From Helsinki to Pittsburg

I've been in Pittsburg now for a month. But here's how I got here. Beginning is in Finnish.

Lento lähti Helsinki-Vantaan lentokentältä kello 8 ja isäni ja siskoni veivät minut sinne niin aikaisin, että olin siellä hyvissä ajoin ja ehdin odotella lennon lähtöä yli tunnin. Matkatavarat sain kirjattua nopeasti koska jonoa ei ollut ja ne lensivät ensimmäiseen USAn kohteeseen asti ilman vaihtoapua. Lentokentälle saapumisesta siihen, että olin valmis menemään koneeseen kului ehkä vartista puoleen tuntiin. Odotteluajan luin kirjaa.

Ensimmäinen lento meni nopeasti ja ilman mitään ongelmia Tukholmaan alle tunnissa. Mitään kipua korvissa tai vastaavaa ei ollut. Tukholmassa oli hieman ongelmia, koska Helsinki-Vantaalla olin saanut lentokoneeseen pääsykortin vain Tukholmaan, enkä tiennyt mistä siellä Tukholmassa olisin saanut sitten Boarding passit seuraaviin kohteisiin. Menin kuitenkin suoraan sille portille, mistä lento lähti, koska passintarkastaja sanoi, että saatan saada boarding passin sitten lähtöportilta. Lähtöportilla juutuin turvatarkastukseen, jossa tarkistettiin viisumia, matkatavaraa ja muutenkin sen verran huolellisesti, että aikaa meni jonkun verran, ehkä puolisen tuntia. Turvatarkastuksen läpäisyn jälkeen portilla olleet lentoyhtiön työntekijät tulostivat boarding passit Kansas Cityyn asti ja pääsin lentokoneeseen. Vaihtoaikaa oli 1h10minA
Lento Tukholmasta Newarkiin, New Jerseyhyn ei sitten sujunutkaan yhtä kevyesti. Tuolissa oli ahdasta pituussuunnassa ja jalkoja ei saanut suoristettua, lisäksi istuin ikkunapaikalla, että ei saanut käytävällekkään jalkoja. Vierustoverina ei onneksi ollut kuitenkaan mitään tunkeilevaa tai haisevaa henkilöä vaan mukava ruotsalainen pari. Sain ehkä nukuttua joitain minuutteja, mutta en niin paljoa että lentoaika olisi mitenkään tuntunut mukavalta. Lentokoneen saavuttua lähemmäs Newarkia täytettiin maahantulolappu ja tullilappu, joita sitten tarvittiin lentokentällä. Ruokailu lentokoneessa oli muuten tyydyttävää, paitsi siinä suhteessa, että yksi ateria oli kanaa sisältävä gluteiiniton vaihtoehto. Eli joku oli sekoittanut erikoisruokavalioni sen suhteen tai kuvitteli että kana on kasvis, mikä sekin oikeasti on mahdollista.

Newarkissa seurasin porukkaa maahantulotarkastukseen, jossa vaaditiin taas opiskelijaviisumilomaketta, passia ja nyt myös tullauslappua ja maahantulolappua. Jono oli pitkä ja siinä meni aikaa joitain minuutteja. Maahantuloviranomainen leimasi sitten laput ja laittoi passiin kiinni toisen. Kun maahantulo oli kunnossa, piti löytää matkatavarat ja siirtää ne yhdestä laukkukarusellista uuskirjaukseen toiseen paikkaan, jonne mennessä annettiin matkalla myös leimattu tullauslappu tarkastajalle. Kun matkatavarat oli kunnossa, niin otin ilmaisen monorailin kotimaan terminaaliin, jossa sitten odottelin loppuajan Kansas Cityn koneeseen pääsyä. Vaihtoaikaa oli 2h44min.

Kansas Cityn koneessa olin käytäväpaikalla ja vierelleni ikkunapaikalle ei edes tullut ketään. Lento kesti kolmisen tuntia, jonka aikana yritin torkkua, kävin vessassa ja kuuntelin vähän musiikkia. Sain myös ilmaisia pähkinöitä ja vettä. Varoitukset kylmyydestä lentokoneessa olivat liioiteltuja ja takki ja pitkähihainen olivat turhaan mukana.

Kansas Cityn lentokentällä toista vaihtaria, Johannesta, odotellessa iski sitten pieni pelko, että mitäs jos ei tulekaan toimeen USA:ssa, entä jos ei olekaan riittävän seurallinen? Entä jos ihmiset eivät pidäkään minusta ja tahdo olla kanssani tekemisissä? Miksi minä tänne lähdin ja poistuin näin radikaalisti mukavuus-alueeltani? Sammy's Cabin kuljettaja tuli hakemaan meidät Johanneksen koneen saapuessa.

