The Mistral Boreal exchange programme is something really great because it made me experience a new culture, language and lifestyle. Participating in this exchange is a unique and enriching experience on the personal and cultural level. On my arrival I was warmly welcomed by my host family.
Immediately, I noticed a big difference temperature wise but also the much shorter days in Finland. School is quite different, finishing much earlier. Pupils use much more computers for their classes rather than regular pen and paper. They also have cooking classes or art classes that we don’t have in France.
After finishing classes I often went wandering around in the centre of Helsinki and I noticed that the city doesn’t look really old, buildings are quite recent compared to other historic cities like Paris or Vienna. Saunas are also great, something that doesn’t really exist in France because summer can already be considered as a sauna on it’s own.
Last weekend we visited Porvoo, a very old and beautiful city whose architecture is completely different from Helsinki’s. Living in Finland can be very good if you search for a very calm place, where nature is close and beautiful.
Wenzel Luchini, Arles
