Jutut kategoriassa Ilmiöt - Oulun ylioppilaslehti

International students don’t fear racist violence, but unemployment

Last June, two stabbings targeting people with immigrant backgrounds took place at the Valkea shopping center. However, international students living in Finland believe that there are much more terrifying things happening here.

Ilmiöt In English

TEKSTI Kirsi Uusitalo

KUVAT Essi Määttä

Last summer, there were stabbings in Oulu’s shopping center Valkea, targeting individuals with immigrant backgrounds. In one case, the perpetrator was a minor, while in another the perpetrator, Juhani Sebastian Lämsä, had previously been linked to a far-right organization. Lämsä had already been convicted for an attack in 2013.

The Jyväskylä library stabbing incident involved neo-Nazis attempting to disrupt a discussion event organized for the publication of the book ‘Äärioikeisto Suomessa’ (Far-Right in Finland), the event being attended by Left Alliance MP Li Andersson, one of the book’s authors. Lämsä has since denied having a racist motive or intending to kill children, though he was charged with two counts of attempted murder. In the other Valkea incident, according to the police investigation, the attacker had a racist motive when they attacked an individual of Asian descent and stabbed them in the shopping center.

There have been various speculated reasons for the violent acts, such as pointing to the rhetoric and actions of the Finns Party members in the government, who have been accused of fueling anti-immigrant sentiments. When racist speech is tolerated at the highest levels of society, it creates an atmosphere where violence becomes a conceivable solution to resolving tensions between different groups of people.

In an interview with Helsingin Sanomat published on June 23rd, terrorism researcher Leena Malkki noted that discussions and subcultures that tolerate violence have increased in Finland. Such discussions and subcultures often involved the phenomenon of “othering” anyone outside of the group. According to Malkki, violent ideologies have received indirect endorsement from influential figures.

The history and recent past of the Finns Party has been filled with racist and violent online writings and speeches targeting foreigners. MP Mauri Peltokangas has repeatedly referred to immigrants as “goatherds”. The current Minister of Finance, Riikka Purra, has not apologized for the things she wrote in Jussi Halla-Aho’s Scripta blog: after and incident on a train involving young people of immigrant background, Purra wrote in Scripta that “if I were given a gun, there would be bodies even on the commuter train, you see.” These writings were posted in Scripta’s guestbook in September 2008, around the time of the Kauhajoki school shooting.

How does the current political climate affect exchange students and international students studying in Finland? Are they scared for their own safety and have they encountered racism?

Multiple contributing factors

Ray, who is writing his dissertation at the University of Oulu, says that the events at Valkea have impacted both him and his international circle of friends. One of Ray’s friends, who works as a cleaner, was on duty when the blood had to be cleaned from the shopping center’s floors. The incident was traumatic, though some time has passed since June. The last time Rays saw his friend, they seemed to have recovered from the traumatic moment. Ray adds that he no longer goes into the city center alone; a friend always accompanies him. He also no longer visits Valkea.

Ray has been reflecting on the reasons behind the events at Valkea, recognizing multiple contributing factors. He calls for both parental and school responsibility, noting that the perpetrator in one of the stabbings was a 15-year-old minor. Ray does not blame the school for not identifying potential problematic behavior, but is more concerned about what is being taught in schools. Do students receive resources to engage with people from different cultures? Ray also sees the current political climate in Finland as partly responsible for the events. With their rhetoric and actions, the political elite can either narrow or widen the divide between people of different backgrounds in Finland.

Ray was surprised that the stabbings took place in Oulu out of all places. He would have expected incidents like this to happen in southern cities, where there are more immigrants. There are very few foreigners in Oulu, so there are less conflicts between different groups of people.

In an article published by Yle on June 26th, Oulu residents with immigrant backgrounds noted that the amount of racism has been increasing in Oulu for quite some time now, whereas other immigrants note in that same article that they feel safe in Oulu. In the article, researcher Elina Tolonen mentions that a series of sexual offenses that surfaced in Oulu in 2018-2019, leading to the conviction of 22 men with immigrant backgrounds, may have influenced the opinions of individuals in Oulu who were already opposed to foreigners.

Ray mentions that he has not personally experienced racism while living in Finland. This experience may partly be influenced by the environments he spends time while in Oulu, and, on the other hand, by the fact that he is not of African descent, which often increases the risk of facing slurs or violence. Ray’s life has, of course, largely revolved around the university in recent years.

The University of Oulu’s website states that the university strives to promote equality and adhere to its equality and non-discrimination plan in all its activities. The University of Oulu aims for every member of the community to feel welcome and equal within the community. According to the equality and non-discrimination plan, equal treatment and inclusion apply to everyone, regardless of gender, age, ethnic or national origin, citizenship, language, religion, beliefs, opinions, health status, disability, sexual orientation, or any other distinguishing personal factor.

But are these just empty words with nothing real to back them up? Ray feels like he has been welcomed as a member of the university community and has not experienced prejudice. Teaching in English has been largely available, and as dictated by the equality plan, he has received excellent guidance services for both his master’s and doctoral studies.

The equality plan states that the availability of guidance services enables student participation and equality. Ray has struggled with self-confidence, but thanks to the professor supervising his theses, he found the courage to start writing his dissertation. The professor has recommended suitable books and courses and provided Ray with support on his learning journey. At the end of his master’s studies, Ray secured a job as a research assistant, which he says opened the door to pursuing his PhD.

Internationality is a familiar thing in the university

The needs of international students are largely the same as those students born in Finland: guidance with their studies and working life services are services needed by all students. It is crucial that they are available in multiple languages and that the university fosters an atmosphere that’s accepting and understanding of diversity. Ray mentions that initially he had no knowledge of how to write a resume, but the working life services at the university have provided him with useful advice.

Ray can’t think of any suggestion for improvement regarding the support for international students at the University of Oulu. Everything seems to be running smoothly. According to a feedback survey conducted in 2023, International Student Barometer, an astonishing 100% of international students noted that they feel safe on the Oulu campus and are satisfied with the quality of teaching.

Prejudice perceived by first-year students has decreased from what it was in 2022. Seven percent have experienced harassment based on their nationality as international students. Despite the rarity of such harassment, it is, of course, essential to continue working towards completely eliminating discrimination.

The flattering numbers of the feedback survey are surely influenced by the university’s familiarity with internationalization; in its multiculturalism, it differs from the general atmosphere in Oulu, which remains fairly monocultural. The surrounding community does not necessarily share the values that are valued on campus. That’s why violence against foreigners can come as a shock, if one is used to mostly mingling in academic circles. The aforementioned applies largely to all universities and the cities where universities are located. Universities are often the melting pots of various cultures, when the surrounding communities are just learning to respect other cultures.

Perhaps the stabbings in Valkea could have happened anywhere in Finland. The city of Oulu doesn’t necessarily have a racism problem; rather, the issue lies all across Finland, where the current political leadership is allowing the division of people as desirable or undesirable, thus widening the gap between people from different backgrounds.

Racist rhetoric and policy decisions by our political leadership – such as the three-month employment requirement for foreign workers – fall on fertile ground in Finland, which is, according to studies, one of the most racist countries in Europe. For instance, a 2023 study by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights placed Finland among the top countries for racism experienced by people of African descent in Europe.

Universities tend to be more liberal in spirit than the surrounding society, thanks to their international atmosphere. At the University of Oulu, people from nearly 100 nationalities study and work. According to its website, the University of Oulu is one of the most internationally diverse institutions in the Arctic Region and Northern Europe, with a strong focus on internationalization.

The website also states that members of the university community have the opportunity to partake in international activities, develop intercultural skills, build global networks and learn about different countries. To be regarded as a respectable international partner, the University of Oulu must, of course, work to ensure that any suspicions of racism do not hinder its goals.

