As the Hawks families tried to stuff their gifts and shopping into their bags for the return trip, they found themselves intensely grateful for the requirement to save six pounds in each player bag for gifts for our hosts. The space and poundage was easily filled by Fazer chocolates and gift bags from the Viikingit, not to mention Iittala birds and floorball paraphenalia.
As of arrival at the Helsinki airport, we were 7-for-7 on passports lost, then found. Five of these passports have been mentioned in previous blog posts. A sixth, belonging to a Hawks player (who shall remain nameless), was thought to have been taken to Vierumaki and lost there; after two days of searching, it was found in his parents' hotel room safe, giving us all not only a tremendous sense of relief, but also a source of teasing for the family for the rest of their lives. The seventh passport was lost, then found, within a nerve-wracking half-hour on the morning of our departure, delaying the buses from the hotel by a few minutes. But by the time the group reached the Finnair check-in counter, everyone had a passport in hand--success!
We were less successful on getting everyone's stick home, as the party at the ice rink the night before our departure seem to have left the sticks disorganized. A few don't seem to have made it into the stick bags. However, all of the new floorball sticks fit neatly into those bags--a huge relief, since they were a little too long to put into the other luggage, and since our players didn't seem to be able to imagine life without them.
It was a long day of traveling, especially since exhaustion replaced the anticipation and excitement that had marked the beginning of the trip. All through the airplane, boys could be seen napping, and voices were subdued. One flight attendant remarked on how well behaved the boys were--not a surprise, since they didn't have the energy to stir up any trouble.
After a mercifully uneventful flight, trip through customs, and bus ride through rush-hour traffic from JFK, the players and the other Hawks travelers were deposited at the Skatium to be reunited with the rest of their families. The thirteenth year of the Hawks-Viikingit Exchange was done, and by every accounting, it was the best one yet.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Day Eight: Packing and Parties
With the tournament wrapped up and the Exchange coming to the end, Sunday was a welcome free day for all. Several parents went to Catholic Easter services in English in the morning. Other Hawks families took advantage of the late weekend breakfast time (served until 11:00 a.m.!) to get a little extra sleep. There was also a relaxed trip to Suomenlinna, Helsinki's island fortress. Most families spent some time packing and weighing their luggage, with a bit of walking around the city one last time. Meanwhile, many of the Finnish hosts took their charges to the floorball rink we had visited on the first day, to let the Vikings and Hawks players run around informally together for a couple of hours.
By 5:00 p.m., however, the Hawks parents started heading for the clean and efficient Helsinki Metro one last time. The Viikingit club was hosting a farewell party at the ice rink from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. for players, families, and past Exchange participants. The party featured open ice, great food, camaraderie, and beverages brought over from Tallinn. (Tallinn is to Helsinki as Delaware is to Pennsylvania: a source of cheap alcohol.) And of course, there were speeches and gifts to commemorate another wonderful year of the Exchange. (And where there are gifts, a certain inhabitant of northern Finland tends to show up, complete with his red suit, rosy cheeks, and full sack. But he came in through the door, not the chimney, and his reindeer stayed parked outside.)
All of the Vikings and Hawks parents who were involved in this year's Exchange were thanked with gifts, but perhaps the most special gift of all was given to John Wert, the organizer for the Hawks, who was presented with the very first of the newly designed 2012-2013 Viikingit jerseys, with his name on the back. The Vikings players had not even seen the new jerseys before this, much less received them, so they were excited to get a glimpse of their new sweaters. In addition, in keeping with the Vikings tradition, the club named the top performers from the Hawks and the Vikings for the Exchange tournament. Everhett Grimes received the award for the Gibson team, and DJ Sucher took it home for the Cappo team.
The farewell party wound to a close, but there was no need for sadness just yet. Though the boys went home to get a good night's rest (or not), the Hawks parents joined their new Finnish friends for what was billed as the "After-Party" at a nearby nightclub. Entertainment was provided by "The Tosivisio" (translation: "The True Vision"), a Finnish band led by none other than Viikingit organizer Kimmo Tenhunen (www.tosivisio.com). Though the week's activities had left him with a diminished voice, Kimmo's daughter Laura filled in on vocals, and Kimmo himself was still well able to keep the party lively despite his hoarseness. In the festive atmosphere, people danced who (clearly) hadn't danced in years. For one number, Hawks parents (and grandparents) were called to the stage to sing background a la the Pips. For another lengthy segment, Kimmo led a hotly contested Saturday Night Fever dance contest that had the entire place in stitches and led to a "Dancing King" title for Hawks coach Eric Cappo. To say it was a good time is a massive understatement. Eventually, however, the Hawks parents had to think about the long journey ahead and return to the hotel for a final night.
