Hello again, and welcome to my second article here!

As the most of you know it so far from my facebook and instagram accounts I am currently living in Finland for half a year. Around on year ago Eduard and me decided to try to get a spot in the Erasmus program held by the European Union. Finally we decided to go to Finland, to the University of Jyväskylä. And we got the spot, wohoo!

Afterwards it sounds a bit freaky indeed, but we made it to Finland by car. The roadtrip was quite a nice one even in the wintertime. We drove from Passau in the South of Germany to the North, to Travemünde. There we took the ferry for 35 hours directly to Helsinki. The car was packed with a lot of stuff like computers, our external screens (important for IT-students), my camera equipment, and some more stuff for half a year in the north of Europe.

After our arrival in Finland my tutor Venla picked us up and she showed my my flats in Kekkola, Eduard got picked up by his tutor Valeria. And that”s one thing I do love about Finland. The people here are really helpful. Because of all the tutors and also the guys from the Exchange Student network (ESN) we had a really good start into our new environment. I think at this point I am speaking for the most of the new exchange students: Thank you for helping us! 🙂

Our new hometown Jyväskylä is located directly in Central Finland, with a thousand of lakes around us. Now the stereotype about Finland is starting to make sense: “The country of the thousand lakes”. Actually thats another thing I do love about Finland. The landscape in general and all the lakes there. So far I only saw Finland covered by snow, but I can imagine how beautiful it must be in the summertime.

My apartment is quite a nice one. It is a student apartment located in the south of the city with around 30 minutes of walking to the university. I am living there in a shared flat with two guys. Gianluca is from Italy, Paul from Lithuania. After the first week I asked Paul if he is fine with some louder music in our flat. And his answer was just: “Well dude, for sure! It is always so quiet in Finland!”. And thats another point I love about Finland. There is action in the university and in the city, but the opportunity to be alone or to have a break or some silence is given. Nature is everywhere here, and freedom is important for the Finns. And the freedom is definitely given by the nature here.

Another thing I am starting to love: The finish Sauna! Well, the Finns do love their saunas too, and nearly every finn is having an own sauna. Some of the student apartments with single flats are also having single saunas ? And it is indeed a great way of relaxing just by having a sauna at the end of the day. For the body, but also for the mental inner sin.

Living, working and studying in Finland brought a huge influence for my life. It opened many doors, it was a time of pure personal development. I am thankful for the time in Finland – I am thankful for everyone I had the chance to meet there on the road. Finland and Finns, you are beautiful! ❤

Thanks for reading and following me on my journey! 🙂