I had never seen snow before, it was a real surprise!
Nancy Ibeere recalls her arrival in wintry Finland about a year ago with a warm smile. Nancy moved to Lappeenranta from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, to study cleaning and property services at Sampo. She has gotten accustomed to the new environment and weather conditions and reflects on her year in Lappeenranta.
I found out about the training through my aunt. I study here because I think education is better here, says Nancy, emphasising the high quality of Finnish education.
She warmly recommends Sampo to international students who want to learn about working life and language:
Sampo offers a much better chance to learn the Finnish language and work culture than, for example, universities.
Nancy has previously worked in customer service in a healthcare facility and also did cabin crew studies back in Kenya. She has now moved on to study cleaning and property services, but has also found time to enjoy leisure, the Finnish nature and especially the warm summertime.
The vocational studies include a lot of work-based learning, and Nancy has worked in cleaning services in local social and health care facilities. She praises the work placements as good and educational, and the work placements have helped her to get to know the working culture.
I have learned a lot. Here, working hours are also strictly observed and employees are not automatically expected to work overtime, she says.
Sampo’s culture of community and the support of fellow students has helped her and other international students to adapt to their new environment and to progress in their studies. As for her future plans, Nancy says she hopes to graduate this year and gain more work experience in Finland.