Study Abroad and Domestic Study Away

As I think back on my exchange experience, I am reminded of my first day when I arrived in Finland - nervous, frustrated, and maybe a little regretful,  I now can see how much I have emotionally grown and evolved since that day. My arrival day was not so easy, as I had said goodbye to my family, boarded an airplane, and arrived in Finland the next day with so many mixed emotions running through my mind. When I arrived in Finland,  I immediately experienced culture shock, and all my emotions hit me. I was alone in a new country where I didn’t even speak the language, not even one word, and I had to make my way to a hotel for the night as my apartment was not ready.  The next day I moved into my student housing, and the culture change continued as many of my everyday essentials are not in Finland such as the lighting in your bedroom, a microwave, or even a smoke alarm.  

Once I had settled into my apartment, I had the opportunity to meet many of my neighbors who were other exchange students at the University of Eastern Finland. After meeting them we spent lots of time together visiting the sauna, cooking meals together with special dishes from our home countries, listening to music, sharing stories, and laughing together.  

Along with meeting lifelong friends, and experiencing local Finnish culture, I was able to travel around Finland and Scandinavia. After a month of being in Finland, I was presented with the opportunity to travel to Iceland with a group of nearly 60 other exchange students from all over Finland and Denmark, and I took it!  And to say it was an incredible experience is an understatement. The trip to Iceland was personally rewarding because I was traveling to another country with a group of people I had never met, and I have never traveled alone without knowing someone. The days of travel, meals together, and sightseeing made for fast friends and by the end of the trip we were no longer strangers; we all bonded over the new experiences that we shared together. After this trip, I went to visit my new friends that I had met on my Iceland excursion,  to reconnect and explore other parts of Finland.  

I began this semester as one of the four Americans studying in Joensuu.  I went on an adventure not knowing anyone, never having been to Finland, and not knowing the language.  I wanted to see if I could do it if I had in me to expand outside my comfort zone and take a chance.  Not only did I do it but I will leave Finland emotionally strong, proud, and fulfilled.  I have incredible memories of all my experiences and travels, new connections, new friends, and endless excuses to visit Europe again! 

Dogsledding:

Bliss with new friends (visiting Iceland):