Summer Study Program: Finland

By: Erika Barratt, Student, Humber College
This article originally appeared on international.humber.ca 

I choose Humber College because it gives me hands on experience and also offers a small class room size making it a more comfortable learning environment.  I can obtain my University degree but in an enjoyable college setting. The Bachelor of International Development at Humber includes a 14-week work placement which will help me integrate into the international work field which will aid me in achieving my overall goal of becoming a project manager overseas.

Finland is home to one of Humber’s partnering colleges, JAMK. It offers a summer business program that is transferable to my program and can widen my international business horizons. 

I decided to study abroad because it was a good opportunity to travel and get a couple of electives finished. I wanted to expand my worldview and become more informed on the Finnish culture and have less of a biased perspective towards other cultures and peoples.

While abroad I got to take courses I would have never had the opportunity to take at Humber. Because of the weekend trips to Estonia, Sweden and Russia we only had 4 days of classes a week. Every week day I attended 4 classes from 8:30am to 4:00pm which included a one hour break. By the end of the trip we attended a total of 12 full days of school within the entire trip.

Studying abroad has allowed me to get outside of my comfort zone and to experience another culture first hand. I learned that cultural differences are more than just difference in language, food and other personal habits. A person’s culture reflects their beliefs, and values that influence their way of life and the way they view the world. It has made me more aware and adaptable to other cultures which are a very important skill in International Development. Studying abroad allowed me to branch out and make friends from around the world. While I was abroad, I got to meet not only Finnish students but also other international student who are studying away from home just like me!  

I love travelling, and I know it is something I will continue to do for the rest of my life, hence the reason I choose a Bachelor of International Development. Next year I am planning to do a whole semester abroad in Ireland through Humber so I can get one step closer to obtaining my degree while seeing and experiencing the world.