The Finnish job market has been divided

To cite the American philosopher Martha Nussbaum, higher education institutions have been, since the ancient times, served as places for nurturing liberal citizens. According to Nussbaum, universities promote global citizenship, rooted in the discretion that education brings, enabling individuals to see themselves in others and to critically examine their own prejudices.

Equality plans, equality committees and working groups responsible for organizing equality efforts, as well as harassment contact persons within student organizations, all represent the university’s goals for creating an inclusive study and work environment. The University of Oulu’s equality plan states it is the responsibility of every community member to promote equality. Ray’s experiences in Finnish society may change when he decides to apply for jobs as a civil engineer. Currently, Ray is working on his doctoral dissertation with three years of funding granted by the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Quivine Ndomo states in their dissertation, The Working Underclass: Highly educated migrants on the fringes of the Finnish labour market, that even an education received in Finland doesn’t guarantee a job in many cases, since the Finnish job market has been divided into jobs for native Finns and jobs for foreigners. Highly educated immigrants often work in the lowest-paid jobs in the service sector or in fields like construction. Workers are categorized into high- and low-paying jobs based on skin color and ethnicity.

According to background documents from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment’s Unit for Immigration and Integration, dated May 8, 2023, half of the foreign students graduating from Finnish universities are employed in the Finnish labor market within a year of graduation. Internationally, this figure is high, but it has a downside: many do not find work that matches their qualifications and instead, in Ray’s words, end up in “odd jobs”.

The background paper notes that Finnish workplaces have limited capacity to hire immigrants. Employment prospects are also hindered by the lack of social interaction between international students and native Finns, who often remain in separate circles.

Proficiency in the Finnish language is important in the job market, as are connections, which means more work is needed for successful integration. Universities have succeeded in attracting international students through English-language programs, but this comes with a risk: without the need to study Finnish, students may face challenges when seeking employment later.

The three-month rule represents “capitalist exploitation”

The Valkea stabbings have led Ray to adjust his behavior: he avoids the Valkea shopping center and prefers not to walk around the city alone. Yet, when he speaks, other issues are emphasized over the fear of potentially becoming a victim of racist violence in Finland. Ray speaks more about his fears for the future. His funding from the Ministry of Education will end in 2027, and beyond that, everything is uncertain.

It’s possible Ray might not find work that matches his qualifications, facing the same fate as many other immigrants – ending up in odd jobs as a cleaner or food courier. In that case, Ray would most likely just leave the country. He notes that many of his friends are in a similar bind: there are low-paying jobs or unemployment in Finland, but returning home is not an option, as their home countries remain unsafe.

Benjamin, a student at the University of Tampere, has a chilling view of Finland’s right-wing government policies concerning foreigners. The proposed three-month unemployment rule means that workers on employment-based residence permits in Finland must leave the country if they dono not find new employment within three months of their previous job ending.

Benjamin believes that beyond racist motivations, the three-month rule represents capitalist exploitation. Foreigners are pressured to accept any job to avoid being sent out of the country. In this difficult position, they are more likely to agree to wage suppression and poor working conditions, which ultimately benefits capitalist interests.

Benjamin has an employment-based residence permit, and he has applied for Finnish citizenship. Decisions made by the right-wing government are making the lives of foreigners more challenging, and they terrify him so much that after becoming unemployed, he accepted a position at the university – despite the fact that companies pay twice as much in salary. Benjamin, however, couldn’t risk being unemployed for that long, so he chose the university. He has a genuine fear of being forced out of the country and checks the status of his citizenship application daily.

What has alarmed Benjamin is the speed with which decisions undermining the living conditions of foreigners in Finland have been enacted or advanced through legislative bodies. Although he has lived in Finland for six years and thus is not affected by the three- month unemployment rule, his concerns still persist. In an interview with Ilta-Sanomat (August 28th), Minister of Employment Arto Satonen stated that the three-month rule applies to foreigners who have resided in Finland for less than two years on an employment-based residence permit. But who knows what further decision the current government might make?

The social contract has been broken

Benjamin is not only terrified, but he feels like he’s been betrayed. He’s from a country where democracy is on rocky foundations. His fellow citizens used to say that in Europe, democracy works, that they should look up to Europe. When Benjamin started his studies, Finland had a socialist democratic government and young women were in positions of power. It gained international recognition. Benjamin notes that when things were good, he didn’t really pay attention to politics. Now it’s different, when it’s his own life on the line.

After arriving in Finland, Benjamin has lived according to all rules, paid his taxes and has remained employed. He has many years of experience in the Finnish job market. He’s even prepared to perform military service once he gets his citizenship. However, society has changed completely significantly from what it was when Benjamin arrived in Finland.

The stabbings in Valkea do not scare him; like Ray, he is more concerned that the hopes he invested in his future and the social contract he believed he was entering when he came to Finland may no longer hold under the current government, where the Finns Party seems to be setting the tone. When asked why the stabbings involving immigrants happened specifically in Oulu, Benjamin explains that Tampere is more international and left-leaning than Oulu, so similar incidents would be more surprising in Tampere.

Benjamin feels like his law-abiding way of life in Finland currently means nothing. The social contract, he argues, has been broken, as living diligently doesn’t guarantee acceptance for a foreigner in Finland. In the social contract formulated by Jean Jacques Rousseau, citizens submit to the common good in exchange for the state maintaining order. Benjamin has never complained about Finland’s high tax rate. He has remained employed, planned to complete his military service – in short, he’s been a model member of society, ready to fulfill his civic duties without objection. However, he believes that the Finnish government has dissolved the social contract. With even native Finns struggling to find work and facing long periods of unemployment, how can immigrants be expected to secure jobs easily?

Benjamin is more concerned about the wielders of power than about the far-right extremist responsible for the Valkea stabbing. He worries that compliance with societal norms is no longer enough; certain people, based on their skin color, are relegated to capitalist exploitation.

Sociologist Daria Krivonos, in her 2023 article Racial Capitalism and the Production of Difference in Helsinki and Warsaw (Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies), argues that racializing processes divide people into workers, the unemployed, and “almost-workers” in ways that serve capitalism. Those who deviate from the norm of a white European are classified in these processes as labor that is unfit for white-collar or “normal” jobs. Consequently, these groups are exposed to capitalist exploitation and psychologically exhausting menial jobs, irregular employment and unpaid labor.

Benjamin mentions that six of his friends have considered moving away from Finland. Employment is hard to secure, even if the immigrant has a degree from a Finnish university. Benjamin notes that the reason for his friends’ unemployment is both the bad economic situation in Finland as well as the racist, capitalist wage-labor system. He adds that he might be fortunate, as he has previously managed to find employment without issue. Lately, though, he and his immigrant friends have faced harassment while riding trams in Tampere. He suspects alcohol abuse and unemployment are factors behind the harassment.

Mastering Finnish doesn’t always open the necessary doors for immigrants

Benjamin and Ray don’t really talk about whether they and their friends have experienced direct racism in Finland, but systematic racism – specifically the challenges immigrants face when seeking employment – makes Benjamin visibly upset. He says he could talk about the topic endlessly.

Employment opportunities are tied to language skills. While English-language education is a key advantage for Finland in attracting international future experts, it also creates a challenge: without the need to learn Finnish, there’s less opportunity to practice it.

A 2019 background paper from the Finnish National Agency for Education revealed only 43% of highly educated international students in Finland work in specialist positions. This may partly be due to high proficiency in Finnish often being required for these roles.

Moreover, in her dissertation, Quivine Ndomo argues that Finnish employers often use the Finnish language requirements as a barrier to exclude applicants with immigrant backgrounds from the job market. She points out that mastering Finnish doesn’t always open the necessary doors for immigrants, who often still end up in roles that don’t match their qualifications.

