Embracing New Beginnings: Student Life in Joensuu
Text by Freida Theil. It might be hard to believe when you arrive in Joensuu after nearly five hours on a train from Helsinki, mostly traveling through forests, to find yourself in the idyllic (some would call it small) town of Joensuu. However, one-third of Joensuu’s residents are under 30 years old, so the city has indeed a vibrant bar scene, cultural offerings, jazz concerts in bars, plenty of parties, different clubs, boardgame nights, and a variety of Associations and Organizations that provide all kinds of activities for students, along with a diverse range of sports options. If you want, you could fill every free minute outside of your studies with social and sports activities.
Experiencing Finnish Sauna Culture and conquer Nordic Winter
Writer: Frieda Theil One of the biggest concerns for many international students is the long, cold Finnish winter. The perpetual darkness, the lack of vitamin D, combined with temperatures that many are not familiar with from their home countries, is something that you can hardly prepare for in advance. Sure, you can think about it, […]
Finland: The most peaceful and secure nation ever
My name is Mpho Kotlolo, and I originate from South Africa. I went to Kuopio in early April of 2023, which was my first international trip. I knew I was in a new country when I heard the cabin crew proclaim “Tervetolua” as soon as I landed at Kuopio airport. But I was excited to see the snow, so I wasn’t afraid. I stepped outdoors as soon as I landed at Kuopio airport to experience snow for the first time in my life and to feel it with my own hands.
Winter in Finland
My name is Agathe Aslanides and I started studying at UEF in 2021. I’m part French and part Greek so moving to a cold country that has “real” winters with cold temperature was a big adjustment for me. I wanted to write a few lines to, hopefully, explain my own experience of Finnish winters and a few tips I have picked up along the way. A list of advice is available at the end of this page if you want to avoid having to read it all and just want to get the grips of it.
The longest dream I’ve ever had
I’m Carla, and I’ve spent my whole life in this small city in Catalonia. Since I was a kid, I’ve always had this desire to live abroad for a while. So, as a microbiology student in Barcelona, I got this chance to do an Erasmus program for my final year. I picked Finland cause I wanted something completely different, and Finland is known for its breathtaking natural landscapes, innovative education system, and unique culture. So, off I went!
A cold but warm place
Writer: Gebhardt Kanime I decided to apply for the ERASMUS program after hearing about it from a friend. As a 6th year medical student in Hungary, I could do part of my final year abroad as a traineeship through the program. From the list of partner universities available, I chose UEF as Finland was different […]
ZERO TO A HUNDRED SO FAST
Writer: Mina Poku-Agyemang With all the excitement and expectations, leaving home (Africa), for the first time was like a good dream. I took all I thought I needed, including the warmest clothes I could get in Ghana, only for me to leave Accra with a temperature of about +28° Celsius to arrive in Joensuu at […]
Winter school in Uusimaa
Writer: Seira Duncan In order to participate physically in a winter school (talvikoulu) to earn the remaining three credits necessary to complete my doctoral programme’s required 50, I boarded a plane to the Finnish capital. One of the first cultural references you run into at the airport is Tove Jansson’s Muumi. It’s popular among residents […]
Five small big things I like about Finnish schools
Writer: Chidchanoke Kasetpibal Having observed a number of Finnish schools and lessons, I will to use this blog post as an introduction to the few more-to-come blog posts about my experiences as a teacher student, my opinions on Finnish schools and my attitudes towards Finnish educational system. I would like to continue to tell about […]
Change that I needed
Day by day passed… All of them were the same. My life became like a broken radio where only one song was on repeat. They say when your life becomes a routine you should do something to change it and I did. My change was this Erasmus. I decided very fast that I would like […]