Experience report
ANR: 989820
Name: Luuk Simeon Bolscher
E-mail: lbolscher@gmail.com
Exchange semester: Fall semester
Academic year: 2013
Host University: Turku University (Turku School of Economics)
Country: Finland
TOPIC: Admission, arrival, housing
How was your arrival organized? Did someone pick you up from the airport/station? Was an
orientation or introduction activity organized? How was accommodation organized? Does the
university provide you with accommodation? What kind of accommodation does the university provide?
Did you have to book your accommodation in advance or did you have to search for a place to live
after you arrived?
When I arrived in Turku, Finland I was picked up by my Finnish Tutor at the airport. Together we went
to the apartment (found on the private market, since the university accommodations were already
filled up completely) and arranged the details with the owners. After a few days of getting settled in
the city, the orientation days took place, in which we were provided with the most essential
information regarding our studies at Turku University.
TOPIC: Location of university/city
Please describe the city you lived in. Where is the university located in the city? What is the best
place to go to eat/drink/dance/do sports/etc.? What are interesting things to see and do in your host
city? What was different than in Tilburg?
Turku is a really nice city for an exchange student. It is not too big, so everything can easily be done
by foot/bike, and also the public transportation system (busses) drive frequently to practically every
location in town. The center is really dynamic and full of life, which provides many good places in
which a drink or a bite to eat can be arranged. The cathedral, castle, national library and the river are
in my opinion the most interesting attractions in Turku. Also Ruissalo island, situated 20 minutes away
from the center by bus, is really nice to go to; a lot of nature can be seen here and there are several
opportunities to experience a real Finnish sauna (and afterwards a short swim in the Baltic sea). It is
in my opinion different than Tilburg, since there is more liveliness in the city. Also the fact that there is
a lot of nice nature around the city, makes it different than Tilburg.
TOPIC: Academics
Which courses did you take and why? Which courses would you recommend? What did the courses
add to your program at Tilburg University? How does the university compare to Tilburg University
concerning the level of the courses, use of extra material, level of English, workload, etc.? Overall,
were you happy with your academic achievements during your exchange? Please describe the
campus of your host university.
I took several courses, mainly aimed at international business and innovation. The reason that I chose
these courses was that I did not experiences similar courses in Tilburg and I would like to focus more
on the concept of innovation. The courses are smaller and more interactive than the ones I
experiences in Tilburg. This is mainly caused by the fact that the bachelor ‘Bedrijfseconomie’ has a lot
of subscriptions each year. The admissions to Turku School of Economics are much lower, which
enhances the quality of education in my opinion. The workload was a bit higher than I was used to in
my bachelors in Tilburg. Of course this can be explained by the fact that I was following Master
courses in Turku. The level of English in Turku School of Economics was good. It is hard to compare
it with Tilburg, since I had a bachelor which was taught in Dutch. The campus of Turku University is
somehow bigger than the one in Tilburg, which is partly explained by the fact that Turku University
has more faculties than Tilburg. The buildings are however situated pretty close to each other, and
most of the courses from one faculty take place in its own building (in my case the building of Turku
School of Economics). Overall I am very happy with my academic achievements during my exchange.
TOPIC: Social life
Which social activities organized by the university or students? Did you have contact with local
students? Did you have contact with other exchange students? How did you get along with the local
students and other exchange students? Did you travel to other places/countries during your exchange?
The contact with the Finnish students was in my case not that good, since the opportunities for this
were somehow less present than the chances to meet other exchange students. In this latter case I
have met some interesting people, and we joined each other for multiple trips to Stockholm, Tallinn,
St. Petersburg and Lapland. Besides these places I also travelled with my girlfriend (who was also
studying in Turku) to Aland, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Oslo and some smaller cities/places in Finland.
TOPIC: Living costs
How did you finance your exchange period, apart from the grant you received from Tilburg University?
What were your living expenses abroad like compared to Tilburg? What did you spend most of your
money on? What would you advice future students to spend their money on? Please outline your
approximate monthly budget whilst on exchange: housing, food, textbooks, etc.
I financed my trip from the TiU grant, personal savings, funding from my parents and loaned money
from DUO. The expanses were somehow higher, since food/drinks are more expensive in Finland
than back home. The living costs for the apartment were pretty much the same. A lot of extra
expenses were made in my case on travelling, but this was totally worth the money.
TOPIC: Culture
Did you experience culture shock while on exchange? How would you compare your host culture to
your own culture? What did you learn about your own culture while on exchange? What was different
about your host culture than you expected? What did you like and not like about your host culture? Do
you feel you learned a lot about your host culture, and if not, what would you like to learn more? How
would you describe your host countries culture? If you travelled to other cities/countries during your
exchange, were they different than your host city/country, and how?
I did not experience a culture shock on my exchange. This is partly explained by the fact that Finland
is not really different than the Netherlands. They are in my opinion more independent, more silent and
more down to earth, but this is pretty similar to my own character. Besides, I have usually no big
problems with adapting to other cultures, in fact; this is one of the things I like most about going
abroad. More differences could be detected in St. Petersburg and Tallinn, in which people are more
sober. However, these cities have also a lot of ‘western’ characteristics, which provides also
similarities with countries such as Finland and the Netherlands.
TOPIC: Personal development
What did you learn from the people you met during your exchange? Would you do things differently if
you had the chance, and what would you do differently? What was your best experience, and what
was your worst experience? What will you remember for ever about your exchange period? What was
the most important lesson you learned about yourself during your exchange period?
I learned more about cultural habits of different countries and the way people differ in their thinking
processes. This is in my opinion valuable in future meetings with people from other countries/parts of
the world. My best experience was the trip to Lapland, in which we undertook some amazing activities.
The worst experience was in my opinion the day that I heard our family dog had passed away (after
being part of the family for 15 years). This was somehow difficult, because I would have loved to be at
home with my parents and sister at that time. The most important lesson that I have learned during
my time in Finland is to enjoy EVERY day of life, since it goes by very, very fast. In the beginning I
tought I had more than enough time in Turku, but later on I realized that this is not the case. This
made me certainly think about my future (personal and career) steps. This resulted in the fact that I
decided to stop my masters in Tilburg, since I came in contact with a program which is more
interesting for me.
TOPIC: Tips for future students
Would you recommend an exchange period? Would you recommend your host university? What
should prospective students bring with them/leave behind? What preparation is required for going on
exchange to this destination? Was there anything you should have done in preparation that you didn’t
do?
I would DEFINITELY recommend an exchange period for everyone who is considering it. It was one
of the best periods of my life as a student and developed me in multiple ways. A good tip for students
who want to go on an exchange is look for forums on the internet, which deal with packing lists,
experiences and other kind of tips. But, don’t take to much with you; be selective in this process! You
know best what is really necessary and with what you could do a few months without. I would not
have changes my preparations in any way.
TOPIC: A picture is worth a thousand words
If you took any pictures or made any videos that you would like to share with future exchange
students, please include them (or e-mail them separately). Pictures that show your daily life or
symbolize your exchange period are especially interesting for future exchange students.
See email.