e r e g p n i am n i a r
T
WELCOME TO tampere journalists’ ALTERNATIVE SUMMER
TRAINING When you are told that you have forty eight hours in order to teach people to write well, it is not the most comfortable of ideas. The thought that it has taken you years of practice and work to receive an invitation to train a group of people and then eventually you are given only two days to dispense all knowledge.
When you have talked and taught for forty eight hours, or when you spend that time listening and learning, you want results. You want to know for a fact that you have spent your time wisely. You want to be better by the end of the given time. The only fact about the situation is - you are not.
Two whole days spent working with a group of people. Starting with the organisers, who worked hard to make this happen, to the board of EYP Finland, who keept an eye on the happenings, to the trainees gathered from all over Finland and Europe, to the Trainers. Everyone gathered for forty eight hours to do the improbable. To reach the goal of becoming better by the end of that time.
It is hard to say what the trainees will become in a month’s or a year’s time. One thing is certain though - when you are told that you have forty eight hours to teach people how to write you have been given the chance to plant a seed. My only hope writing this, after the training, is that the seeds will be cultivated. That all of us will actually become better at what we hope to do in the future. For now, I can only invite you to root through the first sprouts of those forty eight hours. words and layout by Kārlis Caune
CONTENTS
9 11 12 14 16 20 23 24 26 29 30
the kick-start
JANNE VANHEMMENS go! play outside
HANNA PEURALA the price of being tanned
IIDA KALLIOKOSKI alternative sports
IRA LEIVISKÄ visiting Finland
JADE COATLICUE JIMÉNEZ SALGADO summer senses
VENLA AALTONEN summer survivors
KAROLIINA KARHU your summer fun
KAISA PEIPONEN embarrasing summer
SAARA RISSANEN sauna
MARTIN OLLINEN gossip
MARA BĂLAŞA & VEERA VERKASALO
32 35 37 39 40 43 44 47 49 50 52 54 58
a gain from rain
ZAMZAM ELMI one-summer stand
CHRISTOPHER NÖLTE adventure
HENNI ROINI whoosh
HANS NÄSMAN go home
ALMA VÄNTTINEN the apocalypse
EMIL EHNSTRÖM eating green
KATARIINA SUORSA & ADA AADELI explore your city
LAURA UUSITALO enter a title
ALEXANDER COATES ready set go
ALYONA VISHNEVSKA festivals
AMILA BABIĆ find your inner child
SUSANNA AHONEN behind the scenes
MARJA PENTIKÄINEN
THOUGHTS we all had our reasons and thoughts approacing Tampere. Some came here for a break from their everyday life, some to meet old friends. Yet there is one thing all of us had in common. We all came here to find out something new. About writing, journalism, photography, eyp, ourselves. Please, take a look at our thoughts and our work, we did it with you on our minds.
АЛЁНА ВИШНЕВСКАЯ
CHRISTOPHER NÖLTE
Тренинги являются неотъемлемой частью Европейского Молодежного Парламента. Здесь мы учимся нужным навыкам, а так же о том как думать нестандартно. Мы посещаем тренинги, посвященные темам академического письма, правильного построения ессее и не только. Так же мы учимся основам фотографии и, что самое важное, применяем приобретенные знания на практике.
Das Training ist für mich sehr interessant durch die vielen Aspekte die es beinhaltet. Man sammelt viele Erfahrungen mit anderen Menschen, man lernt wie man gute Artikel schreibt und man kann gleichzeitig seine ganze Kreativität in Fotos ausleben. Die Stimmung ist einmalig und ich werde die Sachen die ich hier lerne auch in anderen Bereichen des Lebens gut anwenden können.
AMILA BABIĆ
BĂLAŞA MARA
ALEXANDER COATES
HANS NÄSMAN
Een training zoals deze is belangrijk omdat het je ogen opent. Iedereen heeft een bepaald idee over de taak van een “official” maar niemand die het precies weet. De training stoomt je er helemaal klaar voor. Je leert de essentiële factoren, niet alleen de theorie maar ook de toepassing. Dit is de perfecte manier om goed voorbereid een sessie in te gaan!
De ce particip la aceste traininguri? Ar putea fi vorba despre acel sentiment inedit de anxietate combinată cu entuziasm care mă cuprinde atunci când mă îndrept spre toţi participanţii necunoscuţi. Sau despre dorinţa de implicare, de dezvolotare intrapersonală. Sau setea de cunoaştere. Aparent, există o multitudine de motive ce m-au determinat să completez fiecare formular de aplicaţie cu multă pasiune şi dedicaţie, iar până acum nu am regretat niciun moment asta.
This training event marks the regeneration of true EYP Media while providing an inspiring platform for many fresh young faces in the years to come. These types of events offer an unforgettable experience for everyone involved, with lessons from some of the most experienced names in the business.
Olen aina ollut kiinnostunut kirjoittamisesta ja EYP-koulutuksen kautta minulle on avautunut uusia ulottuvuuksia kirjoittamiseen. Siksi koulutukset ovat minulle hyvin läheisesti tärkeitä, EYPeen sisällä ja ulkopuolella. Välittömästi käytyäni parissa EYP-sessiossa, huomasin että haluaisin siirtyä journalistiksi, koska kirjoittaminen tuntui minusta kiinnostavammalta. Tämä koulutus on antanut minulle mahdollisuuden harjoitella juuri tätä kirjoittamista sekä muita journalismiin liittyviä asioita. Uskon että taidoista, jotka opin koulutuksessa tulee olemaan hyötyä tulevaisuudessa ja pystyn soveltamaan näitä taitoja monessa tilanteessa.
