Finland
VNF Main Building
Finland lies between Sweden and Russia. Both have influenced Finland in the past. First Swedish Kings ruled it, then Russian Tsars, until Finnish independence in 1917. Finland is a bilingual country in which a majority speak Finnish and about six percent speak Swedish. Most Finns also speak English quite well. Finland is famous for its numerous lakes, natural beauty and also for its light June nights when the sun hardly sets. The capital of Finland is Helsinki.
KARIS/KARJAA
Karis or Karjaa in Finnish is an area of historical interest and great natural beauty. It combines the tranquility of an idyllic tiny town with the energy and go-ahead spirit of a modern business center which owes its growth and development to its excellent railway connections to the rest of Southern Finland. The town has a population of 9000, two thirds of whom speak Swedish as their mother tongue and the rest Finnish. The history of Karis extends back to the Middle Ages and beyond, when it was connected to the sea and an important waterway from the inland regions passed through it. The beautiful fifteenth-century granite church on the east bank of the Svartå River reminds the visitor of the region's medieval heritage.
PART I - Karis COURSE SITE: Västra Nylands folkhögskola (VNF)
Västra Nylands folkhögskola (VNF) is in Scandinavian terminology a Folk High School, that is to say an Independent College of Adult Education. It is maintained by a group of local authorities on the largely Swedish-speaking Southwestern coast of Finland. The College is situated on attractive grounds beside the Svartå River within a five-minute walk from the Karis town center. Excellent train connections take you from Karis to Helsinki in the East, and Turku in the West in about an hour.
PART II: the Tap Festival continues IN HELSINKI, August 12-14
Three more days of tap
continued in the beautiful capital of Finland by the sea! Helsinki is
a small, young and vibrant city coming of age. A small market town
when it was made capital in 1809, Helsinki experienced most of its
growth in the last century. Its architecture reflects the austerity of
the industrial age melded with the Finnish appreciation for nature,
beauty and design. Surrounded by water on three sides, the city center
can easily be seen by foot. In the summer the city is quiet since most
Finns take holiday vacations in the country. This makes it easy to
shop, visit the sights, parks and nearby islands and enjoy the long,
mild summer days.