Matkailun blogi

First step to Dream

A few years ago, my plan was to go to another country and study at an international University. It felt like a dream. However, being busy with work and family commitments, I was unable to find a way to realize my dream. I was planning to start my higher education in New Zealand. But however, my office friend said about Finland, and I searched details from the web. As per the search history Finland is very nice country. About Weather, People, Technology, Culture I read information. Then I planned to choose Finland for my higher studies. My friend and his wife are very supportive of me. They take me on the right path and guide me.

I have finally made my dream come true. I came to the Finland with my husband and my 6 year old daughter!

Moving to Happiest Country

On 13^th August we moved from my mother country to the happiest country in the world. We came to Helsinki airport in the evening. First time landing the plane that feeling I can’t ever explain. I felt it was magical landing. Going to be future steps starting now in this magical country. My brother’s friend came to the airport for pickup us. We arrived in Pori city with him. Finland is a very calm country. That is first thing I felt landing here. No sounds, people are also so calm.

Next day we went to the shopping centre to buy some foods and things to the apartment with my husband’s friend. Shopping centers have many more items and more places have self-service. That was a new experience for us, because in my country we do not have that. It appears people are very honest. They buy what they need and pay the bill themselves without anyone. I was happy to come to Finland!

Getting to know the happiest country’s beautiful environment, weather and people

After two or three days we went for visit some places in Finland. We walked along the roads with nice cool mid-summer weather. I love it. Trees have been planted on both sides of the road. That is environmentally friendly. People are also very friendly. They always enjoy their life. Riding bicycles, dancing and singing at the park. They are very free to enjoy the moments. I thought about Finish people as individuals who live their lives freely without any haste or restlessness.

Start of studies at my dream University SAMK

My first day at SAMK was very exciting. SAMK is a very nice University.  Many international students try to succeed in their dream through the University. Campus environment and lectures are also very exciting. The campus has many facilities for students such as a library, gym, comfortable study rooms and nice areas for rest and relaxation.

But learning is not easy for me yet. As a mother I am busy with my family responsibilities, but now I should also handle studying and lots of assignments. I thought that was very easy and I can handle that, but now I can understand that it is not very easy. I should learn Finnish language also. It is also challenge yet.

An endless end

I thought before living in Finland very easy. No matter, no sadness, all moments are enjoyable. However, I must make many more commitments to achieve it. Finland is very beautiful, calm and comfortable country. There are no words to describe what kind of country it is. Always, I think I was very lucky to come to Finland as a SAMK student.

Even more than me, my daughter is very lucky to come here because of very high demand for Finland pre-school education system. Therefore, I believe that when returning to the mother land Sri Lanka, I will be able to take back a wealth of experience and valuable insights. Until then I look forward to happily experiencing snow for the first time!

Text and pictures: Piumi Pathmasiri, International Tourism Management student

Before everything, I was in a so crazy about travel to a European country to study and live with my family and I work hard to fulfill my dream all the time. So, I searched through websites by web sites to find a good opportunity and finally I found the correct website to start the steps to make my dream come true. Best education system, happiest country, beautiful nature, snow and cold together I decided to move to FINLAND. You see the below pictures, this is how I felt about Finland!

When I was in the process of applying to universities and selecting universities, I did not have idea what the regions and cities look like and, in my mind, I thought about every city that looks like same. I was very curious about travelling to my chosen country as soon as possible.

I expect to go through all the processes in smooth way, and do you think that my expectations work as same? I was so stressed when I went through the visa process. After so many difficulties, I completed visa process and waiting long made me think about my decision again.  But after long waiting, finally we received what we waited: to fly to FINLAND…

First day in Finland

I expected to have interesting and enjoyable first day in my new county and I imagined experiencing my new surroundings at the beginning of my new life. But on my first day, I found myself stressed and arranging everything for everyone in my family was very difficult as there were so many things to be taken care of at the same time. It was challenging but I learned how to adapt to these while I’m starting new life here.

Beautiful places in Pori

When we walked around the city, for the first time my expectation and my reality were in the same level about the beauty of nature. My kids were thrilled to see the beauty of nature, and they were laughing and playing all the time when we were out and enjoying our next few days after we moved in Finland.

Education at SAMK

I expected similar lecturing methods what I experienced before by sitting in a classroom, listening to the teacher, taking notes on paper about important points during the lecture. I expected to use technology for some extended.

But reality was different from what I expected, and much more individual effort, active participation, and group work would involve in learning process.