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the Kick-start
m
ag eb s y Ja nne Vanhemmen
It is great to watch 25 young people developing their ideas after introducing them to brainstorming methods. It is even better to see how they ultimately decide to make an original alternative summer magazine (and not a gossip, football-ina-train or McDonalds magazine) and immediately get enthusiastic about the articles they could write, talking about them over Mexican dinner and before going to sleep.
travel experiences could be considered quite alternative. I have spent a summer without alcohol, I have attended EYP summer sessions and I have visited numerous music festivals. Furthermore, I am not a newbie to dumpsterdiving, eating “green�, watching Gossip Girl, exploring my own city, making a magazine and surviving rainy days. On the other hand, I have never bitten mosquitoes, spent a summer without electricity or went skydiv Proofreading those articles ing. Challenges for the upcoming two days later on my way back to summer! Belgium, I realised that my own
The ideas might not include hitchhiking through Russia, volunteering in Madagascar or teaching in Nepal, but I think that all of these prospective journalists will grow in their alternative summer ideas, just as they will grow in their new occupation. Moreover, I have seen them develop on technical, creative and social level from close by, learning how to use their cameras, jumping around in the dark with glowsticks and commenting on each other articles.
The progress that this group has made in just 48 hours is hard to imagine. I truly believe that this weekend and making this magazine could be the kick-start for those who are enthusiastic and motivated to reach a higher level in writing and photography both in and outside of EYP. I am not sure if any of them will ever win the World Press Photo Award, but I do look forward to seeing their results in a few months or years. Many thanks to KÄ rlis, the organisers and the trainees.
im ag e words and Do you remember when you were 7 years old and sports classes were all about fun? Nowadays sports in schools only deals with muscle condition, jogging and so on. Next time you are going for a run or to the gym, why wouldn’t you just call your friends and ask them to play outside with you instead? Here are a few examples what to do on a summer’s day. Everyone knows the rules of hide and seek, but do you remember how to play kirkonrotta (church rat), piste (dot), 10 tikkua laudalla (10 sticks on a plank) or purkkis? The resemblance between these games is that they all are variations of the classical hide and seek, though the rules are a little bit more complicated to make it more interesting. These games are popular especially among the middle school pupils.
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Peurala
Go!
play outside
If you feel embarrassed playing those games as a grownup, why wouldn’t you play a round of polttopallo (dodgeball)? Even though it might feel a little bit childish, dodgeball is actually played in high schools in the US, for example. There’s no point in feeling ashamed!
little. You can also try to make new, more mature rules, don’t make it too serious, though.
In case your friends still don’t have the guts to play these games with you, and you still are eager to bring up your childhood memories, just play with your little brother/sister or younger rel Furthermore, when atives. As a kid, nothing is cooler talking about summer sports, than an adult playing with you, so what would be more refreshing it’s a win-win situation. You could than an ordinary water fight? If also just apply to EYP sessions, you don’t want to purchase a water and act a little bit childish there. pistol, you can also make one on your own. Just make a small hole Even though playing your on the cap of a big lemonade bot- favourite childhood games might tle and fill it with water, that will not be as efficient as going to the do just fine. gym would be, sometimes it is very relaxing to have a nice time Assuming that the prob- instead of sweating yourself to exlem is your friends and their prej- haustion. Life is too short to be udices, try to remind them of how taken seriously, so just go for it. much fun you had when you were
words and
im ag e
From Australia to Finland and from Italy to Japan, people get sunlight during certain times of the year and yes, they get sunburned. People around the world are also getting skin cancer, due to harmful rays of sunlight. Especially those with fair skin in areas such as Australia are at risk. Every time you go out in the sun and you get sunburned your skin is being harmed and gets to look old and possibly developing a skin cancer. Are we ready to pay this price for a natural-looking tan? Is it really more important than having a healthy skin throughout your entire life? My worst experiences with sun are the times I’ve gotten my skin burned badly. I’m not talking about getting a bit reddish, but about bad burns that hurt when going to sleep and when skin peels off. Even after going through those
times, I still don’t think that I could get a skin cancer, even though I know the chance is the same as for anyone else. I ease my thoughts by telling myself that cancer is just not part of my daily life and I don’t have to worry about it. Not being careful isn’t something I want to encourage people to do, but rather the opposite. In this case the real question is what are we ready to sacrifice in order to get tanned. Especially in Finland where the summer is short and cold, one doesn’t feel the need to put on sun screen on sunny days. Everyone want to get tanned, even though the Ultra Violet-rays are just as harmful as usually.
helps to keep the bones healthy, and according to recent studies vitamin D also has other positive impacts, such as preventing heart and cardio diseases. Especially in the north, it is almost impossible to get enough vitamin D during the long dark winters.
It’s vital to use sunscreen during summer months, even on cloudy days. Add it several times a day so that it can always protect your the skin. Make sure that the sunscreen protects from both UVA and UVB-rays and also that the SPF-level (Sun Protection Factor) is high enough, taken into account the cloudiness and the time off day one is exposed to the sunlight. Remember that the most dangerous It is worth noting that UV- time of the day is from 11 to 15 rays also have a good side: when o’clock. When you take all these the rays hit the surface of the skin, things into consideration, you it produces vitamin D, which is can have both a healthy skin and vital for human body. Vitamin D healthy tan.
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The price of
being tanned
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Alternative
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Ir by
eiv aL
sports
There are plenty of things to do during the summer. Here are a few descriptions of events that you should take part in. Time to try some Finnish national summer sports that are far from ordinary! The Wife Carrying World Championship
The Mosquito Killing Contest
If you want to be held by a strong finnish man or carry a fine lady on your shoulders, wife carrying is your pick. This famous event is held annually in Sonkajärvi, near Rovaniemi in northern Finland. The main point of the competition is to carry the wife, in any style you prefer, through a track of 253,5 metres. Nowadays you don’t even have to be married to participate. The prizes are amazing, the best one being - without a doubt - the woman’s weight in beer!
This is probably the most fun and satisfying activity of all. You can do it at any place where there are mosquitoes, although the official contest is held in Pyhätunturi. The goal is to swat as many mosquitoes as possible in five minutes. It sounds easier than it actually is! The official world record is only 21 mosquitoes in the time given. Some years, the competition has to be put down due to the lack of mosquitoes, and beware the animal lovers who may try to save the poor insects.
Swamp Football People who like more physical activities should try swamp football. The joy you get from wading knee-deep in the muddy waters of our northern swamps is just overwhelming. It is pretty tough though and you may brake a sweat. I wouldn’t recommend you to wear anything white. You can participate by signing in with a group of eleven people, so take your friends with you and come to have an unforgettable football match.