By 5:00 p.m., however, the Hawks parents started heading for the clean and efficient Helsinki Metro one last time. The Viikingit club was hosting a farewell party at the ice rink from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. for players, families, and past Exchange participants. The party featured open ice, great food, camaraderie, and beverages brought over from Tallinn. (Tallinn is to Helsinki as Delaware is to Pennsylvania: a source of cheap alcohol.) And of course, there were speeches and gifts to commemorate another wonderful year of the Exchange. (And where there are gifts, a certain inhabitant of northern Finland tends to show up, complete with his red suit, rosy cheeks, and full sack. But he came in through the door, not the chimney, and his reindeer stayed parked outside.)
All of the Vikings and Hawks parents who were involved in this year's Exchange were thanked with gifts, but perhaps the most special gift of all was given to John Wert, the organizer for the Hawks, who was presented with the very first of the newly designed 2012-2013 Viikingit jerseys, with his name on the back. The Vikings players had not even seen the new jerseys before this, much less received them, so they were excited to get a glimpse of their new sweaters. In addition, in keeping with the Vikings tradition, the club named the top performers from the Hawks and the Vikings for the Exchange tournament. Everhett Grimes received the award for the Gibson team, and DJ Sucher took it home for the Cappo team.
The farewell party wound to a close, but there was no need for sadness just yet. Though the boys went home to get a good night's rest (or not), the Hawks parents joined their new Finnish friends for what was billed as the "After-Party" at a nearby nightclub. Entertainment was provided by "The Tosivisio" (translation: "The True Vision"), a Finnish band led by none other than Viikingit organizer Kimmo Tenhunen (www.tosivisio.com). Though the week's activities had left him with a diminished voice, Kimmo's daughter Laura filled in on vocals, and Kimmo himself was still well able to keep the party lively despite his hoarseness. In the festive atmosphere, people danced who (clearly) hadn't danced in years. For one number, Hawks parents (and grandparents) were called to the stage to sing background a la the Pips. For another lengthy segment, Kimmo led a hotly contested Saturday Night Fever dance contest that had the entire place in stitches and led to a "Dancing King" title for Hawks coach Eric Cappo. To say it was a good time is a massive understatement. Eventually, however, the Hawks parents had to think about the long journey ahead and return to the hotel for a final night.
Day Seven: Championship Day
Saturday was Championship Day, and both Hawks teams were scheduled for games in the morning. The Gibson team faced a Viikingit squad that was determined to avoid the drubbing it had received the day before at the hands of the Hawks. In a hard-fought contest, the Vikings came out ahead, 6-4, despite a hat trick by Brendan George, an additional goal by Bobby Gibson, and 2 assists for Everhett Grimes. Brendan Leonard and Beau Dougherty were named Hawks MVPs.
The Cappo team, meanwhile, had their hands full with the chippy HJK A team. The Hawks started out tired and it showed, as they had trouble maintaining their discipline early on and racked up five penalties in the first period. The HJK team taunted and goaded their way to a 2-0 lead, and things looked bleak for the American team. The depths of despair came at the beginning of the second period, when a Hawks player was called for a 5-minute major penalty. Some confusion arose over the refs' call, and the game stopped briefly while the penalty was sorted out. When the game resumed, the Hawks had gotten new energy, and they proceeded to kill off the 5-minute penalty. DJ Sucher scored with under two minutes left in the second period to put the Hawks on the board, and again with two minutes gone in the third to tie the game; Nick Wert assisted on both goals. Logan Simonian put the Hawks ahead with 10 minutes left in the game, then DJ completed his hat trick to put the Hawks up 4-2. Nick Wert sealed the 5-2 win and the trip to the finals with a goal with 5 minutes remaining. Nick Hensel had 2 assists, and DJ Sucher was named Hawks MVP for the game.
In the other semifinal A game, the Vikings played their hearts out against the Ilves, fighting to a 2-2 tie until, with just two minutes left on the clock, the Ilves team scored, dashing hopes for a Hawks-Viikingit A final.
The Gibson squad got very little rest before it was time to face the unpleasant HJK AA club in the game to determine third and fourth place in the tournament. They came out strong, however, with a goal three minutes into the game by Brendan George, assisted by Bobby Gibson. A few minutes later, Bobby put the puck in the net himself, with an assist from Everhett Grimes. The second period saw a single goal, by Brendan Leonard from Bobby Gibson. The HJK team tried to get back into the game, scoring in the first minute of the third period, but the Hawks answered right away with a goal by Brendan George, assisted by Everhett Grimes. A fifth goal by Beau Dougherty, assisted by Frankie McVeigh, cemented the 5-2 win and the third-place trophy for the Hawks. Pat Ryan, Beau Dougherty, and Matthias Chernitsky were named Hawks MVPs for the game.
The host AA Vikings continued their strong performance in the finals against the AA Nikkarit team, winning the AA Tournament championship game 5-1 with an audience of Hawks players and parents loudly cheering them to victory.