Kids school and day care

As per my expectations, it was less homework and stress-free environment for kids. Yes, it is correct and my kids are learning how to do things on their own. This makes me feel happy about them and the decision I took regarding their moves.

Finally, moving to another country leaving all the factors I had was a different decision and even though I doubt it at the beginning, I feel that I have taken the correct approach while im staying here. Even it’s a short period of time, we are happy as a family here in Pori, Finland.

Text and pictures: Buddhi Wimalasena, student of International Tourism Management

Back in 2020, I was scrolling my Instagram casually but one random post made me take a pause for a while. The post was about the ethereal green swirl of the Northern Lights and I was mesmerized by its beauty. I started to search more and I got to know about Finland.

Snowy forests, lakes, pine trees, Lapland, the sauna culture, their simplicity and of course one of the happiest countries in the world. These were the things which made Finland my dream destination.

And finally, I got my visa as an international student at SAMK and I was over the moon. But, at the same time I was nervous too because this was my first international flight and I was travelling alone to an unfamiliar land. The closer I got to the departure, the louder my doubts became. I began to question myself: what if dream doesn’t match the reality or what if I end up being lonelier, but I gathered my courage and began to packed my dreams in a suitcase.

The moment I landed in Pori

The day I arrived in Pori was cold, dark and windy. It wasn’t an instant fairytale. The first few weeks were really hard as I don’t speak the Finnish language. Sometimes I forgot my way to home, got confused while buying groceries, felt awkward and strange in the Finnish silence and their direct communication.

But slowly, the roads, the places, the surroundings started to feel familiar. I met new people, made new friends and I was at my dream university. The silence I felt before started to feel comforting. The snowfall and sauna which I had dreamed about turned out to be best. The place once felt dreamy began to feel real.

“Breaking” the Finnish myth

Like others, I also used to think the Finns are quiet, cold and rude until I met this kind and humble man at church. His name is Jouko, and he helped me in so many ways in this unknown city. He also invited me and my friend for a dinner at his place. Being far from family, this guy made me feel like home again and changed my perspective about the Finnish people.

Text and pictures: Leena Rai, International Tourism Management student

When I saw snow for the first time

I still remember the morning I woke up and looked outside the window. Everything was white. The trees, the ground, even the small playground below my apartment, all covered in soft snow.

It was completely silent.

I stood there for a long time, just watching. I didn’t feel cold at that moment. I only felt calm. It was my first time seeing snow in real life, not on TV or in pictures. And it felt almost unreal, like I was inside a different world.

Back in my home country, Vietnam is a tropical country so we never have seen snow before. This first moment felt very special to me. Simple, quiet, but unforgettable.

A season of colors I had never seen before

Before winter came, Finland gave me another surprise: colorful autumn.

I had never seen trees turn so many shades of yellow, orange, and red. One day, I stood under a big tree with golden leaves, and I just felt happy for no reason. The leaves were falling slowly around me, and everything looked so warm and alive.

It was very different from what I knew before. In my country, seasons don’t change this clearly. But here, nature speaks in colors.

These small moments changed how I see nature. In Finland, nature is not loud or overwhelming. It is quiet, simple, and peaceful. But somehow, it makes me slow down and feel more. The first snow made me feel calm. The autumn leaves made me feel joy.

And both reminded me that sometimes, the most beautiful experiences are also the simplest ones.

Text and pictures: Thom Le, International Tourism Management student

 I still remember the day I landed in Finland as an international student. It was the day I left my family. Only one boy with some luggage and a lot of hope. I was little bit confused on that day because its new city, new language and new culture. It took me a lot of time to adopt because the culture of Finland is totally different from my own country.

As my degree is in tourism I want to explore every part of the world. Finland my first destination after leaving my home!

When I came in Helsinki airport it was too much snow everywhere. Its like everything was wearing a white blanket. It was freezing cold. When I was coming from Helsinki to Pori it was sunny though! The people around me in the bus were quiet like for two hours no one just said anything, it was literally pin drop silence. At that time I realized that I heard that the Finns don’t speak too much. This was really  awkward for me.

Before coming to Finland I was expecting that it will be a winter wonderland with snow, cozy vibes and beautiful views. But actually winters are longer and with darkness and cold. Sometimes it started feeling depressing because of less sunlight during the days. No doubt it is beautiful but not always easy to live in.

For students cost of living matters a lot. For me it was expected that living cost in Europe is comfortable and manageable. Maybe some of you disagree, but Finland is expensive, it is a bitter truth. I have seen a lot of students struggle with budgeting. Being close to nature in Finland costs me, but at least I am enjoying it now! I feel like there is something natural in the environment of Finland.