Listening to Ray and Benjamin’s stories, it’s clear that the threat of racist violence doesn’t kill a young person’s basic optimism. Far-right extremism remains a marginal phenomenon in Finland. Ray feels that Finns are generally kind people; he has friends and financial support for his PhD studies. His role as a research assistant was an important milestone on his path to financial independence and reinforced his sense of hope for establishing a position in the Finnish job market.

As dangerous as a death threat

As long as the threat of violence – prompting him to avoid certain places and walking alone – is balanced by numerous positive aspects, it’s possible to live with it, or even forget about it altogether. However, anti-immigrant actions by political leaders and hidden discrimination in the workforce present a real barrier to fulfilling his dreams. Racist and capitalist societal forces together can shatter people’s future plans and make their investments in those plans futile.

For international students, coming to Finland is a significant mental and financial investment, motivated by dreams of a better life. To secure a place to study in Finland, international students must prove they can afford life here. Ray shares that his parents funded his master’s studies. Ending in low-paying jobs after all that doesn’t benefit anyone – not the students or Finland.

Ray is aware of the “brain drain” of highly educated immigrants leaving Finland. For Benjamin, unemployment or poorly paid jobs that don’t match his qualifications are as dangerous as a death threat: it’s like the ones in positions of power, rather than attackers like the ones in the Valkea incidents, are now holding the knife, threatening all immigrants. People are forced to take any job or leave the country. As he puts it, “They are threatening my life.”

The names of the interviewees have been changed due to the sensitiveness of the issue.

Translation by Anna Tiira.

Julkaistu 28.11.202428.11.2024

Lue lisää:

A thriving underground rave scene lives in Oulu

Raves are in their golden age. Electronic dance music is taking center stage, and parties are being thrown in restaurants and large warehouses. But what lurks underneath the surface? Are there depraved bacchanals happening within the shadows of Oulu’s forests and run-down warehouses?

Ilmiöt In English Kulttuuri

TEKSTI Pete Huttunen

KUVAT Mari Kivioja

Three DJs and party organizers shed some light on Oulu’s underground (ug) scene. The light remains dim, because underground thrives in darkness. But we do catch some glimpses through the veil of secrecy.

Rene Tauriainen is a pioneer of rave culture in Oulu. Juhani Oivo has been throwing various types of parties for 20 years, and Vilma Kallunki is a prominent figure of the younger rave generation.

At raves, DJs and live performers play electronic dance music for a dancing crowd. The music is unified by a varying, aggressive bass and a quick tempo that varies in different styles.

Rave culture was born in the US in the mid-1980s and spread fast to Europe, especially England. The first rave party in Oulu was thrown at the beginning of the 1990s.

Ug, aka underground is something alternative, dubious and non-commercial – perhaps even forbidden and illegal. Some call it a subculture, but the term “ug” has cemented itself in the culture. Something is happening underground or atleast beneath the surface – something secret, perhaps even dangerous.

Underground eludes being defined, because it is constantly evolving. Commercial operators seek the underground for influences, and things are moving towards a more mainstream direction.

Rene Tauriainen ponders on the concept of underground. “Ug strays away from mainstream, but nowadays it can also be commercialized. Commercial night clubs like 45 Special play ug music.”

“Ug parties are held in places other than restaurants, bars or clubs, but the culture is also showcased in those places. The parties are organized for a small, knowledgeable crowd, and they usually require an invitation,” Vilma Kallunki says.

The allure of underground parties is based not only on secrecy and a sense of danger, but also the sense of freedom. The music can be more hardcore, experimental or deeper than in restaurants; there is no last call, and there is less harassment and bad behavior than in restaurants. The information about the parties spreads through the grapevine, these days usually in private chat groups online.

Early beats at warehouse parties

When the first rave parties in Oulu were thrown in the early 90s, Rene Tauriainen was in the middle of it. He was one of the establishers of Oulun Warehouse and H.A.N.D (Have A Nice Day) associations, which operated in secret.. Oulun Warehouse threw parties in empty warehouses and other abandoned spaces, like a closed-down bowling alley.

The only way you could get in was by knowing the right people, and the raves were announced at the last minute through a secret phone line. The Warehouse parties started after midnight and ended sometime in the morning – whenever the organizers so desired.

The inspiration for organizing the parties was “acid house” music that you couldn’t play during DJ sets at restaurants. Disco music and culture had already evolved in England and the US.

“My friends had traveled there, and we read articles in online magazines. The allure was about unconventionality and a sense of danger. Our group of congenial friends decided to start throwing parties in Oulu.”

“Warehouse parties had an estimated 100-150 participants, but the vibe felt more like 15 000. The venues were pitch dark, full of smoke and a lot of strobe lights.”

Information about the illegal parties reached the ears of law enforcement, and the police even ended shutting down one party.

“There were members of the Screaming Men’s Choir present, and the guys performed the Finnish national anthem as the police were clearing out the place,” Tauriainen reminisces amusedly.

The operations of Warehouse Ry ended in the late 90s. There was a rising moral panic spreading through Europe concerning illegal parties where criminals were rumored to be doing drugs. In many countries law enforcement cracked down heavily on the parties. Compared to that, the police in Oulu took a more lenient approach.

“We were throwing a party and happened to be standing outside with the other organizers. The chief of police arrived at the scene and told us “listen guys, I know you’re having a party downstairs and I’ll look the other way this one time, but the next time there will be consequences. Could you please make your operations more official?””

“After that we had to rethink our approach; after all, organizing those parties was really tough in hindsight,” Taurianen sums it up.

New beats emerge from silence

Rave culture has gone through a resurrection in the past few years. People are talking about a renaissance and a third wave: the second wave was EDM and eurodance, which are not often associated with credible subculture.

In the parties, new artists and experiences are thriving. During the summer, people party in the forests and on the beaches of Helsinki almost every weekend. Clubs and large venues host more commercial parties, and raves have become a largely accepted part of mainstream culture.

Vilma Kallunki is known as DJ Otilia, and she’s thrown gigs both in Finland and abroad. Kallunki is a part of the multi-artistic collective Cultish, which organizes parties and various events that combine video art, installations and electronic music.

Kallunki notes that nowadays there are a lot of people actively organizing various interesting events. After covid, many new people have entered the scene; party culture lives and is thriving.

Rene Tauriainen agrees.

“At one point it felt like there was nothing worthwhile going on, but what I’ve seen lately is looking good again.”

*Rene Tauriainen (left), Vilma Kallunki, and Juhani Oivo know the party scene in Oulu. They’ve gained experience over several decades.*

Juhani Oivo has worked as a DJ and an event organizer in the electronic music scene for over 20 years. Oivo has organized hundreds of events and spins records under the names of DJ Oivo, DJ J Honey and DJ Jay Day. Nowadays he organizes events like Elektorni during the summer at Tähtitorni in Oulu’s Linnansaari and during the winter at 45 Special.

From an outsider’s perspective, it seems like the electronic music scene in Oulu is personified in Oivo. However, he does not endorse this idea, even though Tauriainen believes that at one point, Oivo was the only active organizer in the area.

“I fully disagree. All of this is by no means all on my shoulders. Sure, at one point there were less events happening in Oulu, but nowadays there are lots of active organizers.”

“It was a bit quieter from 2000-2015, and many people didn’t attend the parties. But even during that time, there was fluctuation. The location of Oulu also plays a key role in all of it: the city is not a huge metropolis, and young people tend to move south.”

Oulu has style

New electronic music collectives have been established all over Finland.

Oivo notes that the rise in popularity has been evident in Oulu during the past 5-10 years as well. Vilma Kallunki agrees.

