Exchange Trip (The Big One)

Notwithstanding a complete change of heart regarding which Uni I'll attend, I'll get a $2500 scholarship to study abroad in second year uni. Perfect opportunity, no? I'd do an exchange and attend a hardcore Finnish uni, and be awesome at the same time. Perfekto.

Housing
This is where it gets difficult. We're talking six months here, so I'd want to live in a student college or something. It depends on where I go. In terms of getting a job, Helsinki would be easier. But in terms of not paying as much for my education, Tampere would be better. (Or even Oulu or something.) (I know education's free... it's kinda complex and I can't be bothered explaining.) So if I went to Tampere, I could find housing through www.toas.fi. If I went to Helsinki, I haven't found a specific website, but I'm sure there's heaps of resources. I may have to compromise on cost here.

Finance
I'd be looking to support myself while I'm there with a casual job. According to websites, I can do max 20 hours a week - that's probably as much as I can handle anyway. With my limited Finnish, age and non-EU status, I'm probably going to have a lot of trouble getting any sort of work - except perhaps being an English tutor on a not-so-formal basis. If all else fails, I'll be a dishwasher, or a garbo, or something. Whatever it takes.

Language
Going to uni in Finland will be difficult, with all the classes in Finnish. The larger universities (Helsinki, Tampere) offer some classes in English, some of which are indeed linguistics subjects (for example, English language). I may be able to take a University-offered course in Finnish, thus expanding my Finnish muscles. Whatever happens, six months in Finland is sure to improve my Finnish.

Bureaucracy
Oh God, the paper I have to fill out... Study permits, travel and sickness insurance, forms from both universities, all this shytola. I might also need a work permit. We'll see. Hopefully I'll get all the links to websites with info on this stuff.

ALTERNATIVE:
There is no alternative. I am doing this. (Unless I go to another country e.g. Germany, but it's the same basic principle.)

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