Echosounding course at Konnevesi Research Station

Since its first applications in the 15th century, echo-sounding technology has developed and is being used for a wide range of applications. The purpose of this course was to get students educated about echo-sounding principles in fisheries and aquatic science. How to estimate fish density and biomass, how to understand, read and analyze echo-sounding graphs; get to know what types of equipments and tools are used in echo-sounding...
Here are some of the pictures I have captured for you. Enjoy and comment ;)
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100th Anniversary of Jyväskylä University Library

It was a great day today at the library of our University as we were celebrating the centenary of this large library. The bazar was opened early in the morning and a lot of activities and stands offered the visitor an insight of all opportunities and necessary information from the library. Here are some pictures, have a look and get the feel of University of Jyväskylä's Library. I played a game and won a symbolic gift ;)
I would also like to let you know that the University gives out books for free twice a year. These are old books and old editions, and the event goes into a continuing process of updating the library every year.

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My studies and activities

Here I will be writing and posting some facts about the studies I'm engaged in and hopefully also provide you guys with some pictures and comments: field courses, lab work, seminars and symposia, meetings, social activities etc.So you get to stay tuned ;)

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Zooplankton lecture and lab work
Zooplankton are a group of small animals that are found in natural running and standing waters. They are important for the equilibrium of aquatic environment as they constitute principal food source for small fishes and others larger animals (insect larvae for example) and also they help to decrease the amount of bacteria and small algae in the water so that every thing remain in a relatively stable state.
In the pictures are an example of net that we used to collect zooplankton from the lake and the group of students for this course, also are there the lecturer and the expert invited.
www.jyu.fi/en

- Two week ago, I was invited by the coordinator of our international degree program to welcome new students during two days introduction session at Konnevesi research station. The program was at the same time very relax and thorough. The outcome was a study plan of students and for me a pleasure to speak about my own experience to new students with whom I have been given one hour of discussion in the program.

We have had nice sauna moments, sausage burning and the best among all, a nice tour by boat on the lake toward a nearby island. The new students were very satisfied according to their sayings I we wish them the best. Now the challenge is in our hands to begin this new year with enough motivation and show we deserve the trust put in us.
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Finland and weather

I can't retain myself to from writing this new post on my blog, as a souvenir of the beautiful nature changes I am presently having in Finland.
We are almost mid September and an amazing scene is happening already outside there, a scene you never see so beautiful if you are not in such a boreal environment: The trees are changing their colors, passing from from green to red.
The reason for this is not well known by myself, but I think I read somewhere that it might be due to sulfur ascent from the soil.
I any case, mother nature changes and wear new attire as a woman ready to get married with the person she has always been dreaming of her whole life, as if the world would end the next day.
As I admire this colors and gifts from the nature, I can't stand hanging out as much as I can, taking pictures and contemplating flowers, insects, birds and trees.

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Opening Festivities of Academic Years

The ceremony of Opening Festivities of the Academic Year 2012-2013 is only a few hours ahead and announces a full week of encounters and discovery of the University of Jyväskylä by new comers.
Every body will take part in the various activities including University staff, students, students' organizations and corporates and external guests.
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Useful links ;
-  http://jklstudent.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/jyy-student-news-week-19-75-1352012/
-  https://www.jyu.fi/en/academic-events/opening-festivities
- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Polain-Nzobeuh-Student-Ambassador-University-of-Jyv%C3%A4skyl%C3%A4-Finland/453914221297231

Rich and Poor (Average) : differences in mindsets

I have just come across this publication in the Finnish newspaper Kauppalehti and wanted to post it here and share with those who may be interested to get rich. A study has came out with 21 differences between rich people and average people:  

1. Average: money is the root of all evil, and just - rich: poverty is the source of evil. 
2. Average: selfishness is a vice - rich: selfishness is virtuous. "The rich are not using to save the world. They are trying to make themselves happy. " 
3. Average: lotto mentality - rich: action mentality. "Masses rely on prayer to enrich themselves. Large minds to solve problems. " 
4. Average: formal education - rich: the practical expertise. 
5. Average: looking to the past - rich: dreams of the future. "People who believe in the best days of the past, but are not enriched in the accident and suffered from depression." 
6. Average: money is a feeling - rich: money is the logic. 
7. Average: searches only the livelihoods of their work - rich: follow her passion. 
8. Average: set a goal down, not fail - rich: always seeks challenges. 
9. Average: to enrich themselves need to do something - rich: to enrich you must be something. "Multitudes want immediate results of their actions. The rich gather to learn that the situation in the future unabated, even though it would be a misfortune. " 
10. Average: need money for getting rich - rich: use the money of others. 
11. Average: market management strategy - rich: guided by greed. 
12. Average: live beyond their means - rich: skimp. 
13. Average: teach children to survive - rich: to teach their children to prosper. 
14. Average: money is stressful - rich: money brings peace. "Wealthy people are not afraid to admit it, that money really solves many of the problems." 
15. Average: entertainment ahead of self-improvement - rich: learning entertainment ahead. 
16. Average: snobeja rich - rich: thrives like-minded individuals. 
17. Average: focus on saving - rich: focus on earning. 
18. Average: play it safe - rich: knowing when to take a risk. 
19. Average: likes comfort - rich: to find the comfort of the uncertainty. 
20. Average: not bound by money and health with each other - rich: to know that money can save a life. 
21. Average: you have to choose between family and wealth - rich: to know that you can get both. "Masses have been brainwashed to believe that it would be either or question."