I had very high expectations for university in Finland, but you cannot believe when I actually started studying here: my university exceeded all of them, I did not expect it to be this good! The teachers are supportive the infrastructure is modern and the library and facilities are excellent. Overall, everything is much better.

I  am a gym freak and there is a well maintained gym, also in universities a lot of sport activities and contests are always going, and universities are very supportive for students as they improve communication skills.

Whenever I go for a walk I always  see this beautiful scenery. I think the Finns are very lucky they can find nature everywhere. Because Finland is part of nature you will always feel pure natural air. This is the beauty of Finland. You can drink tap water. You can pick berries. There are more lakes in Finland than any other country may have.  And Finland is the country that has more saunas than houses.

Whenever I feel depressed or lazy I usually go to this site just near to our house. I just stand and enjoy sun in chill weather.

In short, Finland is a mixture of snow, silence, joy and surprises. This is the beauty of this country. Being a student here is really a golden opportunity for me!

Text and pictures: Sufiyan Saleem, International Tourism Management student

Imagination and findings

Do you have any idea what my expectations were before coming to Finland? The first picture I had in my mind was exactly what I had in my mind as a little child. A country with endless snow on top of everything like vehicles, buildings, grass, and the list goes on… Children play everywhere with snow under dark skies. The lights shining from the houses and streets lamps make the snow glow even brighter.

Setting this imagination aside, I researched what sort of a country this is. Based on some articles I read, I learned people in Finland tend to remain silent and it is hard even to start a conversation with them. However, later I came to know that Finland has been ranked as the worlds’ happiest country for several consecutive years based on several factors such as freedom of making choices, corruption rates, social support, life expectancy etc. Moreover, I came to know that Finland is having one of the most excellent education systems compared to most of the other countries. I also read that this is a country with minimal noise, and I was wondering what does this even mean?

On the very first day…

After a few weeks, the day I was counting fingers for, finally arrived. That was a day in last February and I arrived in Finland from the Helsinki airport. The moment I landed in this country reminded me of the picture drawn in my mind. Same as that, the first scenery was loaded with snow as here it was still winter. But instead of children I was able to see quite a few flights and people with carriers unloading baggage in gloomy weather.

Starting from the airport until I came to my apartment I travelled by train nearly for 4 hours with my friend. As we passed through, the feeling I had so far started to change due to a couple of incidents that happened. Do you know why? Surprisingly, some Finnish people genuinely offered their help even without being asked for it in the instances when we were transferring from one train to another, buying tickets, and moving baggage. These positive impressions were able to alter the perception which was in my mind after reading the article about the people in this country. I realized that in Finland, people maintain a respectful distance from strangers as a part of this culture reflecting a low-context nature, yet the generosity is still within them.

Was I able to understand why this country felt so calm?

After spending weeks in Finland, finally the season of Spring begun. The snow on trees and roads is disappearing with the warm weather, sun is peeking through clouds, birds are returning and more people are coming out of their homes. Meanwhile, I realize “peace” in this country is teaching me the value of silence and how this attracts me more into nature.

When I was in my home country, most of the time I did not notice the sunrise or birds singing unless I paid attention intentionally. But now I realize I have started to notice a slight change in nature which makes my mind calm and peaceful. Also, this made me redefine what real happiness meant to be for me.

Education in Finland

Since the day I have started my studies in Finland, I noticed a quiet difference in Finnish academic culture. Informal communication between academic staff and students, punctuality, academic independence, and equal treatment are some of the qualities I have experienced the most so far.

Not only this, even my educational journey here consists of several group projects and flexible study plans which make the students’ academic journey easy, and I trust these facts must have contributed to competing with other countries to build up one of the best education systems in the world.

Looking back, I believe the opportunity I was given to live in Finland is not a co-incident. From day one, living here made me realize how complicated my life was earlier with many expectations. Yet the moment you appreciate simplicity, silence and what truly happiness means to you in a deeper way, you will feel the real meaning of your life.

Text and photos: Dilini Balachandra Arachchige Doni, International Tourism Management student

This blog post takes you on a tour of Pori’s history through its older buildings. I start my walk from Pori’s city center, at the market hall to Pori’s fifth district known today by locals as Viikkari.

The route covers approximately 1.2 km and showcases visible and traditional sites that have been disregarded over time. The temperature of -2 degrees Celsius displayed on my weather app as I took this walk on February 17 confirms the winter season is ongoing in Pori.