In the finals of the A division, the Cappo squad faced the Ilves team to which they had fallen the day before. The first period saw sloppy play by both teams, but thanks to a fine defensive effort, the game remained scoreless. Halfway through the second period, the Hawks finally broke through with a goal by Nick Wert, assisted by Cal Bibeau. Five minutes later, Nick Hensel put the puck in the net, assisted by Albert Bleznak and Nick Wert. The defense continued to deny the Ilves, and DJ Sucher deposited the puck into an empty net at the end of the game to make the score 3-0. Nick Wert, Cal Bibeau, and Mark Bianchi were named Hawks MVPs for the game, and Mark Bianchi accepted the championship trophy for the team as Cappo team captain.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Day Six: The Tournament Continues
Friday was a long and full day at the ice rink, with the Hawks teams playing back-to-back-to-back-to-back. (There was not much else to do in Finland anyway, as Good Friday is a major holiday and most shops and many restaurants are closed.) At one of the early tournament games, between two of the other (non-Hawks or -Vikings) teams, there had been an incident: the referee thought the coach had said something terribly inappropriate and called a 10-minute penalty. The coach protested that it wasn't he who had said it, it was a spectator standing just above him. The referee could not determine which spectator it was, so he told all of the spectators to clear out of the rink (and took back the penalty). This was such an unusual happening that it actually made the afternoon edition of the big Helsinki newspaper, with millions of subscribers.
At any rate, the Gibson team started the Hawks' day off at noon with a game against the Vikings. After all of the time spent mingling between the two clubs, this is always a highly anticipated game. However, the Hawks were playing with energy after their loss the previous night, and they ended up with a 6-1 win. Two goals were scored by Brendan George, and one each by Bobby Gibson, Brendan Leonard, Everhett Grimes, and Matthias Chernitsky; Everhett and Brendan George each also had two assists. Brendan George was named the Hawks MVP.
The Cappo team followed with a 2:00 p.m. game against the Ilves from Tampere (about 1.5 hours from Helsinki). It was hard fought, and could easily have gone either way, but the Ilves scraped out the 1-0 win. (Unfortunately, the refs missed a backhand goal by Nick Wert halfway through the game that would have tied the contest.) Tim Osifchok was in goal for the Hawks, and he received the Hawks' game MVP award.
With only four hours between start times, neither Hawks team had much time to dwell on the early games. After a quick lunch, which was provided for all players at the rink, it was pretty much time to put on the equipment again. The 4:00 p.m. game featured the Gibson team against HFK--the club whose A team had been so interested in fighting rather than playing against the Cappo team the day before. The HFK AA team proved to be no different (and in fact sported a few of the same players), in a game that was rough-and-tumble with emotions running high. It was with both relief and joy, given the obnoxiousness of the HFK team, that the Hawks pulled out a 4-3 win, with goals by Bobby Gibson, Matthias Chernitsky, Brendan George, and Everhett Grimes. Brendan George was again named the Hawks MVP for the game.
The final Hawks game of the day, at 6:00 p.m., featured the Cappo team against the Viikingit A squad--and saw the return of Albert Bleznak to the ice after the Porvoo Toe Incident. The game was tight, but the Hawks played their hearts out, and ended on top, 3-1. DJ Sucher had two goals for the Hawks, and Cal Bibeau added one. DJ was named the game MVP for the Hawks.
At the end of the round robin, each Hawks team stood at 2-1, making them each the second seed in their division. This meant that the Gibson team would play the Vikings again the next morning in the semifinals--and the Cappo team would face the nasty HFK team one more time.
At any rate, the Gibson team started the Hawks' day off at noon with a game against the Vikings. After all of the time spent mingling between the two clubs, this is always a highly anticipated game. However, the Hawks were playing with energy after their loss the previous night, and they ended up with a 6-1 win. Two goals were scored by Brendan George, and one each by Bobby Gibson, Brendan Leonard, Everhett Grimes, and Matthias Chernitsky; Everhett and Brendan George each also had two assists. Brendan George was named the Hawks MVP.
The Cappo team followed with a 2:00 p.m. game against the Ilves from Tampere (about 1.5 hours from Helsinki). It was hard fought, and could easily have gone either way, but the Ilves scraped out the 1-0 win. (Unfortunately, the refs missed a backhand goal by Nick Wert halfway through the game that would have tied the contest.) Tim Osifchok was in goal for the Hawks, and he received the Hawks' game MVP award.
With only four hours between start times, neither Hawks team had much time to dwell on the early games. After a quick lunch, which was provided for all players at the rink, it was pretty much time to put on the equipment again. The 4:00 p.m. game featured the Gibson team against HFK--the club whose A team had been so interested in fighting rather than playing against the Cappo team the day before. The HFK AA team proved to be no different (and in fact sported a few of the same players), in a game that was rough-and-tumble with emotions running high. It was with both relief and joy, given the obnoxiousness of the HFK team, that the Hawks pulled out a 4-3 win, with goals by Bobby Gibson, Matthias Chernitsky, Brendan George, and Everhett Grimes. Brendan George was again named the Hawks MVP for the game.