The Ant-nest sitting Competition This competition is one of the most extreme summer sports in Finland and is only suitable for the most cold-headed people. In all its simplicity, the point is to find an ant-nest and sit on it until you no longer can. The winner gets nothing but a sore butt.
nd image by rds a o Jad w e
Ji
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Sand, water and sun are the basic components of most summer vacations. People are often looking for nice hotels with a spa and pools, preferably located near the sea. Southern countries are the most common destinations for people to spend their holidays. Getting out of the routine might be considered a challenge; however, by trying it, you can always stumble upon an incredible surprise. Taking the chance to spend your summer vacations in northern countries such as Finland, might be the best experience you’ll ever have. “Spend the best summer of your life in Finland!” After hearing this, for some people, the first thought that might come to their mind is: that’s impossible! If that happens to be your reaction, one of these two might be the reason:
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vis
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either you are Finnish, meaning that summer vacations in Finland does not represent anything new for you, or you are a foreigner who hasn’t visited Northern countries before, so you probably think of them as countries that don’t have anything more to offer than the chance to get a cold.
24-hours straight is a unique experience. This creates the perfect environment for trying typical Finnish drinks such as ‘’Koskenkorva”. Get to know more about Finland by appreciating its nature while walking through the woods. Contemplate the different landscapes and feel the amazing weather. End your day by visiting a sauna and Then which are the features swimming in a lake. that make Finland to be an extraordinary place for spending the Finland is a suitable place summer? There are many opportu- for all kinds of people. It has small nities: and peaceful towns for those who - Enjoying warm temperatures prefer going away from the crowd- Swimming in the lakes ed cities, and medium-size ones - Going to crazy parties for those preferring shops, bars but - Meeting incredible people also natural and nice spaces. - Relaxing in nature It’s easy to find incredible Finland can give you some places and get amazing experiencof the best experiences of your life. es by just taking the chance and For instance, the mid-summer fes- trying something new like visiting tival “Juhannus” during which you Finland! can enjoy the sunshine for almost
im ag e words and
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Aaltonen
Sum
sen
Diving is an eye-opening interest in many ways. It can take you to beautiful environments and show the most overwhelming worlds you didn’t even know exist. Now you might think about Nemo in the sea, hanging around with Ariel surrounded by corals, but I’m not talking about diving as a sport. Diving in the water is a unique experience but jumping into your imagination gives you unlimited options of landscapes to admire. On a rainy summer day or in the cold winter, you miss the sun and warmth a lot. The best way to get wherever you want to go is to dive into that environment and spend a moment or two right there. You just need to sink into that landscape sense by sense. Next, I will give some personal tips on how to do that. I relax completely. I let the problems of the past week fade away and I don’t worry about tomorrow’s schedule. I try to close every distraction outside of my little bubble for the next few minutes. While I let my senses close of from the real world, a summery landscape starts to form on the inner side of my eyelids. The sense of sight is the first of my senses that steps into the overwhelming beautiful landscape created by my unconscious. A shoreline, small waves, a rugged rock in the middle of the sea and the lighthouse on the opposite coast are starting to gain shapes. Sunlight reflects on the sea surface and makes the crests glitter. In this view my eyes rest. Next, the seagulls flying above the sea and the flushing waves attract my attention. My sense of hearing slowly sinks into the imaginary world from the reality. The sea is rippling and I could listen to it forever. Seagulls
mmer
nses are laughing and screaming to fish which swim underneath the sea surface. Somewhere behind my right shoulder a nearby ferryboat takes cars on board. The gate bangs while closing and when the ferry leaves the harbour, its motor rumbles quietly. The sound reaches my ears in pulses, which makes the ferry’s sailing sound hypnotic. It’s not hard for me to bring my sense of smell and taste into the scene of my dreams as well. I take a deep breath and I can really smell the salty sea. I can also imagine the taste of a hollow rush in my mouth. The taste is also salty and it feels so real that my salivary glands sensitize. Finally my sense of touch reaches my sweet imaginations. I can’t feel the pattern and pillow, buss bench or yoga mat underneath me anymore. All I can feel is a fragile wind on my face and hard rock below my bare feet. Salty sea wind has messed up my hair and it feels sticky. Waves lick the rock trying to reach my toes. When they do, the water feels fresh and cool while the hot summer sun warms my body from the inside out. I couldn’t be happier anywhere else. In the end I need to leave my world of imagination and wake up to reality. My eyelids feel extremely heavy and I’m not able to move for a while. After all the happiness and joy I experienced in that summer’s view, the rainy reality feels cold and dark. There are as many dreamy summer locations as people living on Earth. Those places are reachable in such an easy way. Just move backwards and take a jump into your shiny and bright imagination.
im ag e words and
ina roli a K by
Karhu
Summer
survivors Practically, the summer without electricity means that you need to create completely new plans. What to do if you cannot use any of your essential items? You can find a lot to do in nature like fishing, picking berries or just observing around. It’s all about creativity.
Nowadays, we need dozens of electric appliances on a daily basis. Everyday necessities like phones, computers, freezers, coffee makers, televisions, hair dryers and lamps all use a huge quantity of electricity. Are we so addicted to our appliances that we are not able to live a second without them? Maybe you should try to get through the summer without these comforts! First of all, let’s concentrate on practical matters. For instance, you should go to a primitive summer cottage to be far away from electrical temptations. The next problem is food and its storage. You have to give up all the perishable products like milk and meat, so remember to ensure you still get nourishing food. Lastly, you should start prepare yourself mentally. It can be psychologically challenging to go into the woods with no connections with the surrounding world. One way to manage this is of course to take a friend with you!
Some of you may wonder why on earth you should spend your summer torturing yourself in the middle of nowhere trying to keep yourself alive. The first good reason is to prevent global warming. Living without electricity is one of the most efficient ways to be eco-friendly. If you are not that into saving the planet, you can think about this as a challenge. Are you so addicted to your phone that you can’t be without Facebook or Instagram for a couple of weeks? If you think you can, then prove it! All in all, when you think about the pros and cons of a summer without electricity, the cons do not beat the pros right away. If several months or a few weeks seem to you as a really long time, you can still try this out as a hiking trip or a weekend in a tent in your backyard. It’s up to you!
