“Language Coffee” – 17 October 2023

Founded in 2015, the Patteri Entrepreneurial Society is a student-run society at South-eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (XAMK) that unites all entrepreneurial-minded students. Patteri also offers networking opportunities and support for Xamk students to make connections with local companies by organizing business events and other events including workshops and meetups.
Learning a language is like opening a door to a new world, A world of opportunities and networking. As a result of a brilliant idea of third-year student Georgii Luzefovich, “Language Coffee” is an event hosted by PatteriES for all international students to meet and engage with Finnish-speaking native students.
The event was held at FUEL, Paja café at Kouvola campus and it was designed to teach the language while experiencing the Finnish culture through a perfect blend of language immersion and cultural exploration.
“This event is for all the international students who want to speak Finnish,” said Georgii. Indeed, it is both an inspiring and unforgettable experience for all the attendees because of its highly interactive methods and activities used throughout the event.

Armed with coffee and evening snacks, all the attendees gathered at FUEL (Future Experience Lab), an open learning environment and an atmosphere full of excitement to start the event with a storytelling session where a native Finnish student addressed the audience with a life experience or a story in Finnish and getting the audience involved in the conversation by repeating his story sentence by sentence while asking the audience to translate it to English by randomly passing a ball, making it both entertaining and interesting for everyone at the event. Regardless of various backgrounds, all attendees supported and encouraged each other throughout the learning process, fostering a sense of community and making the whole process of learning a language an enjoyable adventure.

One of the highlights of the event was the opportunity to interact with native Finns through the speed dating method by coupling up international students with native Finnish speakers allowing them to engage in conversations which was a fantastic way to practice what they had learnt. Every 4-5 minutes all the attendees changed their partners, making it a moment of realization that learning a language isn’t just about words; it’s about connecting with people and their culture.
Daria Zagumennaia, a first-year Digital International Business Student at the Kouvola campus, expressed her delight: “I like it, the event is fun and at first, everyone was shy.” Enrico Düwel, another first-year Digital International Business Student at the Kouvola campus, shared his thoughts on the event: “At first some people were shy but it’s a fun way to learn Finnish”.

As the event concluded, I couldn’t help but realize that learning Finnish is not merely an academic pursuit: it’s a gateway to understanding and connecting with people and “Language Coffee” event is a two-way street. It’s not just about what you can gain, but what you can offer. In a society that values collaboration and cooperation, a willingness to contribute and share your expertise is highly respected. By giving as much as you receive, you become a valued participant in the network.
In Finland, networking is as warm and inviting as the coffee they serve, and the bonds you form can lead to both personal and professional success. So, take a step outside of your comfort zone. Regardless of your Finnish language skills, don’t miss the chance to network over a cup of Finnish coffee. at “Language Coffee”, possibilities are endless, and the connections, enduring.