How can you engage with diversity? Just jump in the pool!

Lauri Nurro is the only Finn in a team of internationals at GolSol, a solar company based in Tampere, Finland. His secret on how to be an international Finn while being at home is as simple as it gets: just jump in the pool!

Lauri as an international Finn

Lauri jumped into internationalization before crossing paths with GolSol. He joined AIESEC, a global youth-led organization, 8 years ago, and during his studies, he tutored international exchange students. He also went abroad himself for exchange studies in Budapest, Hungary. All these experiences provided him room to be around people of different backgrounds and cultures.

The perks and challenges of internationalization at home

For him, being in an international environment has had many perks, such as boosting his communication skills. He has learned how to extract value from confrontational communication, and he has learned how to give more strict feedback without making it a conflict or a big issue. But besides these benefits, working in an international company brings challenges as well. One aspect highlighted by Lauri, for example, was the habit of arriving late at meetings. After years of working with colleagues who are often late, this has not changed Lauri’s practice of being on time. He keeps, however, small tasks aside he can work with until the meeting can start. In this sense, he learned how to maintain his own behaviors while being more flexible.

When it comes to his contribution to the team, Eva, the Chairperson of the Board of GolSol, tells Lauri brings a hard-working spirit and attention to administrative details, which are crucial for the company’s operations.

Overcoming the fear of integrating with internationals

When we ask what is difficult about working with internationals, we often hear English skills and discomforts may arise due to the uncertainties of multicultural interactions. But fear not.

Although at first, the pool might feel a little cold, and maybe a bit difficult to stay in, soon you will find the enjoyment and happiness of swimming freely. So it happens with a “pool of multiculturalism”. If you just enter with your feet, or with your hands, it might feel too cold and discouraging. Jumping into multiculturalism requires heart and courage, but Lauri guarantees it is worth it.

And if you are an international living in Finland struggling with integration, our guess is that Lauri’s tip is also useful. Jump into the Finnish pool!

More about Lauri:

Lauri tackles energy poverty as an Institutional and Grant funding officer in GolSol. He has a Masters in Industrial Marketing and International Business from the Lappeenranta University of Technology. He has also studied Environmental Technology as his minor, so his studies fit well his mission in a solar company. His contribution to multiculturalism goes beyond “jumping into a pool”. He is also a volunteer in a project that helps immigrants learning Finnish.

You can learn more about Lauri profile and experience here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-nurro-ab569242/

Lauri’s story is a part of a campaign conducted by ESN FINT (Erasmus Student Network for Finns and Internationals in Tampere) and the Sustainability & Impact club of Tampere Universities.

You can keep tuned in the campaign by clicking here. We will keep sharing the content of the campaign as we publish.

Spread the word of #diversityforfuture and do not hesitate to be in touch with us.

• Katarina Sladakovic katarina.sladakovic@esnfint.org | Linkedin
• Raysa França raysa.franca@esnfint.org | Linkedin