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Your summer fun
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In Finland a student’s holiday is about 10 weeks long and at universities even more. That’s why everyone tries to make the most out of their summer and people are wondering what to do besides working. However, they are searching for something not too expensive, since every student wants to save some money of the wage of their summer job. First of all, having a picnic is always a good idea, especially if the sun is shining. You just need to find a beautiful place and it will be awesome to sit there and enjoy the silence. You can nicely combine hanging out with friends and enjoying delicious food. You can also save money by making the snacks yourself. Having a picnic is something I would recommend for everybody. In case of rain, you could clean your room and wardrobe and take unneeded clothes to second hand shops. It’s also a good reason to visit some of those shops and find something new for a good price. During the summer, all stores have sales, so that’s a good opportunity to buy new clothes. In order to experience something different, you should take your sleeping bag and sleep in your back-
yard, under the stars. If that’s not exciting enough, look for a nice camping site, set up a tent and have fun with your friends while having a barbeque and playing some outdoor games. It wouldn’t be a bad idea either to visit relatives who you haven’t seen in a while. Furthermore, summer is also a good time to visit a local library and sign up for the summer reading list. You could take a good book with you to the beach or just read it in your garden. In the sunniest season there are a lot of cheap and wonderful things to do and of course there are many more activities than the examples I just gave. Be creative and open-minded and you’ll have the best summer of your life!
im ag e words and
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ssanen a Ri r a Sa
Embarrasing summer all, to take yourself too seriously. I believe that embarrassment isn’t such a big deal because you can be embarrassed in a good manner too. Being embarrassed is having fun and showing your true identity.
Blushing. Awkward giggling. No, I am not talking about meeting your crush, although you might prefer to read about that. I am talking about being embarrassed in general. Many people, especially us Finns, usually dislike being the centre of attention. This often happens when our own or our friends’ behaviour has caused the gazes and whispers. People usually seem to focus on the disadvantages of being embarrassed but on the other hand, there are at least as many advantages as there are disadvantages. Being embarrassed can be good for your mentality as well as for your well-being and health. Embarrassment won’t prevent you from getting infected, but it can help you to understand what kind of person you are. Don’t be afraid to be ashamed of yourself every once in a while and to discover characteristics of yourself that you didn’t know before! For instance, you might realise that you are not such an earnest person as you thought you were. At the same time you learn not to take life and, above
All that is left is to learn how to deal with embarrassment and I, as a person who has a tendency to humiliate herself publicly, eagerly share my doctrines with you. Firstly, do not think about how you will look like. You will look ridiculous no matter what. However, you will seem more intelligent if your friends are even more ludicrous than you are. Secondly, be spontaneous. If you feel like dancing in the middle of the city centre and do a little Harlem Shake, that is acceptable in every respect. Finally, don’t let your friends slow you down. You are awesome and they are just lame compared to you if they are not as crazy as you are. In the end, blushing and awkward giggling has turned into joyful laughter and others’ doubtful gazes. Being embarrassed certainly is an alternative summer activity and thus, the next time you have nothing to do, try to be a little bit crazy and I can guarantee that you will have the time of your life!
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Sauna.
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In Finland, the summer tends to get really hot and unpleasant for some Finns. However, no matter what the weather is, all Finns like to go to the sauna. It is a sacred place for many of them. It’s the place where the most serious and personal discussions take place. It also has been used for various things throughout history, whether it was for giving birth, nurturing the sick or just for pleasure. Those traditions have carried on to this day.
You shouldn’t settle with going just once. There are many different kinds of saunas and each one offers a unique experience. The regular Finnish sauna works with a wood sauna stove. Secondly there is the smoke sauna, which is less popular and considered ancient and very exclusive since there are so few. The last sauna type is the modernised electric sauna. It is the most popular one since it has become easier to install electric saunas into apartments.
Going to a sauna in the summer must seem awfully hot. Why would anyone go into a room of hot air when it’s twenty-five degrees outside? It sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But believe me, diving into a lake after a hot sauna and then relaxing on a bridge with a cold beer is the best that summer has to offer.
If you ever visit Finland, you are probably going to try out a real Finnish sauna since there are more than 2,5 million saunas in this country with only 5 million people. No matter the weather, we’re all going to the sauna together.
First of all, dear stranger, I can inform you that one of my most trustworthy sources is involved in an organisation called EYP. I have found out numerous things about its members, and I find their extreme behavior very strange. For example, they are world champions at eating pizza, inventing their own words and taking ghost pictures in the dark. Still, you might find it compelling to know that they always keep their spirits up by playing embarrassing, funny games. EYPers are nuts.
Moreover, imagine this: Prince Charming is having a summer romance (or is it more than that?). To my knowledge, he already hopped on his motorcycle and started the long quest to retrieve his beautiful princess. He seems to think he can have any girl he wants and this doesn’t make him any more respectable in my eyes. My advice to you, male strangers, is not to act like this because there is nothing less attractive than an overly smug man. Regarding The Geek who is constantly wearing a Metallica t-shirt and playing The League of Legends: it seems as if the concept of having an “alternative summer” is lost to him, since he is still glued to his computer. Maybe we could invent a cure for him, or simply just steal his glasses. Are you in?
Veer a Veerkasalo
Gossip.
a&
the summer is coming and my question to you is: are you willing to waste another three months of your life? No? That is what I thought. That’s why I am here to guide you through the most Frawesome Alternative Summer you have ever experienced. Welcome to the gossip portal, where you will get to know everything about everyone. Keep on reading and you will find out what people try to hide. The rules are simple. I tell you, you tell me. Do we have a deal? Now, enjoy.
Furthermore, the word has spread that Mr. Mysterious is no longer taken. Ladies, listen closely. He can be found in the town of Joensuu next Monday. His fabulous sister, The Barbie, has also been documented to have bought a ring. Can we expect a wedding?