The final Hawks game of the day, at 6:00 p.m., featured the Cappo team against the Viikingit A squad--and saw the return of Albert Bleznak to the ice after the Porvoo Toe Incident. The game was tight, but the Hawks played their hearts out, and ended on top, 3-1. DJ Sucher had two goals for the Hawks, and Cal Bibeau added one. DJ was named the game MVP for the Hawks.
At the end of the round robin, each Hawks team stood at 2-1, making them each the second seed in their division. This meant that the Gibson team would play the Vikings again the next morning in the semifinals--and the Cappo team would face the nasty HFK team one more time.
Day Five: A Free Day, and the Tournament Begins
Please note that we continue to add dozens of photos each day on the photo website: https://picasaweb.google.com/107623788813119326976/HawksInFinland2012#
Thursday was a free day, to be scheduled however the players, host families, and parents wanted. Because Good Friday is a major holiday in Finland, with most shops, restaurants, and schools closed, a number of schools also had just a half day on Thursday. In many cases, the boys went to school with their host players, and found themselves teaching English, playing dodge ball, and exploring the cafeteria. We were told that often the Finnish teachers were very much looking forward to these visits, since they allowed the Finnish students to practice their English.
In the afternoon, most of the players hung out with their host families. Some went shopping at Itekaskus, the largest mall in Scandinavia. Some met up with their parents. Among the Hawks families, there was shopping, sightseeing, and some bonus sleeping. But the afternoon was short, as the boys had to be at the rink for their first tournament games that evening, playing at 6:00 and 6:15 p.m.
A word about the tournament. There was an AA division, in which the Gibson team played, and an A division, in which the Cappo team played. There were four teams in each division: the Hawks, the Vikings, and two others. The tournament started with three round-robin games in each division to determine seedings. Then on Saturday, in the semifinals, the first seed played the fourth seed, the second seed played the third. Then the winners of the semifinals played for the championship, and the losers played for third. Each game against the Hawks began with the national anthems of the US and Finland, and each ended with a handshake by the captains, a handshake of the teams, and an announcement of a game MVP for each team.
The first game for the Gibson team was rough, as they suffered a 5-0 loss at the hands of the Nikkarit (in English, the "Handymen"). Everhett Grimes was named the Hawks MVP for the game. On the other side of the rink, the Cappo team fought to a 2-0 win over HJK. The game was a rough one, as the HJK team seemed less interested in playing than in fighting. Fortunately, that worked in the Hawks' favor--they kept cool heads while HJK spent a lot of time in the penalty box. Goals were scored by Mark Bianchi and Brendan Bolon, DJ Sucher had an assist, and Matt Hollingshead had a shutout in goal. Matt was named the game MVP for the Hawks.
Thursday was a free day, to be scheduled however the players, host families, and parents wanted. Because Good Friday is a major holiday in Finland, with most shops, restaurants, and schools closed, a number of schools also had just a half day on Thursday. In many cases, the boys went to school with their host players, and found themselves teaching English, playing dodge ball, and exploring the cafeteria. We were told that often the Finnish teachers were very much looking forward to these visits, since they allowed the Finnish students to practice their English.
In the afternoon, most of the players hung out with their host families. Some went shopping at Itekaskus, the largest mall in Scandinavia. Some met up with their parents. Among the Hawks families, there was shopping, sightseeing, and some bonus sleeping. But the afternoon was short, as the boys had to be at the rink for their first tournament games that evening, playing at 6:00 and 6:15 p.m.
A word about the tournament. There was an AA division, in which the Gibson team played, and an A division, in which the Cappo team played. There were four teams in each division: the Hawks, the Vikings, and two others. The tournament started with three round-robin games in each division to determine seedings. Then on Saturday, in the semifinals, the first seed played the fourth seed, the second seed played the third. Then the winners of the semifinals played for the championship, and the losers played for third. Each game against the Hawks began with the national anthems of the US and Finland, and each ended with a handshake by the captains, a handshake of the teams, and an announcement of a game MVP for each team.
