At FinnAgora, a serene atmosphere fills the office – the last days for interns Cecilia and Oskari are fast approaching. As they complete their final tasks, the air conditioning is whirring at full speed due to the 30 degree heat. A few more emails to go, a few more pictures for the newsletter. 

Cecilia began her time at FinnAgora as a Svenska kulturfonden intern last September, and has spent almost a year in Budapest. Oskari joined the team in early February through the EDUFI internship programme, but has had time to see a lot in the past five months. In between emails and final reports, the two interns exchange a few thoughts on leaving a city that already feels like home.

Oskari: Hey Cecilia, that table of yours is starting to look quite empty!

Cecilia: It sure does – I’ve already started the final cleanup. Next I’ll move on to those piles on the floor… all the painting tools from the Moomin puppet theatre, the SepsiBook festival souvenirs, and the Filmnapok stuff should be tidied up. 

Oskari: Yup, I’ve got some way to go with my own table – these stacks look extremely important…

Cecilia: Cleaning is hard since it means we’re actually leaving. 

Oskari: Right! I’d rather just keep these things as forgotten treasures.

Cecilia: Don't mourn – the puppet theatre will live forever in our hearts. And anyway, I'm gonna grab a festival canvas bag with me.

Oskari: Are you also gonna save that nice stick that you found?

Cecilia: Hmm, I don’t think I’ll bring last fall’s sticks and leaves with me to Finland. I’ve just loved walking past the trees here on Gellért hill every morning. 

Oskari: There really are so many charming places around here. Hey – should we make a list of our favourite things?

Cecilia: Yeah, let’s!

 

A LIST OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

Dearest FinnAgora memory

Cecilia: My favourite memories are from days when our biggest events finally took place, and we got to enjoy them through the eyes of guests – for example the opening night of the Finnish Film Days and the Taste Finland day. I also fell in love with Transylvania and the Hungarian language on our SepsiBook festival trip.

Oskari: I agree! Our work trip to Sfântu Gheorghe was thrilling. 

Best work task

Oskari: For the last couple of weeks I’ve been preoccupied with a project that we are working on in collaboration with Trafó, where the aim is to bring Finnish contemporary performance to Budapest. It’s involved many interesting tasks!

Cecilia: All the creative tasks that I’ve been entrusted with: I’ve been a carpenter, a painter, an illustrator, a playwright and a tailor…

Most interesting encounter

Oskari: For me as an art history student it was rather fascinating to interview the visual artist Kati Roover. We discussed myths, animism, hydrofeminism, and of course – art.

Cecilia: For me, as a sociologist who’s researched social movements, it was super interesting to organise a panel with local environmental activist groups, and then to get to know the people of Auróra Climate Garden.

Most impactful art experience

Oskari: Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in the beautiful Zeneakadémia was deeply moving, but Viktor Szeri’s Fatigue at Trafó a few weeks back was also quite hypnotic.

Cecilia: I found the documentary film Kix very beautiful – it was even shot in my own neighbourhood here. I saw it at Bem Cinema, which has been one of my favourites. The films screened in front of Szent István church during the Budapest Classics Film Marathon were also fantastic experiences.

Best place to lay down on some grass

Cecilia: The meadows of the forested Normafa Park, and also just reading in the garden of the National Museum. 

Oskari: Definitely Janikovszky Éva Park. A bit of an odd but cute place in a hidden courtyard.

 

Text: Cecilia Fewster & Oskari Nyyssölä