Youth Exchange in Finland?

[Nightingail]

Hi, my name is Gail. Two years from now, I plan to participate in a youth exchange program (Rotary Youth Exchange) hopefully in Finland. I'd be living with different host families and attending school in Finland for a year. Aside from the guidelines for the Rotary program, are there any things I really need to know before going or special preparations I should make between now and then?

Next summer I'm probably going to take a 4 week Finnish language immersion camp as well (Concordia Language Village if anyone's heard of it or knows if it's good).

Also, would living in Finland for a year through an exchange program, plus learning a large amount of Finnish and some Swedish while there (a small chance of that being vice versa) make it easier to immigrate to Finland 5-10 years later? (after I get a 4 year degree in the US- and hopefully not be in debt due to college tuitions).

I'd greatly appreciate ANY feedback!

[Hank W.]

Well, not knowing how the situation is in 5-10 years, as there is no tuition fees why would you go to all of that college then in the US? I mean its not like they'd treat foreign degrees here much worth anything... and how would you find a job. I mean thats what the guys now wanting to immigrate face, and I'm not seeing a magic change in the 5 years atleast...

But that is future, basically just have an open mind, and the more you know the language the more you'll understand the people.

[Nightingail]

Hmm, I never really considered that much yet. Although I visited the University of Helsinki's page once. And searched and found, to my dismay, that there were very few Finland university study abroad programs through US Universities). I guess the problem I saw with going to college in Finland there would be renewing visas, having problems with Rotary letting me, and finding a place to stay, those sorts of things.

I'd be doing Rotary right after I finish American High School- I wouldn't be sure how the credits would transfer) . But I guess already being there and knowing several people to help me would make things much easier (as long as I'm not a burden >_>)- and if I stay there it would be much easier than trying to move back a few years later...

Thanks for your suggestion! I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place- I wasn't sure if it should go in "Studying in Finland" or here in "Moving to Finland".

[Hank W.]

Why would you need to have anything to do with the Rotaries when you apply to an university in Finland? Or a polytechnic - 3-4 years Bachelor's degree; some degree programmes also taught in English.

- You speak the language (hopefully), you take the test, you enroll as any other Tina, Dina or Harriet, you get a room in the student housing and thats it... visa renewal is easy as long as you are a student and have the... 8-10 grand on the bank account to show you won't be a ward of the state.

Then again your current student exchange is going to be a good time to feel around.

[sammy]

Hmm, I never really considered that much yet. Although I visited the University of Helsinki's page once. And searched and found, to my dismay, that there were very few Finland university study abroad programs through US Universities).

If you're talking about student exchange, then you need to have a university placement in the US to begin with (although you may know this already)... ie exchange to higher education institutions like polytechnics and universities is not usually possible unless you already have a "home" university in the US...

Now there are certain programmes organising student exchange between US and (e.g.) Finnish universities, like ISEP - see http://www.isep.org/ (afaik, polytechnics are not involved in the ISEP programme!)

Your possible future home Uni in the US may also have a bilateral student exchange agreement with some Finnish university - this may be relatively rare, but its possible (that is, the two universities have agreed on student exchange between themselves) - the "problem" with these arrangements, as opposed to programmes like ISEP for example, is that they may not be so much advertised to others than students who already are studying at the said uni's...

[Nightingail]

At the moment, I know almost no Finnish. So some sort of exchange program may help me learn the language and get a feel for living in the country first I guess?

But after the exchange/ while I'm still there (I'll be 19) I can apply at the University, renew necessary permits and visas, and for a bank account transfer money from a would-be American college fund? Is it really that simple? I'd already have clothes etc from a year of being in the exchange- and later on I could buy/ ship something like a computer over?

I know that Finland's primary and secondary schools are amazing, so that may be a slight disadvantage for me? (although I'm taking more advanced classes at my school and score high on the standardized tests)

Thanks for the info, it's really helping and considering new possibilties for easier staying in Finland eventual citizenship ^^

Thank-you sammy for the link/ info for the University Study abroad program! If an application doesn't go through, that's something I'll definitely be looking at ^^

[Hank W.]

Question is, *why* do you want to move to Finland?

[Nightingail]

Hmm, I guess because of things like excellent education, healthcare, day cares, least corrupt government, environmental sustainability. Finland also looks really really pretty (I'd like to see a midnight sun one day). I'm also a rather reserved person a lot of the time. Also, I think the foreign relations/foriegn policy/ government treatment of people in other countries from Finland seems MUCH better than America's >< (at the very least in the past 25+ years)

[mrjimsfc]

Next summer I'm probably going to take a 4 week Finnish language immersion camp as well (Concordia Language Village if anyone's heard of it or knows if it's good).

The Finnish language village at Concordia is GREAT! The only problem is that it is a very short term learning experience. All levels of training are available and even some ex-pat Finns return to the camp to practice their Finnish. Many if not most of the classes are taught by Finns who travel to the site on teaching contracts from Finland so even the dialect is correct (of course you will still have the American dialect in your speech). I knew a guy who had a western USA "drawl" that came through in his Finnish. The Finns could understand him but it drove them nuts!