As we waved goodbye to our parents on the morning of 26th of August, not one out of the twenty five of us going to Finland could control our excitement. Over the course of the next ten days we not only explored a corner of the world which was relatively unknown to us, but also created memories to last a lifetime.

During our school hours we attended various lessons including Mathematics, Philosophy, Home Economics, Psychology, Religion & Ethics etc. In the Finnish school system, each student has his/her own schedule which can change upto 5 times in a year.

The time we spent with our host families (five days) opened our eyes to a new way of life. Instead of travelling in cars, most of them use public transport (bus, metro and tram) to get around town. They also eat their dinner comparatively early and are reserved compared to us, Indians. Each day turned out to be better than the last and a new learning experience for all of us.

From boating to bowling, horse riding to the ballet, our hosts made sure we didn't miss out on any activity they had planned for us. From the school we also visited a number of places of cultural and historical significance in Helsinki such as the Suomenlinna sea fortress, the Helsinki Zoo and the Mustikkamma beach where we had discussions on Shakespeare's Macbeth. As the five days with our hosts passed, we made unbreakable bonds that we would cherish forever.

We also visited Tallinn, in Estonia. We walked down the cobblestone paths in the Old Town of Tallinn.

All in all, this trip not only pushed our boundaries in being able to adapt to different people and cultures, it also enabled us to broaden our perception of daily life and education outside of India.

Anahita Jain and Karamvir Chopra - Class 11