“We’ve been organizing club events with Cultish for four years now, and even during that time the scene has evolved a lot,” Kallunki amplifies. Kallunki says that there has been demand for both open and underground events organized by Cultish: the combination of music and visuals clearly appeals to their audience. Events organized by Cultish carry a recognizable visual style. The music is rooted in techno, but varies according to the venue and the theme of the party.

The scene is evolving in many ways in various different directions, and the artists draw influences from other subcultures without prejudice. The style of rave music varies from city to city: Oivo mentions that traditionally a lot of music from the UK has been played in Oulu. Many DJs have embraced the British sound, and Oivo’s club night, Children of Boom, featured UK music heavily.

“There’s a certain continuity here; it’s one of the defining characteristics of the Oulu sound. Then again, the UK sound is currently gaining a lot of traction across other parts of Europe,” he adds. “Back in the 90s, the music was predominantly European, especially British,” Tauriainen notes.

Where’s the party?

Where and what kind of underground parties are organized in Oulu? The organizers exchange long looks, and there is a long silence. Finally, Tauriainen responds: “Let’s just say that they exist.”

They wouldn’t be underground raves if they were public. The venues and locations remain secret. They do, however, share that several open-air parties are held in the forests around Oulu during the summer.

The organizers quickly and smoothly shift the topic to more public events. Kallunki tells that public parties are held at Nelivitonen (45 Special) and Kulttuurilaboratorio. He recalls a particularly memorable event: the pride-themed party thrown by Cultish a few years back.

Oivo says that it’s really nice to play at Elektorni, and it’s an open-air party since it’s not indoors but under the starry sky. Tauriainen also remembers that the first Time Tunnel at Valvesali was an extremely impressive experience.

There’s no point in asking more about the locations or nature of underground parties. They do happen, though.

Wild partying?

The party organizers feel most at home at small, underground parties, but huge festivals with tens of thousands people have their moments, as well. Tauriainen says that squat parties in abandoned houses in London are wild. “Once you leave, you can definitely say that you’ve experienced something.”

“I’ve been to some parties in London that, whew, I wouldn’t even talk about them out loud. At squat parties, homeless people sleep in the corners, junkies shoot up, and there’s insane drum’n’bass blasting. People party like crazy, sometimes until who knows when,” Tauriainen says, adding that the parties are not specifically drug-fueled parties, but it is one way to party.

Squat parties in London are a far cry from the reality of a small, northern city; but since the parties are secret, there are a lot of rumors circulating about them – some of which are not entirely true.

The organizers unanimously agree that drugs always come up in the conversations, even though in their experience people are more inebriated in bars. They all emphasize that people come to raves for the music.

And while drugs, particularly MDMA (aka ecstasy) are a part of rave culture and visible in the imagery and in dilated pupils, it’s not a topic the organizers like to discuss. Drugs make for sensational headlines and are an enticing subject, which often leads to exaggerated focus on them in the media. Similarly, the essence of Finnish rock music isn’t defined by flat beer.

“I want to keep drugs separate from the music and the events. It’s none of my business if someone uses before coming to a party. It’s a whole different matter if it turns into problematic use – that’s something that needs to be addressed,” Tauriainen emphasizes.

Vilma Kallunki emphasizes the importance of the principles of a safe space. Raves have unwritten rules and a code of conduct that people follow. Everyone is welcomed as they are. It’s forbidden – or atleast impolite – to film the party-goers, and people treat each other with respect.

Kallunki says that the freedom to express oneself in a non-judgemental environment is remarkable. For her, clothing is an important form of self-expression. Fantasy costumes and jeans with a T-shirt are both equally welcome.

It’s also an advantage that all the participants are somewhat like-minded. When everyone has a sense of what they’re getting into, the risk of conflicts is smaller compared to in bars, for example.

Kallunki says that she’s experienced significantly less bad behavior and harassment at underground parties than in restaurants or public parties.

“Fortunately, nowadays there are written rules that are shared with party-goers in advance and are displayed at the venue. People need to commit to them if they want to attend the party. This way, we can address any issues that arise,” Kallunki notes.

I want to party too!

What should you do if you want to party at an exclusive event? The organizers of underground parties say that it’s relatively easy to gain access to ug parties in Oulu. A step in the right direction is to attend the public parties, such as Elektorni, where you can meet like-minded people.

“Like the saying goes, those who ask will not get lost. References are not necessary, but there needs to be a certain level of familiarity for you to receive an invitation,” Tauriainen explains.

“It’s good to know someone from the scene or to be aware of other parties. In Oulu, the scene is quite open. If you’re interested in the music scene, you’ll definitely find your way in,” Kallunki says.

Raves will take you on a journey

What inspires people to organize raves and gather together to dance till the early hours of the morning? Do the music, the community, the exclusivity, the mystery, drugs and aesthetics explain it all?

Underground parties are organized with a DIY mindset and money doesn’t play a significant role in the events. The organizers emphasize that for them, hosting parties is, and always has been, about the fun and love of music.

Or, it can also be about the fact that at their best, raves can be a mystic experience:

The movement to the repetitive rhythm is ceaseless. The music, lights and smoke hit your body and all your senses with tremendous force. You are the person or entity you want to be at that moment. You’re free.

The experience can be primitive, almost shamanistic; the soul momentarily transcends this world. And while the experience can be enhanced, you can also enter another dimension without the aid of any shamanic substances. For a brief moment everyone is alone, yet simultaneously connected to one another and the universe.

Translation by Anna Tiira.

Julkaistu 23.9.202423.9.2024

Pete Huttunen

Humanistiopiskelija ja ite tehty kulttuuritoimittaja. Harrastuksena pahennuksen herättäminen kaiken maailman kulttuuririennoissa. Juttuja olen tehnyt metallifestareista oopperaan. Tarinoiden toimivuutta testaan lukemalla niitä ääneen kissalle.

Lue lisää:

A good servant, but a bad master

Artificial intelligence has been slowly developing over the years, until recently it has nearly exploded due to newest advancements. In conversations, it’s even compared to electricity thanks to its upheavals. Some are afraid that AI will take their jobs, but at the same time AI eases our lives greatly. Advancements in AI’s development have intrigued […]

Ilmiöt In English Tiede

TEKSTI Jere Laitinen

KUVAT Jenna Pakonen

Artificial intelligence has been slowly developing over the years, until recently it has nearly exploded due to newest advancements. In conversations, it’s even compared to electricity thanks to its upheavals. Some are afraid that AI will take their jobs, but at the same time AI eases our lives greatly.

Advancements in AI’s development have intrigued people ever since Alan Turing made his observations on artificial intelligence in the 1950s. Nowadays speaking of AI might arouse visions of independently thinking autonomous robots, which are slowly becoming more common in public services. Although this vision feels distant, recent advancements might make it a reality faster than previously thought. Professor Olli Silvén and professor emeritus Matti Pietikäinen, who have both meritoriously studied and popularised the development of AI, state in their new work Miten tekoäly vaikuttaa elämäämme 2050-luvulla? (How will AI affect our lives in the 2050s? Only in Finnish) that they believe AI to be an assistant of people, not a master.

Today the AI models developed by OpenAI and other AI companies can be applied to the work done by humans, from coding to teaching, information searching, marketing, and creative writing. ChatGPT, which has gained viral success, has actively provoked discussion over the possibilities it has to offer. The possibilities of AI are manifold, but at the same time the concern over its increasing presence in our everyday lives is growing.

In education, the presence and effects of AI have been widely recognized. This autumn the University of Oulu will introduce guidelines regarding AI in education. Despite these common guidelines, the possibilities offered by AI have challenged teachers to examine their course practices in a new light. The guidelines also leave some room for the teachers to assess their course policies in accordance with their own consideration.

The ethicality of profitable AI

ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer), published by the American OpenAI in November 2022, is an AI-based language model that can discuss with its user on an expert level. The user can ask it to write school essays, write the beginning of the user’s own story based on a given topic, open up problems in written code or explain the terms of quantum physics in a simple manner.

