Monthly Archives: December 2016

Inari reindeers farm

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During a trip in Inari (in finnish lapland), we visited a reindeer farm in a sámi family. The second generation of the family offers several activities. When we arrived, we have fed reinders, we had the possibility to touch them and the grandmother gave us a lot of information about them. After that we satisfied the examinater of ability to drive a reindeer sledge. With the licence, we are allowed to move, with due care and attention, in the wilds of Lapland. This licence is valid for 5 years.

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Then, we were able to try sports activities and for example the assault of a fault reindeer. The grandmother offered us a coffee in a typical hut. She had explain us how suomi people live whether it is finnish suomi, norway suomi or sweden suomi. Moreover we learnt what are their rites, their professional activities, their language and their clothes. On other woman, sang us famous songs around a fire.

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At the end, it was possible to buy souvenirs on the shop where made of traditional sámi materials reindeerantler, sheep wool and northern wood adjusted to modern use (create cup).

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Boat Cruise

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This is my last article on the blog. I’m leaving Norway in 3 days. This article is dedicated to the Halloween boat cruise. During the last week-end of October, me and some friends went to this cruise. We paid 30€ for the all week-end in a luxurious boat. It was my first cruise.

The meeting point was in Bergen. We waited the boat during several hours. After 5 hours, we finally left the harbor.

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Bergen is in the middle of the Fjord. To have a clear description about Fjord go back to my article about Norway and Bergen. We navigated in those fjords during approximatively 2 hours. It was wonderful: many houses lost in the middle of nowhere, some other just above the sea level, wooden cabins in little island. We also see dolphins!

For the first night, the ship company, Fjordline, had organized a Halloween party. Most of the people were disguised in nightclubs, it was fun! We also feel the North Sea’s power during the night. The boat moved a little bit because of the wages.

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On Saturday, we make a step in northern Denmark. We took two trains to leave an industrial area and go to Aalborg, an important city in this country. We walked during all the day with some Erasmus friends. We discovered some nice building but not a lot and a lovely old district. We went back to the boat at 7pm. After the meal, the company had organized a second party: pyjama party. It was quite fun to see people, in this luxurious boat and nightclubs in pyjama.

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On Sunday, we went back to Bergen. We saw amazing landscape during the cruise. It is an unforgettable moment.

This article concludes my contribution to this blog as an Erasmus student. I hope I gave you some interesting information during those articles. But, most important, if you are a student, I hope my experience will motivate you to go for an exchange!

 

Bye,

 

Pierre

Christmas & New Year in Scotland

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The Christmas markets are a tradition of German culture, dating back to the Middle Ages. They are held every year in Edinburgh, where the famous Frankfurt Christmas Market is held.

 

The “Père Noël” is called Santa Claus or The Father Christmas.

On the 25th December, most of families are going to the Church to listen carols. (The religion is important in Scotland).

After, they get together with for the Christmas lunch.

For the Christmas day the traditional menu is a roast turkey with potatoes and a pudding for dessert.

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Edinburgh Christmas Market

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Edinburgh Christmas Market

 

But the principal party in Scotland is the New Year. The real name is “The Hogmanay”.

At midnight, all people drink a glass of whisky (and not champagne, it is different than in France).

Moreover, a story said : “we have to wait The ‘Quaaltagh” or the ‘first foot’. This is the first visitor of this New Year. He will be a young, beautiful, tall and with black hair.” If this happened, you will be lucky all the year.

For the New Year the traditional main course is haggis. This is a “sheep’s stomach”. It is like the “black pudding”.

On 1st January there is the Loony Dook. This is the “annual dive” in the Forth River in South Queensferry.

 

In Edinburgh, during this period there is a festival. People can dance and sing together. There are a lot of bagpipers. More than two thousands of people are in front of the castle to see the fireworks.

Most of the time, the party end up in a traditional pub.

 

Heman IT

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Herman IT is a Finnish company who offers services in technology area: Data Center Services, IT Services and Software Solutions. Couple weeks ago we had had the opportunity to meet Erko a member of the Herman IT board management. During this exchange we reflect on the strategy that Herman IT has developed till his creation. The evolution of this strategy making process was our main discussion subject. To understand the challenges of HIT a brief overview of their past actions and history is necessary:

In 2000 Ebsolut Oy was established and implemented a “day-to-day” strategy based on adaptive elements such as sense making and sense giving.

