From Rice and Curry to Rye Bread: My Student’s Adventure in Finland

Hello everyone! I am Sujan, originally from a beautiful island named Sri Lanka, yes, the land of beaches, coconuts, and constant sunshine.

Fast forward to today, here I am in Finland, chasing my own dreams. I am studying for a Bachelor of Registered Nursing at Savonia University of Applied Sciences. My student journey started on 27th August 2024, right when the autumn leaves danced through the air and I learned that 10°c is apparently good weather.

So why nursing? In a nutshell, I have always wanted a career where I can actually help people, not just sit in an office and pretend to look busy. Nursing feels like a blend of science, compassion — and, well… chaos (in the best possible way). Everyone knows that Finland has one of the best healthcare systems in the world — so why not learn from the best, right?

Studying at Savonia is nothing like school back home. Here, we do a lot of teamwork, projects, skill labs and real-life practice in healthcare settings. I love that we are not just memorizing stuff and using AI (Mr. Chat) in assignments, we are actually living in a nursing atmosphere.

One day I’m learning anatomy, the next I am measuring blood pressure or talking about healthcare ethics. We’re working in simulation labs where “patients” act like they’re in a TV drama. (Some of us should probably win Oscars by now 😆). I believe that as a student, you need to be independent and proactive, which means no one is going to chase you to finish your assignments.

Also, Savonia teachers are super supportive, but they also expect you to be responsible. You are the boss and you have to manage your time, keep up with deadlines. Time management and coffee become your new buddies.

Let’s talk about Finland — where my rice has turned into rye bread, and my sunshine has turned into… well, something hiding behind the clouds since August. 😅 Moving from Sri Lanka to Finland was — let’s say — a plot twist. Back home, I was used to spicy food, every meal with rice and curry, loud streets and 30°c heat.

In Finland, I got silent buses, cold air, and rye bread that could probably survive a zombie apocalypse. But honestly, I have grown to love it. The peace, the kindness, the attitudes, everything here works. Finland is the perfect place to study and focus on your goals. People respect space and silence. But once they open up, Finns are super friendly, I am telling you from my own experience. Yet I still miss my rice and curry, but rye bread has become my new survival fuel.

After graduation, I am considering working as a nurse in Finland for a while, to gain experience and maybe specialize in something. I have a dream of helping to build a better healthcare system back in Sri Lanka someday — kind of giving back what I have learned here. Big dreams I know, but hey, every nurse has to start somewhere!

If you have a dream to study in Finland like I had, do everything to make it possible. But be ready to face new challenges. Learn some Finnish before coming, pack warm socks, be positive and don’t panic if things feel hard at first, be brave, be curious and open-minded. And finally enjoy the experience because not everyone gets to study in a country where education is truly respected.

– Sujan

Finland is the perfect place to study and focus on your goals.