Hyvä Suomi!
An Exchange Semester in the World's Happiest Country
A Different Kind of Day
Finland is more than just snow and reindeer. It’s people who grow closer together to create a social warmth that their environment doesn’t really provide. The life up north is structured differently. The winter days are shorter and colder than in Germany, so the Finns have adapted their lifestyle, in order to still have a Work-Life-Balance.
I am certain, that this balance is one of the reasons Finland is the happiest country in the world. Only when I had lived there for a while, I noticed that back in Germany, my day had a certain flow, but in Finland, it was different. A lot of things were very hard to get used to, like it almost constantly being dark the first few weeks. But adapting to the Finns helped me getting used to it.
Not for the Weak.
The lifestyle difference was most noticeable in university. To make the most of the available daylight during the winter, classes began early in the morning. We had some as early as 7.30, which meant we had to leave the house in the dark, by 6.30. A time that I would usually associate with sleeping. In comparison to Mittweida, there were very few classes in the evenings. But eventually, I started to appreciate the early mornings and the routine it gave me.
Work and Family in Finland - Balance is Key
The most surprising change was finding out about the early end to a Finns workday. They start working very early, so they can leave early as well. My Finnish teacher told me that by 3 p.m., people leave to pick up their children and prepare for their personal time. Finns don't spend their evenings resting. They spend them doing hobbies and hanging out with friends. A few of those hobbies, they do very regularly:
Long Spring Nights
Compared to the winter time in Tampere, the spring came with much longer days. During our last few weeks in May, the sun didn't fully set at all anymore. Even in the middle of the night, there was a little bit of light left. That, compared to the dark days in winter, meant that I almost always felt wide awake and found it much harder to sleep. The nights were much shorter and I got a lot less sleep than during the summer in Germany, but it was absolutely worth it. For hours, we were able to sit by the lake and watch a seemingly endless sunset.
Late Night Activities
Although being outside and experiencing the Finnish weather and nature was wonderful, for me it was way too cold to stay outside for an extended period of time, at least for the first months.
In Germany, I would spend my evenings doing outside activities with friends, even in the winter. However, that was simply not an option in Tampere. The temperatures went down to almost -20 degrees and it was snowing quite often. That is why my friends and I, instead of going outside in the evenings, started to play a lot of games inside. I was so lucky I met these amazing people during my exchange semester. If you want to know more about how it was like to make friends and what made the semester in Finland special, take a look at my friend Helenes Blog.
The evenings were different than the ones at home, but they were some of the most fun of my whole life.
I will cherish this special feeling and I will carry these moments with me forever.
Dare I say: I would do it all again.
Life in Finland was different at first, and confusion came with that. But for me it was a good kind of different. I noticed that it was refreshing for me. I needed the change and the new life.
When I got home there were a lot of things that I found overwhelming and that I missed about Tampere. The loudness in public transport is something I don't think I will ever get used to again. Public transport will always be a place for me where I try to stay as quiet as possible.
What also never left me is my new love for nature. I am and will always be a big city girl, but Tampere was the first time I noticed the amazing feeling of "connecting with nature". I was outside so much, I went hiking and did my own little day trips to see more of the nature in Finland. The feeling of calmness is something I continued to seek back in Germany. This appreciation for nature will forever remain a part of me.
I know it sounds cheesy, but choosing a semester abroad in Tampere was the best decision I've ever made. I went far out of my comfort zone, but it was all worth it to experience a different culture first hand and to surpass myself. I encourage you, if you are able to, take the chance and do a semester abroad.
Hyvä Suomi! (Go Finland!)
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