Hanna's Karonkka

"Karonkka" is, in Finnish, the party celebrated after a Thesis' dissertation. In general terms it is similar to the formal lunch or dinner that is usually arranged in Spain for the equivalent celebration. Couple of weeks ago I was invited to my first Karonkka in Finland. I participated in Hanna Salminen's research during my first stay in Finland (2004). Actually she participated in mine but eventually she finished the experiments and wrote the article. Being a co-author in one of her papers I was officially invited to participate in her Karonkka. There is more than one difference betweeen Spain and Finland for Thesis dissertations and afterwards parties. There is only one opponent in Finland while 5 experts make criticisms to your Thesis in Spain. In both cases the atmosphere is quite formal but maybe a little more relaxed in Finland. There are no applauses in Finland for the brand new doctor when he/she is approved: when it is over, people simply leaves the auditorium and drink coffee with a piece of cake. In Finland to publish around 4 papers is a "must" before the Thesis is approved for public defense while in Spain, in general, there is no such a requirement. I had, however, around 10 papers (plus 4 from the Master Thesis) when I defended my Thesis against the doctoral panel. In Spain that is rather uncommon though. Hanna invited us to have dinner in a tip-top restaurant in a beautiful location within Helsinki: Töölö's lake. The food was really good and the company interesting and funny. Hanna's friends and relatives were also there. The most weird experience for me was the speech moment. We are not used to this in Spain so it was shocking when Eero Puolanne (Meat Technology Professor and chairman of my doctoral panel) stood up during my lunch-party in Spain the day of my dissertation and made, himself, a speech. The waiters might have thought: what is that man speaking in a strange language doing there with the glass in his hand???? Hanna mentioned explicitly my name during her speech which meant that I had my chance for a reply. And I did. Nothing really brilliant: I am not good talking in front of Finns in such a moving and emotive situation. Thank you Hanna for your invitation and hope that you have an excellent career in Germany. Näkëmin!