As a Romanian girl just out of high school, the concept of moving to a completely different country to study there fascinated me. And when that country ended up being Finland, I couldn’t help but wonder just how much it would differ from what I was used to.
Preparing to move meant not only figuring out the paperwork, transportation, accommodation and all those things, but also knowing what to expect when I would arrive. I was very aware of the harsh weather conditions (thanks partially also to the amount of jokes friends and family would make), but what about the people, the towns, the food, the language? What was the Finnish culture like? And would I be able to adapt to it?
The first thing I did, obviously, was to consult the Internet. After all, we live in an era where any information you want is there, waiting for you. So I browsed through different platforms to get an idea of the Finnish culture. In the beginning, there were the things that everyone thinks of when they hear “Finland”: sauna, northern lights, hockey, long and dark winters. And lo and behold, I did experience all of those things in my time here, from seeing the northern lights in Rovaniemi to attending a hockey match at Nokia Arena, right in Tampere. And yes – the winters are very gloomy, yes – the language is not easy to learn, and yes – the food is a bit underwhelming.
In some ways, being an international student is like being a tourist. When you’ve just arrived, you’re going to feel overwhelmed yet excited at the idea of discovering a whole new place and culture. And the idea that you have the whole duration of your study (or more if you decide to move here permanently!) to visit and try so many things is thrilling. But then you realize that you do live here too, so you have you figure out where to buy your groceries, how to use the transportation, what’s the cheapest alcohol etc. Thankfully, from my experience getting used to all these new things wasn’t that complicated, especially with many people willing to help you out.
And this brings me to my other point: whether you want to or not, you’re going to interact with Finnish people. I had heard from many places that the people in Finland tend to be much colder, reserved or introverted than in most other places. While I knew these were stereotypes, oftentimes they are based on facts, so I still expected to have a harder time making friends and getting to know others.
Yet, I never really felt alone. Strangers were nice and polite when I asked a question, and there was always someone there if I needed help. I believe Finnish people are slightly misunderstood – for me it seems like they just mind their own business more and enjoy their personal space. It is a bit silly sometimes, but that doesn’t mean all people are like that. It might help to be in student and international environments, but you can get to know quite a bit of Finnish people and even make some close friends!
Everyone’s experience is different when encountering Finnish culture, so it’s always a good idea to know what to expect, but to also keep an open mind!
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