Going Abroad

Readers…

I was thinking I should go into some detail about why Finland and how I ended up doing my entire Bachelor’s Degree there. In January of 2016 I decided that I wanted a change and to go back to school to get my degree. I have two Canadian College Diplomas in Business Administration and Tourism Management while attending Lambton College in Sarnia, Ontario. My mother and I decided to do some research on University’s that offer a great education in Tourism. There was a really good one in Vancouver, British Columbia, but I was feeling adventurous when we stumbled on a couple in Finland that were taught in English.

Now, Finland you say, why wouldn’t you have stayed in Canada? It turns out that further into our research we discovered that Finland is globally recognized for having the highest education standards and learning techniques for their students. I also found out that there was NO tuition fee in Finland for anyone, even NON-EU citizens (This has now changed in 2017 – there is now a small fee, but still cheaper than in Canada). 

I applied online to two different schools, and found out how to apply for housing which I did as well. I did not hear anything for months so I thought to myself, I must not have gotten in. However, in April I received many emails stating that all applicants had to do an entrance exam and that I had two options; to Travel to Rovaniemi Finland and complete my exam at the school, or to drive 7 hours through the United States to Chicago Illinois and complete the exam there in a hotel with many other students.

Chicago Theatre. Photo Credit: Danielle Gadsby

I took the chance to explore Chicago while I was there and stayed for a few days to calm my nerves before the exam. Soon I will include photos of my adventure in Chicago for you to enjoy.  I wrote the exam and thought I did okay but wasn’t 100% sure as there are many applicants each year. I received acceptance in the middle of May and had to work quickly to apply for a Finnish student visa, as I am not a citizen of the European Union. Canadians can travel to Europe for up to 3 months before needing a work or study visa.

Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Photo Credit: Danielle Gadsby

When June came along I had my appointment at the Finnish Embassy in Ottawa, Ontario. My parents and I made the 7.5-hour road trip to Ottawa two days before because again I had never traveled and seen the sights of Ottawa, the capital city of Canada. Stay tuned to this blog for photos of that adventure as well.  The meeting went well, I had all my documents (acceptance letter, private out of country health insurance, passport, confirmation of income). I had to provide them with a pre-paid envelope so they could mail me the actual card when it came in the mail. I received it well before my date of departure and was on my way on August 25, 2016 to start school on September 5, 2016.

Once I was done with the Finnish Embassy process it was time to get serious and get everything organized to be gone for a year. This was time where I had to reflect on my feelings and how hard it would be to leave my friends and family to start this new adventure. I knew I was going to be missing some events as well in the fall. But in the end you have to think of all the new friends and networks you will make in Finland, and all of the experiences you will be having that you can carry with you for life. 

I did some traveling before getting to the school in Reykjavik, Iceland and Helsinki, Finland, but I will talk about that at another time.

Talk soon…