I light blue and white candles
bake cardamom spiced breads
and remember a home
far away.
.
.
.
Today is the 97th anniversary of Finnish independence.
hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää kaikille suomalaisille
Runo Suomeksi:
Itsenäisyyskynttilät
pulla
muistan
ja olen ikava sinulle,
Suomen maa.
,
(I was an exchange student in Finland when I was 18. I have been back a couple of times, but I’m still waiting for my Finns to come visit me in Canada!)
Äiti was crying when I left
hugging me close and weeping.
“Äiti?”
“Et unohta” she whispered.
Don’t forget.
“Muistat sinun Suomen kielesta,
en osaa puhua englanti!” she sniffed.
You have to remember your Finnish!
I can’t speak English!
“Minä muistan, Äiti.”
I will remember.
Years dripped by
on memories and melancholy
but still
Muistan, Äiti.
Today I accepted placement in a Masters of Education program in Curriculum. I am hoping to study the innovations in the Finnish system, and hope to take advantage of university exchanges in order to travel to Finland to observe their system in high school class rooms. As I speak passable Finnish, have lived in Finland, and understand the Finnish culture, I imagine this will be easier for me than many North American educators curious about this system that is one of the few that ranks above Canada’s. (Four points above Canada, 22 points above the UK, and 25 points above the US in the 2009 PISA rankings).
I was offered placements at two institutions, so it was a bit of decision, but I am looking forward to studying in the intimate and flexible environment of Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops.
Studies won’t begin until September, which hopefully will provide opportunity to finish the editing of Grace Awakening Myth (book 3 in the series) and finish writing Grace Awakening Destiny (book 4) before I start. I will be teaching (probably full-time) while I am studying, so I will definitely not have any time to be marketing either book with all my Saturdays in classes in Kamloops for the next couple of years!
Do you have a Masters? Did you do it full time or part time? How did you find the process? Do you have any tips?
Shawn L. Bird 