“I think Oulu is my destiny”

When Hong Bao Ngoc Lukinmaa from Saigon, Vietnam, came to Oulu for the first time five years ago, she did not plan to stay long. But then she fell in love - with the city and with her now-husband. “I think Oulu is my destiny. It is the home of my family, and the social services are great here. It’s a good place to live, and I want to stay here as long as I can,” she smiles.

Recently Ngoc went through the immigration programme where she learned not only the Finnish language but also to understand Finnish people and their working culture. During this time, she found the courage to apply to the Finance master’s programme at the University of Oulu.

“I got my last degree seven years ago, so I want to update my professional knowledge and build a network. With this master’s degree, I will be more confident when heading to the next job interview”

In the Finnish education system, Ngoc likes that the characters and the freedom of the students are valued.

“Here in Finland teachers don’t want you to compete in the classroom. What counts is your attitude, behaviour and critical thinking. It is more important than your grades.”

Ten years from now, Ngoc wants to be a professional businesswoman. Until then, she still has a lot of plans: Finish her master’s degree with good grades, build a business network and join extracurricular activities. She is also not done seeing the world.

Currently, she is applying for an exchange overseas. “It’s a precious chance to explore new cultures and opportunities. I also want to bring my knowledge about Vietnam, Finland and the University of Oulu to international friends on exchange!”