The first game for the Gibson team was rough, as they suffered a 5-0 loss at the hands of the Nikkarit (in English, the "Handymen"). Everhett Grimes was named the Hawks MVP for the game. On the other side of the rink, the Cappo team fought to a 2-0 win over HJK. The game was a rough one, as the HJK team seemed less interested in playing than in fighting. Fortunately, that worked in the Hawks' favor--they kept cool heads while HJK spent a lot of time in the penalty box. Goals were scored by Mark Bianchi and Brendan Bolon, DJ Sucher had an assist, and Matt Hollingshead had a shutout in goal. Matt was named the game MVP for the Hawks.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Day Four: Porvoo
Thank heavens, the Hawks families had Wednesday morning free, and most took advantage of the time to sleep a little later and do a little shopping in Helsinki. At 1:00 p.m., the bus arrived to transport the group to Porvoo, where it would meet up with the boys. Porvoo is a quaint town with charming little shops and a historic area about 35 kilometers (45 minutes) north of Helsinki. (Think New Hope, only with all the signs in Finnish and Swedish.) We were met in Porvoo by two tour guides, so we split into two groups, bundled up, and started our chilly walk through the picturesque town. Old Porvoo is not very big--as one Helsinki native told us, if the tour lasts more than an hour, they are probably showing us things twice--but its inhabitants are very proud of their town and its history. When we had seen the river, whatever wooden buildings had survived the many fires through the years, and the Porvoo cathedral, we were free to shop in the little boutiques--and the Brunberg candy shop, conveniently located next to the restaurant at which we were to eat.
While some Hawks loaded up on delicious Finnish treats, a few parents found the Irish Pub across from our restaurant, where they warmed up and rested up. In chatting with the pub manager, they found that he had played for the Porvoo Hunters 86 team that had played in the very first Hawks-Viikingit Exchange tournament in Helsinki in 2000. In fact, we had photos of that Hawks-Hunters game with us to show him. It was a reminder of how small Finland is, and how long the Exchange has been going on.
After a delicious late lunch/early dinner at a Finnish homestyle restaurant, everyone climbed onto two buses to go to the Porvoo ice rink for games with the two Porvoo Hunters 98 teams. We were greeted at the rink by a welcome table set up by the friendly Porvoo parents, with maps and booklets about Porvoo. We also were delighted to find heavenly warm cinnamon buns at their snack stand. Cal Bibeau's grandfather even got a tour of the rink's cooling system. The games went well--the Cappo team won 5-3, and the Gibson team coasted to a 9-3 victory--as the players became accustomed to Finnish referees and international ice. But the real excitement occurred in the locker room after the first game. Albert Bleznak's big toe had an unpleasant encounter with another player's skate blade. It was sliced deeply across the top of the toe, just under the toe joint, and it produced an unsettling amount of blood. An ambulance was called, and Albert was transported to the Porvoo hospital for treatment. A foot surgeon was found to evaluate the injury; he determined that fortunately, the tendons were intact and the toe needed only five stitches, not the surgery that we had feared. And the boys learned a valuable lesson about taking their skates off IMMEDIATELY in the locker room!
While some Hawks loaded up on delicious Finnish treats, a few parents found the Irish Pub across from our restaurant, where they warmed up and rested up. In chatting with the pub manager, they found that he had played for the Porvoo Hunters 86 team that had played in the very first Hawks-Viikingit Exchange tournament in Helsinki in 2000. In fact, we had photos of that Hawks-Hunters game with us to show him. It was a reminder of how small Finland is, and how long the Exchange has been going on.
After a delicious late lunch/early dinner at a Finnish homestyle restaurant, everyone climbed onto two buses to go to the Porvoo ice rink for games with the two Porvoo Hunters 98 teams. We were greeted at the rink by a welcome table set up by the friendly Porvoo parents, with maps and booklets about Porvoo. We also were delighted to find heavenly warm cinnamon buns at their snack stand. Cal Bibeau's grandfather even got a tour of the rink's cooling system. The games went well--the Cappo team won 5-3, and the Gibson team coasted to a 9-3 victory--as the players became accustomed to Finnish referees and international ice. But the real excitement occurred in the locker room after the first game. Albert Bleznak's big toe had an unpleasant encounter with another player's skate blade. It was sliced deeply across the top of the toe, just under the toe joint, and it produced an unsettling amount of blood. An ambulance was called, and Albert was transported to the Porvoo hospital for treatment. A foot surgeon was found to evaluate the injury; he determined that fortunately, the tendons were intact and the toe needed only five stitches, not the surgery that we had feared. And the boys learned a valuable lesson about taking their skates off IMMEDIATELY in the locker room!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Day Three, Part 2: The Boys Head to Vierumaki
On Tuesday, the boys traveled with the coaches to Vierumaki, a sports camp about an hour north of Helsinki. The day started with more floorball, followed by hockey practice for both teams. The boys then got a special treat, as the Finns had arranged for our boys to meet the U-19 Finnish National Team. They had a chance to interview the older boys, to give the Finnish team practice in answering questions in English.
In the evening, the boys enjoyed a sauna. Many took it in the "natural style," or, as the boys called it, "going commando." After getting nice and toasty, the players ran out into the snow to roll around--then raced back into the sauna. (Fortunately, Coach Bob nixed the idea of jumping into the freezing cold Gulf of Finland in the dark.) Then the coaches and boys headed to the dormitory for some much-needed sleep.
