Category: NEWS

Regina Ainla

I have joined Cissi in August 2018 as a Treasurer. During my time with Cissi I have had the oppor-tunity to meet many new and interesting people, hear about interesting events and organizations.

Cissi and its events are a wonderful opportunity to have fun as well as an opportunity to network.
I see international students and the cultural richness they bring as an investment into the ever grow-ing and evolving community of Finland. So one of my personal interests and passions is to see inter-national students connect and feel welcome in their host society. I see Cissi and similar organiza-tions as crucial parts of welcoming and retaining international talent in Finland.

The opportunity to participate in Cissi activities has helped me to understand the structure of the university unions better and I have had the opportunity to grow my organizational skills more.
Since the Cissi board consists of people with various interests and backgrounds, there opportunities to organize different events are many.

I look forward to the events Cissi has planned for this fall/winter time and to the planning time 🙂

Sanna Haavisto

Ever since I joined the CISSI board in August 2018, I have been given the opportunity try out and experience new things. I had not studied in a Finnish university before starting my master´s program at the University of Helsinki last year and I was not that familiar with the student culture here. ( I had no idea what sitsit was before last winter) It feels like I´ve gotten the full experience during these past months, from organizing and helping at events to attending them.

At this point it is good to point out that there´s a bit of an introvert in me. For example, I don´t usually go to parties to meet new people; I go to parties to see people I already know. Nor do I enjoy being the center of attention. But it is good to step out of that comfort zone once in a while and I believe CISSI had done just that for me. This autumn I have led the way on our walking tour (talking to 30+ people) to participating in activities at the Fresher adventure. And, this is the important part, I have truly enjoyed all of this.

As for those parties with a bunch of new people. . . CISSI had the pleasure to host Trilingual sitsit together with Kannunvalajat and StudOrg in early October. Academic dinner party (sitsit) can be described as a themed three-course dinner party with drinking, eating, toasting, and an after-party. The dress code usually ranges from formal to casual. The songs can be funny and are usually in Finnish, Swedish or English. Sometimes you must stand up at certain parts. Not to worry though, no actual singing skills are necessary, the most important thing is the feeling! What I love about sitsit is one moment you can be in a deep conservation, the next standing on your chair, singing songs.

I attended my second sitsit ever last year. It was organized by CISSI when I was not on the board or a member. All the people I knew beforehand were working at the event and I ended up sitting next tocomplete strangers. I´m still amazed I even went, to be honest. But by the end of the night I was laughing and singing with these strangers and had one of the best nights of the whole semester.

I would urge all the international (and internationally minded!) to take part in sitsit at least once. It´s difficult to explain, you must experience it. Come step out of your comfort zone.

You can check out pictures from the Trilingual sitsit from our (brand new!) Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/internationalcissi/

Arim Lee

          2018 has been full of challenges for me and also for CISSI. When I stumbled into the CISSI board in December 2017, I was still a fresher. Unlike some of our board members, I had not had any educational background in Finland before my master’s program. I was still in a process of adapting to the new curriculum and the new student culture of University of Helsinki. Then, a new role and a new responsibility was added to my to-do list.

           CISSI has been through a dramatic rebranding with the new board in the beginning of this year. The logo and website of the organization (yes, the pink and yellow one) is redesigned. The structure of the board is slightly reorganized. After the adoption of GDPR, our membership list is renewed. Amid the extensive transformation, professionalization has been the keyword in terms of running the organization. Bonding and cooperation with other student organizations has been a main way to boost awareness of CISSI in the student society and to build a bridge for international students to get involved into the Finnish student culture.

           Being given a chance to write a blog about my experiences in CISSI, I looked back my past 10 months working as the Secretary of CISSI. I cannot emphasize enough how important, memorable and precious moments CISSI provided to me. Firstly, working for CISSI is a valuable work experience in Finland and this experience is also appreciated in the Finnish job market. I could earn concrete organizational skills such as communication, compromising, negotiation and project management. Secondly, I met friends from all over the world in and outside of CISSI. Working in a multicultural environment has been a priceless experience to raise my intercultural sensitivity. Thirdly, I gained deeper understanding of the Finnish tradition and culture. Without CISSI, I wouldn’t have been to any activity, sitsit and anniversary party from student organizations.

           The latest example is ‘Fresher Adventure 2018’, the annual event for freshers. CISSI held its checkpoint in the Old Church Park (aka Plague Park, Ruttopuisto). Sanna Pajuvuo, Sanna Haavisto, Regina, Care and Melina joined a subcommittee with me to lead this event to happen successfully. CISSI became a stateonly for that day and ran immigration services. To become a citizen of CISSI participants were asked to fill out an application form full of silly and funny quizzes about some legal and political facts around the world. Then they had to get the final permission (= score) from a serious ‘officer.’ With this charade we wanted to highlight the bureaucracy that many international students face. In total, we welcomed 37 amazing teams with creative costumes at our checkpoint.

           Like this, CISSI takes the half of my student life at University of Helsinki, actually, the fun part. During the remaining 2 months of my term, I hope that I could make nice memories together with our board members and that international and internationally-minded students could have lots of fun at CISSI’s upcoming events.

CISSI is looking for five deputy board members, to serve on the CISSI board until the end of 2018! Five Half Year Deputies are elected in January and September, the elections we are holding now!

You don’t have to be present to stand as a candidate in the upcoming elections. If you can be present as a candidate at the election, you can give a 55-65 second speech. Otherwise, you  can still run for the candidacy by writing 140-160 words and delivering them to a board member beforehand. Please send these words before klo 19:00, 17th September 2018.

CISSI is also waiting for a high voter turnout!In the election, small snacks and beverage will be served for free. So, please feel free to join CISSI by registering to the organization (no membership fee is needed) and come to the election to cast your precious vote for the future of CISSI! Here is the link for the registration.

Welcome!