is not completely empty, otherwise there will be an echo created which can make it quite hard for the interviewer to focus on what you say.

The camera should be on the same height as your eyes so that it creates a nice angle that shows your face not from underneath. The best trick here is to place the technical device you use on a small platform made out of books for example.

Make sure that your internet connection is stable and that you have your charger close to you, plugged in or that your electronical device is fully charged.

Be prepared, know the name of your interviewer and nothing can go wrong!

To do a telephone interview you don´t have to think about so many things as for a skype interview. One rule applies here too, make sure that the room you are having the phone call in is not too empty so that there is no echo created. Also, be sure that no one is disturbing you and that there are no disruptive factors from outside like a construction site in front of the rooms window. Make sure that your telephone is fully charged.

Although no one will see you, it is helpful to dress up as if you actually would go to the interview because it will bring you in the mood for the interview and it will make you feel more professional and prepared. Also, it is helpful to wear shoes because they will give you a more stable stand on the ground which will give your voice a more stable sound.

Don´t walk around during the phone call, it will make you unconcentrated and the interviewer will feel that.

Text and photo: Lena Gelfert

7

8

TREASURY EXCHANGE WEEK AT XAMK “BRING, TAKE AND DONATE” is the slogan of the Treasury Exchange Week - an annual event held in Kouvola Campus by Xamk and Student Organization Kaakko in collaboration with Vienon Kammari.

The purpose of this event is to encourage students and staff members to share their unused or no-longer-used items to the people that are in need. Participants can give away or take home any products that are available and for free. Selling is not allowed in this event. Items of all categories are welcomed. For instance, shoes, clothes, books, kitchen utensils, bags, mattresses, or even stuffed animals. After the Week, remaining items will be donated and delivered to Estonia by Vienon Kammari.

As usual, this year, Treasury Exchange Week was held in Paja Gallery Space in Kouvola Campus from 8th to 12th of April. A large number of items were shared among participants.

Fact #1: Do you know that in Finland, secondhand stores are popular because Finns will consider recycled items before buying any new products?

Fact #2: Tori.fi is the largest second-hand online shopping platform in Finland where you can find almost all products with reasonable prices and condition or you can sell your unnecessary items.

Fact #3: Second-hand stores (kirpputori) can be found in many cities in Finland.

Circular Economy is an economic strategy that goods are recycled and reused throughout the process. It helps to minimize waste dumped into the environment as well as maximize efficiency in using resources. Researchers suggest that Circular Economy should be the future of doing business in order to tackle the crazy good consumptions over the globe. Every day, a huge number of new products are purchased, and unnecessary items are thrown away. It seems to be “unhealthy” and “inorganic”. Finland and Finns are in the right track to a future without waste.

If you regret because you did not make it the Week and have some items that need to be given away, do not worry: UFF is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organization that collect funding by collecting unused clothes and selling them in order to provide equal opportunities, reduce poverty and tackle climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa and India. Items can be donated through containers placed throughout Finland. You can find the nearest location on their website: uff.fi.

Stay healthy and organic to the environment and surrounding people!

Text and photos: Long Nguyen

9

Elena Petruk How many countries did you visit?

I have already visited 16 countries: Belgium, Cyprus, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and United Arab Emirates.

What other places are in your bucket list?

I want to visit Japan, Australia and South Africa soon.

What are your favorite things about Finland?

I like beautiful Finnish landscapes, innovative methods of teaching at XAMK and friendliness of the Finns. Besides, I fall in love with fresh pesto from Lidl (if you have not tried it, you should).

What is your name and where are you from?

My name is Elena Petruk and I am from Saint-Petersburg, Russia.

What do you study?

I am studying International Business in XAMK but generally my specialization is marketing in ITMO University.

Why did you choose XAMK for exchange program?

I have been studying the short-term program in Aalto University and after that I went on the exchange in Italy. That is why, when I got the opportunity to go on exchange program in Finland, I immediately agreed due to these reasons: high level of education, closeness to my city of residence, different possibilities to gain experience in business sphere and meet new friends from all around the world.

Who inspires you the most?

I am my own inspiration: I am very proud of everything that I have already achieved so far.

What is your passion?

I adore travelling, riding a horse and shooting.

What are your plans after graduation?

Honestly, I want to continue studying marketing. Moreover, I would be happy to work on the production and promotion of new products and services that can become an inspiration for other people.

