Thanksgiving Program 2023

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1. Visit to Fazer Experience Visitor Center

Limited space - primarily for Fulbright grantees.

Are you ready to taste all the Fazer chocolates? During the visit we'll get to know the history of Fazer and how their world famous chocolate is made. 

You are responsible for getting to the Fazer Visit Center and paying your travel (bus, metro etc.) ticket. You can find your own way to the Fazer through the HSL Journey Planner, or you can come with the Foundation staff from Hakaniemi, which is what we recommend the most if you are unsure about your navigation skills with Helsinki public transit.

The Foundation staff will be taking a bus from Hakaniemi at 11:39. More detailed information on how to find your way to Fazer will be in the itinerary. 

2. Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner Hosted by the Trimbur Family

After the Fazer visit, everyone is invited to the Trimbur family's residence for the Thanksgiving potluck dinner. All who join are expected to bring something for the dinner. More detailed instructions about this will be shared with the registered participants.

This will be an informal and fun get-together for Fulbrighters and their families, enjoying the late afternoon by eating and chatting.

Please read through the potluck dinner invitation and remember to sign-up for a dish by writing in this Excel Sheet what you will bring to the potluck by November 19, 2023. 

3. Discussion about Job Search in Finland

• Jordan Blake Banks, Fulbright-LUT University Graduate Award 2019-20
• Abraham Kipnis, Lab Engineer, Fulbright-LUT University Graduate Award 2020-21
• Erica Martin, Fulbright-LUT University Graduate Award 2019-20

In the session, you will learn from previous Fulbright U.S. Students to Finland about their experiences on navigating the Finnish job markets as an international student. The alumni will shed light on the Finnish labor markets from a U.S. applicants’ point of view and explain how they had landed a job in Finland. 

You will receive tips from the alumni for looking for a summer job, internship placement or employment in Finland. Please arrive to the session with a few questions in mind that you would like to ask from the alumni to help you in your future job search.

Coffee and refreshments will be available.

4. Parliament House visit (Primarily for Fulbright grantees)

Please know that the following information is subject to change, and that the dress code for the Parliament visit is business.

Due to the limited space available to us, this visit is primarily for Fulbrighters (and unfortunately children cannot accompany their parents for this event - we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause). If space allows, adult family members maybe able to attend.

11:10 Arriving at the Parliament
11:15 Meeting with the visit hosts, going through the security check
11:30 Lunch hosted by Members of the Parliament Jani Kokko and Ville Kaunisto

Hosts:

• Jani Kokko, Social Democratic Party
• Ville Kaunisto, National Coalition Party

13:00 Tour of the Parliament House

14:00 Departure from the Parliament

As you can see from the program above, this is a very special opportunity and we are being treated as distinguished guests at the Parliament. Considering the exceptional nature of this event, we ask that you will take the opportunity to thank our hosts appropriately during the visit.

As mentioned previously, we will be going through a security check as we enter the building, so please bring a photo ID with you -- passports are preferable. Also note that big bags and/or luggage cannot be brought along with you due to the security check demands.

Those of you who will play sähly after the Parliament House visit: please leave your sport gear at hotel's luggage storage, or bring them to the Fulbright Finland office either on Thursday before or after the Fazer visit or on Friday morning before the Parliament visit. Also, please let Maija ([email protected]) know if you're planning to bring anything to the office. You will have time between the Parliament House visit and sähly to pick up your things from the hotel or the Fulbright Finland office.

5. Floorball

What is this "sähly"?

We have reserved a floorball court for us to practice and play upon. They will have the sticks at the hall, so unless you have your own floorball stick, you don't have to worry about bringing one along. But please do bring your athletic clothes (e.g. shorts and t-shirt) and indoor sport shoes! If you don't have indoor shoes, you need to wash your outdoor shoes so that the soles are clean.

We have the court until 16:30, after which you can shower at the hall.

We hope that many of you try this very Finnish game; it's a big part of our Finnish sport culture!

The Arena Center hall is located in Hakaniemi, between the Hakaniemi Market Square and the Fulbright Finland office (see map)

PLEASE NOTE that small kids can’t participate in the game! The pace of the game is very fast, so having small children on the court during the game would be dangerous. Everyone who plays has to sign a liability waiver (if you haven't done so already during the orientation in August) expressing that the Fulbright Finland Foundation and its staff are not responsible for any damage or injury that may occur to the participants during the game.

(Note: The Arena Center is also home to the Leikkiluola, a popular indoor playground that offers fun activities for kids of all ages. Find out more about the activities and costs at: http://en.leikkiluola.fi/)