The AI in question has existed ever since 2018, after which newer and more intelligent versions of it have been developed. ChatGPT-4, published in March 2023, is the fourth version of the GPT language model and it’s already capable of achieving top scores in exams aimed at humans. As a new feature it can assess images with words and it can be used in different languages, for instance in Finnish.

Thanks to these advancements, ChatGPT has especially provoked discussion regarding the suitability of its use in studies. It’s not easy to tell apart whether an essay has been written by a student or ChatGPT. In Italy the use of ChatGPT has already been banned in March, and according to the supervising authority its use is seen to “expose underage children to completely inappropriate answers when compared with their level of development and awareness.” It’s also debatable whether ChatGPT adheres to EU’s general data protection regulations.

Finnish higher education institutions have also reacted to AI’s presence in the students’ lives. The guidelines introduced in August 2023 by the University of Oulu recognize AI’s inevitable effects on society and the academic world. The guidelines offer guiding principles on how to approach AI from the viewpoint of education.

For instance, the guidelines define that a teacher can decide if using AI is permitted during their certain course. This means that teachers can, within the limits of the guidelines, permit, prohibit, or limit the use of AI depending on what is pedagogically meaningful in relation to the learning objectives. The teacher can utilise AI for instance in the planning of courses, compiling assignments, and assessments. The guidelines emphasise that it’s important to have a shared understanding of what is permitted and prohibited.

OYY, which is responsible for advocating for the students’ rights, has taken part in the preparation of the guidelines. Mikko Hakoniemi, the vice chair of the board of OYY, sums up the guidelines completed in the spring of 2023 with the words transparency and equality. “In a multidisciplinary university, the role of AI will be manifold. Instead of clearly banning or permitting the use of it, the guidelines lead us towards open discussion in courses and towards sharing knowledge of new tools and their possibilities to all members of the community”, says Hakoniemi.

Although utilising AI has awakened opposing views on its ethicality even in Oulu, AI still doesn’t compensate for the students’ own thinking and it cannot graduate from a degree programme on the student’s behalf. The texts generated by AI still need to be checked for factual errors, and AI doesn’t offer any references. The University of Oulu’s guidelines for using AI in studies remind us that students are always responsible for the assignments they turn in, and texts and other creations crafted by AI cannot be presented as the student’s own or as references. The guidelines emphasise that AI doesn’t make up for personal learning, thinking, information processing, and training.

The accountability of using AI is crystallised into equality and following the ethical principles according to the University of Oulu’s guidelines. If AI is used on a certain course, every student must have the same possibilities to do so. In practice this means that assignments cannot demand the use of software that is not free. Ethicality is still based on following good scientific principles and on the same definition of cheating as before. Cheating means any actions the student takes to paint an incorrect picture of their competence.

AI can instead be utilised for instance to form exam questions by teachers. “The teachers can input their ideas on the site, which ChatGPT then turns into polished questions and perhaps gives new viewpoints on the topic. Quite many of the researchers and teachers understand that their questions must be demanding and varied, so that any misconduct cannot happen”, said Susanna Pirttikangas, the research director of the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at the University of Oulu, in an interview with Yle in January 2023.

It’s particularly because of misconduct that it’s important to create ethical guidelines and supervision mechanisms so that AI isn’t used for vandalism, manipulation or spreading false information. It’s important to be able to recognize information created by an AI. Although AI can answer demanding placement test questions with great success, the factual contents of its creations are still often inaccurate.

“In view of developing education, it’s important to assess AI and both its possibilities and threats analytically and many-sidedly. AI and its methods of application are developing quickly, and it’s good if education keeps up with this development”, describes Elina Niemitalo-Haapola, the programme manager of the Noste development programme. The University of Oulu’s guidelines on AI will be updated as needed, at least once per academic year.

AI in the world of art

In addition to regular texts, AI can also succeed in creative projects. Based on a given word or premise, AIs are capable of creating stories, poems, stock photos, and even works of art. The creations of AI are also ready within seconds, unlike humans’ creations which generally take up more time.

For instance, regarding art, AI has created new ways of thinking about what art actually is. AIs that create art have become more common especially in 2022, and these AIs include AIs such as DALL-E 2, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion. In the same year at the Colorado State Fair’s annual art competition, for the first time ever, an AI artwork won the award. The art piece in question is called “Théâtre D’opéra Spatial”. This piece of art was made by the artist Jason M. Allen, who faced criticism for winning the award although he had openly announced to have used the Midjourney AI in the creation of his artwork.

In Finland, the University of Tampere has studied the suitability of AI in arts with their UrbanAI Art project. The pieces created in the project were on display at the University of Oulu in March 2023. The AI created a new work of art every couple of seconds by combining features that had been programmed in advance. This way it’s theoretically possible to create a limitless amount of unique images with the materials at hand.

“This art piece raises questions about what art is and what artists are needed for”, said Jussi Lahtinen, the artist of UrbanAI Art project, in an Yle interview in March 2023.

In relation to the exhibition, it was deemed important to observe how people reacted to art created by AI. The presence of AI and robots in humans’ everyday life often increase anxiety and lessen the feeling of belonging. Art made by AI represents a new trend in the art world and the role of traditional artists, if an artist, or the AI they employ, creates art.

“Artists have always used tools and technologies in their work. Creating art has been collective, and perhaps AI for one deconstructs the myth about artists that there’s only one party creating new things”, said Atte Oksanen, a professor of social psychology, in an interview with Yle in March 2023. Oksanen leads the UrbanAI Art project at the University of Tampere.

Despite its threats, creating art this way can also create new opportunities. AI can be compared with a digital camera which was originally thought to take the jobs of illustrators and drawers because of its ability to capture exact images.

“The main point has always been the idea and the thought of what you as an artist are trying to convey. You use the tools that you have. It’s awesome that artists can use AI that’s capable of learning, because at the best there will be such interactions that feed both the AI and the artist,” said Arja Miller in Yle’s Kulttuuricocktail live show in the autumn of 2022.

In audiovisual productions on social media, the usage of AI is already common for experienced people. Instead of using the everlasting photo directories and their very limited contents, e.g. content creators on YouTube can create more varied, unique, and relevant illustrations than previously to illustrate their videos, enriching the viewing experience. Especially Midjourney seems to be in the favour of content creators in creating visual worlds and images.

Will AI take over future jobs?

Due to its fast and innovative development, AI has arisen questions about the ways it could change today’s society. Especially worrying is whether AI will take jobs traditionally done by humans, and if it will make it difficult to get jobs in different fields. In theory, the need for people would lessen in certain sections if AI took care of similar tasks more efficiently and without using the same amount of time as humans when creating texts and creative works.

AI would have the biggest impact on the jobs of educated experts, such as law firms, according to a study conducted by the universities of the USA. A news article in Helsingin Sanomat mentioned in March 2023 that according to a report by the American Goldman Sachs bank, AI might replace “a quarter of the current jobs in Europe and USA”.

On the other hand, according to the same report, the wider implementation of AI and ChatGPT “would increase the annual gross domestic product of the world by seven percent in ten years.” AI would automate certain simple tasks, which would free the workers to work on other, more profitable tasks. However, AI wouldn’t create new jobs according to the report.

It’s not wise to trust AI on completely independent work. It cannot think intelligently, so to speak, so it’s dependent on the restrictions and databases set by humans. For this reason it’s better suited for instance for defining terms and for simplifying difficult terms.

To keep AI from becoming too influential and threatening, for now there are certain means of restriction in use. For example, the sufficient development of supervision mechanisms and charging fees for using ChatGPT have held back the expansion of AI, but these practices are only temporary.

