Arriving in a new country is always a mix of excitement and anxiety. When I landed in Finland to start my semester at Tampere University as part of the Erasmus Mundus MARIHE program, I was greeted not just by cold air and unfamiliar surroundings, but by something much warmer, a student mentor waiting at the train station with a smile.
Everything else felt foreign: the language, the weather, the system. But in that moment, having one person who was ready to walk beside me made all the difference. My mentor helped me carry my bags, find my apartment, and figure out how to navigate Finnish bureaucracy. More importantly, they offered calm reassurance in moments of uncertainty.
Through the mentoring program, I wasn’t just given information, I was given the confidence to start building my new life in Finland. I learned how to get a local SIM card, open a bank account, and register at the city office. These might seem like small tasks, but when you’re alone in a new place, every small success becomes a big step toward feeling at home.
What stood out to me was the sense of solidarity. The mentoring program at Tampere University was not just a service, it was a community. It reminded me that being supported during a transition like this does not just ease practical burdens; it offers emotional grounding too.
Studying abroad often means stepping into the unknown, but mentorship helps light the way. It is a reminder that while systems and structures matter, it’s people—fellow students, mentors, and friends—who truly shape our journeys.