Interestingly, it also coincides with the winter break in Finland, popularly known as hiihtoloma or the skiing holiday. The city feels different during this period as the streets are quieter and the lack of leaves on the trees means it’s easier to clearly see the city’s architecture. The grey-coloured skies amplify the colourful buildings dotted along the route. Alongside me on this walk is my spouse who doubles as my cameraman today. His fingers are apparently numb from the cold while holding the camera.

Now join me as we move to the first two stops on the route: Pori Market Hall (Kauppahalli) and the Old Police Station. Pori’s first market hall was built in December 1927 and was influenced by a health care law to improve food handling hygiene and minimise the chaos of shopping in outdoor markets. The hall had space for 89 shops which included meat and cold cut shops, fish shops, flour and raisin shops, eggs, butter and cheese shops, and shops allocated to coffee, fruit, and colonial goods. Back then, the fish shops had water tanks with fish sold live.

This hall stretches from Yrjönkatu to Isolinnankatu while the building entrance connects to Pori’s first proper apartment building which was called “Hellman’s Skyscraper”. The building also had the first elevator in Pori, as it had at least five floors. The elevator was so popular that an elevator boy was later hired to manage elevator transportation.

As I stand at the entrance of the market hall, I can’t help but imagine the all-too-familiar smell of live fish and hot coffee coming together to form scents that smell like damp mud and toasted bread.

Our second stop is the Old Police Station completed in 1818 as a workhouse to accommodate the city’s most vulnerable poor who largely included elderly widows. However, the police regulations of 1839 had the goal of structuring Pori into an organized society by keeping it tidy and preventing domestic animals from wandering the streets, among other reasons. It is against this backdrop that the police station moved to Isolinnankatu 16 in 1884 and changed to a police department in 1899.

In 1961, all police operations in the building came to an end and were moved to the police department building located at Satakunnankatu. Looking at the Old Police Station today, it looks like a modest house and not like some of the stern police station, and this indeed makes sense when you consider that this was originally a workhouse!

We now move to our third stop which is the Appelqvist House located at Vähälinnankatu 2. This is one of the oldest wooden houses built in the mid-19th century by the Appelvist family. As I stand besides this house which survived the various fires in Pori and today is a kindergarten museum owned by the city of Pori, I am in awe how this wooden house has demonstrated so much resilience.

Moving on, we arrive at our fourth piece of everyday architecture. This time it’s the Heikinlinna, the first residential apartment to be completed in Pori’s fifth district. The building was designed by the architect Martti Välikangas. This building remained the only apartment building for several years in the fifth district, an area known for its wooden houses.

A few short steps away is our next stop which is a small-scale ticket kiosk built at the entrance of Sibelius Park in the 1930s, following the plans of master builder Kalle A. Myntti. The kiosk represents the practical architectural style of the time and curves from the sales window, while lacking any decorative components. It operated from 1934 to 1987. Across the city of Pori, there are six similar ticket kiosks. While I could not enter the kiosk, I cannot help but imagine how tiny and functional the interior would look like.

Moving from the ticket kiosk at the entrance of Sibelius Park, our next stop is the park itself! From around 1811, this park used to be a market area named Aleksanterintori for horse trading and use to have circuses visit the area.

The conversion of the area to a park began with planting in the late 1930s. To honour the 88th birthday of the composer Jean Sibelius in Finland, all cities were advised to name one of their parks, roads, or streets after the great composer, and so Aleksanterintori was renamed Sibelius Park. Within the park is a playground with equipment replicated from the park equipment of the 1950s. As I leave the park, I smile when I realise that a lively circus with clowns happened right where I am standing.

From the park I head to the Building Culture House Toivo located at Varvinkatu 19. Back then, it was a lemonade factory. Today, it is Satakunta Museum’s renovation center, providing expert advice to those who repair old buildings and house owners. It also shows how live at the fictional Korsman House looked like in 1951.

We end the tour at the Itätulli kindergarten built in 1926, one of Pori’s first buildings designed for kindergarten use. It was a two-story stone building in Pori’s fifth district. All the other buildings surrounding the kindergarten back then were single-story wooden houses, and so the kindergarten building was an impressive sight in the entire district.

The design of the building from its entrance to the steps inside, and the large and sheltered yard was done with children in mind. It operated as a kindergarten and later a daycare cen-tre up until the city sold the building in 2011. Today, it is currently unused but protected by the city’s local plan.

Having gone through a walk of about 1.2 km exploring almost 200 years of history through the eyes of everyday architecture, I have learned interesting facts about Pori’s history and the resilience of infrastructure. I strongly recommend this route when you visit Pori!

Text and pictures: Veronica Joseph, International Tourism Management student