And since I'm in USA I will use English writing to end of this.

Sammy's Cab is a Pittsburgian taxifirm which was recommended by the University and I have to agree with them. The taxidriver was very friendly and even agreed to drop and wait us for a quick lunch at Mr. Goodcent or something like that, without chargeing any extra, eventhou I was prepared for that. The service in Mr. Goodcent was okey, but they didn't understand when I said I wanted a Veggie Sub and I had to repeat myself many times, and they made me a whole sub, eventhou I ordered half. The food at least was good.

In the taxi I heard many intresting details, like that two other Finns, Heidi and Sanna, had arrived three weeks ago. So we wouldn't be the only Finns, it would turn out that I had really underestimated how many Finns there would be in Pitt State this semester. We also learned, that the driver owned the firm with his husband, and that they, like many entreprenouers, had so much work on their business that they could hire more people and still have enough work to do. And they had hired some people to drive cabs in the firm, but as often the entreprenours fear, the new personnel didn't do the job as well as they should have done, and they still have to drive the taxis all by themselves all the time they are awake.

The driver also gave us a free tour in Pittsburg and showed the central and the Campus and the building where we had to go at the next morning, before dropping us at our motel, Econo Lodge. If someone needs a taxi in Pittsburg area, I can totally recommend Sammy's cab. The ride from KC, MO to Pittsburg was 175d and since we had two passengers it was only 87.5 each. If I remember right, the ride in Pittsburg costs 7d and 3d for each additional stops if wanted and the money goes to a business that is needed in Pittsburg and which is run by genuinely friendly and nice people.

At the Econo Lodge we checked in at the hotel room we had booked in advance from Internet. The keys didn't work quite well and had to sweep many times before the lock opened. We didn't get the door open when we tried, so one man who was having somekind of party with his friend at the front of our motel room, helped us to get the door open by showing how the card should be used with that door.

At the room, everything was neat and clean. And it had even a free wireless internet! After long journey, I was now in Pittsburg.

Notifications: 1. Try to get flights with no overnight stays and 1.5-4 hour changes, depending on airport. 2. If you are coming late or so early that PSU cars wont get you, and taking Sammy's Cab, and your flight is delayed try to call or email Sammy's cab that they know your flight is coming late or cab may have left the airport before your flight arrives. 3. Keep your passport, Visa and needed Visa forms readily available at airport. 4. Remember to recheck your luggage to connecting flight at first US airport.

Pitt state vs. MO southern football game

I was at my first ever American football game on last saturday. The teams try to get points by getting to the opponents goal zone. If team goes 10 yards on their turn at 4 try they get 4 more tries to go 10 more yards.

I didn't find the game very fast paced or exiting. Maybe it isn't so surprising that this is very popular sport in here (and as far as I know, only here in USA) knowing that the Amerian people like also Baseball which is recognised as the worlds most boring game. The game lasted hours, but the time used on playing was far less than the time used on pausing. Here is roughly how the game went: 1. players go on to positions ready to play. 2. Game starts by passing the ball to teammate. Team then tries to carry ball over 10 yards. 3. Opponent tackles the player holding the ball and the game pauses. Steps 2-3 lasted about 5 seconds. Game continues from step 1.

Eventhou I might find the game not so entertaining, I'm still happy that Pitt won. Pitt State won the game by making three touchdowns (carries to goalzone) and three other points (kicks through U-goal after T-down) vs. MO doing only 2 touchdowns and 2 other points.

Notification: PSU football games are free for students, but you must remember to get your tickets from the PSU ticket office early enough before they run out.

First exam

I have had many little tests, quizzes, while studying here so far. Quizzes aren't difficult, just read the previous lecture's material once and you have good chance to get A. But first bigger exam I had on friday from Law in Social Work practice. I didn't remember I had exam on that day, so i hadn't read the material any more than just while on lectures.

The exam was multiple choice, with 4-5 options for each questions. I did got more than 60% correct without reading but just remembering stuff from lectures. And if I wouldn't have passed that, everyone got a second chance on that test, since you could take the test questions with you and answer them in home. So I looked some of the answers from book, but it was so time consuming searching the answer from there so I gave up the effort to try to get 100% correct, so I got only 87% eventhou I could do it home with textbook.