In 2008 Ebsolut Oy was acquired by KPO and this result in a change of the CEO. The strategy has been developed in this period and was highlighted by a bigger employee involvement in the company strategy. This new employees concern was installed by the bias of formal practices such as board meetings or employees’ reviews.

In 2015 the company merged with Herman IT and this resulted in many changes inside it. The instalment of numerous new practices such as rewards, dialogization, self-actualization were some of those examples. The communication was also in all points increased, employees sense giving toward leaders was raised.  The leaders had, for their part, a clear strategy which gave them the charge to energize, envision and revision the company life.

In 2016, within the post-merger phase, Herman IT has more challenges to overcome. Especially the threat of a possible “Clash of Cultures” within the newly formed company can be problematic for HIT future success. Thereby the company’s leaders and the middle-management have a crucial role to develop a strategy to overcome this threat

This meeting allowed me to understand the difficulties to build a company and manage the employees.

 

HERMAN IT

Erasmus family

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During this semester abroad, you are going to stay with a great family: the Erasmus relatives !Screenshot_2016-08-28-05-09-16

Directly after your arrival in your host country for the semester, you are going to meet wonderful people, who are, like you, experiencing this adventure !

To integrate you directly into the family, I recommend you go out and participate in the events as often as possible, this is how you will have the most fun and create a link, and at the same time, improve Your English!

In Oulu, there are so many Spanishs, they are part of my group of friends and it is by far the funniest and most friendly !

 

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Also, Erasmus life helps you to know yourself, take a step back and think about your life and what do you want to do further. It is a real awareness and I recommend to anyone to make this experience, which allows to improve on all points.

IMG-20160917-WA0007When a crazy week end is over (so every week end), just sit down, sauna and relax !

 

Do not waste your time geeking on the computer, the adventure is far too short, then go out and profit fully with your roommates, your friends and all your new family !

 

Arthur Leblais

Aberdeen

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Aberdeen, nicknamed the Granite City, with its 196 670 inhabitants is the third most populous city in Scotland. Aberdeen is a major fishing port and is the European oil capital.

 

Then, what can you visit in Aberdeen?

The Maritime Museum:  The maritime museum has collections of objects about shipbuilding, fast sailing ships, fishing and port history, with ship models and paintings. It includes also exhibitions about the North Sea oil and gas industry.

From the top of the Maritime Museum you can have a spectacular view of the harbour.

The entry for the Maritime museum is free.

 

The Tolbooth Museum: The museum presents exhibitions about local history and the development of crime and punishment. In the museum you can see the cells of the 18th century with the original doors and barred windows. You can also discover a guillotine which was used in Aberdeen in the 17th century.

The entry in the museum is free.

The Tolbooth Museum

The Provost Skene’s House : The Provost Skene’s House is a 17th century house. The house keeps period rooms, as the kitchen, the fireplaces and more, which enable to show how people lived in the 17th and 18th centuries. Then, in the Painted Gallery you can see series of religious painting, and discover the changing fashions in the Costume Gallery. To finish, you can learn about the local history, coins and archaeology on the top floor.

 

The Gordon Highlanders Museum tells the story of one of Scotland’s best known regiments between 1794 and 1994, the Gordon Highlanders. In the museum you can discover the period uniforms, medals, documents, maps, paintings and more.

The entry in the museum is £5 for students.

 

The Art Gallery: If you are interesting by modern art, sculptures and paintings, you can visit the Art Gallery which is free.

 

Duthie Park: The Duthie Park is a spacious park with open green spaces, different kinds of tree, flower beds and a river. The park includes also a closed space, the Winter Gardens which is an indoor garden in a glass house. The Winter Garden includes a Japanese Garden, a pink hill, many exotic plants and especially one of the largest collections of cacti in Great Britain.

You can visit the Duthie Park freely.

 

To finish, you can go for a walk in the Old Aberdeen which preserve the characteristics of the old town with old houses, buildings and medieval streets.

In Old Aberdeen you can visit St Machar’s Cathedral, King’s College Chapel or the Cruikshank Botanic Garden.

Cruikshank Botanic Garden

 

Breaking It Down / Port Of Southampton

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Follow the Erasmus’ adventure in Southampton of the students from the IEMN-IAE, Nantes, France. Every other week, “Breaking it down” tries to make things as clear as possible about a tricky UK topic!

Summary Episode:
Let’s be romantic… and introduce you to the maritime business in the port of Southampton.

See you the other week for breaking down a third topic! Rdv: 17th December, 9am (Nantes hour), see you there <3 <3 

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