In the morning, there was another hockey practice for both teams, after which the boys piled back on a bus and headed to Porvoo, where they viewed a candy factory, toured the town, ate lunch, shopped, met the rest of the Hawks travelers, and headed to the Porvoo ice rink for a pair of games with the Porvoo Hunters team.
In the evening, the boys enjoyed a sauna. Many took it in the "natural style," or, as the boys called it, "going commando." After getting nice and toasty, the players ran out into the snow to roll around--then raced back into the sauna. (Fortunately, Coach Bob nixed the idea of jumping into the freezing cold Gulf of Finland in the dark.) Then the coaches and boys headed to the dormitory for some much-needed sleep.
In the morning, there was another hockey practice for both teams, after which the boys piled back on a bus and headed to Porvoo, where they viewed a candy factory, toured the town, ate lunch, shopped, met the rest of the Hawks travelers, and headed to the Porvoo ice rink for a pair of games with the Porvoo Hunters team.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Day Three: On the Road Again
The travelers' schedule is posted on the Viikingit 98 team website: http://www.viikingit98.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=145&Itemid=61, so everyone can see what is happening from day to day. Keep in mind that Helsinki is seven hours ahead of Philadelphia.
On Tuesday, the boys, coaches, and a couple of additional parents headed to Vierumaki, a sports camp about an hour from Helsinki, for an overnight stay. Word from the camp is that all has gone very well, with floorball and saunas being a big hit--more to come on that when the players and families are reunited and the stories downloaded. But meanwhile, many of the Hawks families took the opportunity to head to Estonia. There was a small moment of panic when again, two of the travelers (who shall remain nameless) misplaced their passports. Fortunately, they realized this on Monday night, and figured that the bag in which the passports had been stashed were either at their host family's house or in the cab they had taken back to the hotel. Thankfully, they were with the host family, and the passports were retrieved just in time to board the ferry. So the Hawks are 5-for-5 on this trip for passports lost, then found.
The ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn, Estonia's capital, takes just two hours, and the travelers were again accompanied by four of our Finnish hosts. Upon arriving, the hardy group endured a brief blizzard, but the snow retreated after about a half hour, leaving only the cold for all to enjoy. The group divided and followed two professional tour guides through Tallinn's beautiful Old Town. They then shifted from medieval to modern with a trip to the KGB Museum. The KGB Museum, thankfully, was indoors, away from the elements. However, jet lag remains an issue: there was one parent (who shall remain nameless) who literally fell over, asleep, while on the tour. The tour guide continued her routine as if nothing had happened, while fellow Hawks families tried to avoid laughing (and failed miserably). Mercifully for that parent, it was then time for a medieval dinner at the Peppersack Inn (http://www.peppersack.ee/), in a building that dates from the early 14th century, followed by the ferry back to Helsinki and a return to the nice, comfortable Hilton beds. And happily for all, there was nothing on the schedule for the families until 1:00 p.m. the next day--at last, a day to sleep in!
On Tuesday, the boys, coaches, and a couple of additional parents headed to Vierumaki, a sports camp about an hour from Helsinki, for an overnight stay. Word from the camp is that all has gone very well, with floorball and saunas being a big hit--more to come on that when the players and families are reunited and the stories downloaded. But meanwhile, many of the Hawks families took the opportunity to head to Estonia. There was a small moment of panic when again, two of the travelers (who shall remain nameless) misplaced their passports. Fortunately, they realized this on Monday night, and figured that the bag in which the passports had been stashed were either at their host family's house or in the cab they had taken back to the hotel. Thankfully, they were with the host family, and the passports were retrieved just in time to board the ferry. So the Hawks are 5-for-5 on this trip for passports lost, then found.
The ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn, Estonia's capital, takes just two hours, and the travelers were again accompanied by four of our Finnish hosts. Upon arriving, the hardy group endured a brief blizzard, but the snow retreated after about a half hour, leaving only the cold for all to enjoy. The group divided and followed two professional tour guides through Tallinn's beautiful Old Town. They then shifted from medieval to modern with a trip to the KGB Museum. The KGB Museum, thankfully, was indoors, away from the elements. However, jet lag remains an issue: there was one parent (who shall remain nameless) who literally fell over, asleep, while on the tour. The tour guide continued her routine as if nothing had happened, while fellow Hawks families tried to avoid laughing (and failed miserably). Mercifully for that parent, it was then time for a medieval dinner at the Peppersack Inn (http://www.peppersack.ee/), in a building that dates from the early 14th century, followed by the ferry back to Helsinki and a return to the nice, comfortable Hilton beds. And happily for all, there was nothing on the schedule for the families until 1:00 p.m. the next day--at last, a day to sleep in!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Day Two: Getting to Know Helsinki
For photos of our first two days, click https://picasaweb.google.com/107623788813119326976/HawksInFinland2012?authkey=Gv1sRgCOzrpMyJgYubDw#
After a good, and much appreciated, night of sleep for most travelers, it was time to get our bearings and get to know our hosts. The host families dropped their charges off at the Hilton, and everybody piled onto two busses for a tour of Helsinki. Each bus had a tour guide who explained Finnish history, sites, and culture. The boys were very well behaved--okay, some of them may have dozed off during the ride--but when the busses pulled up to Helsinki's picturesque Senate Square, the siren call of the snow (of which we had seen very little in Philadelphia this winter) was too much to resist. The travelers disembarked to see the square, and soon, the snowballs were flying, even as the parents tried to take photos of the Hawks players in this famous spot. These are, after all, 13-year-old boys!
