Tourist season

Last seven weeks we have had guests almost all the time so we have had a lot of things to do. Of course I couldn’t be with them all the time because I was working in the daytime.

5.10. – 18.10.2011

My brother’s and friend’s visit here included, of course, a lot of time on playing on the parks and that kind of doings. Then the weather was pretty good yet so we also went few times to the beach to sunbathe, play and swim. I already miss that weather! They preferred more to just relax so we didn’t go to watch local sights that much.

 Cool, Jasu wasn't interested. :D

One of the many fountains in the old center.

You can imagine how happy boys were.

They couldn't resist to buy...

One day was really hot, so surprise, we went to the beach. 

Track for little balls.

Park playings.

21.10 – 28.10.2011

My sister and step-sister from Germany came here to vacation and also to see each other. This was their first meeting after summer so they were excited, and I guess that they were also missing boys a little! C isn’t a real step-sister but she was studying one year in Finland and lived in my parents’ house so we can think like that.

 In the nearest park.

Kids.

Family to me? Why you think like that?

From the escalator.

One of our caretakers. Boys always want to

put five.

Nice bubble.

Happy couple.

This photo has to be taken...

Like in Finland...

29.10 – 5.11.2011

Neea’s cousin and his girlfriend were the most eager to explore local sights so we visited in places like L´Oceanogràfic and Science Museum and walked a lot in the old center. They also went to explore the city for themselves and to taste local foods in restaurants.

Going to L´Oceanografic.

Catedral de Valencia.

Inside of Catedral de Valencia.

Narrow streets in old center.

Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Plaza de toros.

Pose...

"Daddy you have to come now."

In the left Estación del Norte and in the right
Plaza de toros.

Plaza de la virgen.

12.11 – 19.11.2011

Neea’s friend also came here more to relax on her vacation than to see every sights and stuff, but of course we showed of some sights because she came a new place. And have to say that she has different opinion what is relaxing because she WANTED to clean up sometimes and said that it's nice, well, each goes with own style... This week was kind of vacation to Neea too, after my work they could spend time with each other without taking care of boys.

Amigas.

Enjoying the life here.

Fortunately we had some freedays between guests because it was tough time to take care of guests... Just joking! 

Es difícil de entender que hemos estado aquí un poco más tres meses ahora, más como mitad de tiempo que vamos a estar aquí. Tiempo corre tan rápido… Todavía muchas cosas a ver en Valencia. Próximos visitados llegaran hasta enero así creo que solo esperamos con interés de navidad y año nuevo y disfrutamos de la vida aquí. Y por supuesto tengo que hacer mi trabajo. Mi trabajo continúa en enero pero creo que tengo solo unas clases de español porque eso curso terminará antes de navidad. Probablemente tengo que tratar de completar mi programación de código antes de navidad también pero después eso tengo que escribir reporte sobre mi trabajo. Afortunadamente tengo un tiempo todavía, mi último día de trabajo es 21 de enero si recuerdo correcto.

Vamos a ver qué niños les gusta porque no tendremos más visitas antes de mediados de enero…

Mi trabajo aquí

My job is related to Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). If you don’t know much about WSNs you can find more information here. What I know about my project now is that I have to develop and test a routing protocol which is used between sensor nodes. That developing means that I’m writing code in C language. I haven’t studied about WSNs earlier because I have specialized to electronics design and testing but I know it’s also useful to learn something about networks. I’m also liked to write a code so I think this is a good experience for me. Of course I have to do little more work that I’ll know what I have to know about WSNs.

 Few sensor nodes.

Yet I don’t know the final job what they have for me, first weeks I just have to get familiar with these sensor nodes and programs what I use and read more information. There were few problems in the beginning because I was using wrong version of coding program and I had some code examples but those were meant to some other devices so those didn’t work at all. Only in the last week I got right version and code examples so I got some life to those nodes. Before that I just had to read about codes and protocols and try to learn something.

 My workstation.

In this lab I have four nice local workmates. As I wrote earlier I can speak in English with them but they always speak in Spanish with each other. In the beginning they asked that is it ok and I said so because I want to improve also my Spanish. Here people seems to work little longer than in Finland or maybe it is just looking because of their style to enjoy lunch, you know the Spanish style, eating slowly and discussing all the time. And the lunch time is little different here, at least my workmates usually go to lunch at 13.30 so you have to eat good breakfast. We have had good discussions for example about differences of our countries and they have wondered many things in Finland.

 Official group photo...

...and the unofficial one.

View to lab, trying to look like they are working. :D

Our server room.

Most of the time I’m doing this work but I also have one course here, A2-level Spanish. It includes two one and half hour lessons weekly and it’s quite different course what I ever had because the teacher is teaching Spanish language mostly in Spanish. Sometimes he can speak some English because there are some students in the course who haven’t studied Spanish at all. School requires A1-level Spanish from exchange students so here aren’t any free A1 courses. That kind of students have to either pay for A1 course or just try to keep track in A2 course, of course assuming that they want to learn it.

So much more to write and tell but this is enough for this time.

No hace muchos calores nunca más, solo 20 grados o un poco más por las tardes. Pero eso está mejor como en Finlandia, ¿verdad?

What makes up a good international mobility experience?

This is one task related to exchange course which all exchange students accomplish during mobility period.

 

Personal component:

Because this is my first trip abroad and everything is new for me I’m really interested to see how I survive in new environment and culture and how I can express myself without my native language.

Cultural component:

I have read about Spanish culture before but I think this is the best way to explore some culture; meet local people, speak with them and see the culture with your own eyes. I’m really eager to see everything what this culture has to offer.

Academic & professional component:

Only course I have here is Spanish course so I won’t see that much local teaching style as normal exchange students but it’s also interesting to be in course where teacher teach Spanish language mostly in Spanish.

Linguistic component:

I’m happy that I studied Spanish basics before coming here; it has helped a lot because here local people usually don’t speak English. Of course you can survive with body language or something but it is lot of easier when you can speak the same language. In my work I can speak in English because in the school teachers and workers usually can speak it. My workmates always speak in Spanish if I don’t ask something in English, which is good because I also want to learn Spanish.

I want to improve my English to that level that I can use it on my working language.

Social component:

During these two months what I have been here I have already met lot of new people: workmates, other exchange students, local people, local trickers and so on. I also think I will meet lot of more people yet. In my opinion, meeting a new people with different backgrounds is the best thing in this exchange experience.

Organizational component:

Even though here is working four other people in this lab, I’m doing my work mostly individually which is kind of sad because I don’t have to cooperate with them that much. In problem situations I can ask help from them or some teachers or professors.