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laş
Hey there stranger,
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Bă
Oh! I almost forgot… He’s quiet on the outside, but burning on the inside. Yeah, you guessed right, I am talking about The Poet. No one should fall for his misleading words, because they are his most powerful weapon. So, ladies, get a shield or try to fight back with all of your female superpowers. You might be wondering what all these boys have in common. Well, the answer is simple. Each of them is looking for some fun, a little adventure or a secret romance. Each of them has dreams and ambitions and is looking forward to a crazy summer. For now, I have got nothing more to say, since I have already told you too much. For my entertainment, don’t stay out of trouble, but rather let me know when you feel like going off the reel. Always tell me when a juicy piece of information reaches your ears. You know how to contact me.
an ds wor d
A gain from the rain
im age by
i Zamzam Elm
It is raining cats and dogs outside and you are doomed to stay indoors all day. Rain has its own patterns, which are almost never to our liking. Rather than being in front of your computer and typing ‘bored’ into Google, why not try something new? What about leaving the Internet for once? Consider reading. There are always books one never before had the time or the attention span for. If you are not a complete book freak, magazines and comics make an excellent read too. Cozy up with your book, grab a few snacks on the way and you will be hooked in no time. If you absolutely cannot live without your electronics, give your gadgets a whirl for the afternoon. You surely have a Nintendo, iPod, Gameboy or some other console lying around. Play something you haven’t played in a while. Try to beat your pre-
vious high score. Perhaps have your friends over for a karaoke session: the more the merrier. Have a pizza party! What could be better than making finger-licking homemade chicken pizza with some fantastic company? Invite your closest friends for the night and enjoy devouring your delicious masterpieces while watching a good-natured movie. If you want to do something useful, clear your gradually cluttering desk and that age-old mess in your drawer. I know cleaning your room does not sound like the most attractive task to most people, but it will definitely be productive. Besides, you might find hidden treasures under that week old heap of clothes. One of those treasures might just be a fancy camera.
Try photography for a day. If you are feeling artistic you could try new angles or different lighting. Do not be afraid to explore your camera’s settings. Take photos of everything. Perhaps take some experimental photos of your adorable pets. In case your pet decides not to cooperate, it can be a good time to catch up on some grooming, chatting and snuggling. Sinking into a big comfy couch to watch TV with your best buddy could be just what the doctor suggested. All in all, there are numerous ways to spend drizzly days. It is perfectly okay if sitting inside, watching the rain trickle down your window is not your forté. To this I suggest putting on some rain gear or a bathing suit and going puddle jumping. Remember to maintain your beaming, sunny smile and don’t let the rain dampen your mood.
di s an word
One-Summer stand m
ag eb yC
hristopher Nölte
Still no idea how to spend the summer in Finland? Have you ever thought about having a one-summer relationship? Without getting serious, you can just hang around together and enjoy life. There is a lot potential for you in Finland – the country with the second most beautiful girls in Europe according to several studies. The first step is to attract the attention of a girl. Try not to do this in an embarrassing way, but try to make her laugh while being you. It’s especially difficult to get into contact with Finnish girls be-
cause they are shyer than other European people. You definitely have a better chance if you look good, but also normal looking guys can have good looking girls, because there are plenty of them in Finland.
start with. Another good spot is an outside bar, if you chill in the sun and everybody is getting tipsy. In Finland there is quite a big drinking culture and even girls do drink sometimes more than they should. That makes your chances a lot higher. You should avoid talking to them if they are in big groups. Approaching them when they are alone improves your chances of actually being able to start a conversation.
Where can you meet girls looking for a summer romance? The answer is nearly everywhere, but there are certain places that are slightly better. For instance if you go to a beach, you can just ask girls to play some sport with you. Finns are interested in a lot of sports, es- The beginning is the most pecially floor ball and volleyball. difficult part, but it’s important that That’s always a good icebreaker to you do not learn anything by heart.
Pick-up lines never work because you won’t get anything more than a smile. However, you can think beforehand what topics you want to talk about. Do talk about fashion, vacations and music. Do not say anything about ex-girlfriends and don’t open up yourself too much. You have to seem interesting to her or it doesn’t work. If the girl just gives you short answers, it doesn’t mean that she’s not interested, she might simply be too shy to share her opinion on things. But just keep on talking; she will start to converse more with you after a while. Also try to improve her self-confidence
and force her to say her opinion on of luck. It’s over and you’ll have to things. It’s also always good to ask move on. about Finland, as Finns love their country and love to talk about it. If she still talks with you after the second date, you’ve basi Another good hint is to cally got her and it’s just a matter give her your number, don’t ask for of time. Wait two days after the hers. She will call you if she’s inter- second date until you are talking ested. If she’s not, she’s not worth to her again and then you basically it. If she texts you, don’t answer in- have your relationship. Then you stantly. You will gather much more have the whole summer time to attention from her if you wait some figure out how to get rid of her aftime. Bring flowers for your second ter summertime. Maybe you even “date”, then she will know what to decide to go for a long-term relaexpect. That’s a good way to prevent tionship. It’s completely up to you! ending up in the “friend-zone”. If you do end up in there, you’re out
an ds wor
Adventure
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im age by
Henni Roini
Adventure is waiting for you right behind the corner… Misty mountains, green grass under your feet and an endless view over a lake. Your backpack is on the ground beside you while you’re taking a quick stop. Your mind is blank – no school, no deadlines, no stress. Nobody ever has time to relax, right? The time in your life when you’re supposed to become an adult and take up responsibility passes by second by second. Youth should be all about growing into your body, finding your opinions, pursuing dreams. The landscape described is in Laos, Asia on a backpacking trip. It’s from a dream, and I’m there by myself but I don’t mind. “Adventure” seems to be a word from the past for a lot of people. Backpacking in Asia may sound scary, and travelling solo is a sure thing that many would pass for. I challenge you to imagine two months in the summer without anyone to change your mind, you’d be completely free! You can wake up in the morning and think: what do I want to do today? If you are wondering if you’d never feel lonely: yes, but in the end there
are people everywhere and when you feel like it, I guarantee that you will find a buddy to talk with. Exploring cultures is something that can open your mind completely - in a best-case scenario western demands will become unnecessary and life will become more passionate. I can also promise you some challenges. The world out there is not a bed of roses, but nothing raises a human being more than facing challenges and difficulties. So find information, seek for your perfect route and after booking a ticket, just wait for the adrenaline to fill you up. Pack only necessities - especially you girls out there - and remember the patches. Put your laptop and a smartphone aside and take off. You won’t be the same person when you come back, so take the step to the unknown and explore new horizons.
