Dionne during her internship in Finland

An international internship for 12 weeks in Vaasa, Finland.
This opportunity was offered to me by my school, and I gladly accepted it. Little did I know that even in a country like Finland, the Netherlands really isn’t all that bad. It all started on my very first day here—just getting groceries turned out to be quite a challenge. The selection is disappointing, and the prices are incredibly high. A (yellow) bell pepper easily cost €6.99, and don’t expect too many options or variety in the other sections either. On the bright side, it definitely sparks creativity in the kitchen.

On my first internship day, I was quickly introduced to a Finnish habit: eating a hot meal for lunch—and quite early too. Lunchtime here is around 11–12 o’clock. I’ve been here for five weeks now, and I still haven’t gotten used to that. I also happened to arrive during an extremely cold spell. For the first two weeks, temperatures often hovered around -20°C, and at its coldest it even hit -31°C. And there I was, used to Dutch weather... So yes, I highly recommend bringing thermal clothing if you’re coming to Finland in winter. The worst of the cold seems to be over now, and temperatures are rising again. Hopefully, I’ll get to see the Gulf thaw and the boats come out.

Despite these minor drawbacks, there are plenty of positives too. My apartment, which I share with two other girls, is located right by the Gulf of Bothnia. This allows me to walk along the coastline into the center of Vaasa. The scenery here is breathtakingly beautiful, and I really enjoy that walk. Since they’re experiencing one of the harshest winters since 2011, it’s even possible to drive a car over the frozen Gulf. That was a strange but very cool experience. Vaasa itself is a cute little town with a lovely square surrounded by shops and pubs. The pubs are super cozy—I've already enjoyed a nice glass of wine there a few times. By the way, alcohol over 5.5% can’t be bought in supermarkets; you have to go to a state-owned store for that.

I’m also enjoying my internship itself. My supervisor is incredibly kind, and the work is interesting. Right now, I’m mainly working on marketing tasks—in my very own office! Lunch is provided by the company, which happens to be a school. Because of that, I’ve been able to build more social contacts. Funny enough, most people I interact with here speak Swedish rather than Finnish. Vaasa actually has two official languages.

I have seven more weeks to go, and I’m planning to make the most of them. Soon I’ll be able to add Helsinki to the list of capital cities I’ve visited—really looking forward to exploring it. There’s also a two-day event happening in mid-April, which will give me a chance to see more of Vaasa and its surroundings. During my last week of the internship, there will be some local festivities as well, and I’m glad I’ll get to experience them. It’s a bit of a cliché, but time really is flying. More reason than ever to enjoy every moment to the fullest.