Olli Rundgren has a good view of the Finnish education and the health games. In this episode We are talking about children, education, games, entrepreneurship, Society, possibilities, AI, artificial intelligence and some other educational topics.
Olli Rundgren is the CEO of Psyon Games and he is also a speaker.

How to become an elf for Mrs. Santa Claus Finland

Mrs. Santa Claus Finland, Ritva Rundgren, is interviewing Mashrur about living, working and studying in Oulu, in Northern Finland. He is doing his thesis of AI now at OUAS.

It might interest you how it is to live in Oulu, how he has experienced it since there is so much light when the Summer is coming. He is accustomed to the bright nights. But are you?

We are talking about how important it is to go to school, and how important it is to do what you can for your future. We agree on the humanity things and the role of education. Finally Mashrur is accepted as an Elf of Mrs. Santa Claus Finland!

There is an International House at BusinessOulu.

Mashrur is working in a firm called Valfi, and AI firm.

Our interview is recorded at BusinessOulu.

He studies at OUAS

Architecture students are discussing how to plan new buildings to the house of Mrs. Santa Claus in Hailuoto. The biggest island of the Bothnian Sea. The students are summer internees from three different universities from China. This is the third time summer internees are working for us.

What they planned for us, was interesting! It had the shape of a Christmas hat!

There came an ice ball phenomen to the beach of Marjaniemi. I got videos and photos of that rare Nature wonder. Media around the world reported from the ice balls which seemed to interest people. There has to be optimal circumstaces like the temperature of the water, wind blowing and forming oval Eggs of ice and put them nicely in the sand. Thousands of them! Stories of the island are a lot.

We are discussing with Daniela Mews, from Canberra, about living in Oulu as an exchange student.

Her first impression about Oulu was that this is a green, warm community and warm environment. There is snow, the weather can be really cold and it is so dark in November. She seems to hae a positive picture of this city in the Northern Europe.

There comes also a student from Bangladesh to take part into the discussion. He tastes also "pulla" which is very typical pastry in Finland.

The first podcast is about what the university students from China can do for Mrs. Santa Claus Finland. The students are from different study programs, so they can make the brand of Christmas, Nordic design and Mrs. Santa Claus Finland more familiar at the Chinese market.

Meeting with Santa Claus Finland in Rovaniemi was full of speech, commercials of what the girls and boys are wishing for at Christmas 2016.

Santa was nearly too eager to tell what he offers for the children. That´s good, but I still did not get the idea why there are two Santas in the same village.

My husband (Santa Claus) told me, that there good be tens of Santas, since there are so many tourists coming to Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland, that several Santas is needed urgently.

Santa Claus
On the way to Rovaniem, Lapland, in an InterCity train in Finland.
Rovaniemi is the Official Hometown of Santa Claus, where you can meet him on 365 days a year.
* Santa Claus has received visitors in Rovaniemi since 1985.
* Rovaniemi got the status of the Official Hometown of Santa Claus in 2010.
* Santa Claus is an ambassador of good will, love and peace.
* Santa Claus is available for interviews as well as photo and television shoots, but they need to be booked in advance.
* Santa Claus does not participate in brand promotions or the like. That is an interesting thing, since I think he is promoting Finland! Well it is one opinion.

Santa Claus Village is the main tourist attraction in Rovaniemi and Lapland with more than 300 000 annual visitors from all over the globe..
* The birth of Santa Claus Village was sparked by a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt in 1950. She visited Rovaniemi to see how the US initiative Marshall Plan was helping in the rebuilding process after World War II.

She wanted to visit the Arctic Circle, and Rovaniemi officials were helping to build a cabin eight kilometres north of the city. The cabin still stands today next to Santa Claus Main Post Office.

* Today, Santa Claus village is a holiday resort that features around 50 draws in the form of attractions, activity companies, design and souvenir shops, restaurants and cafés.

* Since 2011, accommodation has been available in Santa Claus Village. Today options range from holiday cabins to glass igloos and an igloo hotel.

* Santa Claus Village lies right on the Arctic Circle, and is the most popular place to cross the line as it is clearly marked.
* Santa Claus Main Post Office is one of the most popular attractions and shops in Santa Claus Village. It is a real post office operated by Finnish postal service Posti. 

Every letter sent from Santa Claus Main Post Office gets a special Arctic Circle postmark not available anywhere else.

SantaPark is Santa’s home cavern, mined 50 metres underground in the Syväsenvaara fell.
* SantaPark is possibly the only place in the world where you can cross the Arctic Circle underground.
* SantaPark is the place to go for elf-themed activities like the Elf School and the Elf Workshop.
* SantaPark is well suited for private Christmas-themed shoots.
* The cave also features an ice gallery year round.

Northern Lights
The Northern Lights are a magical phenomenon very popular among tourists, many of whom come to Rovaniemi mainly to see the dancing arcs of light in the sky. (Find out more about the Aurora Borealis.)

The Midnight Sun and white nights provide light around the clock in the northern summer. The light conditions are unique and ideal for photography. The nocturnal light also gives an extra edge to activities. (Read more on the Midnight Sun.)


Unique accommodation options
There are several unique ways to stay the night in Rovaniemi.
* Glass igloos by Arctic Glass Igloos half an hour from central Rovaniemi and by Santa’s Igloos in Santa Claus Village for Northern Lights viewing.
* Hotels built of ice and snow by Arctic SnowHotel half an hour from central Rovaniemi and Snowman World in Santa Claus Village.
* Arctic TreeHouse Hotel, nest-like rooms on stilts with large windows for Northern Lights watching next to SantaPark, a five-minute drive from the city centre.
* Beana Laponia Wilderness Boutique Hotel with Safaris is a resort designed for adults looking for relaxing holidays, personal service and outdoor activities in small groups.
* In Rovaniemi city centre, Arctic Light Hotel is the latest high-end addition to Rovaniemi’s range of hotels.
* Vartiosaari is a private island close to central Rovaniemi, with an establishment that has 11 guestrooms, each furnished with Finnish classics by designers such as Alvar Aalto
Rovaniemi's wide activity assortment
Rovaniemi has excellent grounds and facilities for a plethora of activities year round.
Most popular winter activities include:
* Husky tours
* Reindeer rides
* Snowmobiling
* Northern Lights hunting tours (starting end of August)
* Snowshoeing
Most popular summer activities include:
* Jet ski tours
* Activities under the Midnight Sun
* Tours on rivers, for example on a river boat or a floating sauna
* Hiking
* Mountain biking
And that’s just scratching the surface. Please see our Activities page for the whole range.

Changing seasons and weather
Rovaniemi has all four seasons – some locals would argue there are up to eight of them in the year – with stark contrasts between them, and each shows the city and surrounding natural areas in a totally different light. Read more on the four seasons and when to go.

Snow sauna
The snow sauna is an exotic concept even for Finns, to whom traditional sauna is a source of national pride. Arctic SnowHotel constructs snow saunas each winter. Getting steamy hot in a cubicle made of snow and ice is truly a unique experience!
Source has been a marketing newspaper of Rovaniemi.

Interview of two students from Hongkong in a train from Rovaniemi to Helsinki. They were excited about seeing Santa Claus, reindeer, winter an feeling the spirit of Christmas in Finland.

Lucia-kuoro laulaa Maa on niin kaunis.