The Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, October 25, 1979 SEVEN
EXCHANGE STUDENT EN HEPPNER
Finnish youth finds classes, sports different from home
Attending school in Finland
is much harder than in
Heppner because students
take 10 to 12 classes instead of
six or seven, according to Jari
Alasuvanto, Heppner High
School's American Foreign
Service exchange student this
year.
Alasuvanto is from Imatra,
Finland, a city of about 37,000.
He will be living this school
year with the Robert Abrams
family in Heppner.
School is an important part
of Alasuvanto's life. He has
taken eight years of English
and he is also a pupil of
Swedish and German. He said
students take a lot of different
classes in Finland but they do
not go to every class every
day. Every day in the week
has a different schedule of
classes but the weekly sche
dule stays about the same.
The 17-year-old is interested
in physics and math and he
spends a lot of time studying.
He spends about two hours a
day studying and more, if he
has a test.
In Finland, Alasuvanto said,
students go through a compre
hensive school system from
age seven to 16. High school
then lasts for three years.
Graduates then choose to go to
college or a mechanical learn
ing college (like a trade
school) where, "Students
learn to specialize in making
something well," he said.
Alasuvanto is planning on
going to college when he
graduates at age 19.
"It is hard to et into
college," he said. "It is very
competitive. If you want to go
to college outside Finland you
can but very few go."
Alasuvanto cannot drive in
the United States. The driving
age in Finland is 18 and it was
stipulated before he came to
Heppner that he could not
drive.
"I'd be back in Finland in
one week if I got caught
driving," he said.
Alasuvanto is an avid jog
ger. He likes to jog five miles,
four or five times a week. He
wants to turn out for the
Heppner track team this
spring.
"Sports are different here,"
he said. "There are no school
teams in Finland. There is
P.E. in school and that's all.
There are out-of-school clubs
for sports."
Besides jogging, the Finnish
student likes ice hockey and
soccer. Pro sports in Finland
are an ice hockey team, men's
volleyball, and Finnish base
ball which is "somewhat
different than the American
game," he said.
He also enjoys camping,
backpacking and going places
with his friends. He likes
nearly all types of music but
"not much classical," he said.
Alasuvanto belongs to the
Evangelical-Lutheran church
which is the one major church
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STUDENT FROM FINLAND Jari Alasuvanto, in a recent
interview, compared his life in Finland with his experiences
in Heppner as an exchange student sponsored by the
American Field Service. He is attending Heppner High
School and residing in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert E.
Abrams.
in Finland. He said 90 percent
of the people in Finland are of
that religion and the other 10
percent are mostly Catholic.
Jari is having problems
understanding American tele
vision because it is quite
different than TV in Finland.
"I don't understand TV too
much so I don't watch it too
much," he said. "There are
only two channels in Finland
and there are not so many ads.
There are more funny pro
grams here but more docu
mentaries and international
news in Finland."
He said there are some
American series in Finland
and in fact, his home country
has TV programs coming
from all over the world
including Russia, Rome and
England.
Alasuvanto said he does not
think there is a job problem in
Finland. He does not work
during the school year but he
does work in the summer at a
supermarket where he drives
a lift truck in storage.
"Nearly everyone has a
summer job," he said.
Industry is most important
in Finland, he said, with many
new jobs in shops and ser
vices. Paper and steel are the
two big industrial products.
One job Alasuvanto has
never been interested in is
being a doctor. His father is
head surgeon at a hospital.
"I never planned to be a
doctor like my dad," he said.
The Heppner High School
senior said taxes are heavy in
Finland.
"We pay much taxes but we
get lots of services," he said.
Taxes pay not only for police
protection, social security and
other services like in the U.S.,
but taxes also pay for medical
expenses at hospitals, he said.
But Alasuvanto said police
protection is not that "big"
because, "Crimes are not a
problem in Finland.
"People are Finnish and
Swedish mostly," he said.
"There are some crimes but
they are not so big. Drinking is
a bigger problem than drugs.
Eighteen is the drinking age.
Medals for achievement awarded at 4-H Family Night
By Birdine Tullis -Morrow
Extension Service
4-H County Medals Awarded
for Achievements
County medals for achieve
ment in 4-H projects were
awarded to local members at
the two recent 4-H Family
; Nights.