At the moment, the European Human Rights Council and the European Union are preparing their own legislature regarding the usage of AI, and at the centre of it are human rights questions. Anna-Mari Rusanen, a university lecturer and philosopher in Cognitive Science at the University of Helsinki, notes that implementing AI isn’t adaptable to all situations equally.

“The concern behind the hype is that we will automate everything, and that at the same time we won’t notice we are bringing forth an ideology we don’t actually want”, Rusanen said to Yle in February 2023.

Rusanen thinks that understanding algorithmic operations is slowly becoming a civic skill. In science the effects of AI are a point of fascination and there are high expectations for it, but at the same time, it’s important to remember its effects as it spreads. It’s still very important to keep the development of AI controlled so that the horrifying pictures painted by the media about self-driving cars and the revolution of robots wouldn’t become realised in a catastrophic and uncontrollable manner.

*The illustrations of this article have been crafted by real human hands.

* Translation: Jenni Isokääntä.

Julkaistu 5.10.20235.10.2023

Jere Laitinen

Oulun ylioppilaslehden toimitusharjoittelija. Opiskelutaustaltaan kokenut ainejärjestöaktiivi ja opiskelijavaikuttaja sekä innokas pelaaja ja kokkailija.

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Kaukana kotoa

Vaihto-opintoja markkinoidaan yhtenä parhaista tavoista hankkia kansainvälistä kokemusta. Oulun yliopistossa on valittavana useita eri vaihto-ohjelmia sekä satoja eri korkeakouluja niin Euroopassa, Pohjois-ja Etelä-Amerikassa, Aasiassa kuin Oseaniassa. Millainen kokemus vaihtojakso on? Kysyimme asiaa kahdelta viime lukuvuonna vaihdossa olleelta opiskelijalta. Pitkäaikaisen unelman täyttymys Oulun yliopistossa luokanopettajaksi opiskeleva Meri Jurvansuu oli 12-vuotias, kun hänen ystävänsä sisko oli palannut Australiasta […]

Ihmiset Ilmiöt In English Opiskelu

TEKSTI Tuuli Heikura

KUVAT Tuuli Heikura

Vaihto-opintoja markkinoidaan yhtenä parhaista tavoista hankkia kansainvälistä kokemusta. Oulun yliopistossa on valittavana useita eri vaihto-ohjelmia sekä satoja eri korkeakouluja niin Euroopassa, Pohjois-ja Etelä-Amerikassa, Aasiassa kuin Oseaniassa. Millainen kokemus vaihtojakso on? Kysyimme asiaa kahdelta viime lukuvuonna vaihdossa olleelta opiskelijalta.

Pitkäaikaisen unelman täyttymys

Oulun yliopistossa luokanopettajaksi opiskeleva Meri Jurvansuu oli 12-vuotias, kun hänen ystävänsä sisko oli palannut Australiasta ja kertoi kokemuksistaan upeasta ilmastosta, työskentelystä farmilla ja yleisesti vuodestaan maassa. Seitsemännellä luokalla nuori ilmoitti, että hän menee yliopistoon ja lähtee vaihtoon Australiaan.

Helmikuussa 2023 tuo unelma toteutui, kun Jurvansuu laskeutui Melbourneen ja aloitti puolen vuoden vaihtojakson Melbournen yliopistossa. “Kaukovaihtoihin pitää hakea todella aikaisin, joten tiesin lähdöstä jo vuotta ennen itse vaihdon alkamista”, Jurvansuu kertoo. Kaukokohteisiin hakuprosessi on muutenkin erilainen kuin esimerkiksi Erasmus-vaihtoon. Valintakriteereinä käytetään akateemisia perusteluita vaihtoon hakeutumiselle, motivaatiota, opintomenestystä ja kielitaitoa. SoleMove-hakemuksen lisäksi valintaprosessiin kuuluu ryhmähaastattelu. “Hakuprosessi oli aika raskas, mutta se todellakin kannatti”, Jurvansuu palaa muistelemaan epävarmaa hakuaikaa.

Jurvansuu palasi Australiasta heinäkuussa ja aloittaa nyt viimeisen vuoden opintojaan Oulun yliopistossa. Vajaan puolen vuoden vaihtojakso hidasti opintoja hieman, sillä hän ei pystynyt suorittamaan toista sivuainetta loppuun viime keväänä Australiasta. “Nyt minulla on vain hieman kirittävää tänä vuonna. Kyllä tässä joutuu töitä tekemään.” Valmistuminen ajallaan on kuitenkin edelleen mahdollista. “Ei minulla toisaalta ole myöskään kiire valmistua, jos työmäärä tuntuu liian suurelta”, hän lisää.

Vaihto-opiskelu on eittämättä rikastava ja arvokas kokemus ihan vain jo kansainvälistymisen näkökulmasta. Jurvansuun mielestä kuitenkaan ainakaan hänen tutkinto-ohjelmassaan mahdollisuudesta ei kerrota tarpeeksi. Ystäviensä kanssa keskustellessa hän on huomannut, että tutkinto-ohjelmien välillä on huomattavasti eroja, kuinka paljon vaihtoon lähtemiseen kannustetaan. Hän toivoisi, että vaihto-opiskelun mahdollisuutta painotettaisiin enemmän heti opintojen alusta.

Kulttuurikokemuksia

Vaikka Jurvansuu ei kokenut suurta kulttuurishokkia muuttaessaan yli 15 000 kilometrin päähän, oli esimerkiksi opiskelijan arki hyvin erilaista Melbournessa. “Opiskelu oli hyvin itsenäistä, kävin yliopistolla vain kahtena päivänä viikossa ja muut päivät tein itsekseni tehtäviä.” Myös opiskelijakulttuuri oli erilainen, esimerkiksi haalareita ei opiskelijoilla näe Australiassa. Yleensä opiskelijayhteisön tapahtumat olivat päiväsaikaan tapahtuvia, kuten piknikkejä tai kampuksella olevia tapahtumia, ja alkoholittomia.

Melbournea pidetään Australian kulttuurin ja taiteen keskuksena, eikä turhaan. “Melbournessa tapahtuu aina jotain. Usein lähdin vain kävelemään päämäärättömästi ja aina tuli jotain tapahtumia, kuten katutaidetta tai konsertteja eteen. Kaupungissa on myös paljon ilmaisia museoita.” Ilmaiset elämykset olivat opiskelijalle iso plussa, koska kaupunki on muuten melko kallis ja erityisesti asuminen on kallista Melbournessa. “Säästöjä kannattaa olla, jos lähtee Australiaan.”

Vaihto-opiskelussa toiseen kulttuuriin soluttautuessa altistuu vääjäämättä itselle uusille asioille, ja ainakin Jurvansuun oman kokemuksen mukaan se laajentaa maailmankatsomusta ja tietämystä kulttuureista. “Meille muodostui tiivis vaihtareista koostunut porukka, jossa hoksasimme, että meillä kaikilla oli eri uskonto. Opin enemmän uskonnoista tuona aikana kuin ikinä koulussa”, hän kertoo esimerkkinä.

Oppeja ja itsevarmuutta

Vaihto-opintoihin asti sosiaalinen ja muiden seurasta nauttiva Jurvansuu oli vältellyt yksinoloa. Vaihdossa hänen täytyi opetella olemaan myös yksin. “En ole koskaan ollut noin paljon itsekseni kuin Melbournessa. Opin nauttimaan omasta seurastani ja yksin asioiden tekemisestä.” Hän kuitenkin kertoo, että tunsi olonsa välillä yksinäiseksi ja jos nyt saisi päättää, hän olisi valinnut ajalle kimppakämpän. “Ajattelin silloin, että minulla olisi epämukava olo asua tuntemattomien kanssa. Olisi kuitenkin ollut kiva, jos olisi ollut aina joku, jolle jutella.” Vaihtoaika opettikin arvostamaan läheisiä entistä enemmän. Hän lähes herkistyy puhuessaan, kuinka perheen ja ystävien merkitys korostui ja erossa vietetty aika sai tajuamaan, kuinka rakkaita ihmisiä hänellä on ympärillään.

