Erasmus experience in Tampere, Finlandia by Edoardo

What led you to go to Tampere, Finland?

The feeling of visiting a country and

confronting myself with a culture

with which I would never have been put into contact otherwise.

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How long does the scholarship lasts for? How much money does one become as financial aid?

The scholarship lasts for 10 months and one usually receives 200 euros per month.

What's the student life in Tampere like?

Awesome. It seems like being in a college like those in American movies.

Would you recommend the city and the university of Tampere to other students?

Yes, I'd heartily recommend it.

What's the food of the country like?

Different from the Italian food but one easily gets used to it.

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Was it difficult to find accommodation in Tampere?

It's more expensive that it is in Italy for sure, especially considering the price of alcoholic drinks. But the difference regarding other goods isn't that big.

How is it going with the language? Did you attend any language course at the university?

It was hard speaking English the first days, I wasn't used to thinking and speaking English all day long but after one week one adapts oneself.

Finnish is a language whose vocabulary is completely different from ours. It is not that difficult to learn the grammar though. If you studied Latin at high school it'll prove easy for you to learn the grammatical structures.

What's the cheapest way to get to Tampere from your city?

By bus, the route is well connected, even during the night there's a bus every hour.

Where do you recommend going out at night?

There's plenty of clubs and I have only visited a few so far, but they are all very nice and the entrance is very cheap, 5 euros maximum.

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And what about eating out in Tampere? Could you please tell us your favorite places?

I haven't tried any restaurant in the city yet.

Cultural spots that are worth a visit?

The city centre is very nice, as Tampere was once an industrial city. The main attractions are the observation towers, from which you can get an amazing view.

Any advice to give to coming students in Tampere?

As soon as you get the opportunity, apply for a flat becauuse the demand usually exceeds the supply, and at that point you'll have to look for an accommodation privately; if you're still undecided about staying a semester or the whole year choose the second scenario and make sure you have enough energy and exuberance. Forget Italian universities where the university only means studying, here the university also means partying, doing sport and many other awesome activities.

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If you should come here only to study, please pick another destination, there are lots of other universities that are as good as this one, and give way to those intending to spend their Erasmus having fun as ever... studying as well obviously.