How is life in Finland? Marlene Massons, student at Windesheim, is currently living in Jyväskylä, Finland. She’s blogging for WIN about her experiences studying abroad.
After a project abroad the previous semester, I was looking for a quiet city surrounded by nature. I feel like I made the perfect choice! Located in the Finnish lakeland in the middle of the country, Jyväskylä is a little bigger than Zwolle and surrounded by several hundred lakes. On my way to university and to the city centre, I have a scenic view along the Päijänne lake, the second largest lake in the country. It is truly beautiful to see the seasons change over the weeks and watch the leaves turning different shades of red, yellow, orange and green across the water.
Intertwined with nature
What I love about the city is how intertwined it is with nature. The closeness to the lakes, walking distance to the forest and greenery everywhere make it feel like you are part of nature everywhere you go! The main campus is located within the outskirts of a forest, and I love taking walks there as a study break.
A big part of Finnish autumn is going berry and mushroom picking in your local forest. The Everyman’s Right, or Jokaisenoikeudet, allows everyone to enjoy nature and collect foods you like. As long as you treat nature with respect. Many Finns grow up with this tradition and know a lot about which mushrooms are edible and which are not. Since I do not know a lot about mushrooms, I went together with the local ESN section and a second time with some friends. Sadly, we had no luck and only found poisonous ones both times. But the hike in the forest was worth it!
Layers, layers, layers!
‘During winter, we experience temperatures down to -30 degrees.’ This is what we have been told by our university before coming to Finland. Honestly, I was quite shocked about this and a bit worried about my choice. How will I, who actually does not like the cold that much, survive a Finnish winter? The answer is: layers, layers, layers! During the past few days, the temperatures dropped to 0 degrees in the mornings, and while buildings are usually well-heated, I can definitely feel this on my way to uni!
In the first weeks, I was focused on getting settled in my new home and exploring the local area. I am curious to learn more about Finnish traditions and to go on my first trips. And, who knows, maybe there will be the first snow in a couple of weeks!
