Mail from … Tampere TU employee Eileen Witlake reports on her short stay in Finland

General Information

Why I decided to spend time abroad:

As I am very interested in intercultural communication and other work processes at our partner universities, I decided to apply and deepen my language skills with a stay abroad.

How long did the stay last, and what programme was it on?

I work in the Enrolment Office at TU Braunschweig and applied for funding for the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility programme. As part of this funding, I was able to spend a staff week at Tampere University in Finland. I was also able to accompany a member of staff in the Enrolment Office for a day.

How I organised my stay abroad:

TU colleagues who had already been abroad gave me some useful tips for my stay. The organisation of the Staff Week was also very good. In addition to a short introduction to the Finnish language, all participants were able to get to know each other in an online meeting. I also prepared myself for the various workshop topics. The main topic of the Staff Week was sustainability at universities.

Here’s how I prepared for my time abroad:

Besides handling the necessary paperwork, I familiarized myself in advance with the Universitat Politècnica de València and selected the workshops that best matched my interests. I also brushed up on my Spanish and, of course, stocked up on plenty of sunscreen.

What challenges or particularly positive experiences did I have during the organisation?

Thanks to the good organisation and Finnish hospitality, I really enjoyed my stay and one week felt far too short. I could very well have imagined another week with English-language workshops and the exciting exchange with each other.

Local Life

Here’s how I lived in Tampere:

I lived in a flat on the 13th floor. The building was within walking distance of the railway station and Tampere University and had a beautiful view over the city.

How does every day working life in Finland differ from that in Germany?

One big difference is that there are more flat hierarchies in everyday working life in Finland. For example, we all addressed each other by our first names and were on first-name terms.

What was the after-work time like in Finland?

The evening after work was very varied. One evening I was able to enjoy the Finnish sauna and cool off in the lake. On the other evenings, I went out for dinner and went for long walks to get to know the country and its people.

The biggest challenge during my stay:

As some who suffers from allergies, I’m not used to having lots of good alternatives in restaurants or supermarkets, so my biggest challenge was not eating too much on the one hand and not buying too much on the other. I was travelling light and my small suitcase was put to good use on the return journey.

Good to know

This is a local dish you definitely have to try:

There are many local specialities, but my favourite is the Finnish doughnuts. They were very moist and in combination with a coffee I was able to unwind. As these were unfortunately not suitable for hand luggage, Finnish liquorice was a must in my suitcase as a gift.

Especially typical of the country I stayed in was:

The Finns are very open-minded and helpful. With a few words of Finnish and a good knowledge of English, it was no problem to find my way around.

What faux pas should you avoid in Finland?

A faux pas can also be a positive thing. I was offered a seat at the bar in a restaurant. As it was very busy, there was no possibility of leaving a seat next to the other guests. This caused laughter when a group of women asked for the bill and I got one too – in Finland it’s unusual to sit so close together if you don’t know each other. So my lunch began alone and ended in a convivial atmosphere.

Conclusion

How do the skills and experience you gained abroad help you in your current position at TU Braunschweig?

Due to the increasing internationalisation and digitalisation as well as the growing number of English-language degree programmes at TU Braunschweig, I can apply my experiences and insights from Staff Week to my daily work. New ways of thinking help to sharpen my focus for improvements in my own working environment.

This is what my stay abroad has brought me personally:

The stay abroad was a very enriching experience for me personally. I am grateful for the opportunity to gain an insight into how universities in different countries live the topic of sustainability – how similar some approaches are, but also how different they are in practice. The exchange with colleagues from other cultures was particularly inspiring, as I was able to take away many new approaches and ideas. I was not only able to learn new professional skills, but also make valuable international contacts that enrich my daily work. This intercultural exchange broadened my perspective and showed me how important it is to look at challenges together from different perspectives. This has also led to new personal and professional goals, which I am now pursuing with great motivation.

This is what I take home with me from here:

As a souvenir of this wonderful time, I have brought Finnish tranquillity with me. The feeling of sitting down on a bench from time to time, looking into the distance, relaxing and simply enjoying the peace and quiet. This little ritual can be easily incorporated into your working day if you treat yourself to a short screen break. In addition to international delicacies, my suitcase also contained Finnish sweets. They always remind me how easy it is to eat out in Finland despite having an allergy, without having to worry about finding something.

I give this tip to other employees who want to go abroad:

It is very helpful to make contact with colleagues who have already experienced a staff mobility. Sharing experiences like this also gives you the opportunity to get valuable travel tips and make new contacts. I would advise everyone to rent a flat instead of staying in a hotel. In my opinion, this is the best way to learn more about the country and its people. A second important tip is to learn a few words of the local language and enquire about traditional customs.
Good preparation is the be-all and end-all and if you have that, then all you need is a smile in your luggage, coupled with a little sense of adventure, to simply go with the flow and try out unknown paths. Thanks to this attitude, I have seen a lot of Tampere. One highlight that I like to think back on was the moment when I came across an international market with culinary delicacies from all over the world on my way to an observation tower and had lots of interesting conversations there.

And one more tip: a little something that should not be missing in your suitcase is a sleeping mask, as I really underestimated how bright it can be at night in Finland.