Exchange students visiting UCPori

Exchange students visiting UCPori

UCPori welcomed a group of exchange students for second time in this January. Ali Bozkurt and David Schmidt were among arrived students.

Ali comes from Turkey and David is from Germany. Neither one has visited Finland before and they picked Pori as a city of exchange because it seemed compact but versatile place.

Both stay polite about the downsides of Pori, but seemed truly excited about the city and UCPori.

- I am from Ankara, which is capital city of Turkey and have visited most of the big cities of Europe, but I am interested in the Nordic countries. I think Pori is a good place to get a clue what the North is all about, Ali says merrily.

- I am from small town near Frankfurt. I came to Pori because I wanted to go exchange in a place where you can speak English, but not in Great Britain. Here you can get everywhere by foot and one euro swim at Pori swimming hall is great!, David says.

Freezing Finland offers new studying experiences

Guys took cold January as an adventure.

- It was quite cold. I think I have never seen a river freeze, David says and laughs.

David studies international engineering and management for the third year and Ali studies industrial engineering for the fourth year. They think that studying differs a bit in Finland.

- Studying is more informal and volitional here. And you can get real guidance from teachers and professors, David says.

- There is more freedom and less competition. Here you do not have to pass exams at first try and lectures are easier, but you have to work a lot on your own, Ali says.

Diverse courses and leaving too early

- I have studied graphic designing earlier so I am very interested in the courses at the Aalto university, Ali tells.

Ali feels bad, because he has to leave Finland already in May. His permit of residence expires in June.

- I was hoping that I could see Pori Jazz festival, I am sure it is a great happening, Ali says.

David leaves in June. He sees Finland as a potential place to do his internship.

- I am interested in the communication between Finnish and German companies, so revisit to Finland is an option, David speculates.