Members in seventh grade
and over are eligible to
receive the medals, with
nominations for the honors by
4-H leaders. To be considered
for the recognition, members
must submit their 4-H project
records for the preceeding 4-H
year.
County medals were awar
ded as follows: Swine, Dean
Rill; Citizenship, Steve Cur
tis; Foods-Nutrition, Becky
Hobbs; Foods Preservation,
Jyl Hobbs; Horse, Nancy
Miller; Beef, Anne Van
Schoiack and Ken Bailey;
Leadership, Todd Harrison ;
Sheep, Paula Palmer; Style
Revue, Diann Morter, Anita
Palmer, Angie Evans, Mar
garet Doherty, Erin Evans,
and Jyl Hobbs.
Winners in the county 4-H
record book contests were:
Juniors: Geology, Ken Curtis;
Agriculture, Kim Wright;
Home Economics, Kimberly
Hughes. Intermediates: Geo
logy, Steve Curtis; Agricul
ture, Cathy Lindsay; Home
Ec, Diann Morter. Seniors:
Agriculture, Anne Van
Schoiack; Home Ec, Jyl
Hobbs. Best Secretary book
award went to Paula Palmer
for the Gooseberry Livestock
Club.
Home Fire Safety and Preven
tion When you crank up the
furnace for the winter season,
do you have more concerns for
the safety of your family in
case of fire?
That is a typical reaction as
we ready homes for winter.
This year the Extension Fa
mily Living program is offer
ing ideas for homemakers in
fire-proofing their homes, and
family safety precautions,
through a study lesson on fire
prevention and safety. Mor
row County leader-teachers
for the lesson will take their
training October 31, in Her
miston, and will teach the
topic to groups in November.
Anyone may attend the
training. All extension pro
grams are open to the public.
Many home owners are
turning to wood for a heat
source as prices continue to
rise on other heating methods.
It is wise to use care heating
with wood, both in the
installation of a wood stove,
and while burning wood.
Information relating to burn
ing wood is also available at
the extension office.
Estate Planning Reminder
First of two session on
Estate Planning will be Oct. 31
at 7:00 p.m. at the Lexington
School Building. Each three
hour session will offer oppor
tunity to learn about new laws,
both state and federal, with
rr
O Irrigon news
Francis Rose Wilson 9223352
Brown's Motel in Irrigon
hosted open house Oct. 20 at
the newly constructed facility.
Located at First Street just
off Highway 730, it is owned
and operated by Paul and
Joanne Brown. The motel is
now open for business. For
many years it was the first
overnight accomodation avai
lable for travelers between
Boardman and Umatilla.
The complex consists of 11
units. Each unit is equipped
with a TV, air conditioning
and heating as well as full
bath facilities. When filled to
capacity 35 persons may be
accomodated. A laundry room
and office are also included.
Landscaping is underway
which will include flower
beds, lawn and blacktopped
drive and parking spaces.
Electric power service is by
recently installed under
ground lines.
The motel facility is only a
part of a planned development
by the Browns, who also own
the B&E Service Station and
adjoining B&E Repair, which
offers mechanical and towing
service to the area.
Also planned is a restau
rant, adjacent to the motel. It
is presently under construc
tion and will service tourists
and truckers as well as motel
customers and local residents.
An average of nearly 182.QQ0
patients were treated each
day in Veterans Administra
tion medical centers in 1978.
ideas of what property owners
may do to reduce the impact
of inheritance tax laws.
Halloween Hints
Time again for the hobgob
lins to be out for tricks or
treats!
Make it a safe and fun time
for the little people by a few
simple safety precautions.
Be sure younger children
wear garments or costumes
that make them visible to
drivers, and allow them to
move safely without tripping,
and that they have only
products intended for chil
dren. Most people in our rural
area look forward to visits
from neighboring children and
are well prepared to help with
the fun of Halloween. If you
are stocking up on treats, you
might consider small boxes or
raisins, apples, peanuts in the
shell, or perhaps a small can
of fruit juice or other treats
not so sweet. All much better
for teeth and health than too
many sweets.
It's Autumn
Summer lingered so long,
we had almost forgotten how
lovely it is to have autumn.
