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Find­ing Bal­ance in the North: Deb­o­rah’s Jour­ney from Corn­wall to Oulu

What happens when a life built across continents meets the tranquil rhythm of Finland? For Deborah Oulu became the unlikely setting for the most fulfilling chapter of her life.

Stories

From Hol­i­day Dream to Finnish Real­i­ty

Have you ever been on a holiday and wished life could be like that all the time? For Sophie Platt she felt like that on her first visit to Finland, so made the choice to follow that feeling and move to Oulu.

Stories

Leon Bergsma’s Oulu Expe­ri­ence – Foot­ball, Fans, and Find­ing Home

Leon Bergsma is a 28-year-old football player from Amsterdam. He is currently playing for AC Oulu.

Stories

Dis­cov­er­ing My Path in Oulu: From Acad­e­mia to Auro­ra

Three years ago, Fahmida Sarker arrived in Oulu, a city she had only known through academic research and word-of-mouth in global public health circles. Drawn by the university of Oulu’s strong reputation in epidemiology and biomedical data science, she packed her bags and took a leap into the unknown

Stories

From Lan­guage Class­es to Pol­i­cy Plan­ning: Priyanka’s Role in Migrant Ser­vices in Oulu

Sometimes, life takes unexpected turns, beautiful, challenging, and transformational ones. For Priyanka Sood, that turn was love. It was her relationship with a man from Oulu that set her on a journey from India to Finland.

Stories

Sheena Poh — Bring­ing Joy to Oulu, One Unique Trea­sure at a Time

Meet Sheena Poh, an entrepreneur from Singapore who started her store "Salainen Sekatavarakauppa Söpö" to recreate the joy and wonders of her childhood. Read her story to know how a warm heart and creativity can become a beacon of happiness.

Stories

“A Leap of Faith Across Hemi­spheres”: Mazhar’s Sto­ry of Find­ing a Home away from Home

Let us introduce Mazhar - a master's student at the University of Oulu and a former Communications Trainee of the International House Oulu. In this story, Mazhar shares the highs and lows of adjusting to a new climate, learning a famously difficult language and navigating life as a family man from afar.

Stories

Embrac­ing Fin­land: My Sto­ry of Embrac­ing Change

Hei! My name is Amanta and I am from Bangladesh. I moved to Oulu in October 2024 with my husband who is pursuing a master's degree in Epidemiology and Biomedical Data Science at the University of Oulu.

Stories

Brazil­ian IT Pro­fes­sion­al Thrives in Oulu: Fran­cis­co Carneiro’s Sto­ry

Francisco Carneiro, 30, has an intriguing journey that spans continents and industries. Originally from the Northeast of Brazil, Francisco pursued his education in business, completing his degrees in Finland.

Stories

From Lagos to Oulu: Musa’s Pur­suit of Growth and Belong­ing

Meet Musa Thompson, an entrepreneur and community development activist. Born and brought up in Nigeria, he has built a home in Oulu for himself and his family. We interviewed Musa to know more about his pursuit of Growth and Belonging.

Stories

“After a Brief Talk, I Made This Crazy Deci­sion” – Sha­keel’s Unique Jour­ney

Shakeel Mehmet's story about Oulu is an inspiring tale of how a chance encounter can lead to a life-changing decision.

Stories

Michal Kovařčík: Hock­ey Play­er’s Jour­ney from the Czech Repub­lic to Oulu

Meet Michal Kovařčík, a 28-year-old Czech ice hockey player who has been playing for Oulun Kärpät since last autumn. We interviewed Michal to hear his thoughts about living in Oulu.