”Oulu is a place where passionate people and beautiful nature are welcoming you”
Jun Nakamura is originally from Japan. Currently, he studies MSc. in International Business Management at the University of Oulu.
Who?
“Moi! I am Jun. Studying MSc. in International Business Management at the University of Oulu.
I came from Morioka, a historical and beautiful nature city in the north part of Japan. It is really similar to Oulu, from the perspective of population and nature. I came to Oulu as an exchange student in 2019–2020, and I fell in love with Oulu. In August 2022, I came here again as a master’s degree student at the University of Oulu.
I can describe myself as a leading figure behind the scenes who are motivated to support the main actors. My previous experience includes startup support and event management, such as managing accelerator programs and planning and organizing network events to connect startups and people who need networks. As an administrative assistant, I was a co-working office management assistant. Working for those who need support, I believe I can contribute to the demanding support of the business.
What?
What am I doing in Oulu? I am studying International Business Management at the university and have learned international business from a variety of perspectives, such as entrepreneurship, innovations, and strategies. Studying at Finnish University is a bit different for me compared to at a previous university in Japan. We have many discussions during the classes and have more opportunities to make our opinions compared to Japan, so I was a little bit nervous for the first time. However, now I am enjoying the discussion surrounded by a lot of passionate students.
At the university, as a part-time job, I am creating materials and videos with teams for introducing Oulu and the university to incoming international students. Using my experience both as an exchange student and master’s degree student, I try making helpful information videos and other materials to learn what kind of city Oulu is and how life in Oulu is.
Apart from my studies, currently, I am a board member of the Finnish-Japanese Society of Oulu a.k.a OSJY, and organizing events to introduce Japanese culture to people in Oulu. In May 2023, I organized a sushi night for Oulu Business School teachers and researchers to communicate with each other and experience different cultures. We made sushi together with many Japanese students. I hope I can contribute to introducing Japanese culture to Oulu more.
Where?
Where is my favourite place? I often go to Kuivasjärvi to calm down and change my mood. From the university, you can walk to the north for about 10 mins and can reach there. In winter, you can see the northern light at night if you are lucky.
In addition, I love to visit cafes. In Oulu, there are a lot of cafes that are comfortable to stay, such as Makia, Robert’s Coffee, and Chocosomnia Cafe… You can visit those and enjoy your time with lovely coffee.
How?
How do I adapt to my life in Oulu? One of the big things will be learning Finnish. I am still at the intermediate level, and I feel the language is difficult to learn, such as understanding grammar and remembering words, dialects, and spoken languages
However, I feel that when I can communicate with local people in Finnish, I am adapting to Finnish society. Of course, almost all people in Oulu can speak English, so you do not have to worry too much about the language to live here. However, to get familiar with yourself more in Oulu, learning the Finnish language is one of the ways to be part of society.
Currently, I am taking university classes and Villa Victor courses and trying to improve my Finnish language. In Oulu, you can have opportunities to learn Finnish, so why not try learning the language together?
