A Month Before Goodbye: How I’m Living My Last Weeks in Finland

Vol.28, Issue 11, 28th November 2025

Last week, I suddenly realized something: I only have three weeks left in Finland. At the beginning, five months felt so long. But now, everything went so fast, and my departure is coming very soon. Because of that, I am trying to enjoy every moment before I go back to France. It feels strange to think that this adventure is almost over, because Finland has slowly started to feel like a second home. 

There are still so many things I want to do before leaving. First, I want to enjoy the snow as much as possible. In my country, we don’t have this kind of winter, and here everything looks magical. I also want to visit more forests, because they are one of my favorite places in Finland. Sometimes I stop just looking around and breathing the fresh air. I know I won’t find this atmosphere back home.  

I also want to spend more time near the lakes; they are beautiful. Another thing is visiting the cities around Kouvola, especially now that the Christmas decorations and markets are starting. I love this atmosphere, with the lights, music, and warm drinks. Maybe I will even try more Finnish food because I know I will miss it later (even the cinnamon buns!). And of course, I want to enjoy the sauna one last time, something I never did in France before coming here. 

Because I have so many plans and so little time, I wrote a small “before leaving” to-do list. It helps me make sure I don’t forget anything and that I won’t regret missing something important. My goal is simple: live these last weeks to the fullest, enjoy every small moment, and say a proper “goodbye” to the country that welcomes me. I try to remind myself to look around, take pictures, and appreciate all the little things about daily life here. 

I know that when I return to France, I will remember these final weeks as some of the most special of my Erasmus experience, and I want to make them unforgettable.