Dora is an adventurous, ambitious Namibian woman from Oniipa who is currently studying for an M.Sc in Agriculture & Forestry (Environmental Economics) at the University of Helsinki in Finland. She spent 6 years of her childhood in Finland.

So Dora, tell us what is a Namibian woman like you doing studying in Finland? It's not exactly a place where the average Namibian would pick to go and study.

(Dora thinking). Mhhhh!!! There are several reasons why I am studying in Fin. Having grown up as a Third Culture Kid (TCK) here in Kallio, Finland, I was left with a need (common/usual for any TCK in the world) to go through my past and deal with some issues I had left behind at some point in my life. After I completed my first degree at UNAM in Economics, I worked for some time and realized that "later" might be of no use or turn into a never with the tick of a clock so I combined all the needs I had at the moment, grouped them in a way that would definitely maximize my utility and the next thing I remember I was trying to get appropriate student accommodation in Kallio. I've been able to speak Finnish, but barely used it for all the time I've been in Namibia (apart from reading Donald Duck, corresponding with friends or chatting with Finnish exchange students or randomly working for a Finnish project). So I applied for a Finnish M.Sc program and got in, education in Finland is free (but in Finnish), so it lowers the expenses for the whole project/plan. There are also some very exceptional experiences that will always make Finland a special case - to be handled delicately - in relation to any other countries in the world for me.

So you grew up in Fin as a child? It must have been hard being the only black kid among a lot of white children going to school. Or are there at all other black people in Fin - surely there can't be many?!
Oh yes, most of them here though are Somalian refugees. People from other countries of the continent that are here for different reasons and of course some that were adopted from places where the people of color originate.

So what is it really like living and studying in Finland?
Well, it's quite an experience! It's very different from studying in Namibia, I suppose in many ways. I personally find it more demanding but also very fulfilling so it's worth the trouble/trip altogether.

There is also a lot of assumption on "Africans" as if they were all from one country that I experience. I get asked questions like: "Can you dress like that in your country or do you need to cover yourself?" (I personally dress even more lightly in Namibia because of the warmth of the sun) or "Can women vote in your country?" (Women have always voted in Namibia, it was the pigmented people who had no basic rights, no gender issues I've known of in that direction) or "approving" comments like: "You know, I really don't mind your color" (my response of "cool! I don't mind yours either" seems to shock people out of their limited pigments, but anyways, I just find it hilarious).

The scariest moment I've had which I cannot surely connect to my melanin concentration (but oh well...you never know) would be one evening when I was walking back home from Kontula - an area where I lived for two weeks before I got a place to stay on campus. Two men were crossing a street and I didn't get a good vibe from them from a distance, so I started walking faster. You know how you can easily calculate an angle at which you would meet and produce a speed to beat that possibility in situations like that. Well, I did that - and they turned to make sure they'd meet me. I didn't know what to do, the Metro station was a little bit further and they both stood before me for a moment and looked at me. I was sooo scared. Then one of them said: "BOO!" I shook and they laughed and walked away laughing even more. It was such a humiliating experience, but then I thought, "Ag, only a coward (omukatalume lelalela) would couple up with another man to go scare a single woman in the dark - really". I walked on and had a good friend to laugh at myself with as I told her in details what happened and demonstrated.

Tell us more about the culture shocks? Seeing that you lived there lived there as a child, but went back when you much older, did you experience any cultural shocks?
When it comes to cultural shocks, the list is almost endless. I could write a series of books on the topic. I'll try to keep these to an amount that can be handled:

I had a problem with the way food tasted in the beginning. From fruit to meat. There was just not enough salt/spice for me and it tasted kind-a weak. In addition to that, I got sick with a bacterial what-ever (stomach infection) to which I got enough comments like: "Nno, but our food hygiene is definitely at a level which you can NOT have such an infection here - if you come from Africa. It seems, when people get bacterial infections after having "kapana" they really believe in the saying that Wamboes do not die from bacteria. I don't think it takes a Microbiologist to understand the micro organism differences in compositions in different places that result in reactions when people move long distances. I got used to the food in the end, but will always miss the "boerewors".

In as much as I am able to read maps, follow directions and take advantage of my spatial inclination, I don't know of a person who has had (or even understands my looong explanations on how I missed the bus, took the wrong bus.. or the right bus going into the wrong direction) as adventurous experiences as I have. Sometimes I would even be explaining to new foreigners that I can only think of an experience or two that are similar. I still do that, at least once a week. I guess it's because back in Namibia, when Tangeni screeches his taxi in front of you (possibly taking your heel along by forgivable mistake) it means he will take you to the nearest taxi rank according to his disposition.