an ds wor d
Wboosh!
im age by
n Hans Näsma
No
that’s not the sound of you missing a joke, that‘s the sound of the wind rushing by your face as the ground creeps ever closer. The feeling in the pit of your stomach is the same as in an amusement park but with no harnesses tying you down. This is the adventure that you could be having - you could be skydiving. You could be throwing yourself out of a plane headfirst and feeling the rush. If you feel scared by the thought of jumping headlong out of a plane, don’t worry! There are a series of lessons you need to go through before you going in the plane, and even then, two trained professionals will be there to make sure everything goes fine. Through the strict regulation of who can and cannot jump, skydiving is much more professionally conducted than most sports.
Ever since the first free-fall jump in 1919, skydiving has become a popular hobby for thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies. It has become more and more accessible to people over time, especially once it gained international recognition as a competitive sport. Thereafter, skydiving clubs and communities have opened up across the world, even right here in backwater Finland! Clubs across the world offer qualification lessons several times each year and the summer is the perfect time to get qualified. After taking the classes, you have to complete 7 assisted jumps at the club before you can move on to greener pastures around the world. Skydiving material has the excellent feature of being portable. Even if you do not want to purchase your own gear, you can always rent it in clubs all over the globe. Once you have learned the skills and acquired the qualifications, you can skydive anywhere. If there is anything you should learn during the summer, it is skydiving. Skydiving will get you off your feet and make you a member of a unique worldwide community. If you have a thirst for adventure and extremes, this is the perfect alternative summer hobby for you.
Everyone knows that the Finns are quiet and sullen people. They don’t know the concept of “small talk”, awkward silence is a part of the normal day and they think that a person is sick if he or she gives someone a compliment. However, when it comes to drinking alcohol, everything changes. Already after a few beers, Finns get more talkative, social and they even become everybody’s friends. They are happy and everything is great until the sun rises the following morning.
Waking up with an awful headache without remembering a thing of last night, they swear that they will never drink again. This time, we will make them keep their promises. We therefore challenge all of you Finns and everyone around the world to keep a non-alcoholic summer. We all know about the dangers of alcohol and how badly it influences us; so we don’t have to preach here. I am challenging you to do a few things.
a rds wo
n d i m en age by Alma Vänttin
Go Home!
The first and main challenge is not to drink any alcohol during the whole summer. I don’t mean that Finns are alcoholics, it’s just their way of spending their evenings, especially during the summertime. So this summer everyone can change their habits.
that you were sober. The best option, of course, would be that nobody of the group drinks alcohol, so you can challenge all your friends to hop on board.
After an amazing sober summer, you can be really proud of yourself and continue this challenge all Additionally, you can try to year. You will realise that drinking is go to bars without drinking alcohol. useless and a waste of your money. You You can drive your drunken friends and your friends can have enough fun around and take care of them. The next without alcohol and use your money morning, they will complain about on travelling or clothes. I’m sure you hangovers and you will be thankful won’t be disappointed.
words and
im ag e
lE mi E y
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the
Apocalypse have you been brutally bitten by a dog that sucked out your precious blood? Never.
Every summer I live in constant fear. I am being followed everywhere I go, there is nowhere to hide. People say the apocalypse is coming. For me it is already here, I am a prey for the bloodthirsty creatures that lurk around. Soon you will be a victim too and that is why I am here to help you realize the danger that is soon upon you. They are hard to spot. At first you think you are safe but then suddenly you hear the most annoying sound in the universe. It is a bit like tinnitus, only worse. When I have a nightmare, this is the sound I hear. Sometimes the nightmares get real, since mosquitos get to you in your sleep as well. One can never be safe. But why feel unsafe? They are just small bugs, right? That is what I often hear when people are making fun of my fear for mosquitos. Some people think that a mosquito is just like any other animal. But how often
After they have taken one of the most important things you need to survive, they also leave terrible scars that seem to last for a lifetime. Since mosquitos usually like to focus on bare skin, especially your face, it also affects your looks a lot. The feeling of being ugly is not the only thing the scars do. They also itch. A lot. There is fear, bloodsucking, tinnitus from hell, scars and itching. It sounds like a cocktail made by the devil. That is why I suggest you to choose for an alternative summer. There is of course the option of going abroad during the summer, but in almost every country there will be some sort of mosquitos, some more dangerous than others. The answer is to fight them. By biting them back and sucking out their blood, you can scare them away. The only manner to escape is therefore to become one of them!
im ag eb
words and Summertime offers the perfect opportunity for you to try something new. Challenge yourself to stick to an all-organic diet. Make this the greenest summer ever! The trend of ecoo-friendly eating is booming across the globe. The theme is constantly being renewed and reinvented: all over the world, new organic food shops are opening and becoming more and more popular by the day. When it comes to food, the statement “the greener the better” is the number one criterion to fulfil. Nowadays, we are concentrating on how much processing our food has undergone. The most “hip” thing to do is to eat straight from the ground and take whatever Mother Earth provides. In a way, we have regressed back to the past, taken a step back from the overly industrialised world. The words “pure” and “natural” are becoming great marketing gimmicks, which is a positive improvement. Furthermore, e-codes are widely starting to be avoided. Even though the overuse of different additives can lead to serious health issues, some people go completely overboard when fussing about them. Like with most things,
Eating Green
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a Suorsa & Ad aA riin a t a ad K e y
neither of the extremes is the best option. The trick is to find the right balance that works for you. Just keep calm and eat green.
your hands dirty. If you’re up for it, take a trip to the forest and see what nature has to offer. And hey, remember: not all that glitters is green.
The greenest foods can’t be found from the meat counter at an ordinary supermarket. If you want to really embrace the term eco-friendly food, you should opt for fresh fruits and vegetables grown at a regional farm. This way, you buy food with a smaller carbon footprint as well as support local agriculture. To become a true green hipster, you should set up a miniature veggie garden in your backyard.
