Arctic Cultural Evening 2016

We loaded up two full busses of students from Tornio and rolled out toward the MTI campus in Rovaniemi. For the past weeks we had been working hard, in anticipation of this night. Some of us were practicing our lines we were set to recite for a play and some of us were working out the technicalities of having all the right equipment in the right spot at the right time.

This would be a night to celebrate the vastly different cultural background each of us carry with us every day. Lapland UAS’ students span countless nationalities and there is a breathtaking variety of experiences and languages represented in our group. After exiting the busses, snowflakes were swept onto our faces by a crisp breeze and we hurried indoors out of the Lappish winter, after all we were dressed formally in the thin material of dresses and suits.

Waiting inside was an untouched buffet of warm fresh food of all kinds, including some traditional Finnish Christmas cuisine. We filed into a big hall with bleachers and a stage. After an introduction by the Director of School of Business and Culture, Ms. Leena Alalääkkölä, the hosts stepped up and introduced the first performance. Throughout the night there were skits and songs, cultural presentations and dances. It is truly an honor to be part of such a group of people who are able to put together and execute such an event successfully.