I'm the type that would say, "You know that yellow house in Wanaheda, next to the bar where the owner's daughter-in-law had sextuplets in 1997 of which one...blah blah blah". When Tangeni nods, I know I'll be taken. I sit in cars looking at the drivers and chatting with them or other passengers if not quiet on my own thinking. I don't keep track of routes!! Here, I've had to go though multiple lessons and sometimes cheat using landmarks, which doesn't help when I get lost in thoughts as we pass the ever so important landmark. I had to get to know the city, as big as it is, to be able to get around.

Eating habits are different and general eye contact is not very much practiced, unless when someone has something to say to you. I remember taking my first meal at the University cafeteria and joining some people I don't know. Saying my grace silently, then smiling at them in a friendly way and started talking to them, they were each looking at the food on their plates, there was no response, only a few uncomfortable grunts and they all got up and left me ALONE at the table. I thought to myself: "What on earth is this???" Nowadays, I go to the cafeteria only when I've just had a long class and a break in between - together with my classmates. We eat and chat.

I like chatting, but also enjoy eating slooow (all my friends know this). So I end up having to spend the last 15min quietly gobbling up the rest of my food as they wait for me, occasionally looking at their watches. It reminds me of a similar experience at UNAM where I was sometimes even left behind. I eat, smile, drink, breathe, eat, think and enjoy every moment of the experience. My first day at work was also a little bit shocking. When I had my lunch break, I nicely got my food and came to sit in the dining room where others were eating - FAST. I was wondering what the fuss is all about as I placed my plate on the table and smiled at my food embracing the moment of temporary freedom, rest, peace, and nutrition - just to hear my boss call out. "Are you going to finish that in the 3 minutes you have left??"

It was also new to see people attending classes with their babies - AND (more importantly) quiet, serious babies.

Babies?? Are you serious?
Yes...

Oh my goodness...that's really funny, what you go through everyday. So, I suppose having grown up there; you speak the language (Finnish) fluently. Is it a difficult language to study?
This is a difficult question for me to answer.

What is difficult about the question, I am speaking English, not Greek or Japanese?
LOL - (Laughing Out Loud). Well it's difficult to answer, from experience because unlike English, I've never studied Finnish actively. I learned it as a baby, while learning how to speak. So, I have had people who would speak to me in English and freely talk about me in Finnish because by answering in English, I confirmed their assumption that I don't speak Finnish.

But according to foreigners that study it, they find it relatively difficult. This is because it is not easy to practice. In general Finns are not that talkative when sober. Written/spoken languages differ quite a lot and there are no prepositions/articles (this means that there are a LOT of forms that a word bends into, depending on what is meant). The closest language in meaning is Estonian, so if one speaks either they understand each other like Owambos/Hereros. Grammatically, it's related to Hungarian. I think I should stop there before getting further from the actual answer.

So, what exactly are you studying? Msc - Masters in Science Fiction?
Noo, Msc stands for Master of Science. I'm studying Natural Resources and Environmental Economics, which is basically like "green mathematics".

Green Mathematics!! What on earth is that?
"Green Mathematics", in other words, it deals with issues that are a result of man made activities that affect the natural environment, giving numerical values to these and comparing the effects of different options of policies that can be applied to reduce these…and make the world a better place for generations to come after our grandchildren - an eventual world peace :)

Do you have any advice for the youth out there who are interested in studying in your field or any advice on school life in Finland?

If there is anyone interested in Environmental issues and are numerically inclined, by all means apply - before tuition fees are introduced. (Smiles)
My university just launched a few M.Sc programs in English in fields like in Atmosphere-biosphere studies, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Forest sciences and Business, Geo-informatics, Plant production science and Space sciences. Visit the webpage, contact the people in charge and apply (http://www.helsinki.fi/university/index.html).

Another useful link is http://finland.cimo.fi/studying/higher_education_in_finland.html.It could be useful for poeple who wish to study in Finland (other universities than Helsinki Uni). It has information on all the possible questions they might have regarding studying in Finland as a foreign student.. provided by CIMO (Centre for International MObility)

Keep in mind three things: what you like/enjoy doing and are really interested in, what you are able to accomplish given your aptitude and what is available in terms of employment (can you live on your qualification-related job?). I for instance would not pursue a career in forestry economics if my eyes keep peeping on the Namib.