Brand new perspective

“When I arrived in Finland, my mentor Laura showed me around the city and the important places here. She also advised me on the places to buy necessities. These are very useful survival kits for me as I am unfamiliar with Helsinki. Moreover, Laura is very helpful in answering my questions and in allaying my worries. When I message her about courses registration or even money exchange, she gives me practical advices. I also enjoyed the cultural exchange with her. She cooked Finnish traditional food for me and introduced me to different Finnish activities. I cooked Chinese food and updated her on the recent news of Hong Kong as well. I learnt about western cultures, which widened my horizons.

I am most impressed by her sharing of experiences and advice on my future plans. She, who is also a law graduate, has shown me the different possibilities that my future could hold. I used to confine myself to one path, which is studying for the PCLL after my bachelor degree, and then work in a law firm. However, after hearing her experience and the legal environment in Finland, I started to realise that I could have many more choices such as being an international lawyer, being an academia or even pursue my master degree outside Hong Kong. I even dream of migrating to European countries for better and wider career path. I feel I already have a brand new perspective on my future.

The first photo was taken during a meal when Laura and I first met few day after my arrived at Helsinki. Laura showed me around the city and shared tips on living in this city. She also showed me around the university campus. She treated me to the famous salmon soup in her favorite restaurant. We had a nice chat that day.

The second photo is taken in my mentor’s home with another mentee Tan Li Khai (BBE[Acc&Fin] Year 2). Laura invited us to her home where she cooked Finnish food for us. I tried the berries and deer meat. We updated each other on our recent status. We discussed current affairs and international situations as well. I have learnt a lot from the conversations and understand more on the Europe-Asia relationship. We were so happy that we immediately suggested another gathering so that we can spend more time with one another before we leave Helsinki.”

Mentor in Finland: Laura (exchange student at HKU back in 2016)
Outgoing Exchage Mentee (2018-19): Tao Shiu Yan, LLB Year 2