Working hard to pursue the dreams: Polina’s story of appreciation
Polina’s journey in Finland did not start in Oulu, but she is happy that it led her there. She is now pursuing a degree in Tourism and dreams of doing impactful work at the city services.
Journey to Oulu
My name is Polina, and I arrived in Finland from Russia 2.5 years ago to study tourism at Kajaani University of Applied Sciences. Before coming to Finland, my professional journey was – and to an extent, still is – all over the place. I studied Chemical Technology at a university in Russia, worked on managing translations of digital products and typography, and did a bit of work in different areas of the tourism industry. I dreamt of moving to a Nordic country for years before I got the opportunity to do it and ended up in Finland in 2021.
When I arrived in Kajaani, I was looking for any employment opportunity to cover my living expenses. I asked everywhere – at the career centre at my uni, at the recruitment agencies, sent CVs, etc. My friend who was working at the restaurant recommended me to her manager, and eventually, I ended up signing an employment contract there.
My work hours slowly grew, and I ended up working quite a bit of hours as a waitress. However, I wanted to move to a place with more job opportunities and to grow career-wise, especially once my husband moved to Finland too, so I applied for work in Kuopio and Oulu. I got a job offer as a shift manager in a restaurant in Oulu and moved here in September 2023.
First impressions
Oulu immediately gave me a very positive impression. I felt like I was not turning heads anymore when I was speaking my language on the streets, people had no problem communicating in English, there were many stores and services, and the neighbours were friendly. In the end, our relationship with one of the neighbours grew so much that she gave us a homemade cake for Christmas.
The streets in Oulu are very clean, and there is a lot of greenery (even in wintertime!) once you get a little bit out of the city centre. I love the pine forests in Finland: they are well taken care of, pure, and rich in berries and mushrooms for picking in the summer. I admire how well the roads are maintained in winter, and how clean the snow here is. There are all kinds of help available for different life situations, and you need only ask for it.
What about the language and culture?
Speaking the Finnish language is important in Finland in general if you want to become a part of Finnish society. I started learning Finnish right as I got my admission letter, but I could only introduce myself when I arrived in Finland. Luckily, I had the opportunity to study with a private language teacher from Russia.
I was motivated by my university’s possibility of studying tuition-free for a year if I passed an intermediate YKI test and progressed in my studies according to plan. I had language lessons 1–3 times a week, studied Finnish on my own almost daily, and practiced it at work. Having studied Finnish for 1.5 years, I passed the YKI test (National Certificate of Language Proficiency) in November 2022. These days, I speak more Finnish than English daily.
Finnish is not an easy language, but the good thing is that Finns do not make fun of people who attempt to learn it and are very supportive. You will need to ask them to correct your mistakes because, in my experience, most Finns will not do that out of fear of discouraging you. It is a fascinating journey: to see how your mind adapts to an entirely new way of thinking, and how you gradually start understanding more and more.
I appreciate the values that Finnish society has. There is a strong emphasis on trust and empowering people to be independent and advocate for themselves. I like that Finns are glad to help, but they will not jump in to assist you right away unless you are really in need. You can always say your opinion freely, and you can expect people to hear you out in full and genuinely consider it. I have grown to be more open-minded and learnt to voice my opinions.
An intern at IH Oulu
Now, I am doing the final internship of my studies at International House Oulu. I quit my job to focus on my studies and to build a network in the city services. I had wanted to be employed in city services for a long time.
In Finland, such work can affect people’s lives for the better, which is important for me. As an intern at IH Oulu, I do a variety of tasks: I help to plan and implement events, I write social media posts, I assist with project tasks, and I provide guidance. Many people come here with urgent or serious matters, and it is important to be sensitive and informative and to listen more than speak.
I like that International House Oulu leads by example: it employs foreign-born residents of Oulu and allows them to practice Finnish. I could choose my tasks here, which was great because it allowed me to test my skills and knowledge in areas that I was interested in. I felt incredibly welcome here.
”The importance of networking in Finland cannot be overstated.”
Tips and challenges
To me, the biggest challenge in Finland was and to an extent still is a different approach to things. It is quite relaxed and sometimes slow, in comparison to many countries, which can be stressful if you need to get things done urgently. You should always reserve some extra time, especially if you are doing some important stuff, such as at banks, at the hospital, or when applying for jobs. It takes time to get used to it, but this approach to things means that when you are settled and employed, you will get to enjoy the respect of your free time, too.
I would recommend first and foremost to put an effort into learning Finnish. In Oulu, you will have plenty of opportunities to do it, for example, at the university (even if you are not a student) or at Villa Victor. Speaking Finnish, even a bit, will open plenty of doors for you, and it will help you settle. Also, the importance of networking in Finland cannot be overstated.
If you have time and energy to go to fairs and recruitment and networking events, do it! Tell about yourself, your skills, and your experience when you can, and ask for support at employment-related services and career centres. Volunteering can give you plenty of new experience and valuable connections, so do not shut those opportunities down, if offered.
All in all, I enjoy life here in Oulu. I hope that my internship continues as employment here at the city services, but we will see. I am open to changes, but I would like to stay in Oulu and continue the calm Northern life here.