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Accomodation in Jyväskylä

I arrived in Finland on September 2011. One month earlier, I had already reserved my student room at one of the students' villages of the Jyväskylä.
I am quite satisfied of the way the University has managed and helped in finding the suitable flat in the suitable area for me. KOAS which is the company in charge of student lodging has also been quite good. Even if, again, I would acknowledge that the prices are relatively high (my room costs almost 240 Euros), for a student coming from a developing country, and not having any financial support (be it from the government or from my home University or any other support) like me. But I was fortunately well prepared for this trip, and planned it two years in advance.
I was welcomed at the train station by my tutor Maria (will tell you about who tutors are later), who was there few minutes earlier before the arrival of my bus. We then took a taxi (bran new Mercedes car) with all my luggage to the students' village where my room was. Maria had far in advance got my keys from KOAS and prepared my welcome survival kit as well (the survival kit is a set of first needed things that the students union offers to new comers to help them cope with the first days in the city, it comprises cups, spoons, a condom ;) and some other things I don't remember. I also got two bed sheets, pencil etc. it was really a warm welcome.
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Monday 17th September,
In a few hours, I will be traveling to Konnevesi Research station for the Introduction Session for the new students in the Aquatic Master's Program (AMP). We will spend two days there, accomodation is free of charge, but we pay for meal if we want to eat at the research station's restaurant.

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How is studying here like

One of the major reasons that brought me in Finland was the education system. I read and heard a lot of good things about Finnish education system, but could not really get what all of that was in reality until I got here and experienced it.
The most surprising thing here is that the student is not pressurized to give good results in minimum time. Once you register to a program, you plan it by yourself: how you will undergo it, which sources you will take (of course there are some few mandatory courses which make the backbone of your field), how long you want to do this program. Students are driven by a self learning process. This does not mean that there are abandoned to themselves without no supervision, in the contrary every thing is at the disposal and it is an obligation the teachers and supervisors (in case of research) to assist and there are truly committed to that.

Second thing I noticed is that Finnish students do not discuss a lot in a classroom. They barely ask questions, make comment or say anything, but still they perform well. May be the reason the they don't talk in class is that they know they have all the book and material available at any moment and which they can read and learn by themselves. Indeed self learning is said to be the best way to learn and build a good educational carrier.
 
Finnish government financially support University (and education in general) a lot. Almost all what I need for my studies is free (lab equipment, materials, computers etc...). Personally, since I arrived here, I never bought a pencil, a book, an agenda etc... (the student union gave me an agenda, a pencil, a printing key), and I got some other few things from my tutor. Now I can print all my documents for free (because of my research), but normally we have a key that we refill by buy recharge at campus libraries and then use it for printing. To make things easy an flexible, all the printing machines are interconnected to all the computers of the University an every body (students and staff) have a printing account.

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Why University of Jyväskylä

As I said before I am an environmentalist and for me the best place to study life sciences (and may be other studies as well) is where you have the maximum green areas and natural environment as possible.
As I was looking for the best University in Finland, I looked at the map of Finland on Google maps. I was looking for

      -    A place from where I could join all the other parts of the country without spending a lot of money and time on transports; not surprising that Jyväskylä is part of the Province of Central Finland

      -  A city where I would have a lot of lakes and rivers but still very developed with all facilities that one could get in a big city. Jyväskylä is just surrounded by lakes all over, and with the two largest lakes in Finland.

   -  A quit place, where major Administrative and commerce buildings and places are closed and where I could move around by bike easily. A friend gave the information and I confirmed upon arrival that Jyväskylä is actually this king of citiy.

This is a simple and quick video I made about this subject : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPPKMPkNOTs


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Don't do anything if you are a loser !

