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YLEMMÄT AMK-TUTKINNOT

DEGREE PROGRAMMES

Last modified 15.3.2011 at 13:19

Glass of milk, please

Text and photo: Susanna Siironen

Lina Urbaite, 21, and Jurgita Kardokaite, 26, came to Oulu one month ago. These two exchange students have got to know Finnish working life in their practical training. Finland has not been too big of a culture shock for Lithuanian girls but there have also been some surprises.

Jurgita (left) and Lina have two months left of their exchange in Oulu.

Lina and Jurgita are studying physiotherapy in their home country Lithuania. In Oulu they are doing their practical training in different places.

- Now we are working in a rehabilitation hospital and then we are going to Oulu University Hospital, Jurgita tells.

- We thought that practical training is the best way to get more knowledge here, says Lina.

Girls also study in the Oulu UAS School of Health and Social Care.

- We are learning Finnish language. We can now say some words of Finnish, like thank you (kiitos) and good morning (huomenta).

- And if someone asks you something we can say “En puhu suomea” (I do not speak Finnish), Lina says.

Impressing Finland

Lina and Jurgita chose Oulu because they had heard so many good things about it.

- Our school is a partner school of Oulu University of Applied Sciences. And our teachers, they are always telling about Oulu, Oulu is the best, Lina tells.

- They say that this is a very good place, you will get a lot of experience here. And that is why we chose Oulu, Jurgita continues.

- And Finland was the most impressing, because it is winter time and Santa Claus lives here, Lina laughs.

Girls say that coming to Finland was not that big of a culture shock for them. Still there are things that were surprises.

- It was very strange for me that Finland is such a big country, but the population is only about 5 million people, Lina wonders.

- And what I like is riding a bicycle because we do not do that at all, Jurgita says.

- If you ride a bike in Lithuania in the winter people might think that you are crazy, Lina laughs.

Different kind of food culture was also strange.

- We do not drink a lot of milk, so it was strange when people took two glasses milk with a lunch, Girls tells.

- We also noticed that Finnish people are drinking too much coffee, and with sugar, Lina says.

-And again with milk, Jurgita laughs.

6.12.

Because Lina´s and Jurgita´s school is a partner school of Oulu UAS, the girls knew some basic things of Finland upfront before their exchange.

- I think that we knew those basic things that every one knows. I knew when you celebrate your independence day, on December 6, Jurgita says.

- And I have read that people from young to the old speak English, Lina remembers.

Girls have enjoyed their living in Oulu. In one month they have got to know the city quite well.

- It is a good thing that this is a small town and you actually do not need a car here, but still it is not too small, Lina explains.

- Even though this is small you can find everything what you need and what you want, Jurgita adds.

Keywords: exchange student

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