I started in the Finland Society as the Finnish Language School Assistant at the start of May. During my internship, which will last over the summer, I am going to mainly concentrate on the Finnish Language Schools and the various tasks related to them. I am looking forward to familiarising myself with the diverse activities of the Finnish Language Schools!
Expatriate background lead to the Finland Society staff
I was inspired to join the Finland Society staff because of my own experiences of living abroad. During the last six years, I have spent a year in Western Germany as an au pair and completed an undergraduate degree in Scotland at the University of Aberdeen. I believe that through these experiences I have gotten a rather good glimpse of expatriate life and therefore I felt enthusiastic about the opportunity of working in the Finland Society and promoting the interests of Finnish expatriates. I am also hoping that I can utilise my own expatriate experiences as part of my job in the Finland Society.
At the moment I study in the Global Politics and Communication master’s programme at the University of Helsinki. My studies are centred around diverse societal and political themes, including the multi-faceted relationships between democratic institutions, political advocacy, and the media. I believe that in the Finland Society, I will get a chance to examine these themes from a very global expatriate perspective. In addition, in the future, I would love to work in the voluntary sector within non-governmental non-profit organisations or charities. I am sure that working in the Finland Society will teach me a lot about the functioning of such organisations.
The Finnish Language Schools at the centre of expatriate communities
As the Finnish Language School Assistant, I will be working with various tasks related to the administration and activities of the Finnish Language Schools. The Finnish Language Schools offer irreplaceably important opportunities for Finnish expatriate children and youth to maintain their Finnish language skills and Finnish identity. During my internship, I am especially looking forward to getting to know the Finnish Language Schools around the world and the experiences of the teachers and administrative personnel running these organisations. I hope that through my work I can aid the functioning of the Finnish Language Schools and maybe even be involved in improving the services provided for them.
One of the highlights of my internship will surely be the training days for Finnish Language School teachers and administrative personnel organised at the start of August in Helsinki. During the summer I will be closely involved with the organisation of the event, and I cannot wait to meet all the Finnish Language School people coming from different parts of the world! After the summer I will continue in my role as a part-time employee.
Sonja Sorri
Finnish Language School Assistant of the Finland Society