The Chart Online

Finland student visits College
Mandi Steele

International Editor

Traveling to a foreign country can be quite an experience to tackle. Add a semester of college classes to the trip as well, and one can see the challenge awaiting an exchange student.

Terhi Kauppila, sophomore kinesiology major, is one student who decided to take on the challenge by flying across the Atlantic from Finland to study for a semester at Missouri Southern.

I was interested in traveling and seeing new countries, she said.

The opportunity to take different classes from those at her home university and the chance to better her English skills brought Kauppila to Southern.

Kauppila's school, the Vierumaki Sport Institute of Finland, has a bilateral agreement with the College, said Kim Gray, international student adviser. Through the agreement, Gray said Kauppila pays any college costs to Vierumaki instead of Southern's tuition rate, and any Southern student who goes to Vierumaki for a semester will pay regular Southern tuition.

Kauppila said there really aren't too many differences between Finland and the United States, except for the fact the Finish don't eat as many pizzas and hamburgers. Things cost about the same, she said, except education is free in Finland. One thing Kauppila does miss about being away from her homeland is nature.

"We have a lot of beautiful forests and lakes and flowers everywhere in Finland," Kauppila said.

Taking four different courses in kinesiology from the College, Kauppila said she hopes to become a sports instructor.

"I've always been interested in sports," she said.

Dr. Sheri Beeler, assistant professor of kinesiology, is one of Kauppila's instructors and said the sport institute Kauppila attends is a "very competitive" school. Out of more than 1,500 students who apply to Vierumaki, Beeler said only 25 women and 25 men are selected.

"It's the premier institute for students to be trained in a physical coaching or wellness field," Beeler said.

Orienteering, a sport where you have to find different landmarks with a compass and a map, is Kauppila's favorite sport. She said she also enjoys cross country skiing.

Aside from English and Finish, Kauppila also knows Swedish and German and has joined the College's International and Kinesiology clubs. She said she likes the international focus Southern promotes.

"It has been really great to get to know people from all over the world," Kauppila said.

Beeler said Kauppila is the fourth exchange student Southern has had from Vierumaki.

Beeler said she enjoys having international students participate in the sports classes because "they add a different dimension."