Week 17 26/04/11 – 02/04/11

So this week was a significant week for Finnish students as on the weekend it was VAPPU.  This is similar to the May Day bank holiday only I have never seen any get this excited about a bank holiday.  The whole week there were students discussing what was going to happen at VAPPU and how it is the best weekend on the Finnish calendar.  My expectations were very high, as were many other exchange students who were experiencing VAPPU for the first time.  As Friday came along we all put on our student overalls and went to the hill near the art museum to have a picnic, which is not the ‘wild party’ I had been hearing but was nonetheless very enjoyable to just relax with friends in the sun (yes the sun exists, I have seen it).  However I was informed the Saturday was ‘The Big Day’ when it really kicks off.  On Saturday what seemed like all of Turku showed up at the art museum for an address by a man in a cape, the student president or some form of student, after a procession of carrying the different factuality’s flags and a brass band on the back of a truck.  It was already much more eventful that the previous day which had felt like a huge let down after all the build up.  I could only understand a few words of the address but everyone else was cheering and waving their white hats.  These hats are given out when pupils graduate from high school and I felt left out that I did not have one.  Many of the more elderly population were there with their hats too; it was a day when everyone came together in celebration.  After the address everyone donned their hats and the champion was opened (not that an excuse for drinking was need for the Finns).

After the address we paraded to a statue on the river bank.  I was surprised that the police had not closed the roads and that a large group of people could simply saunter down the roads on VAPPU.  At the statue the dentistry students cleaned the statue with a giant toothbrush and a song.  This was the most entertaining thing of the day, as everyone was clearly having a good time.  Afterwards there was another speech, in Finnish, English and Swedish.  It seemed that the student body wasn’t happy with the newly elected government and some clear political statements were spoken, not to mention the hat being thrown to the ground shortly after it was placed on the statue’s head.  Overall I felt the weekend did not live up to my expectations but it was enjoyable to spend more time with my exchange friends and see VAPPU.

Pictures: top At The Art Muesum

bottom: The Statue with the hat on it.