This week we welcomed Joonas and Silva, our new interns from Finland. They came for an internship at “STUDIO – Cities and Biodiversity” project, at our partner UTFPR – Technological Federal University of Paraná. The project consists of a plan called “Local Biodiversity Action Strategies and Plans”.

Joonas is 25 years old and is doing his masters in Forestry Environmental Sciences. He already lived in Xangai for an exchange program. Silva is only 22, studies Biology and also lived abroad. She lived in Mexico for an exchange program as well.

At our arrival orientation, they shared a bit of their expectations with us!

Joonas Mäkinen

BE: Why did you choose to come to Brazil for an exchange program?

Joonas: I chose Brazil for the different and exotic culture, which is very different from the Finnish counterpart. As I study environmental sciences, I want to see and experience how the environment is elsewhere and the differences how it’s studied and protected. Also, my life long dream has been to visit Amazon!

BE: How do you feel today that you are starting this experience? Can you describe your feelings? What are your expectations for the program?

Joonas: I am very excited! I hope to get to do lots of field work and gain more international working experience. Who knows, maybe this internship opens up new opportunities to work abroad.

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Silva Lehtonen

BE: Why did you choose to come to Brazil for an exchange program?

Silva: I chose Brazil because the internship in UTFPR sounded the most interesting program that I could find in EDUFI. I also wanted to do an internship in a foreign country to gain more international experience.

BE: How do you feel today that you are starting this experience? Can you describe your feelings? What are your expectations for the program?

Silva: On this particular moment I just try to be open minded and live in the moment. I hope I’ll learn more about research work in my field, but I don’t have any particular expectations for the program itself.