Pre-Departure:
Prior to my departure to Helsinki, I did a lot of online research to get a good idea of where I was going to spend the following four months. I researched things like weather and how to prepare for it, people and what customs I should keep in mind, as well as general costs of living. In addition, the host university regularly sent us links to blog posts, which were quite helpful in addressing general concerns of exchange students. Especially when it came to packing wisely, the research helped me to take along the essentials, but not weigh myself down by things that were equally available in Finland. Thus, I did not take a big jacket or winter shoes, but only bought them in Helsinki, as the South African market would anyways not have equipped me for the Finnish winter climate. Although I do not know how my stay would have gone if I had not done this research, I felt well prepared when I made it to Helsinki.