The tour guides continued to point out the striking architecture of Helsinki, with a dose of the interesting history of the country, much appreciated by the adults at least. After a while, we came to the other stop on the tour: the incredible Rock Church, carved into the natural bedrock, with a dome of copper wire. Snowballs flew again (outside, don't worry), but it is a measure of how cool the Rock Church is that the boys settled down for a look--and, again, some photos.
When the city tour finished, the busses deposited everyone at Helsinki's Government House. There, we were met by eight of our Finnish hosts, and divided into groups of about nine. Half of the travelers went to lunch in Helsinki, and the other half toured Government House, where Finland's Parliament meets, and learned a bit about how the Finnish government works. After an hour, the two halves switched. Then, with the official tours and lunch behind us, our Finnish hosts led our small groups back to the hotel, stopping at sites along the way according to what the groups wanted to do. Many went to the top of the Hotel Torni, which features the highest spot in Helsinki, 14 floors up.
As the travelers straggled into the Hilton after this fun and informative day, everyone had a very brief chance to catch their collective breath. Then it was time to head to the ice rink. Parents and players alike were escorted by our hosts to the Metro station, where we all took the subway to Vuosaari. The Viikingit ice rink is brand new--it just opened this fall--and is about a 15-minute walk from the subway stop. Through the cold and snow, the intrepid Hawks travelers followed the guides and were proud to make it to the rink in time for the Hawks to have joint practices with the Vikings. At last, some hockey! The ice was humming with activity, as the parents relaxed in the pleasant coffee shop between the rinks. (The setup is similar to the rink at Oaks--but much, much nicer. And the parents were delighted to find that the wi-fi signal is very strong!)
After the practices ended, the boys (who, yes, showered at the rink) and their families were met by the boys' host families, who were hosting their extended group of guests for dinner, mostly in their homes. What a special evening--the Finns are such gracious hosts, and more than willing to settle in for a long Monday night with the Americans. At the end of the evening, the parents again said farewell to their boys, then headed back to the Hilton to share stories of the day.
After a good, and much appreciated, night of sleep for most travelers, it was time to get our bearings and get to know our hosts. The host families dropped their charges off at the Hilton, and everybody piled onto two busses for a tour of Helsinki. Each bus had a tour guide who explained Finnish history, sites, and culture. The boys were very well behaved--okay, some of them may have dozed off during the ride--but when the busses pulled up to Helsinki's picturesque Senate Square, the siren call of the snow (of which we had seen very little in Philadelphia this winter) was too much to resist. The travelers disembarked to see the square, and soon, the snowballs were flying, even as the parents tried to take photos of the Hawks players in this famous spot. These are, after all, 13-year-old boys!
The tour guides continued to point out the striking architecture of Helsinki, with a dose of the interesting history of the country, much appreciated by the adults at least. After a while, we came to the other stop on the tour: the incredible Rock Church, carved into the natural bedrock, with a dome of copper wire. Snowballs flew again (outside, don't worry), but it is a measure of how cool the Rock Church is that the boys settled down for a look--and, again, some photos.
When the city tour finished, the busses deposited everyone at Helsinki's Government House. There, we were met by eight of our Finnish hosts, and divided into groups of about nine. Half of the travelers went to lunch in Helsinki, and the other half toured Government House, where Finland's Parliament meets, and learned a bit about how the Finnish government works. After an hour, the two halves switched. Then, with the official tours and lunch behind us, our Finnish hosts led our small groups back to the hotel, stopping at sites along the way according to what the groups wanted to do. Many went to the top of the Hotel Torni, which features the highest spot in Helsinki, 14 floors up.
As the travelers straggled into the Hilton after this fun and informative day, everyone had a very brief chance to catch their collective breath. Then it was time to head to the ice rink. Parents and players alike were escorted by our hosts to the Metro station, where we all took the subway to Vuosaari. The Viikingit ice rink is brand new--it just opened this fall--and is about a 15-minute walk from the subway stop. Through the cold and snow, the intrepid Hawks travelers followed the guides and were proud to make it to the rink in time for the Hawks to have joint practices with the Vikings. At last, some hockey! The ice was humming with activity, as the parents relaxed in the pleasant coffee shop between the rinks. (The setup is similar to the rink at Oaks--but much, much nicer. And the parents were delighted to find that the wi-fi signal is very strong!)