Alkuun Jurvansuu myös koki, että omaa persoonaa oli vaikea tuoda esille englanniksi. Puhelias ja sarkastiseen huumoriin tottunut huomasi, että vaikka hän puhui hyvin englantia, hän ei pystynyt reagoimaan keskusteluissa yhtä nopeasti ja nokkelasti kuin omalla äidinkielellään. “Aluksi ajattelin, että nyt kaikki luulevat, että olen ihan tylsä. Englanti kuitenkin parani todella paljon ja nopeasti, ja tämäkin helpottui vaihdon myötä”, Jurvansuu muistelee.

Vaikka tuleva luokanopettaja ei lähtenyt vaihtoon niinkään akateemisen puolen vuoksi, merkittävimpiä asioita, joita hän otti vaihtovuodesta mukaansa, olivat akateemisten taitojen kehittyminen ja opintoihin panostaminen. Jurvansuu kertoo, että Australian korkeaan tasoon pyrkivä opiskelukulttuuri vaikutti häneen positiivisesti ja kannusti panostamaan kurssisuorituksiin. “Opin kirjoittamaan todella hyviä esseitä”, hän yksilöi.

Vaihtoaika vahvisti Jurvansuun tahtoa hakeutua valmistumisen jälkeen vapaaehtoistöihin. Hän kokee, että uuteen hyppääminen ja toiselle puolelle muuttaminen toi rohkeutta ja varmuutta omasta identiteetistä. “Tuli varmuutta, että kyllä mä pärjään ja pystyn. Nyt kynnys lähteä uuteen ja tuntemattomaan on matalampi.”

Jurvansuu kannustaa kaikkia lähtemään vaihtoon. “Se on niin rikastuttava kokemus tulevaisuuden, kielitaidon ja itsevarmuuden kannalta.” Hän myös muistuttaa, kuinka ainutlaatuinen mahdollisuus se on kokea uutta. “Ei samankaltaista mahdollisuutta välttämättä ikinä myöhemmin elämässä tule, se kannattaa todellakin hyödyntää.”

All about education

When Jian Lee, 32, decided to spend a year in France she had only one goal – getting a degree. Jian had come to Finland to get her Master’s in Marketing just under a year ago when she moved again to study the second part of her degree in Bourdeaux, France. The arrangement was included in her Master’s studies as a double degree program student.

Double degree programs are available in Oulu Business School for a limited amount of students. In the program a student receives a Master’s degree from two universities having studied in both for one year.

Lee knew the year in France would not be about getting experiences, travelling or other traditionally associated activities during one’s exchange year but full-on studying. “I wrote my thesis remotely and went to courses in France, it was quite hectic”, Lee explains. She would be completing her degree in Oulu Business School simultaneously with another tuition in France.

But she didn’t mind. Finland was already the international experience she had longed for. This was about education.

Lee felt that the more European degrees she can get the better for employment. Now graduated Master of Science plans to stay in Finland and going to France was a milestone for achieving this goal.

“I felt that having various degrees in European countries it might be easier to get a job. Some people may feel like they want to get the foreign experience but in my case it was different because I was already a foreigner in Finland. I needed a degree, a diploma.”

Even though Lee went to Bordeaux with one sole purpose in mind, in time she realized there was more to take away from the journey. “I was really busy and swamped, but I tried to find small windows of periods of time to go out in the city. I enjoyed the small stuff.” She mentions the good food and wineries of Bordeaux.

Set a purpose for why you are going there. It will help you keep yourself uplifted in times of doubt.

It’s not all sunshine and roses

Being in a melting pot of people with different backgrounds made Lee aware of the diversity issues she was confronted with on a daily basis. “Diversity was just a textbook concept for me, but after experiencing the negative and positive things I learned how to deal with and manage issues with diversity”, she explains.

Having to meet new people from all over the world was also the greatest gift. “I made many international friends.The study program offers a lot of opportunities to be mixed with people from different backgrounds from all over the world.”

She also feels that being around people from different cultures expands one’s perspective. “The more I experience different cultures the more I can think about the person instead of the culture”, Lee says. During that year she learned to focus on the people she meets instead of the culture they represent. Once she opened her mind it helped her to grow as a global citizen of the world. This lesson has stayed with her after returning to Finland. “I proved many stereotypes to be wrong.”

For anyone thinking about going to exchange or preparing to leave, Lee has two pieces of advice. “First, set a purpose for why you are going there. It will help you keep yourself uplifted in times of doubt. Second, be open. Don’t have too many stereotypes. Learning about the culture beforehand is wise, but too much prevents you from having smooth experiences.”

Julkaistu 20.9.202326.2.2024

Tuuli Heikura

Oulun ylioppilaslehden päätoimittaja ja kauppatieteiden maisteri, joka nauttii syväluotaavista ilmiöjutuista, kuluttaa lenkkipolkuja kahden koiransa kanssa ja haaveilee mankelin omistamisesta.

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Part 2. Cultural Shocks: Is the grass always greener?

One of the most common challenges for anyone moving to a new country is adapting to the new culture, traditions, and habits while retaining their identity at the same time. Being an international student coming from an Arabic country outside of Europe, I had a lot of thoughts regarding my identity moving to Finland for […]

Ilmiöt In English Kulttuuri

TEKSTI Moustafa Khairi

KUVAT Maiju Putkonen

One of the most common challenges for anyone moving to a new country is adapting to the new culture, traditions, and habits while retaining their identity at the same time. Being an international student coming from an Arabic country outside of Europe, I had a lot of thoughts regarding my identity moving to Finland for studying for a master’s degree. Based on my personal experience, I can say it is quite challenging to retain your identity but it is doable, and at the end of the day, it is a choice!

It is hard because of many different reasons that make the two countries almost completely different. Differences starting from for instance the core beliefs to even the food, making a living in a foreign country, not an easy job. On the other hand, no one can force you to do anything that you do not believe in. You have the freedom to choose whatever you want to do without being judged, which also makes it a tough responsibility.

I could write a lot about the different traditions and habits I have experienced living a year in Finland, but I would like to focus more on the Finnish people. Unlike the stereotype, most of the Finns, from my point of view, are friendly but you just need to start the conversation. I have been involved in quite many student associations and communities and have always felt appreciated being just present. Sometimes, I am the only international person in a room of more than 20 people and all of them just switch to English to keep me engaged with them while they do not actually need or have to do that. A few are even fine with struggling to speak their non-native language for the same purpose mentioned.

In supermarkets, for instance, people welcome you with a heartwarming smile, not only when you enter the place but also when you are done and leaving. In buses, it is kind of a tradition to wave to the bus driver thanking him/her for the ride before you get off the bus, and at the same time, he/she waves back and yes, this happens with almost every single passenger!

Most of the people are willing to help whenever they are asked and sometimes they even take initiative. Through my early weeks in Finland, I was waiting for my train at the railway station at it’s expected track and it was almost 4 minutes before the scheduled leaving time and it had not arrived yet. Then, people started leaving the track slowly and I was not sure what was happening. Before heading to someone to ask, three guys standing on the opposite track noticed that I did not start moving as well and most probably I did not understand the Finnish instructions. They reached out explaining that the train changed its track due to a storm that happened and it is going to arrive at a different track and in addition, they offered to guide me to the new track due to the time limitation.

Being appreciated and welcomed, most of the time, is one of the best feelings I experienced living in Finland.