What do you miss the most about Russia?

I miss Russian people, even though they may seem gloomy from the first sight, uncertainty of tomorrow, Putin’s New Year speeches and low prices on the bread.

10

Text and photo: Elizabeth Akinlabi & Anna Ryndina

Studio 123

Kymenlaaksonkatu 1 45700 Kuusankoski 05 3792082 www.studio123.fi

Studio 1

Director David F. Sandberg Screenplay Henry Gayden Genre Action, comedy, fantasy

Starring Zachary Levi Mark Strong Asher Angel Budget $100 Million

Verdi: Macbeth (S) | 23€ | 3h Sa 13.4 @ 12.00 Tu 16.4 @ 18.00 Luontosinfonia (S) | 11€ | 1h15m Sa, Su @ 15.20 Tu @ 16.30 Dumbo (2D) (7) | 12€ | 1h52m EN - F, Sa, Tu @ 18.45 (s2) FI - F - M, W, Th @ 16.45 Captain Marvel (12) | 12€ | 2h5m F, Su, W @ 19.00 Shazam!

(12) | 13€ | 2h12m Sa, M, Th @ 19.00

What a wonderful April it is! We get two biggest premieres of all time, Avengers: Endgame on a big screen and the final season of Game of Thrones on a small one. And while we are waiting for them to come out, DC warms us up with Shazam which is, as some people say, is the best DCU movie and probably a masterpiece. Is that so? Let’s see!

Billy Batson, a 6-year old boy, whose father died some time ago, is out in an amusement park with his mom. Billy loses the toy that his mom has won for him and in attempt to find it… loses his mother. Eight years later, Billy is trying to find his mom. He runs off from foster families and orphanage homes, gets kicked off from schools. Then there is a last chance – he gets invited to a new family, run by two ex-orphanage home residents with orphan kids. Sometime after that Billy, in an attempt to run from two bullies through the subway, finds himself in an old cave where a wizard gives him power. This power turns Billy into a grown man, gives him abs and a whole lot of different superpowers: flight, lasers, super strength and god knows what else. However, a villain is there: the boy who was, just like Billy, invited to that cave but wasn’t granted any powers. A scientist, doctor Sivana finds his way back and acquires the power of the Deadly Sins, as well as amasses their embodiments into himself.

Shazam is very light-hearted. Too much, even. That is, until we see these Sins in action. Heads, torn apart and people get thrown off windows. Not a single drop of blood though! The movie is humorous and quite funny but for some reason, Billy Batson, who has got wisdom of Solomon, does all kinds of crazy stuff and acts goofy when he is in his super form but is very dark and unlikable as a child.

The film is a little bit of a parody on all superhero movies with some jokes related to that. There is, however, no epic and a whole lot of plot lines. The graphics are awkward, with green screen that you can see and lousy special effects. Kudos to Mark Strong though, this guy definitely knows how to play villains!

Shazam is a very mediocre movie and the younger you are, the more you are going to enjoy it. However, after you remember that it is a DC movie, it is not so bad after all. Now the studio just has to find that balance between dark and serious stuff and funny goofy movies and they’ll be all right. But for now – thank you for a decent warm-up before an actual superhero blockbuster!

3.5/5 Text: Nikita Munenko

Studio 2

Hopeatäthti: Bohemian Rhapsody (S) | 7€ | 2h15m Th 18.4 @ 13.00 Van Gogh - Ikuisuuden Porteilla (12) | 11€ | 1h51m Sa, Su @ 14.45 M, W @ 18.45 Ihmeiden Puisto (7) | 11€ | 1h25m F, Sa, Tu, W @ 17.00 Risto Räppääjä ja Pullistelija (S) | 11€ | 1h24m Su, M, Th @ 17.00 Kolme Naista (12) | 11€ | 1h40m Su, Th @ 18.45

Studio 3

Green Book (12) | 12€ | 2h10m Sa, Su @ 15.00 Britt-Marie Kävi Täällä (S) | 11€ | 1h37m F, Sa, Tu, W @ 17.30 Miehiä ja Poikia (S) | 11€ | 1h23m Su, M, Th @ 17.30 Uinu, Uinu Lemmikkini (16) | 12€ | 1h41m Every day @ 19.30

11

Inv you est in rse lf!

EFRI INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS WORKSHOPS

Xamk students contact hugh.clack@xamk.fi