At Chinese Party

At the second weekend there was a Chinese student party. I was kind of a positively surprised that Chinese speaking people are very nice and friendly towards me. I even got many new MSN Messenger addresses from people I just met. That propably wouldn't happen in Finland. Chinese speaking people were very social, happy and didn't have much difficulties making new contacts to new people. There were also chips, lemonade and some bakery products (Chinese Wonton and Mocha Cake) for all, and after eating there were a Chinese style imitation game which was like broken phone game with body imitations instead of speaking. I think that might have been the most socially succesful party I have been, ever. At the picture there I am with my new friends Irene, Sandy and Claire.

If that kind of party would have been held by Finnish there would have been groups of old friends talking in their own segregated groups, without connect to new persons, until everyone would have been drunken from excessive use of Alcohol, after that there would have been talking, but it would probably been conversation not worth talking. In Chinese party, no one drank alcohol, but everyone had fun and many meet new people and got new friends, that's the kind of party I like!

Notification from Pittsburg: Chinese/Taiwanese people don't drink, unless they are partying with Western people (who would stand Western style parties sober?).

My apartment

I read from the University of Jyväskylä's exchange reports from Pitt State, that own apartment might be smarter move than dwelling in dorms. And it sure is!

In the picture is my and my roommate's (Johannes) apartment. Which consists of 1/4 of the house, the bottom right side. It has 2 bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, livingroom and closets. The rent is 225 dollars per person + utilities like electricity, water and internet. In dorms the cost per person would have been something like 500 dollars, but would have included utilities and foods also. So it might still be a little bit cheaper in dorms still. But would you like to rather pay a couple bucks more for own freedom and space or live in 1 room with 1-2 persons and share toilets and showers with 10-40 persons? I certainly like to rather live in this apartement than in a dormroom.

The apartment is 5 min walk from Campus.

Notification from Pittsburg: The roads are bad (see the cement pavement) and the sideways for pedestrians are even worse in many places and widely in the city they are non-existent. With bike you should drive on the driveway with the cars.

Notification about off-campus living: Make sure that the renter is partner with PSU. This is certification that it should be safe to rent for that renter.

Little Balkan's Day

Some people might think that Pittsburg, KS, with its 20 000 inhabitants might be quiet city with nothing to do. Well that's not true! At the second weekend (29-31. Aug) there was a Little Balkans Day festival. The festival is held because many of the immigrants who inhabitated this place back in the old days where from Balkan, and my friend Harri knew to tell me that someone had told him, that more specific locations from Balkans they had emigrated included for example Czech Republic and some other middle European countries. But have I have no first hand knowledge what countries are included in Balkan area here in Pittsburg, and you shouldn't make judgements based on one persons geograiphical knowledge.

The first Balkan Day event which I participated was Quilt Guild Quilt show. I thought from the word "show" and the place (Memorial Auditorioum) that it must be a theather show! And since it was only 3 dollars I bought the ticket and went to see the show. Here's one picture I took from the show. It wasn't theather.

At the Balkan day festival there were also a Boccia tournament. Boccia is Italian word for Petanque. I went there with my Chinese friends Sarita and Carrie, but participated alone to the game there and won first round but lost second. And at the same evening there were also a family movie which I went to see to a local park. There were free movie, drink and popcorn sponsored by US Cellular.

My Courses in Pitt State

I took the following courses during the enrollment process:
- Us politics (O'Connor)
- Political Philosophy (Zagorski)
- Social Work and the Law (Cameron)
- Political Parties and Elections (Peterson)
- Urban and Regional Planning (Bailey)
- Introduction to Political Science (Peterson)

I didn't know which courses might be best for me, so those courses I took semi-randomly because they sounded compatible with Social and Public policy and Political Sciences.

There are some courses I have consideret of dropping off. Political Philosophy is mostly the same stuff as in the course "Basics of Political Science" in Jyväskylä. Social Work and Law haven't yet had so much compatibleness to social policy as I hoped. I still probably keep them.

The courses all started at the same week and last probably about the same time and they all are 3 credits which is probably something like 5 ects. 12 is propably "full load" and 21 the maximum allowed.

In means of education strategies they differ some ways from Finland. Every course has lectures and a book. Some of the teachers give Pop Quizzes regularly.

From those teachers Peterson is maybe my favorite, eventhou he didn't give the best first impression by starting his first class by reading the syllabus straight from the paper. He is a passionate teacher who doesn't leave unclear his political positions and sometimes even yells passionately while teaching. But if you don't like homework, the courses are maybe not for you.