In order to get to Helsinki, I had to take a one-hour flight. The distance between Oulu and Helsinki by car would have been nearly 400 miles, or over seven hours by car.
Chicago to Oulu: 4,226 miles
Oulu to Helsinki (and back again!): 377.2 miles
TOTAL: 4,603.2 miles
Although Helsinki is Finland's capital, it does not feel like a big city. This means that we did a lot of walking while we were in town, and also rode on the bus. When going out to Soumenlinna, a ferry is the way to go!
As part of our orientation, we had the chance to attend a fancy dinner at the U.S. Embassy. We ate gourmet appetizers, and talked with current and former Fulbrighters. I even had the chance to shake hands with the American Ambassador to Finland!
I also had the chance to stop by the Kauppahali (market hall) and Kauppatori (market square), and both of the Cathedrals that dominate Helsinki's skyline. The white church is the Lutheran Cathedral, while the red one is the Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
