STEP Signature Project: Public Health Perspectives: Finland and Estonia

  Public Health Perspectives: Finland & Estonia            

                            

My education abroad trip to Finland and Estonia was unforgettable. My time abroad consisted of two weeks; one week was spent in Finland, and the other in Estonia. During my stay in Finland I was able to visit their capital city, Helsinki, where I had the opportunity to watch a previous Finnish president’s funeral procession, visit Suomenlinna Island ( the Sea Fortress) ; Kumpunen Farm, where I was able to experience the calm of the rural life of Finland and enjoy a traditional smoke sauna along with the refreshment of the nearby lake; the small town of Keuruu, where I visited the high school and learned about the differences in our countries education systems and received a short tour of the town by the students themselves; and the city of Jyvaskyla, where I visited the Alvar Aalto Museum and the University of Jyvaskyla. I embarked on my first ferry ride to the country of Estonia. I first visited the capital city Tallinn, where I toured the Old Town dating earlier than the 16th century, had a tour full of the history of the times when Estonia was under the power of the Soviet Union, and KGB tours. Finally, in Tartu, Estonia, I visited the University of Tartu where I met a grad student originally from the United States, visited a small hospital, and the Estonian Genome Center where health data samples are collected and research is conducted.

After my time abroad, I am able to say that I have a better understanding of myself. An education abroad is not only a trip full of academic education, but also one of self-learning. Although it was only my first time abroad, I can say I absolutely enjoyed it and I cannot wait for more opportunities to explore the world. I learned that I am adventurous, whether it be climbing to the tallest rock, trying a brand new food, or jumping into a cold lake after sitting in a hot sauna. My newfound love for adventure did not just begin, but has always been with me, and even continues to show here at home. I grew up going to the Cleveland Metro Parks with my family, fishing, “do-it-yourself white water rafting”, climbing huge trees and occasionally finding vines to swing on with my siblings. Before traveling to Finland and Estonia I promised myself I would try everything once, even if I didn’t like it, to at least say that I have tried it. I succeeded as I ate salmon caviar, different types of raw fish, veal, different homemade Finnish juices, new desserts and different types of coffee. As I move throughout life, I will stay true to myself and always live an adventure.

 

Another transformation that occurred was on my view of the world, and also, my view on our country. I believe that in the process of travelling to and from Finland and Estonia, I experienced a minor culture shock. I found myself constantly comparing the norms of these two countries to the norms of my own and realized how different yet also how similar they are. In geographic appearance, Finland and Estonia look very similar to the United States. So, although I was expecting a completely different environment, my culture shock involved people. I realized that the people in these countries were very different from us, but also incredibly similar.

Change can happen gradually, or all at once. One of the changes that happened all at once was when I promised myself I would try everything. I began my trips with “firsts”, such as my first time on a flight over 2 hours, or travelling through time zones, being in a new country, trying new foods, etc. I participated in every event in order to fully experience my time abroad. When my group visited the telephone tower in Tartu, we went to the 23rd floor balcony and stared over the view. On the 22nd floor, there was a glass window in the floor that others were stepping on to look straight down to the ground. I made sure I did not leave that tower without getting over my minor anxiety of standing on a window 180 feet in the air. I did it.

Another part of my transformation was being so far from my family and friends. I knew it would be difficult to keep in contact with them due to the 7 hour time hour difference, but I made sure to keep in mind all my favorite parts of my days and tell them later on when they were awake or not busy. I realized, being away from them in a different country is not as different as being away for a couple of weeks in college. As long as there is a will, there is a way.

Finally, I broke out of my cultural shell. I spoke to Finns and Estonians about their norms and thought of all the similarities and differences between our 3 countries. I learned that every Finn and Estonian can fluently speak a minimum of 3 languages by the time they finish high school; their school lunches are more nutritious and more delicious than ours; Finland is one of the healthiest countries in the world. The United States, Finland, and Estonia learn from each other’s health policies, as the United States is adopting the Finnish idea of the “Baby Box”. There are more differences than similarities, but that is where the culture adjustment came in. By the time I returned home, I was almost surprised to hear other people speaking English.

The transformations that occurred in my journey to Finland and Estonia are very important to my future “self” and my career aspirations. My realization that I desire a life full of adventure is important because I now know that my true passion is to travel outside my comfort zones to help people in need. I must be willing to travel any distance and to any place to accomplish my mission. It is important that I have experienced culture shock because when I embark on future journeys, I will have an idea of what to expect, or what not to expect in any new setting.