Esteban Halabí Flores is a 22-year-old exchange student from the Universidad de Costa Rica and he is working towards a career in digital media communications. Esteban is a big movie buff and enjoys travelling, learning new languages and the occasional book or some good old Netflix.
What is a normal day like in Costa Rica for you?
If I were in Costa Rica today, I would probably start off my day with some exercise in the morning because I always feel like I’m full of life when I wake up. Then I would drive to school, the Universidad de Costa Rica, because my classes start in the afternoon and evening. I live in the second biggest city in Costa Rica, Cartago, so I need to travel to San José, the capital, for school. The commute usually takes 40 minutes by car, but if I’m late I’ll pump up the music and somehow make it there in 30.
My classes mainly revolve around communications, public relations and digital media, so I get to learn about really interesting things related to communications like managing the internal communication for a company crisis, how to pitch an idea to the media sector and even how to use different social media platforms.
After class, I would hang out with my friends. My home University is very large and full of beautiful green forests and lawns between each building – it even has a park with swings! There is also a very strong social culture and it is always likely that you will bump into someone you know. I think the only downside is that there is no alcohol allowed on campus.
The way Costa Rica is mapped out, there are four cities within Gran Área Metropolitana (The Great Metropolitan Area), including San José; the other three are situated outside the capital where most Costa Ricans live. So after the daily grind I usually have to sit in traffic for a couple of hours in order to get out of the capital and back home.
Are there any significant differences between student life at the University of Helsinki compared to the Universidad de Costa Rica?
One of the more subtle differences is the absence of a noticeable political colour at the University of Helsinki. At the Universidad de Costa Rica, there is a distinct liberal socialist humanitarian view that is evident in the style of teaching and these pillars are kept very close to the way the University professors teach us. In class, students need to be very culturally sensitive and take care to be politically correct. From the early days, this political stance has earned students the nickname “chancletudos”, which translates to “sandal-wearer”, because my home University was once a hippie University in the 60s.
There are many more subjects taught in English here at the University of Helsinki, whereas in Costa Rica there are very few; if you were an exchange student, you would be expected to know enough Spanish to get through a course taught in Spanish. The language diversity is definitely a perk on exchange and the University encourages it; at the moment I am earning credit points for being a Spanish language assistant, while I am also taking a Swedish course, keeping up with my German at the Language Club, and also learning Finnish on the go!
Did you experience any cultural shocks when you arrived in Finland?
One of the first things a lot of people notice when arriving in Helsinki is that it is really quiet on public transportation. For me especially, coming from a place where people are always chatting away on their daily commute, it was a bit strange. But I’ve learnt that it is a very typical Finnish trait to respect other people’s personal space, so they generally just don’t want to disturb you.
Another shock that has caused me quite a bit of stress is the trading hours. When it came to making my first rental payment, I aimed to pay the day before it was due. This is normal in Costa Rica, because everything – including banks – is open seven days a week. But I found out the hard way that in Finland, banks, along with many other stores, are closed on weekends. After fearing being evicted or having to pay a hefty fine, I found out on the following Monday that if your bill is due on the weekend, it is okay to pay on Monday!
Was it difficult to get into the exchange program?
It was a lengthy process because they only offer two places, which means you have to write a lot of letters and have meetings with people to talk about why you are the best candidate and what you want to achieve on exchange. You also have to show that you are proficient in English. The visa process was probably the most drawn-out and difficult process of all, because the Finnish embassy is in Mexico so I had to travel there to get my visa. I started the exchange application process in March and finished in late May with lots of errands up until the very last day, and then after that I had to think of packing and travelling!
Would you go on exchange again?
Exchange has been the best opportunity for me to really open my eyes and see the world with a renewed perspective. I will admit, the first month was a bit daunting because everything was different and it was my first time living out of home, but at the same time it was exciting precisely because of this; I didn’t know anything and it has been the greatest adventure exploring and learning. Exchange is also a fantastic opportunity to meet people from all over the world and I wish the opportunity were offered to more people. It is just so refreshing starting from square one, living a new life in a different country while making new friends and seeing the world!
Do you have any other travel plans?
I love travelling with a capital T! In my region of America, we tend to only have two neighbouring countries and the plane tickets are regular fares, but in Europe you can take cheap flights right across the continent and so it is so much easier to move from one city to another. I have already been to Estonia and my tutor group has got Sweden booked for this coming weekend, but I would love to see something Mediterranean, perhaps Spain, Turkey, Greece or maybe even Portugal, since I speak Portuguese. I’m visiting my Austrian friend who has visited me in Costa Rica, and since it borders with Italy, I am planning to venture into Venice. But if I had enough time and money, of course I would see them all.
You’re studying Media and Communications and you’re completing subjects in PR, journalism, digital media and marketing. What kind of career are you aiming to get into when you graduate?
I am interested in everything related to digital communications, so I would love to work in that industry. But if you asked what my dream career is, I would have to say filmmaker. But it is not as easy to become a filmmaker in Costa Rica as it would be in US because the industry just isn’t big enough, so I know it’s an unrealistic goal to commit to. It’s only because of this that I’m happy to remain a movie-buff and keep my dream as my hobby. Ideally, I would like to help others with my studies in some way, perhaps by contributing my two cents through digital communications. I would be very satisfied with a career with an NGO or a professional body that holds the same values.