There was moisture to seed
the crops, and now around the
county we see the beautiful
green of early seeded wheat
fields as the leaves begin to
color and fall.
In addition, come the time
' ly, needed rains, and morning
with a hint of frost, telling us
that it is time for the last
South Morrow 4-H Night
Success
Pumpkins, corn stalks and
halloween decorations
sparked the atmosphere at the
south Morrow 4-H family night
last Wednesday, which attrac
ted a large number of 4-H
families. Decorations were by
Judy Wright, 4-H leader.
The event was a potluck
dinner, with ham furnished by
the 4-H Council. Program for
the evening was spotlighted on
presentation of 4-H year pins,
county medals, and other
awards earned for achieve
ment in 4-H. Certificates of
accomplishment were presen
ted the members of Theta
Lowe's club for participation
in the state 4-H poster contest.
Throughout the evening
there was a continuous show
ing of slides of past year 4-H
activities and events. The
event was termed a success by
John Nordheim, 4-H agent,
who expressed appreciation
for the large turnout of
families to mark the end of the
past 4-H year, and the
beginning of a new.
minute care of flowers and
yards, and that winter will
be on the way. What a lovely
fall, time to enjoy the some
times unnoticed beauty of our
county.
Vodka is the favorite."
Alasuvanto is very interes
ted in politics and the govern
ment in Finland is much
different than in the U.S.
"We have a Republic with 10
to 12 political parties but four
big ones," he said. "There is a
right-wing party, a middle
central party, and two left
wing parties, one includes the
communists. We have a par
liament and a president. Our
president is from the central
party and he has been
president for 24 years. Elec
tions are every six years.
"It is very hard to explain.
It took an hour to explain to
Mr. Abrams and he still did
not understand it, it is so
different."
Tickets go
on sale for
Cotillion
Tickets for the 11th annual
Christmas Cotillion for the
American Cancer Society are
now on sale.
The theme for the ball is
"An Enchanted Christmas."
It will be held at the Pendleton
Armory Dec. 1 beginning at 9
p.m. Music will be performed
by the Wayne McGuffan
Orchestra.
Cost for the ball is $30 per
couple and $26.50 of that is tax
deductible as a donation to the
Cancer Society. Tickets may
be purchased by writing to the
American Cancer Society
Christmas Cotillion, 1234 N.W.
Ingram, Pendleton, Ore.
97801.
Blue Mt.
students
elected
Sam Myers, Wendy Myers
and Jackie Mollahan, all of
Heppner, and Vickie Daniels
of Boardman were elected to
the student council at Blue
Mountain Community College
recently.
Also elected were Joe Forty,
Sharon Gillette, Lori Levy and
Jeff Marshall, all of Pendle
ton; Dennis Stevens and Bob
Walchli, both of Hermiston;
Katie Barbour of Umatilla;
Candie Berger of Prineville;
Chris Burns of Walla Walla,
Wa.; Kurt Charlton of La
Grande; and Larry Holeman
of Echo.
The student council meets
weekly at BMCC to plan
student activities and service
projects. At Christmas time,
the students host the commu
nity at a Christmas Eve
dinner.
The student body president
at BMCC is Kent Madison of
Echo.
Estate
study
meet set
A workshop on Estate Plan
ning will be given Oct. 31 at
the Lexington school for all
Morrow County residents who
would like the opportunity to
learn about new state and
federal laws which affect
estate planning, how it affects
you and what you can do to
reduce the impact of inheri
tance tax laws.
Dr. Grant Blanche of Ore
gon State University will host
the workshop.
The workshop will consist of
two different sessions. The
first is planned for next
Wednesday from 7 to 10 p.m.
and the second session will be
Nov. 7 at the same time and
place.
Persons interested in at
tending the workshop may call
County Extension Agent Har
old Kerr at 676-9642.
'Especially for the
Mnnilttrht T-TiIIsmujot Cxi
Friday Oct. 26th
Blackhorse Tavern will be
serving
Hot Spiced Wine III
75 a mug.
Blackhorse
Tavern
IHeppnBr 474-5072
10 oTO Tig) u) to
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'SWSStBM)!! MMNMNMMMHMNHMMIMnWNMWMM &
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