Slowly figuring out Finns and becoming one

Internationalization cannot be forced – the system has to be prepared to welcome foreign employees. Project coordinator Melissa Plath sees for instance the Finnish work permit practice as irrational.

American-born Melissa Plath has lived in Jyväskylä for eight years. Plath, who has studied in the University of Montana, came to Finland via Denmark.

— I decided to spend my third year (junior year) as an exchange student, but I wanted something completely different. I did not know much about the Nordic countries, and I decided to take a closer look at Denmark. Then I realized that it sounds really great, Plath explains.

After the year in Denmark, Plath returned to Montana to finalize her BA, but she had an urge to return to the Nordic countries. She developed an immediate interest in the MA program of Development and International Cooperation at the University of Jyväskylä.

— I was fascinated with the Nordic countries and I wanted to study in a place that would offer a new angle on things, different from that of the U.S. When I found in Finland an MA program with subject matter that suited me, I ended up applying to Jyväskylä. And what is more, there are no monetary expenses for the studies, Plath laughs.

Balancing between cultures

The first touch with Finland remains in Plath's mind.

— I had the opportunity to stay at a Finnish summer cottage during the summer before my studies started. There I got the classic experience of Finland: the lakes, birch trees and the beauty of nature, Plath reminisces.

The reconciliation of cultures was difficult at first and the differences in the university systems became apparent.

— In the beginning, I had to contemplate how I could merge with the crowd in Finnish culture, and how my American identity could be understood and accepted in the right manner. The state of Montana is approximately the size of Finland, but there are only about one million people there. I was accustomed to having space around me, so in that sense it was not difficult to assimilate to the new surroundings. It still amuses me, though, that when you meet new people in Finland, you are bound to have common acquaintances, Plath laughs.

The largest difference between Finnish and American Universities is the independence of the students.

— In the States, students are guided more actively. While completing my BA thesis in Montana I saw my Professor every week. Here the working at the gradu phase is much more free and the appointments with the supervisor are up to the student's own activity. Nobody fetches you to lectures in the States either, but the communication between the teachers and the students is much more frequent, Plath states.

The difficult jump into working life

While working on her thesis in Jyväskylä, Plath got work in the UniPID -network, in which she is still working as a project coordinator. The beginning of working life was not easy. The various bureaucratic arrangements function well for foreign students, but these practices have not been successfully transferred to help the assimilation of employees.

— As a student everything went on without extra effort. As an employee, I was suddenly left without all the necessary information and support. When I started my work in the year 2009, part of the relevant information had been translated, but it had been hidden behind the Finnish-language web pages. It was impossible to find and I had to ask others for help continuously.

Jyväskylä has taken important steps forward during the past few years, but Plath hopes that the process will continue.

— I myself decided that I would complain to everybody about the problems that I face as an international employee. I wanted to bring about change. And I feel that I and other foreigners were heard. For instance, the University is now arranging orientation courses, information is more easily available in English and the web pages have been updated into a more functional form.

Internationalization cannot be forced – the system has to be prepared to welcome foreign employees. In Plath's view, assimilation could be supported by telling the foreigners even more about the Finnish society and the University system.

— Even a comprehensive info package, which would explain in detail the nature of the system the in-comer is about to enter would be a great help. For instance, I myself had absolutely no idea what was covered by the occupational health insurance. And for those with families, it would be crucial to know how to choose appropriate school for the children, whether health insurance is needed, or where to place the children while you are at work.

Internationalization and global responsibility

According to Plath, internationalization is crucial for the Finnish Universities. Getting world-class specialists to Finland also requires political commitment.

— The Ministry of Education and Culture has an internationalization strategy, which Universities try to follow. At the same time, however, the bureaucracy is making specifically the hiring of people coming from outside EU very difficult. The work permit practice, for instance, is irrational. You cannot get a work permit without a contract and you cannot get a contract without a work permit. The University of Jyväskylä has learned to avoid this practice by sending a letter to the authorities, promising that a person receives a certain kind of contract immediately after the work permit arrives. In my opinion, Universities should, however, be more active so that these kinds of difficult practices could be deconstructed, Plath maintains.

The challenges of internationalization interest Plath also through her work. UniPID is a cooperation network between Finnish universities and its goal is to support global responsibility objectives of Finnish universities. The emphasis of Plath's work is on the collaborative projects between EU and Africa.

— During recent years, the most important thing has been the building of trust with our African partners. At the moment, we are trying to locate the kind of Finnish expertise that would really bring added value to scientific cooperation specifically with Africa.

One of the areas in the Ministry's internationalization strategy is global responsibility, which in Plath's view should be contemplated at a practical level in every University.

— I would like the Universities to also consider internationalization through global responsibility – are we cooperating only with the established top Universities, or could we collaborate also with Universities that might evolve into world-class, top Universities. This is the kind of cooperation we are trying to support for instance in Africa. We should learn to appreciate more the expertise that Africa can offer to us.

Soon a Finn on paper as well

Plath has applied for Finnish citizenship and feels that she has become a Finn to a comfortable degree.

— The American inside me does awake when I go to see my family. But it takes a while before it is fully awake. I try to visit the United States once a year for a longish period at a time. The first days go by in a haze. I may, for instance, speak Finnish to a cashier, Plath laughs.

Although Plath hopefully is soon a Finn on paper also, there is one thing in our culture that she by her own estimate will never learn to understand.

— The only thing that beats me in Finland is this need that people have to drink themselves into this ridiculous state of intoxication.

Plath intends to stay in Finland permanently, although she believes that she will occasionally live somewhere else.

— I feel comfortable in Finland and I am happy here. Because my work is international, I would like to live somewhere out of country at some point. But in my mind living abroad means moving away from Finland, Plath says with a smile.

text Talvikki Lehtolainen
translation Tuomas Huttunen
photo Petteri Kivimäki

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