Maailmalta Martsariin - Paula Saksasta

What’s your name?

Minun nimi on Paula.

How long will you study abroad?

I will study abroad for one year.

What has studying abroad been like? 

For me it has been quite good, but it is often a bit difficult because of the language. I always try to understand what the teacher is saying and sometimes I get it, but most of the time I still have to use a translator or ask other people because I don’t know enough Finnish. Besides that, studying here in Finland has been a great experience because the school system is different from the one in Germany and I really like it. 

Why did you want to come to Finland?

I wanted to come to Finland because I have always been interested in the northern countries and I heard many things about Finland being a nice country to live in. I also like to be outside and Finland has a beautiful nature. And I wanted (and still want) to learn Finnish. 

How is school in Germany different from school in Finland? (studying, food, holidays)

School in Germany is different from the school system here. I have the impression that here, the students and the teachers are more on the same level. In Germany the teachers are mostly seen as if they are on a higher level or stand above the students and you can’t call them by their first name. I also think that in Finland, school is a bit more relaxed and the students are more independent in their studying. In Germany there are two half-year periods, all the exams are during the whole school year and you can’t make your schedule yourself. The school lunch isn’t free and many people go somewhere to get their food or bring their own lunch. The holidays depend on the region you live in, I always had 6 weeks of summer holidays and then autumn, christmas and easter holidays. 

Have you traveled to different countries before?

I have been to some foreign countries like the US, France or the Netherlands, but during the last few years I have mostly been to places in Germany. 

What’s the best thing about Finland?

I can’t really say that, I think there are so many good things and I really enjoy being here. For example as I said, I think the school system is better. I also have the impression that people are very polite and a bit more relaxed. And of course there is snow, which is really nice because there has been very little snow in the last winters. 

What would you like to tell about Germany?

Something that I think is quite typical for Germany are all the bakeries where you can get many different kinds of bread, bread rolls and cake. I was a bit surprised when I didn’t see any bakery here, in Germany they are everywhere and for example in the lunchbreak at school I was able to get to three or four different bakeries within just five minutes of walking. Another thing is that during christmas time you can find christmas markets in every city and they are often quite big and always crowded. 

Haastattelu: Nella ja Sirius

Teksti ja kuvat: Paula Auer