Exchange study period in Mexico was eye-opening experience for Jarno Häivälä

Tijuana is the largest city in the Mexican state of Baja California, with over 2,2 million inhabitants. In summer, temperatures can exceed 30 degrees Celsius. Striding the city streets, besides Spanish one can also hear English, as the city resides right on the border of Mexico and the United States.

This is where Jarno Häivälä studied for almost six months in 2008. Originally from Sievi, Häivälä was studying mechanical and production engineering at the Vaasa University of Applied Sciences, and at the urging of a friend decided to apply for an exchange to Mexico’s Tijuana.

• Many of my course mates were pondering exchange studies in Europe, but my friend and I decided we wanted to go somewhere further afield. Then one day we went to the exchange office to discuss our options and while we were browsing the destinations, Mexico and Tijuana caught our attention, Häivälä recalls.

At the office, the administrators were a little amused by the selection of the young students, neither of whom had a basic knowledge of Spanish, and the school required a language test. This meant that Häivälä and his friend signed up for a language course before the trip.

• We attended two language courses and took a language test a few months later, which went surprisingly well. We both passed it and then the exchange papers went on their way, Häivälä explains.

During the exchange application process, the friend of Häivälä had discovered a grant that they were both able to apply for. It was a grant application from the local Riitta and Jorma J. Takanen Foundation, which was intended for university students to do work placements abroad and promote internationalization.

The Foundation was originally set up by Riitta and Jorma J. Takanen in 2005 with the aim of promoting and supporting technology industry’s skills and international competitiveness. The Foundation provides scholarships to students in the region to enable international student exchanges and research activities.

• Application process was smooth and fast. I conveniently submitted the necessary information via the application portal on the Foundation’s website. Once the application was completed, I found out quite soon that the grant was approved, Häivälä recalls.

The grant helped Häivälä to concentrate on what was important during the exchange, namely his studies and gaining new experiences.

• I would absolutely recommend anyone to go on an exchange and apply for the Riitta and Jorma J. Takanen scholarship, if the criteria are met, Häivälä sums up.

CETYS University in Tijuana had many collaborations with the University of San Diego in the US. Both Mexican and American students attended the classes.

At the same time in 2008, the world was in the grip of a global financial crisis. Häivälä was particularly interested in the courses on international finance because of the topicality of the subject. Häivälä’s studies also included a course on the history of the United States and Mexico, held in collaboration with the University of San Diego. The course included visits to historical sites in the region.

• I strived to do my daily business in Spanish, although sometimes there were problems with the language or funny misunderstandings. Once, when buying sausage at the meat market, I got 4 kilos instead of a quarter. I had the decimals mixed up. Luckily, humor helped us get through each situation, Häivälä laughs.

Häivälä managed to transfer all the credits from completed exchange studies to his degree at home institution, and the exchange did not slow down his graduation as an engineer from Vaasa University of Applied Sciences.

• The exchange period was a memorable experience that my exchange buddy and I still remember to this day. The most important takeaway from the trip was the courage to use different languages and the eye-opening experience of living in a different culture and a new country.

• Next summer, I’m planning to travel to the United States to celebrate my 40^th birthday and visit Tijuana across the border. It would be great to see the city and how much it has changed over the last 15 years.