Instagram has evolved to become the modern way to say grace. When you walk into a cool restaurant at lunchtime, it is likely for you to see people taking pictures of their dishes. Only moments later, those photos will be uploaded to Instagram. There are currently 15,680,000 shots with the hashtag “food”, 9,600,000 for “instafood” and 2,300,000 for “foodgasm”. The link between the new-found instalife and eco-friendly food is obvious and the hashtag “ecofood” is also getting very popular.
People often perceive organic food to be more expensive than regular food. In most cases, this is true if you buy your groceries at a trendy eco-shop. However, there are different options. A cheaper version can be discovered in the most unusual places. What we can’t guarantee is these places being particularly fancy. By stopping by at the dumpster of the market, it is unlikely to find anything fresh. There is a possibility of finding something green, but green doesn’t always mean good. Another option to consider is to go straight to the source by visiting a local farm. The key is to seek good food without prejudice, and to not be afraid to get
The pressure set by both the media and society in general influences the way consumers act. Being constantly told to shop and go green in every possible way makes shoppers feel encouraged to follow the set standard. Superfood, ecofood, organic food: whatever you call it, green is the new it-word. The green movement is spreading fast and taking over the world. All in all, it is up to everyone to decide for themselves whether or not such enthusiasm about a colour is really necessary. Anyway, what is sure is that you can’t stop the green!
im ag e words and
by
sitalo a Uu r u La
explore Your city The only thing you have to do is some research and you will find numerous places nearby where you have never been before. I have for example never visited the art museum situated in my hometown. When you visit these attractions, you can learn something new about the city you live in. At the same time, you support local entrepreneurs that keep the area lively. Here are some tips to explore your city. 1. Go to your city’s website and seek for information
Long flights, endless queues and overpriced hotels – don’t you wish that you could travel without them? You do not always have to take a flight to distant places to find interesting spots. There can be a lot of opportunities in your own hometown that you might not be aware of. If you only have one day or a weekend, you cannot go very far. When you are staying near your home, you can see more in a shorter period of time. You do not need much time for transportation and it is also more ecological not to travel far away. You may still think that there is more to see somewhere else. People from abroad may think in the same way and want to travel to your home city. Why don’t you jump in their shoes and experience your hometown from a different angle?
2. If your town has busses, trams or trains, take a random one and see where you end up 3. Join a tourist tour 4. Choose a restaurant where you have never been before 5. Take interesting pictures of places that you pass every day 6. Shop some souvenirs that are produced by the people in the area 7. Ask parents or friends for their favourite places and go check them out 8. Travel with a friend 9. Go to a local music concert or theatre 10. Sleep in a tent or somewhere else outside your home
im ag e words and Many people say that the lifestyle of lazy people is pure and devoted evil. This devil’s work is shown through different mediums such as sleeping, not working out or any instance of scatter-brained activity. However, these people, like many other cultures of the world face a grave problem – prejudice. As a fellow member of the ‘lazies’, we demand that this significant proportion of the population should be recognised as making a genuine contribution to society. Times are a-changing and the world becoming more and more interactive. People need to stop be-
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ing pre-occupied with their slow, dead-end jobs and start living their life by having fun! Laziness allows you to be free to do what you want, all from the comfort of your own home. With over 15% of personnel having to take time off work for stress-related problems, this embodies the standard that people are simply too uptight nowadays. Everyone needs to chill out and take a step back. This is the first step to becoming lazy, allowing you to enjoy everything you do to the fullest; but remember, doing too many activities in your life is bad.
People who are lazy should not be shunned or thought of by society as less than the average. These people should be embraced as the next generation to keep humanity together as one. When one thinks of a lazy person, their mind automatically diverts to youths. One must keep in mind that we are not a cult. We are not a selection of devils sent to turn the earth to a fiery inferno. We are humble patients of this heartbreak hospital just like you. Lazy people will surely be running the majority of the world in the next few years and decades. Vive le lazy revolution!
The summer is about to take over the rainy and snowy spring and for us EYPers, that means that the season of numerous summer sessions is about to kickoff. There are many opportunities to see places, to meet people, to experience and to explore. When travelling to other countries, it may be a nice idea to consider staying for a bit longer and let the tourist in you enjoy some sightseeing. What: International Forum of EYP Austria in Graz
What: International Forum of EYP Greece in Thessaly
heard of, is held each year in early August in Guča, a tiny village in central Serbia. A crowd of more When: 2-8th August than 500,000 revellers will expeCool places nearby: the beach! rience brass music, whirling kola Take a little vacation and chillax. (circle dances) and booze-fuelled For more active people, there is carousing. Athens where you can dive into the mysteries of the ancient Greek What: Leopolis International Foworld. rum in Ukraine What: International Forum of EYP France in Dijon
words and
im ag e
When: 9-15th July Cool places nearby: Dijon is relaWhen: 8-12th July tively close to Paris, so if you havCool places nearby: Vienna (stop en’t been to probably the most faby the local small cafes and try mous city on Earth, don’t miss out their chocolate cake). Right after on the great opportunity. the session, the ImPuls Tanz Festival takes place in the marvellous What: Novi Sad, Serbia capital city. It is one of the major dancing events of the world, so When: 12-18 August why not get a bit jazzy. Cool places nearby: One of the wildest music festivals on Earth, which you most likely have never
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a Vishnevska n o ly
When: 7-11th August Cool places nearby: the city of Lviv is a great example of a Western styled architectural masterpiece, so take your time to stroll around. The Carpathian Mountains are fairly close, which could be a great destination for hikers. What: National Session in Latvia When: 3-9th August Cool places nearby: nature lovers – this is definitely your perfect session! There are numerous gorgeous National parks in Eastern Latvia.
Ready, set,
Go!
