• Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
My name is Iuliia Besson and I am from Saint Petersburg, Russia, which by car is 2 and a half hours away from Finland. I started my studies at HAMK when I was 17 years old, and this year I just turned 22. I graduated from HAMK in 2016 and at the moment I am working in the global leader logistics company in Helsinki. My main focuses during my studies were Marketing and Doing Business with Chinese.
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Why did you decide to study your current major?
The main reason is because of my family, they are all businesspeople and I think it just runs in my blood. Moreover, I started learning English from a very young age thus the language of the study program did not pose a problem. I also always liked traveling and my parents always wanted me to study abroad. I was especially motivated to study Chinese Businesses. Thus that is why I decided to study International Business in Finland.
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What is your favorite part of the HAMK experience?
People with very different backgrounds, friendly lecturers, courses abroad and exchange opportunities. Ah, also sauna place in B-Building.
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What is the biggest challenge you have overcome in regards to your studies at HAMK?
Back in Russia my parents would do everything for me. For example: let me skip school, find me a job, buy and cook me food, pay for electricity and water. However, here in Finland all of the responsibilities lay upon me and me only.
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How did you spend your free time while you were an undergraduate at HAMK?
Throughout my studies I was a tutor (a person who helps newcomers) so that involved lots of activities organized with students, different trips and lots of parties.
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Can you tell me about your work placement experience, and how did that help you shape your profile as a professional in your field of study?
I was always trying to find a job which would be relevant to my studies in any kind of way, I was trying to understand what do I like doing the most and what field is the most attractive for my character: I was a research intern in a Finnish start up company, an a event organizer in a hotel in Germany, selling my own cakes and biscuits, a language teacher in China, a thesis trainee in one Finnish company producing guitars, marketing assistant in a polymer importing and producing company and many other short term jobs.
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Why did you decide to stay in Finland after your studies?
I always wanted to live abroad and Finland is a great country to start. It is safe and it supports you a lot, all you need is a bit of time to adapt to the differences and learn some Finnish.
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What is your current professional place?
I am working in a Finnish export team of one Logistics Company, arranging shipment of containers all around the world.
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