Coming from a small island in the Caribbean you would think that I am crazy to go all the way to Finland for a semester to study as an exchange student. Well you're right. The weather is the total opposite of what I am used to and so is the culture, but that is exactly my point. Being Puertorrican I live in a Latin culture, where everyone is friendly and loud, expressive and full of warmth like the weather. Whereas in Finland is another story, so why did I decided to come to Haaga Helia? That is the never-ending question.
Between the various alternatives for study abroad i wanted a culture different to mine; to experience how they live and how they face the same problems we might have in common. Discovering a new culture is exciting and overwhelming. It takes you in through all your senses. By knowing another culture you can value your own even more and grow as an individual, knowing who you are. By learning about the majestic land of the "Muumis" I got to know that they have an outstanding educational system and is one of the happiest places on Earth. One fact that amazed me about Haaga Helia University of Applied Sciences is that they have a wide variety of local and international partners or sponsors that connect the students to the professional world. It seemed like the more I knew about Finland and Haaga Helia, the more I wanted it to be a part of who I am, personally and professionally.
An old Chinese proverb says: "A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song." Sometimes we don't need an exact answer or look for deep meanings, we just need to enjoy all the little details in life and live one day at a time.
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