Pedro in Lahti, Finland

Studying at LAB University in Lahti is going very well. I take courses at the "Faculty of Business" and "Faculty of Healthcare and Social Service Management". The Finns are very reserved, calm and don't talk much, but of course you think there are exceptions. It is interesting that the Finns love coffee and are world champions in coffee consumption. The integration with the other exchange students and the Finnish students was easy because the tutors set up a group on Facebook and WhatsApp. The courses, group work and lunch in the cafeteria also contributed to the exchange. Unfortunately, I couldn't take the "Survival Finish" language course, but the "Suomi and Duolingo" apps were sufficient to learn the basics myself.In addition, many Finns speak English well. In our free time we go to the sauna several times a week, play volleyball, soccer or cook together. In winter we could often play ice skating and ice hockey. There are also many lakes, forests and mountains and we often go hiking. We are also happy to make a cozy campfire or BBQ at Lake Mukkula. There is also wine, beer, music and the sunset. We have already visited many cities including Helsinki, Porvoo, Tampere, Turku and the Åland Island. It has always been a dream to travel to Finland, but Erasmus + made it possible for me to live here with the locals and get to know the culture. I am happy and feel very comfortable in Finland. I learned a lot about myself and each other.The best part is that I have met a lot of people who have become close friends.