Blog post from international students who are or have been studying, visiting, or working at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF).
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 from any place I had ever visited before. Also being from Namibia, Finland seemed like the opposite of my home country.
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 -12° Celsius. I had always known it was cold out here but I did not know it was this cold. It is funny and not funny at the same time.
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 as well as in foreign countries including my home, Japan.
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 my experince of being a teacher student in Finland, and today I am proud to present you the 5 small, but in fact big things, I love most about Finnish schools.
Continue reading “Five small big things I like about Finnish schools”
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 to go to some new place, where everything was unknown for me – streets, people, weather, culture… When I found out there was an open call for student exchange in Finland I knew it would be just the right choice for me. When I got a letter of acceptance for UEF I was asking myself if it was a mistake, because I was so happy and it still seemed too good to be real. In a couple of months I was already in airplane for the first time, travelling to Finland. I was not afraid, I felt like I am going home. Actually this was my home, for almost five months. I would say that decision to come here is the best in my life.
Finland the winter wonderland and magical sunset. It is really different from my country in weather and nature but actually it’s extremely beautiful . I’m a 22 years old Egyptian girl from Pharos University in Alexandria, Egypt and I have been in Finland for 4 months as pharmacy exchange student in University of Eastern Finland. It’s my first time to leave my city Alexandria for such a long period and I was so excited to see the snow for the first time.
I arrived to Kuopio in the first days of February, I was very surprised about how wonderful is the snow, it covered nearly everything. Then, I started to register my courses, so I had 4 courses and one lab work in the university . I remember my first day in university eating in Canthia with my helpful Russian tutee .
This is an unforgettable, incomparable experience.
I heard stories, saw photos and read articles, but I never thought that I could see and feel Finland with my own eyes. I was lucky to get to the very cozy city of Kuopio, which immediately struck me with the abundance and beauty of nature, benevolent people.
Becoming part of the UEF and the whole atmosphere that is being created here is awesome. Here you feel like a part of a huge family, you want to grow and make the world a better place due to your capabilities. And UEF provides such opportunities in the form of knowledge and support. I am grateful for this experience, people and teachers with whom I met here.
Karina Shingareeva,
exchange student from I.K. Akhunbaev Kyrgyz State Medical Academy,
Kyrgyz Republic, at UEF in spring 2019, under Erasmus+ Global Mobility
Programme
After almost two years, I came back! After hard work, I managed to fulfill my desire and come here for the second time.
When I found out about the exchange program to Finland, I applied again without thinking. After nearly two years, coming back to Joensuu was interesting because the city changed in a physical way, some the streets became the Promenade, the University library was expanded, as well as many things. However, people remained the same, kind and always ready to help others.
I am Sherihan Salaheldin Abdelhamid an Assistant Lecturer of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharos University, Alexandria, Egypt. I came to Finland as an Erasmus exchange PhD student and this was the first time for me and my son who is 1 years old to visit Finland. I enjoyed everything here starting from my apartment, the beautiful nature surrounding us everywhere and the weather although it is sometime very cold.
I also liked the daycare so much as they really did great effort for taking care of my son so I would like to thank all of them.
Before coming to Finland, I’ve had a few conversations about what’s it like there in the far north. People’s opinion were different and I came to a conclusion that I’ll either hate it or love it. And I was right.
To be honest, for the first few weeks, the dark, wind, cold and the process of getting used to a new culture left me a bit depressed and thinking about home. For someone coming from much warmer regions it is a natural thing I suppose. As time went by I started to become more and more comfortable with the visuals and life pace here. Continue reading “A land of hidden gems”
