"The future prepares itself for us." - Interview with fresh TAMK graduate Oana Syrjäläinen

The journey is over - at least for the over 800 students who successfully graduated from TAMK during this spring.
One of them is Oana Syrjäläinen, who studied for 4 years in the Degree Programme in Tourism and graduated on June 8th as Bachelor of Hospitality Management.
There are uncountable experiences and impressions to collect during the time as a student and Oana shared some of them with us.

Why did you decide to apply to TAMK in the first place?
Oana: I actually got the idea to apply for TAMK (or PIRAMK at the time) one day before the application period ended (February 2009). It came as a surprise even to me that I wanted to apply, as I was not previously considering going back to school (after having already 2 BA degrees from Romania). I guess we are not always preparing for the future, but the future prepares itself for us. Tourism felt like a natural choice, also from my recently discovered love of travelling and because the programme was taught in English.

What kind of benefits and opportunities did TAMK give you?
Oana: TAMK gave me opportunities to work and study abroad, though Erasmus programmes, which enriched my life through new experiences and the people I have met while on exchange.
In addition, for me the practical training was an excellent chance to get to know the hospitality industry from the worker's point of view also and opened the path to working life in Finland, something most people might take for granted but not a given for us, foreign students, who struggle with language and culture barriers.

Were there any unforgettable moments that need to be mentioned?
Oana: I cannot speak of "unforgettable moments" but I can speak of unforgettable people: my colleagues are beautiful people from all over the world and I am happy to have met every single one of them! I feel that we have learned a lot from each culture and that we have come together as a small team during these years.

How was the graduation ceremony?
Oana: It was great that I actually had butterflies while at the ceremony, it is I guess a unique feeling for me and for the other nowadays alumni to know that studies are over, new challenges lie ahead and we no longer have to stress about exams, bachelor thesis and credits anymore. The ceremony itself was pleasantly concise and the speakers wittily entertaining, with subtle cross references on previous speeches, uncommon for these type of events, I think. Clearly a good decision to be part of it! Bonus for me was that I got to speak to Markku Lahtinen (President, Managing Director of TAMK) during the coffee-and-cake event, it was a perfect ending to the studies.

Do you have specific plans for the future?
Oana: I am one of the lucky graduates not to find themselves in front of a big question mark about the future, as I am already part of the team that opened in July 2012 Tampere's "youngest" hotel, so I will continue working in the same place.

Would you recommend applying to TAMK to other students?
Oana: Yes, I would recommend TAMK to future students. TAMK is young, dynamic and, in addition to wide fields of study, there is a visible "fun" culture through international events and club gatherings. Basically, I think there is something for everyone on offer, no matter how demanding and what is more appealing, anyone can get involved and be a part of it.
As for studying, tourism is still one of my favourite topics, so I definitely recommend future students to take up courses in tourism, it opens up the taste for travelling beyond imagination. And a piece of advice for all those pondering whether to go abroad for a semester or not: DO IT, you will become part of a community that will give you amazing memories and you will meet people that might change your life!

Oana Syrjäläinen at the graduation ceremony

Text: Oana Syrjäläinen, Bachelor of Hospitality Management; Annika Dillenburger, Trainee, International Services
Photo: Oana Syrjäläinen

Tour de World – Torn between three places

America.

The one country in the world everyone seems to have an opinion about, including me. In August 2011 I started my journey to unravel the mysteries and stereotypes of the country. The destination: Bemidji, Minnesota. Excuse me where? Exactly my thoughts. I had no idea a place like this even existed but I was excited to see what it was all about. I arrived in Bemidji, Northern Minnesota, close to the Canadian border, in the middle of the night and straight away it was clear that the place was not too big; only 13,000 inhabitants. I still decided to give the place a chance and boy was I surprised!

The term “Minnesota Nice” really is accurate. People understood my situation as an exchange student and were willing to bend over backwards to make my stay as smooth as possible. From driving me to the Supermarket all the way to lending me clothes, people were very helpful. When it comes to friendships I made, I have to say that Americans (and Canadians) are easy to get along with. People are very friendly and interested in you, and as in my case, your home country.

Bemidji State University offers a variety of classes for business students and a lot of the courses are very different compared to the ones at TAMK. My favourite was Advertising Management where we actually designed and executed an advertising campaign for a local company all the way from newspaper ads to radio and television ads and billboards. Personally, I really wanted to learn as much as possible about the country as well, where the course Introduction to American Politics came in handy. I now have a better understanding of the country and how it works, which will help me in both my personal and professional lives.

Bemidji State University – Main Gate

Cheering for the BSU Ice Hockey team with the school mascot, Bucky the Beaver



I have to say that my thoughts about American people totally changed during my stay in the beautiful town of Bemidji. It is safe to say that I fell in love with the people and the place. Friendships built to last were made during my stay and I know I will always have a home in Minnesota. Obviously leaving from Bemidji and leaving everyone behind was hard, but at the same time I had something exciting to look forward to…

My internship in Melbourne, Australia.

Before my time on the other side of the world I had to return to Finland. Home. After almost five months in America I was happy to see my family and friends again even though I was sad to have left all my new friends in Bemidji. At the same time I was getting very excited to start my internship in Australia, my “home away from home”, thanks to my exchange period over there while I was in high school. But then again, I was not ready to leave my family and friends again as I just got home. Makes sense? Not really, at least not for me, and that is the exact reason why I felt I was torn between three places; I wanted to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

Now, after almost a month in Melbourne I understand what I have experienced so far and what I still have ahead of me. Spending an entire semester in America and then working for five months in Australia are going to look good on my resume! And it is not all about the professional life, even though I hope my time abroad will give me an advantage over other people. I have gained so much in my personal life as well. From the obvious of meeting new people and networking to me pushing myself out of my comfort zone; once again I got confirmation of the fact that I can do anything, as long as I set my mind to it and am open to new experiences. TAMK really offers the students an amazing chance to gain international experiences and to be prepared to work in the global business environment of today.

Enjoying the internship…

And to conclude, my favourite quote and the motto I try to live by: "To venture causes anxiety, but not to venture is to lose one's self" - Soren Kierkegaard

Text and photos by Iina Saikkonen, a student of TAMK International Business