Irina is the 13-year-old daughter of one of my colleagues at Oulu University. She took some time to talk to us about what life is like for kids in Finland. Finland has one of the best school systems in the world, even though the school day in Finland is generally shorter than the American school day. How do you think they get so much done in such a short time? Finnish kids also seem to have a lot more independence than American kids. For instance, it is not uncommon for a five-year old to take a public bus by herself to school, or to play outside by himself. This is partly because Finland is also a very safe place to live. How old do you think is "old enough" to be out by yourself?
It depends. Today I had porridge for breakfast, chicken soup at school and tortillas for dinner.
Nice but my room is messy. My bed actually.
I collect my own laundry, take care of the dishwasher, and take out the trash.
My mum is an archeologist.
