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.
Melissa Plath
- Date and place of birth:
October 14, 1983, Missoula
- Bachelors degree, at year
2006, University of Montana
- Masters degree, at year 2010,
University of Jyväskylä
- Project coordinator at Finnish
University Partnership for
International Development
(UniPID) since november
2009 at the University of
Jyväskylä.
- Hobbies: watching pesäpallo
and other sports, reading,
chatting with friends over
beer at Vakiopaine.
text Talvikki Lehtolainen
translation Tuomas Huttunen
photo Petteri Kivimäki
- Painetussa lehdessä sivu 22
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