Finland is world first in sustainable development

I was have a class on Renewable energies when a good friend of mine sent me this nice news about the Failed States Index (FSI).
The FSI focuses on the indicators of risk and is based on thousands of articles and reports that are processed by our CAST Software from electronically available sources. It evaluated and rated 177 countries around the world and Finland appears to by best best performing country in terms of sustainability and other development criteria.
When I read this hot news I remembered that a similar index on states' transparency published every year always rates Finland among the first 3 countries, and these are one of the keys indicators that brought me in Finland.

Details about the FSI index could be consulted here :
http://www.fundforpeace.org/global/?q=fsi-grid2012

Leave a comment if you like, it would be appreciated
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Don't do anything if you are a loser !

Eating like a student

One of the most amazing things I like in Finland is food and food quality...oh..I have no words to describe how clean and healthy is Finnish food. Just dial on Google and you will read a lot about it.
Anyway I like cooking myself and usually bake my own break in my student's village flat situated in Roninmäemtie (this student's village is one of those own by KOAS, the company in charge, you will probably contact them for a room when you will plan to come here for studies)

I have added a video about baking bread at home, you could find the ingredients online and make it yourself. very easily, I find it funny and relaxing.
You can also eat at the student's restaurant. Personally I find the food there expensive, so is life in general in Finland compared to other european countries, so be prepared for that if you happen to come here.
 

Why choosing Finland ?

Many critical arguments obviously brought me to choose Finland as the place to pursue my education career:

Because I grew up in a family of farmers and traders, I was educated in this mindset with a high respect in natural resources. One day I red a news about my country: the government was deploring the fact that our coastline waters were becoming more unproductive in terms of sea food and Cameroon was importing more that 120 thousand tonnes of fish per year to satisfy the internal market demand. Then I said to myself "why not specialize myself in fish farming ?". Then I was sure I wanted to deepen my knowledge in environmental sciences and aquaculture, the next step was to find the suitable program in Europe.

- Of all the emails I sent to program managers in Universities, I noticed a clear sign of humility and pro-activity from the ones from Finnish Universities. Even though everything was written in the web pages of the University, my "stupid" and "obvious" questions always had humble and professional answers, and I am very sensitive to this kind of attitude. Mails from from other countries were really different

- Finland has more than 180 thousand lakes: suitable place for me to study fish and Aquatic sciences

- I read a lot about the Finnish environmental laws and policy and felt so amazed. My dream was to come and learn how they do this in practice and how they organize themselves to make the perfect equilibrium between economic development and environmental protection.

One important reason (and may be the most important for somebody like me coming from a financially modest family) why I decided to choose Finland is that studying in public institutions in Finland is free and absolutely free of tuition fees (though there is a registration fee you should pay in the beginning of each year, I paid nearly 90 Euros as a Master’s student). So you study for free, in well equipped classroom and labs, you attend seminars for free, practical and field work are all free; using computers, libraries and all study facilities is free. And behold all those facilities are of high quality and updated regularly. But unfortunately the only thing I wanted to be free is not: meals in student’s restaurant…Yes meals; I enjoy the food served in restaurants of the University of Jyväskylä, for the cleanness, richness and respect of individual dietary restrictions and preferences. I think I should create a completely different message just to tell you about Finish food and dietary system. 

Finnish government and politics

I have been always fascinated when hearing about Finland in international news and foreign affairs. I mean the way Finland is governed and how Finland chooses the future it wants. Only good news dominated all what I read and heard. Always among the top first countries in terms of transparency and good governance, human rights, women empowerment, social security system, environmental protection, education system (many people still wonder why Finnish children start going to school very late -7 years old- but later perform better than others who started school much earlier). Besides these elements I knew Finland is not an economy-driven country and that it is not easy to get a job in Finland, but that was not my preoccupation and as I said the first arguments dominated, even more I believe if you have a talent and the perfect education, job is not that much a big deal.

My Presentation

Hi / Salut / Saludo / Terve (En, Fr, Sp, Fi), 

I am Polain NZOBEUH, I am 30 years old and I'm from Cameroon.

My educational background is in Biology and Environmental Sciences. In fact I got my Master's in Botany and Ecology in 2006 and traveled to South Africa for one month, then to Morocco where I spent 4 years and got a higher Degree in Quality Management. Then I felt unsatisfied with my studies and decided to apply for studies in Europe, and the choice of Finland came.
Coming from a developing country like Cameroon, I have always been fascinated by Finnish economic and governance model: Very environmental friendly country, top level in democracy and transparency, powerfully supported social security system, free access to education to every body and no or few engagement in war and international conflicts. All these elements contrasted with most of other potential target countries and therefore the choice was clear for me : I had to go to Finland.
Because I have so much to say about myself I will let you ask questions, feel free.

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