Hello! My name is Hikari Ishizuka and I studied at the Lapland University of Applied Sciences. I studied in two places, Kemi and Rovaniemi, for one year. Both places are rich in nature and time flows slowly. In Kemi, I studied social welfare. One of the classes was practical training, and I was allowed to work from morning to evening at senior citizen facilities, educational facilities, and support facilities for the disabled, just like other working people.
 
In Rovaniemi, I studied tourism. There was a lot of group work, and companies often joined the class to create events together. I think what was fascinating is that what I planned actually came to fruition in society.
 
Finland is a place where nature is truly beautiful. In winter, there are the northern lights, dark forests, and as summer approaches, the midnight sun starts to set and the towns become green. The people living in Lapland are very relaxed, perhaps because they are surrounded by nature. They have a good work and life balance and know how to enjoy nature.
 
When I first came to Finland, there were a lot of hardships such as cultural clashes, but as the days went by, there were many good things waiting for me. I met a group of elderly friends who were very kind to me. They welcomed me warmly as if they were my parents. And the nature that I always felt soothed my heart and allowed me to experience the extreme cold, sometimes as low as -30 degrees Celsius. The Finns taught me that the harsh winters are the reason for the short but beautiful summers. Finland is such a wonderful country that I want to go back.