2. nap

We woke up early in the morning and we had to leave our accommodation quickly because it was our last day in Helsinki. After packing up and checking out of the motel, our first stop led us to a local Orthodox church, where the priest gave us a guided tour. He explained the basics of the Orthodox religion, the history of the church's formation, and the composition of the religious community there. He also shared his own story, how he became a priest, and how he learned Russian. At the end of the tour, we presented him with a small token of appreciation

Our next stop also led us to an Orthodox cathedral, which was completely different in size from the previous one. It was much larger but less ornate than the previous one. It was my first time in an orthodox church, and I found it very interesting how Orthodox churches differ so much, even in appearance, from the Roman Catholic or Protestant churches we are used to at home. We didn't spend as much time here because the local Finnish-Russian club was already expecting our group. The club provided support to local Russians to integrate into Finnish society, but unfortunately, due to lack of further support from the cultural ministry, they had to close down. It was heartbreaking to hear how this once vibrant club had ceased to exist. The people working there were incredibly kind to us; they gave us tea and homemade pastries as gifts.

Afterward, we had some time for lunch and our train to Lappeenranta was leaving in the afternoon. The train journey itself was about 2 hours from Helsinki. The local railway was very different from what we were used to back home, as it was much more comfortable, faster, and punctual. Upon arriving in Lappeenranta, we had to take a half-hour walk from the station to our accommodation. The accommodation used to be a barracks but now functions as a neat little hotel. By the end of the evening, I think everyone was very tired, so we quickly went to bed.

Kiss Szilvia Rozina