Searchin' for the meaning of "higher education" in such places as Finland, Oxford, Portugal, South Africa, and Athens, Georgia, USA.
The (mis)adventures of academia, travel, culture, and the best cup of tea.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

On the Road with my Recorder in Hand...

When traveling by train in Finland you often see train cars full of timber sitting on the tracks. Wood has a strong cultural base in Finland, as the saunas are made of birch wood, many buildings are made of wood, and Finland has a history of timber trade.
For my dissertation I am collecting data on the introduction of tuition fees in Finland. Which means I have to interview many people in different parts of the country, thus I must travel. "Oh, darn!" she says facetiously. So, this week I am heading to Turku and then to Helsinki, before Charlie and I fly to Oslo for the weekend. Train travel is becoming my main mode of transportation, second only to my bicycle. The only problem with train travel in Finland is that it is expensive! Since I am no longer a young whipper-snapper of 28 years old, I have to pay the FULL fare. For example, a round-trip ticket to Helsinki from Jyväskylä is 100€ ($137). OUCH! But, that is why I have two research grants...to pay for food, rent, and travel. Not a bad gig. Okay, off to go research!

2 comments:

Mama Weimer said...

Taking the train is EXPENSIVE! You are feeling good about getting some interviews. Good thing you got those scholarships.

About Me said...

Yeah, the trains are ridiculously expensive, just like everything else in Finland. I pay $6 (normally $3 in U.S.) for my favorite box of teabags and I pay $15 (normally $8) for a good bottle of wine. It is all a matter of perspective, I suppose.