Jessica Moore is a returning study abroad student who spent her Fall 2018 semester abroad at the University of Oulu in Oulu, Finland. She is a junior majoring in Business Administration.

IPC: Why did you choose to study in Finland?
JM: I chose Finland because it is not a place you hear much about, it is entirely different than here in North Carolina, and it is not a stereotypical place to study abroad.

IPC: Why is having a study abroad experience so important to you?
JM: Having a study abroad experience in college is important to me not only because I need it to graduate with honors but also because I think it is important to immerse yourself into another culture and realize there are different ways of life and thinking as well as familiarizing yourself with the different values and cultures that you may not be aware of.

IPC: What was the most impactful lesson you learned while studying abroad?
JM: I learned while studying abroad was that you can’t expect people to open up and trust you when they meet you. The Finnish people are very reserved and kept to themselves. There was only one or two Finnish people that actually opened up to me. We can’t assume that everybody wants to open up their lives to you like many people do here at home. Being aware of people’s norms when going to an unfamiliar place is very important so you do not offend or upset anybody.