Studies
IN FINLAND
In 2008 I graduated as Master of Arts (MA) from the University of Tampere. My major was English philology and my minors were the multidisciplinary North American Studies and Russian Studies programmes.
In 2014 I got a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the University of Jyväskylä with Russian language and culture as my major. In addition to studying Russian, I completed the Teachers' pedagogical studies and I am thus a qualified teacher of English and Russian. I also studied French, Swedish, German, and speech communication at the Language Centre of the university.
ABROAD
During my studies at the University of Tampere, I spent the academic year of 2004-2005 at the University of Oregon in the United States. There I took courses in English, international relations, and African Studies. I also participated in the activities of the International Student Association (ISA), including volunteering to organise the International Week and Night, the biggest cultural and international event on campus. I also sang in the University Concert Choir where we sang songs in different languages.
As part of my studies in Russian language and culture, I spent 3,5 months at the Tver State University in Russia during the autumn of 2011. I attended courses in Russian language, society, and culture in Russian.
Working
IN FINLAND
I have worked in international, multicultural, and multilingual environments in Finland. From the beginning of September 2016 until the end of June 2017, I worked at the Porvoo English Playschool which is a total language immersion playschool. I worked there as a teacher for a group of children aged 4-7 as well taught a weekly English club.
During the summer of 2014 as well as from May 2015 until the end of August 2016 and from May 2018 until September 2021 I worked as a guide at the medieval Häme Castle which is part of the National Museum of Finland and is located in the city of Hämeenlinna. The castle is visited by visitors from all over the world and it offers tours in different languages. I gave tours in Finnish, English, Swedish, and Russian. In addition, I worked at the Museum Shop, gave different kinds of workshops, and minded exhibitions. In the summers of 2019, 2020, and 2021 I also gave guided tours in Finnish and English as well as worked at the Museum Shop at the Prison Museum which is located next to the castle and is also part of the National Museum.
ABROAD
I have worked abroad many times. From September 2014 until December of that year, I was an assistant at the Syktyvkar State University Office for International Affairs, Programs and Projects in Russia. There I translated texts primarily from Russian to English and vice versa, interpreted from Russian to English, assisted a teacher in Finnish, and gathered information for various projects.
From September 2007 until the end of May 2008, I was an assistant teacher in Kiev, Ukraine at the Djerela charity association which runs a day centre and a hostel for young people with learning, emotional, and behavioral disabilities. My task was to support and prepare the young people in their path towards an independent life. I assisted them and the staff in their various organisational, educational, and recreational activities. I, for example, taught the young people to play different ball games, do origami, and play African drums. During my time there, I gained valuable experience in working with different kinds people in a foreign language environment.
In the spring of 2007, I worked for 3 months as an English teacher at the Péter Rósza Secondary Grammar and Technical School in Székesfehérvár, Hungary. I taught English to students aged 15-18 and to students studying for a profession. During that time, I gained versatile experience in teaching English in a foreign country to students with different levels of English.
Volunteer work and free time
VOLUNTEERING
I volunteered for altogether 18 months at the Multicultural Center Gloria in Jyväskylä, Finland where I taught Finnish to immigrants and assisted young people of immigrant background with their homework assignments.
From autumn of 2012 until mid-June 2013, I volunteered for the Jukola relay which is held yearly in Finland and is the biggest orienteering relay event in the world. Prior to the relay, I translated their website from Finnish to Russian and during the actual event, held that year in Jämsä, I translated their press releases and news from Finnish to English.
During the summer of 2010, I spent 2 weeks through Service Civil International (SCI) at an environmentally-themed international youth work camp in a small Slovak-speaking town in the Province of Vojvodina in Serbia. The camp was attended by both local and foreign young people. In addition to working, we got to know the local culture and did excursions to neighboring villages and towns.
From January 2009 until June 2010, I was a secretary of the Udoka Association of African Dancing and Drumming located in Tampere, Finland. My responsibilities included booking practice spaces, collecting practice fees, keeping attendance, secretarial duties and publicising the association’s activities. I also attended their drumming lessons and performed with the group.
FREE TIME
In addition to volunteering in intercultural and multilingual environments, I have sung in various international choirs, both in Finland and abroad.
During my studies at the University of Jyväskylä, I sang in the international student choir Unisounds which comprised both Finnish and foreign students. We sang songs in various languages, including English, French, German, Hindi, Chinese, Swahili, Finnish, Swedish, and Italian, among others.
During my time in Ukraine, I sang in the Scandinavian choir in Kiev which mainly sang in Swedish as the other members were Swedish speaking. When I studied at the University of Oregon in the United States, I was a part of the University concert choir which sang songs from all over the world.
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