Julkaistu 14.3.20221.2.2023

Moustafa Khairi

A Machine Learning thesis worker at Nokia and a Computer Science master's student at the University of Oulu. Also, I am the Founder and Lead of Google DSC in Oulu, Slush group lead, and next president of AIESEC in Oulu.

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Part 1. Cultural Shocks: Is the grass always greener?

(Mis)understandings amidst the endeavor of a foreigner adapting to Finnish culture. “Place where you be, do as you see” says a Peruvian saying. It is quite useful to blend into any cultural environment by being aware of the differences, to identify them and replicate them. Better to ride the beast than letting the beast ride […]

Ilmiöt In English Kolumni Kulttuuri

TEKSTI Pablo Santur

(Mis)understandings amidst the endeavor of a foreigner adapting to Finnish culture.

“Place where you be, do as you see” says a Peruvian saying. It is quite useful to blend into any cultural environment by being aware of the differences, to identify them and replicate them. Better to ride the beast than letting the beast ride you, isn’t it? I mean, either you are an international student or a local with international friends, this close contact with someone from a different culture for sure would have some impact on you.

This change is not accidental, neither exempt of conflict. Since we are social beings, we try to mix with the people surrounding us. At the same time, when hitting a new place, we are carrying our bag of beliefs and perceptions. In my own experience, after living in Buenos Aires for some years I went back to Lima with my voice volume a few levels higher, and a more straightforward attitude. If I left Peru being a quiet and reserved person, I came back as a loud and straightforward one.

What is happening to me here in Finland? A mix of everything. First living in Oulu and now married to a Finnish woman, I have Finnish culture in and out of home. And that has created some interesting, funny, or awkward moments. In any case, they helped me to learn more and get a deeper sense of how to behave in the local environment.

Trust above all

Sometimes I tell my wife that to take her to Peru I must train her, to change her trust beliefs. I mean, it has many lovely traditions and people are warm and celebratory, but it also has a problem with respect and trust. And same in most of Latin America. To give you an example, when I was 17, I was robbed two blocks away from home. Concerned, my mom called the police, and then I had this dialogue with a lady police officer:

OFFICER      Did you try to run?
ME                No.
OFFICER      (a little bit surprised) But you tried to knock on someone else’s door?
ME                (shier) Mmm… no.
(Long and uncomfortable pause)
OFFICER      You need to learn how to defend yourself, young man.

I was embarrassed. Double embarrassed, for letting myself be robbed and for the later reprimand. It was my responsibility to take care of myself, which also included being aware of the potential robbers. Something similar happened in my university. If my belongings were robbed, it was my fault for not watching them. So, I learned how to go around the city, always aware of the surroundings.

With that background, you can imagine now what a big deal it was for me to leave my jacket on the hangers during winter. Yep, leaving them unguarded, in no locker. Free for anyone to take.

It took me almost half a year to gather the confidence to leave it there. It was a cold day, and I could barely focus on class, imagining myself going back home just with my shirt. Walking down back to the green rack, my heart was pounding. When I found it, I felt like a parent picking his child after the first day at the daycare. Joyful and relieved.

Since then, I am more confident about leaving my clothes in the common areas or leaving my backpacks on my seat while going to buy food on the train. However, I still lock my bike. Several posts on Facebook suggest robbers here do not care about money or laptops, but their obsession is those devices with two tires.

The nuances of the system

When I go to the hospital emergency room, I know where I must go just by following the lines on the floor (red, green, yellow, black). I know what percentage to pay for taxes and what my retirement fund is. In need of a bus, I know at what time it is coming.

The system here is planned and effective. So, when I got appendicitis and was taken to the hospital, I thought that everything was settled just by giving them my personal ID. Convinced of this, I had a pleasant stay at the hospital, thinking of how well articulated the system was: just with my ID they were able to contact the insurance company that I put in my migratory application. Success. I left the hospital with this feeling. But unluckily it did not last forever.

It was a day like any other when I received the bill. It was not only for the operation, but also included the penalties for late payment. I was perplexed. I left the hospital with no one telling me anything about a bill. Now I also had to cover extra costs. Why did the nurses not tell me this? I asked this to the people in charge of the bill. “It is not their job”, they replied. And I got perplexed again.

In my previous hometown, although there were abysmal differences between the private and public healthcare system, they both shared something: if you owe them something related to your treatment YOU MUST PAY before leaving. With this background, I was struggling to understand how here everything was so different.

Although grateful for such a lovely attention, I felt a little bit bitter because of the misunderstanding. I mean, after receiving an explanation in the integration course about sexual consent and that I could not circumcise my children without the doctor consent, I was expecting something a little more detailed. Especially when there was money involved. Anyway, I paid straight away and began the process with the insurance company. However, some weeks later, there was another bill. And in this case, it came after they took the money from my bank account. This time I was just furious.

By the point I got the bills, I came back from another country after declining a doctorate position offer. What if I would have left Finland and stayed there? The local services would have lost the money. Maybe even got the impression that this guy with a foreigner name did not want to pay it, when in reality I was not even aware of how the system worked and no one explained to me.

After that I make no assumptions. Even if I sound dumb, I always ask all questions to avoid problems. It feels a little bit like back in school, when asking teachers the questions that my friends did not dare to ask to keep looking cool. Since there is enough cool here, I don’t have to worry about that.

Around flexibility

Studying my Bachelor, I used to have a friend who invited me to go for a beer whenever we met. “Now?” was my usual response, and it always preceded her laugh. For her I was a manic who had to plan everything at least a couple of days ahead. And in that sense, I feel that Finland and I had a wonderful relationship.

Do you remember that application that I said I declined? Well, one of the main reasons that led me to make that decision was the lack of planning. I could not get paid, because I did not have the local ID. To obtain it required around two months, but I only received the acceptance letter from the university two weeks before. After having lived in Finland for a couple of years, that was just impossible to bear.

However, during my studies I also unveiled some other aspects that differ from the usual Finnish thorough planning approach. I explain, before coming to Finland, I used to work as a university teacher in Peru. Mostly with experience in profit-oriented organizations, I was required to grade students several times during the semester. More exactly, three to four grades for practical exercises, and two for mid and end-term tests. And the administration assessed me, according to my compliance with the academic calendar. So, if I was late entering the grades, I would get a call from the coordinator to have a “nice chat” about my performance.

After these experiences, I was somehow manic to deliver all my assignments on time. I could eat or sleep later, but it had to be a well done and punctual delivery. So, you can imagine my surprise when hearing a teacher saying:

TEACHER     Just deliver it when you finish it
(Long pause of disbelief)
ME                 What?
TEACHER     Is it not clear?
ME                 So, no deadline?
TEACHER     No, just finish it.

And those words bring pure joy and bliss to my heart. I disliked that course from the bottom of my heart, but now I had until whenever I pleased to complete the final task. Not next week, neither the end of the semester. No, it was just me and my free will to deal with it. Well, kind of, because I still had to finish the university in two years or pay the corresponding fees.

I did not think about that task again until my classmates started to wonder why we did not get the grades yet. Then, I made peace with the course and deal with the assignment. I finished it during the weekend and send it. It was 67 days after the course finished (I just counted them again for the purposes of this article). The next day we all had our grades. I got a 5, but the guilt of delaying everyone else’s grades made me promise never to delay an assignment again.

With this article I do not pretend to make a generalization of the Finnish society, I just share things according to my own experiences during my time here.

When I came here, I thought that Finland was heaven on Earth. Now, I realized that as any other society, it has its pros and cons. Most of my experiences here had been sweet, and the few bitter moments did not alter my perception that this is a really organized country that cares for people. I am now curious to see how Finland would look in a few years, when more and more foreigners settle down on it.

Julkaistu 7.3.20221.2.2023

Pablo Santur

Learning specialist in thesis writing mode. Former TV scriptwriter. Foodie. Anime lover. Twitter: @pablodsantur