After the practices ended, the boys (who, yes, showered at the rink) and their families were met by the boys' host families, who were hosting their extended group of guests for dinner, mostly in their homes. What a special evening--the Finns are such gracious hosts, and more than willing to settle in for a long Monday night with the Americans. At the end of the evening, the parents again said farewell to their boys, then headed back to the Hilton to share stories of the day.
Day One, 36 Hours Long
The Hawks arrived at Haverford Middle School on Saturday morning ready for adventure. The two buses left on time for JFK, traffic was cooperative, Finnair was efficient, and everyone had moved through security with more than two hours to spare--more than enough time for lunch and relaxation before boarding. Though the members of one family, who shall remain nameless, lost their passports briefly before checking in, the missing items were found and the first crisis was averted.
The flight was happily uneventful, with most of the boys distracted by the in-flight entertainment system for most of the eight hours. After all of the warnings, did they sleep? Of course not. About half managed an hour or two of snoozing; the other half were still too excited.
The group was met in Helsinki by our Vikings hosts, who led our band of travelers and luggage to two buses. The first stop was the Vikings' lovely new ice rink, where there were two equipment rooms in which the Hawks could store their hockey gear for the week. Then it was on to a hotel conference center, overlooking the beautiful (and still iced-over) Gulf of Finland, where a buffet lunch was served. Eyes lit up at the sight of the meats, and speculation was rampant: was this reindeer, or perhaps elk? Sorry, boys, it was merely roast beef and turkey. The adventurous ones in the group tried the ligonberries and the beet salad, while the more reserved went with the cheese, salad, and fruit. As they ate, the Finnish host families arrived, and soon all around the dining room were clusters of Americans and Finns, greeting one another and catching up after a year, or meeting one another for the first time. Eventually it was time for the boys to head to their Finnish homes, and for the American fellow-travelers to find the Hilton that would be their home-away-from-home.
By this time, of course, it was 2:00 in the afternoon--7:00 a.m. in the US--and no one had really slept in about 24 hours. Too bad! In order to get onto the new time schedule more quickly, it was important for everyone to stay up until at least early evening. (This meant that the adults had to resist the call of their comfortable hotel beds.) Thus, once belongings were dropped off and everyone had freshened up, all headed to a sports center for the opening party--the parents doing so by Metro for the first time, with the welcome help of our Finnish friends.
The opening party was a major hit, with floorball under the black lights being a major feature. Bowling was also popular with kids and adults, and there was more food in the party room. By the end of the four hours scheduled for the party, boys were draped over the chairs and couches in a daze. The American parents said their goodbyes and headed back to the Metro, and the boys went off to their Finnish homes, at last able (and more than happy!) to get some sleep. And so the 2012 Finland Exchange began.
The flight was happily uneventful, with most of the boys distracted by the in-flight entertainment system for most of the eight hours. After all of the warnings, did they sleep? Of course not. About half managed an hour or two of snoozing; the other half were still too excited.
The group was met in Helsinki by our Vikings hosts, who led our band of travelers and luggage to two buses. The first stop was the Vikings' lovely new ice rink, where there were two equipment rooms in which the Hawks could store their hockey gear for the week. Then it was on to a hotel conference center, overlooking the beautiful (and still iced-over) Gulf of Finland, where a buffet lunch was served. Eyes lit up at the sight of the meats, and speculation was rampant: was this reindeer, or perhaps elk? Sorry, boys, it was merely roast beef and turkey. The adventurous ones in the group tried the ligonberries and the beet salad, while the more reserved went with the cheese, salad, and fruit. As they ate, the Finnish host families arrived, and soon all around the dining room were clusters of Americans and Finns, greeting one another and catching up after a year, or meeting one another for the first time. Eventually it was time for the boys to head to their Finnish homes, and for the American fellow-travelers to find the Hilton that would be their home-away-from-home.
By this time, of course, it was 2:00 in the afternoon--7:00 a.m. in the US--and no one had really slept in about 24 hours. Too bad! In order to get onto the new time schedule more quickly, it was important for everyone to stay up until at least early evening. (This meant that the adults had to resist the call of their comfortable hotel beds.) Thus, once belongings were dropped off and everyone had freshened up, all headed to a sports center for the opening party--the parents doing so by Metro for the first time, with the welcome help of our Finnish friends.
The opening party was a major hit, with floorball under the black lights being a major feature. Bowling was also popular with kids and adults, and there was more food in the party room. By the end of the four hours scheduled for the party, boys were draped over the chairs and couches in a daze. The American parents said their goodbyes and headed back to the Metro, and the boys went off to their Finnish homes, at last able (and more than happy!) to get some sleep. And so the 2012 Finland Exchange began.
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