Opportunity to take part in sustainable technological future
My choice - University of Oulu
Juan Vazquez worked for more than ten years in the Electronics Engineering field in Cancún, México. During the pandemic, with enough time to think about his next step, Juan decided to move to Finland to pursue a master's degree.
"Once I decided to pursue a master's degree, I looked for different options for it. The "technology hub" and "city for students" along with the "green living environment" made Oulu at the top of them," Juan further mentions.
Many factors guided Juan to choose the University of Oulu. Finnish nature and the city's efforts to preserve it, the longest cycle roads infrastructure, the city's activities oriented to students, being a technology hub, and partnerships with the technology development industry, among many others, are the reasons that made Juan finalise the decision of studying Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Oulu.
"Oulu is the perfect city for engineers who want to take part in a sustainable technological future."
Turning a hobby into a career
Juan's interest in Computer Science started growing during his bachelor's studies. "Even though I never got to work in that area, I kept learning by myself through online courses as a hobby. During the pandemic isolation, I spent most of my time with this hobby and decided to dedicate the rest of my career to it," Juan adds.
Soon after starting his master's studies at the University of Oulu, Juan realised that the programme is up-to-date and practical, which is a significant advantage when pursuing a career in Computer Science.
"Something unexpected was to find out that, as part of some courses, companies visit and talk to us about how they apply the techniques and knowledge we are learning."
The first impression has not changed
Juan grew up in an industrial city in México called Torreón. Once he graduated from his bachelor's studies, he moved to a touristic destination by the beach and lived there for a long time.
Juan's life in Finland has been amazing, from meeting new friends to trying new flavours and enjoying the northern lights. "To be honest, I thought that making friends from different countries and cultures would be difficult, but it turned out to be so natural that I didn't even notice, and suddenly I was hanging out with people from all around the world, and established strong bounds, whether we are studying or partying," Juan comments.
"I was amazed by nature and how well organised the city of Oulu services are. This first impression has not changed."
As a curious-minded person, Juan enjoys Finnish music and nature every day. During his stay in Finland, Juan faces a new challenge every day and is always happy to learn and try new things.
"Another stunning impression for me is the winter, I'd never seen that much snow before in my life, and naturally, I enjoy every single step outdoors, walking among the tall trees covered in snow and breathing the purest air I can imagine. However, you should be careful when snow is melting because roads get quite slippery," Juan adds.
At this point, Juan has just completed the first year of studies and is focusing on choosing an interesting thesis topic.
