Before coming on my trip, I had very little background knowledge about Finland, and honestly, I was a little nervous about going. However, by the end of my experience, it was hard to leave. Choosing Finland turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. The country had such a refreshing, calm, and balanced lifestyle that I realized I had been missing. I really got to enjoy the winter months and experience the cold, harsh conditions of the Nordic climate firsthand. One of the most unforgettable parts of my experience was seeing the Aurora Borealis. It honestly felt unreal. I also had the opportunity to travel all the way to the top of Norway and go into the Arctic Ocean, which was something I never imagined I would get to experience in my lifetime. During the summer months, I experienced something completely new compared to life back home in Arizona. The sun would rise around 4:00 a.m. and would not fully go down until around 11:30 p.m. The long days gave everything a different feeling and made the country feel full of energy, even late at night.
Another thing that stood out to me during my studies was Finland’s strong focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility. In several of my courses at Jamk University of Applied Sciences, I noticed how professors consistently emphasized sustainability and how important it is for businesses to think long-term rather than only focusing on short-term profits.In my Experience Design class, sustainability came into play when we discussed the idea that successful businesses are not always the biggest or most expensive ones. Sometimes, all a business really needs is passionate people and customers who genuinely enjoy the experience being offered. It showed me that hospitality is not always about maximizing profit, but also about creating meaningful experiences and making people happy.In my Human Resource Management course, we talked a lot about longevity in hospitality businesses and how companies need sustainable business models if they want to survive and succeed for many years. This changed the way I think about leadership and business planning. In my Food and Beverage Business course, we focused heavily on sustainability and food waste. We discussed how waste affects the environment and explored creative ways businesses can recycle and make use of parts of food that many people normally throw away without thinking. It was interesting to see how much effort is put into reducing waste and protecting the environment.
Throughout my studies at Jamk, sustainability felt deeply built into the curriculum. As an American student, I think sustainability should become a bigger focus in more programs and industries back home because it is clearly becoming more important in the future of hospitality and business management. Overall, I had an amazing experience in Finland and made friendships and connections that will last a lifetime. I truly have no regrets about studying abroad, and I enjoyed every moment of my time there. It is an experience I would not trade for anything in the world. To anyone who has the opportunity to study abroad, I would absolutely recommend doing it. It pushes you outside of your comfort zone, changes your perspective on life, and gives you experiences that stay with you forever.
