The Beginning of the End

The last week in Finland turned into one massive party. Despite it still being exam period, we went out the last 6 nights in a row and things intensified once we had our last exams.

The group gathers in Metzi's flat in Leppavaara for once last pre-gaming session

In the last week we still kept up all the usual traditions - Barfly on Tuesday and Onnela on Thursday for the cheap student nights. But every day there were less of us as people started leaving, by mid-week it seemed the group had shrunk by half. There used to be so many of us going out together - between 20 and 30, so it was quite strange going to a bar and not finding so many recognisable faces any more.

Leppavaara hill on my last day

On the last Thursday I went to Kilo where the Spanish provided some of their home cooking and then headed to Onnela - the one club in Helsinki we had returned to every week, the place of so many happy memories. It was really sad being there, knowing this was the last time, but I managed to enjoy myself. Then on Friday, my last full day in Finland, I took a walk back up to the top of the hill for one last look over the town and to watch the sunset.

Up close with the band

By Friday night most of the exchange students had left. I must have said goodbye to about 50 people in the last week. But still, the remaining survivors decided to make the most of our last night in Finland. After a few beers and a final game of table tennis in the Leppavaara club room, we all headed into Helsinki to Molly Malone's, the Irish Pub. This was the first bar I had been to in Finland, so it was fitting that things had come full circle and it would be the last.

Things got crazier as the night wore on

The night was amazing, one of the best I've had in Finland. The band was great, the atmosphere was fantastic - all the exchange students were dancing and singing along and the band were playing up to us, even dedicating a few songs to the erasmus students and responding to requests. I stayed as late as possible, until the last train, before heading home to catch a bit of sleep before flying home the next day. Things were, unfortunately, coming to an end.