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B i la
abić
words and imag eb yA
Festivals
Are you one of those many people who think the summer is just about beach, sun and sea? Lying in the sun for hours and torturing yourself just to get a tan... you have been doing it wrong. The solution? Festivals. Give it a thought, because festivals are there for us to celebrate and to help us forget our routine. It gives us some momentary, mental and physical relaxation and frees us from boredom, stress and exhaustion. Festivals have become very popular throughout the years. They started off as feasts for the religious and soon became something everyone could contribute to. A religious festival is a time of special importance marked by adherents to that religion, those festivals are commonly celebrated on recurring cycles in a calendar or lunar calendar. Those of faith had a moment to relax and celebrate. Over the years it has dramatically changed. Yes, we do still celebrate religious festivals for instance carnival, yet we all know music and film festivals. How did this happen? Nowadays, we barely go to festivals to celebrate our religion but we go to party. A handful of friends together in a humongous group of strangers, drinking and enjoying themselves with crazy music under the stars. Waking up next to someone you have never met and relaxing on the camping site. This is a real summer experience. No stress, no boredom, only constant joy! Embrace the festival spirit and chill out. You will survive if you don’t eat healthy at festival. Wear
your grass stained jeans with pride, forget where you have pitched your tent. Buy a drink for a stranger and mostly be serious about having fun. If there is a band to see, get there two hours beforehand. Buy a cheap ass camera in Tiger and use it. Create the best memories. How else can you prove to your friends you have seen the legendary Red Hot Chili Peppers or Major Lazer? Drink and be merry! Simply be happy. However, don’t get mad and drink as much booze as you can on the first hour of the camping activities, because then you
will miss all the acts. Try also not to get drunk too often, you don’t want to be a babysitter of a drunk friend, so they don’t either. Another quite handy tip is that you should avoid coming late. No one wants to pay for a ticket and then miss half of the event. Even worse, you would get the worst camping places, for instance next to the bins. No, you want to be there on time to have a good place to sleep. Altogether, festivals are fun. They are relaxing and at the same time very entertaining. You will be full of new memories, you will have meet new people and be able to relax. You have no valid excuse not to go to a festival, so gather all your friends and I will see you there!
im ag e
na san u S by
Ahonen
find
words and
Inner
Many of us love those rainy days in warm summers. We know those summers from way back in our childhoods. The days smell just right and the sound of the rain on the roof is simply relaxing. You just want to free your mind of stress and listen to the sounds, just like when you were a child. You might want to read a book or take a nap with the television on. However, this obviously cannot go on forever. You will get fed up of sitting around after a while. At the point when you have read all the books in the library and you are getting absolutely tired of your folks, you probably need to speed up things a little bit. A great idea to change the pace of a slow rainy week would be to bring together an editorial group of your friends and to make a magazine. To make a rainy day even more different and captivating, you can make it the old fashioned
your
child way with pen and paper. This is a way to really get the feeling of summers when you were young and had absolutely nothing to do, back before technology killed time and creativity. The greatest thing is that making a magazine requires very few materials! All you really need is some paper, pens, pencils, staplers and your imagination! Another wonderful side of the creating your own magazine is that you don’t need to go into personal stuff, which means that this publication is great for grandmas as well. After you are done with the magazine, the only thing left to do is scan your creativity on a computer and print it out for your friends and family. Now your personal nostalgic summer memory is ready!
words by M arj a
Pe
n ine ä k i nt
The evening sun is shining over Tampere and the trainees are enjoying the Journalists’ Training of EYP Finland, which has just begun. Or has it? Let us go back a couple of months to the wintery day of January 25th 2013, when Ms Hanna Haavisto and Ms Elisa Anttonen promised to put the training on their to-do list. Not quite knowing what to expect, they agreed to Head Organise an international training for over 30 people. Why did they do this? Despite having been a Head Organiser of an EYP session myself I knew that their journey would not be all glossy and glamorous, so why did I encourage my friends to take the task?
behind the Scenes
confident or excited about EYP one might be. Accepting new challenges is always easier when you have a clear idea what to expect and know how to do things the way they are expected to be done.
time and money were spent well in organising this training. Trainings like these have been an important part of EYP Finland’s activities for years. The driving forces behind them are Head Organisers like Ms Haavisto and Ms Anttonen, most of whom have attended EYP trainings themselves in their early EYP days. Because of the skills they have gained in previous trainings, they themselves are ready to sacrifice a part of their everyday life in order to make new trainings happen. By doing this, they give new EYPers the opportunity to get the same kind of experiences they have had.
Papers, videos and photos are some of the few things that help the participants afterwards reminisce about EYP sessions. Especially when they are created with care and passion, they feel priceless to the participants. However, the presence of many different deadlines makes quality journalism in EYP sessions a challenging feat. Thankfully the trainers and trainees of the Journalists’ Training of EYP Finland had the enthusiasm and willingness to ensure the con- Hopefully the trainees of tinued practice of good journalism the Journalists’ Training of EYP EYP sessions usually do in EYP. Finland in 2013 enjoyed the expenot allocate much time for officials’ rience and can use the skills they training. The short trainings in After the Journalists’ Train- have gained in upcoming EYP sesthe sessions give the participants a ing of EYP Finland its participants sions – and perhaps organise trainskin-deep introduction to the part are now ready to wow other EYP ings themselves for the future EYP they have at the session, but they session participants with the tips generations in Finland and elsenever live up to multi-day train- and tricks that they picked up from where in Europe. ings. Making the transition from a Mr Caune and Ms Vanhemmens. delegate to an official can be chal- From the point of view of the board lenging for anyone, no matter how of EYP Finland this proves that the
EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT FINLAND’S JOURNALISTS’ TRAINING TAMPERE
MAY 10TH-12TH 2013
TRAINERS
Janne Vanhemmens Kārlis Caune
ORGANISERS Elisa Antonen Hanna Haavisto Lars Melakoski Marja Pentikäinen Richard Janoušek
TRAINEES
Ada Aadeli Alexander Coates Alma Väntinen Amila Babić Alyona Vishnevska Christopher Nölte Hanna Peurala Hans Näsman Henni Roini Iida Kalliokoski Ira Leiviskä Jade Coatlicue Jiménez Salgado Kaisa Peiponen Karoliina Karhu Katariina Suorsa Laura Uusitalo Mara Bălaşa Martin Ollinen Roosa Eskola Saara Risanen Susanna Ahonen Veera Verkasalo Venla Aaltonen Zamzam Elmi