University of Turku alumni duo Couple of Expats return to their alma mater to share job searching tips for international students, offering a unique perspective on building a successful career in Finland.
Things that bring back memories and make you feel nostalgic are enjoying your favorite childhood candy, meeting a friend you've known for a long time, or revisiting your alma mater. UTU Alumni Ambassadors Megha Goswami and Kristaps Kovalonoks recently revisited the University of Turku, not as students this time, but as proud alumni eager to share their experiences with current international students.
The dynamic blogger/vlogger duo, known for their YouTube channel, Couple of Expats, delves into the highs and lows of building a life in Finland. In this collaborative video project, they trace Megha's journey to securing a job in the corporate sector while still being a student, a question frequently asked by their viewers.
From Students to Specialists
Walking the halls of the familiar Medisiina D building, where Megha attended most of her classes during her Molecular Biotechnology and Diagnostics studies, triggered a wave of memories. Not much had changed in the brightly coloured halls she frequented. Nowadays, she works as a Marketing Coordinator just a few kilometres away at a local health tech company called Hidex Oy.
Her Latvian husband, Kristaps, whom she met during UTU's very first Ambassador programme in 2018, now serves as a Global Engagement Coordinator at Aalto University. The two initially connected as Student Ambassadors and discovered their passion for sharing insights about life in Finland when they began writing blogs about student life and promoting UTU on social media.
Megha Goswami at Medisiina D. Photo: Kristaps Kovalonoks.
The Duo Behind Couple of Expats
Couple of Expats initially started with food recommendations and recipes before gradually shifting its focus toward life in Finland, integration in a new country, and career advice. Over time, Kristaps' camera began capturing the couple's journey to build a life in Finland and what makes Finland unique. When you tune into Couple of Expats on YouTube, you can explore typical Finnish activities like berry picking and winter ice swimming.
"While there's a lot of interest surrounding studying and working in Finland, our videos also capture the simple pleasures of Nordic life," says Kristaps Kovalonoks.
Megha and Kristaps support their viewers even before they set foot on Finnish soil with videos and posts like "Why Choose to Study in Finland?" or "The Real Cost of Living in Finland." Once newcomers arrive in the happiest country in the world, the couple offers soft-landing tips, helping them adapt to Finnish culture and providing practical advice for everyday life challenges. For instance, Finland is known for its extremely low winter temperatures, leaving many internationals baffled about efficient ways to stay warm. "Surviving Winter in Finland" offers tips on keeping your feet warm and your spirits high through well-organised clothing layers and the right doses of vitamin D supplements.
UTU International Alumni and Their Impact
The University and its community provide students with a solid education, opportunities, and lifelong relationships. Similarly, alumni are encouraged to give back to the community and support others in any way they can. Megha will soon be a guest in the upcoming autumn podcast series "Alumni Insights," featured in an episode dedicated to Entrepreneurship & Freelancing in Finland.
The Student Ambassador programme at UTU brings together a group of enthusiastic students, diverse yet united in their journey to learn and love their new home, Finland. Fast-forward five years since its launch in 2018, and some have continued to chase their dreams in different cities or countries, while others now call Turku their home, finding family and friends. Some Student Ambassadors progress to become Alumni Ambassadors in the newly launched International Alumni Ambassador Programme.
This year, Alumni Ambassadors have represented their university in various ways, including hosting Alumni panel discussions at UTU's Career Day, participating in Alumni video projects (Alumni Talks), and taking part in upcoming Ambassador meetups where Alumni and current Student Ambassadors unite. The programme is still in its pilot stage with plans for expansion. The next phase will involve launching a webpage with Alumni Ambassador profiles, allowing individuals to apply, and become Ambassadors themselves.
UTU as an alma mater for international alumni stories
It's not every day that you come across a couple who met as university Student Ambassadors and are now happily married, representing a multicultural union. Even rarer is finding a duo who willingly dedicate their free time to provide the support they wished they had when they were younger – a system that helps internationals thrive. The University alumni connection lasts a lifetime, and UTU takes pride in sharing the stories of students who once roamed its halls, such as Kristaps and Megha. Couple of Expats has not only discovered the right academic and career paths but, more importantly, they found love and a shared love for Finland.
