Northern lights.

Moi Moi Suomi

Helene Heinz2026, Begegnungen, Erlebnis 1 Comment

Moi Moi Suomi

Feeling At Home, Far From Home
Image
von Helene Heinz
,
31. Januar 2026

HEADING NORTH

When you think of Finland the words snow, reindeers, northern lights and sauna may come to mind. And if I’m honest, that is what I thought about first too. When I had to choose a country for my semester abroad, it was clear to me that Finland would be the right choice. I always wanted to go there, and it was not too far from home. So, I decided on Finland and was excited to find out if the Finnish people really are all about the sauna. Of course, I was a bit scared that I would be lonely, make no friends and hate it there. All those worries are valid, but luckily for me unnecessary. I immediately met so many other exchange students and by the end of the semester I had the best friend group one could wish for. Finland and the university were different than in Germany, of course, but to me never in a negative way. It was different but positive.
Where is Tampere?

    NOT ALONE AFTER ALL

    I arrived alone in Finland, and I was really scared to go to the orientation week in Tampere the next day, because I didn’t know anyone and I was worried that no one would talk to me. Now I can say that these thoughts are normal and valid, but you can be sure that every other exchange student is feeling anxious as well. It was so easy to connect with others and find your people because everyone wanted to meet people too. And being on your own in a foreign country can be scary, but it can give you so much. You learn to be more open, become more of an extrovert and you will grow. I was lucky enough, that two weeks after me another student from Mittweida and a close friend of mine, Nelli, joined me in Tampere. Being able to experience this semester abroad with a close friend was a gift and I enjoyed it so much. So, if you are interested to read her side of our exchange semester, look her up.
    To Nelli's blog post

    Early Mornings, Long Days

    I really loved going to the university in Tampere. The whole atmosphere was different than the one I’m used to here in Mittweida. For instance, classes start earlier than in Germany but therefore also finish earlier. One of our earliest classes was at 7:30am which meant we had to leave the house at around 6:30am. It was quite a change for me, because I hate waking up so early and I have quite a mood if I don’t get enough sleep. However, I got used to it faster than I expected and it was actually very practical since we had most of the day left to follow up on our hobbies and other interests.

    Early Mornings, Long Days

    Of course, we still had some assignments that needed to be done outside of classes. For this I mostly went to the library during breaks and at times I stayed late after classes as well. I definitely had more free time in Tampere than I had in Mittweida. I used this time to go to our university gym or to meet up with my friends in the city center to go shopping. With so much time on my hands I also started spending more time outdoors to explore the nature around Tampere. This gave me so much peace and even a quiet walk through our neighborhood made me relax after a stressful day.

    Early Mornings, Long Days

    On the cold days in the first months, my friends and I sometimes met up to have a game night or to just watch a movie or a tv-show together. When the weather grew warmer, we went hiking more often and we also went to a campfire site in the woods to roast marshmallows and to do stick bread. All this free time made it possible for me to experience so much in little time, and I felt more alive than ever.

      Trip with my Finnish course.

      UNIVERSITY DONE DIFFERENTLY

      Another thing about the university that was kind of weird at first, was us calling our professors by their first name. I first felt uncomfortable and was always unsure if it really works that way and I didn’t want to offend anyone, but it turned out to be a lot easier that way. When I wrote an email, I didn’t have to look up all the professors’ titles and could just say “Hello Tiina”. Moreover, this also change the vibe in our classes. Conversations felt more personal, I was never scared to approach them and there just wasn’t this hierarchy between student and professor like we have it in Germany.

      COMFORT IN QUIETNESS

      How I perceived the Finnish people, was very introverted, love to keep to themselves but still very kind. During my stay in Tampere, the only times where I really talked to Finnish people was during a class assignment or at a party. But frankly, I wasn’t really bothered by it, and it didn’t negatively influence my semester there. I was mostly in the international bubble, and all my friends were exchange students. This way, we were all able to get to know Tampere and Finland together. Moreover, Finns being more introverted was actually something I liked. On the bus, everyone was quiet, I could listen to my music in peace and when I went into shops, nobody unnecessarily approached me. I loved that they just left me in peace. Now, being back in Germany, I miss this quiet atmosphere. Public transport is always so loud and you are constantly being approached in a store. Before Finland this never really bothered me but now I miss this peace and quiet a little bit more every time I step onto a bus or train.

      LITTLE THINGS IN DAILY LIFE

      A funny thing that I wanted to mention as well, was a store called “Normal”. That is supposed to be a drugstore like Rossmann or dm here in Germany. However, it was nothing like it. Dm and Rossmann are very well organized and structured and you just know where to go if you need something. “Normal” was organized like “flying tiger”, meaning there was one corridor that went through the store like a snake. If you wanted something you couldn’t just go to that part of the store, like in dm, but you had to follow the corridor until you arrived at your wanted spot. For the first weeks, I was so annoyed at that system. I spent so much time at “Normal” even if I only needed two things because I had to follow that corridor. However, this was probably the only negative thing for me during my time in Finland. But not really negative because in the end I got used to it too and I even grew to like it. When going through the corridor, I always found something I wasn’t looking for. That is probably the reason they do it too, so you always buy more than you need.

      MORE THAN JUST A SEMESTER ABROAD

      In the end, my exchange semester in Finland was a wholly positive experience. I met so many people that I still am in contact with and I still daily think of my time in Tampere and wish I could go back. I miss the snow, the northern lights, the atmosphere, the professors, our game nights before going to a party. I miss having a sauna right in my building. Before going to Finland, I never saw why people like the sauna and now I want one everywhere. For me, this semester in Tampere was perfect and I am so happy that I chose to go there. Finland and especially Tampere became like a second home for me. And I miss it immensely which is weird, because I am home here in Germany but some part of me is still and will always be homesick for Finland.

      This semester abroad showed me again how important it is to get out of one’s comfort zone and to be brave. To get to know another culture, you have to be in it and an exchange semester is the best way to do that. I am so immensely grateful for everything I have experienced in Tampere and I would do it over and over again.  I would urge anyone to do an exchange semester because if it is anything like mine, you will have the best time of your life.

      Moi Moi Suomi! (Bye Bye Finland)

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