Finland
Living the Nordic Life
Erin Keranen - Jyväskylä, Finland
As I walked out of the airport in Jyväskylä, Finland in the beginning of January, the freezing -10 degree Fahrenheit winds hit me, and I saw nothing but mounds of snow all around me. This is when I really realized that I would be living just 300 miles south of the Arctic Circle for the next five months. In the first week I learned a few things: don't go outside without at least two or three layers of clothes on and cover up every possible part of my body.
Everyman's Right: Exploring Nature in the North
Jason Blind - Tampere, Finland 
Despite the relaxed and homely atmosphere of the Finnish city, sometimes one feels the innate urge to reconnect with nature and escape civilization for a short while. As Finnish culture embraces nature, a revitalizing nature walk became an obvious choice to explore these ancient beautiful forests and take a break from the daily routine. Therefore, one calm Sunday afternoon my friends and I decided to take a break from the city and explore the critically acclaimed Finnish wilderness.