Finnish Young Professionals - Beijing

In May this year I was elected as a board member to the Finnish Business Council here in Beijing. The Finnish Business Council is also called FBCB. The last B refers to Beijing. FBCB represent the Finnish companies here in Beijing and creates social events for it's workers as well as business related events. There are also FBC in Shanghai and Guangzhou which actively promotes Finnish businesses. 

I started a Finnish Young Professionals platform here in Beijing for young people. Most of them are students but a lot of our members also work here, like myself. The Young Professionals platform gives people a chance to mingle with each other and meet new people as well as the company's who are part of the FBCB. This might give the Young Professional members a better chance to find a job in the future as well.

So far I organized 2 events here in Beijing. To the first one about 70 people showed up and I was really surprised over the popularity. The second event was held with about 130 people causing an even higher popularity than I could ever had expected. Mika Salomaa who is the head of Nokia came and gave a short speech about how it is to do business here in China for our members. 

It feels great to have created something out of nothing and that so many people have shown interest to join!
Please see our website for upcoming events and news! HERE

Job Fair @ Swiss Hotel

My friend asked me to go to a job fair since he already had to leave China but wants to come back. I remember coming to this fair about 3 years ago but way was I still young and a little kid then without ever working in another country before.

Almost all the work available here was English teaching, maybe 95% of the positions. A lot of international schools as well as Chinese schools were recruiting teachers in English and other subjects. If you are native English speaker and want a job in China you will always find one. The demand is huge here! But teaching isn't really the most interesting thing if you ask me. I used to do that while studying here but some of the kids are a real pain in the ass.

Hiring on the spot in progress 

Shanghai for 2 days

Time to go to Shanghai for some meetings again. It's so much warmer here than in Beijing. Still too warm to wear a suit without sweating but then again a LOT better then in the summer when it's about 40 degrees and really humid. Now the quicksilver showed about 25 degrees, morning and evening. Weather was really nice and clear. I feel like Shanghai has become so much more cleaner in the last 5 years! 

Views from the Office

 North side of Puxi 

People Square subway, the busiest subway stop in Shanghai.

 Peoples park, the 2 big buildings in the background: Marriott hotel and Radisson SAS to the right

Beijing Improv @ Peng Hao

Beijing Improv is a drama band started by some foreigners here. The concept like the name says is all about improvisation. There is absolutely  no script for the 2 hour play before it is held.

The play was held 8 people. The audience shouted out names and things they wanted that the play shoud include. The result of the main charcters were: 1 toothbrush expert, the kraken, a guy from the 70's, a chinese guy from sichuan selling pandas, a jiaozi expert (chinese food) and a priest.

It was amazing to see the creativeness and drama on the stage evolve, these guys were very good! For more information about them: click here to see homepage.

Mitt Nya Land - First intro video

Ok, my first intro video for the Tv show Mitt Nya Land came out on Youtube now. I must say I look extremely boring and that being on TV is NOT my thing....Try to smile or be more lively, FAIL.

Anyway, click on THIS link to see it....It's in Swedish without subtitles. It's just a short 1.37 minute video about me presenting myself in short. Hope I don't look this boring normally !

Leaving Thailand

When you are having a vacation 9 days seems like such a short time! It was wonderful to lie on the beach, watch the wonders below the surface and just chill. But now it's time to go back home to reality...Or semi reality since Beijing always has a special touch :)

Only travelled with this for the whole trip, go light!

 Boat back to the mainland, was empty...It started raining when I left. Perfect timing

 Bye bye Koh Tao....

Wonder when I'll come back next time. 

 The buss to Bangkok, takes about 10 hours in total

 Out for some street food in Bangkok

Koh Nangyuan - Paradise!

Koh Nangyuan is a small island just next to Koh Tao. It's connected with a beach in the middle and offers a lot of great diving and great view...just look at the pictures!

The only restaurant on the island

Super clear water and white sand!

Click for a bigger 180 degree photo!

Views from the top of the southern island

Rocky hills 

Private boat was about 6 euros 

Koh Tao - Turtle Island

In Thai language Koh Tao means turtle island. It has truly been an amazing vacation here. Sunshine and blue skies everyday, been really lucky with the weather. I rented a scooter for the whole time spent on the island, it's the best way to get around. They gave it for about 4 euros a day. Went to drive around the mountains of the island and found some really nice view points. 

The places on the pictures are from north west and east. The island is very small and it does not take a long time to drive from south to north. 

Up north west view point. There was a mountain bar but no service. The place was deserted but really beautiful!

My ride, some of the hills were so steep the scooter didn't almost make it

Road conditions were at some parts of the jungle....really bad

North east view point with some fresh cold coconut!

north east

West side of the island on the highest point. The picture does not really describe how amazing it looked...

The hotel was also nice, situated just by the beach, from the room it took 30 second to get to the beach. Along the beach there were plenty of great breakfast places. Eating a cheap and delicious breakfast while listening to the waves...Felt like I never wanted to leave this place...

The pool

Imagine having breakfast here everyday...

Private beach for the hotel residents

Stray cat came to sleep in my lap for a while....

Boats that could be hired to travel around the island with

Sunset mojito by the beach

And sun is setting

A restaurant just next to the hotel, made really great Thai and Western food

There were a lot of Asian tourists here this time, last time when I came in 2007 there were NO Asian tourists at all, seems that they have done a lot of marketing about the past few years. 

The "center" of the island had some shops and most diving resorts were there too. Also great pancakes for a euros. Fresh fruit, nutella, peanut butter, chocolate. Awesooome.

 Papaya, nutella and condensated milk pancake