Iris Holmström takes the Suomenlinna ferry every day
Helsinki schoolgirl Iris Holmström has much in common with Kiia Näkkälä in Enontekiö. Both are ten years old and are in the fourth grade at school. They both like reindeer stew, and they both have a long commute to school every day.
In the duration of her daily trip, the Helsinki girl actually beats the one in Enontekiö hands down. Iris spends a total of two hours each day getting to school, first walking, then on the Suomenlinna ferry, followed by a bus, and a tram. She travels to the Helsinki Rudolf Steiner school in Meilahti from her home on the island of Suomenlinna.
In the spring and in the autumn, Iris, Christina (13), Henrik (12), and Julius (6) can go part of the way in a boat driven by their father Mikael Holmström. When this happens, the trip is shorter, as there is no 15-minute walk to the ferry pier.
"We were on board when the Suomenlinna II ferry crashed into the pier the first time", says their mother Tuulikki Holmström. "The speed was not great, but everything went topsy-turvy."
In spite of the minor setbacks, the school trips can be quite enjoyable. During the ferry rides it is easy to follow the changing of the seasons. Sometimes there is a magnificent sunset. Iris says that she is not usually tired, except occasionally in the morning. The ferry leaves at 7:20, and she needs to be up soon after six.
Accompanying Iris are children from three other families, some of whom go to the Swedish-language Steiner school.
The morning in the fourth grade begins with a poetry reading by candlelight, and light exercise. After that, the children take their recorders out of their desks and play the spider song, accompanied by light grumbling.
"Teaching at the Steiner school is saturated by art", explains teacher Mare Luoma. "The pupils and the teachers have also prepared their teaching material themselves."
In addition to Iris, there are others in the class who spend a large part of their day travelling to and from school. Pupils come from Espoo, Vantaa - some even as far away as Nurmijärvi.
"Long commutes to school do not result in fatigue in the same way that playing too many computer games or watching too much television do. They cause restlessness and difficulties in concentration", Luoma says.
At two in the afternoon Iris is finished with school for the day. She and her brother Henrik catch the 14:40 ferry. She makes the crossing between Suomenlinna and the mainland four times almost every day. In the evenings she goes to cello class and judo practice.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 24.1.2005
More on this subject:
 A long ride to school
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FACTFILE: In Helsinki, choice of schools affects length of commute
Helsingin Sanomat
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