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Lasse about studying and living in Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia is currently the world’s 11th most popular study-abroad destination. To find out if our exchange students feel the same way about studying in Malaysia, we decided to interview one of them. Lasse studied at UPM Malaysia. Let’s find out what he thinks about studying in Malaysia!
Meet Lasse Hurri from Finland who studied at Universiti Putra Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur! Photo by Lasse
What’s your name and where do you come from?
My name is Lasse Hurri and I come from Finland, Joensuu.
Where did you spend your exchange semester?
I spend my exchange semester in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur studying in UPM, University Putra Malaysia.
Why did you choose to study in Asia, and your destination in particular?
Asia has always fascinated me greatly and I wanted to go somewhere far away and warm. I guess I chose University Putra Malaysia because it was the only school through Asia Exchange that offered me courses from gaming and media industry. Malaysia also seemed a good choice for me since they speak English as their second language and after researching a while it seemed interesting country as well.
If you want to go somewhere far away and warm, Malaysia is a good option! Photo by Lasse
Tell us a little more about your study destination, what was it like to live and study there?
Living in Malaysia was awesome. The people there are extremely nice and helpful in any way you can imagine. Living there was a bit odd at first but I was surprised how fast I was able to adapt to their culture and lifestyle. Malaysia offered me great experience in a great variety; I now love Asian food, I met foreign people and have a good knowledge about different religions and cultures and most importantly gained a lot of good knowledge from the courses I took. Malaysia is also moderately priced for western people, so I had no trouble financing my life there.
Studying in UPM was a bit different compared to studying at most Finnish institutes but I’d say it was a good choice since they have a lot of good doctors and professors teaching the subjects. They have a good knowledge about the subjects and most of the courses had many projects which allowed us to get to know the local students and people much more.
In Malaysia you can find many of these beautiful mosques. Photo by Lasse
Did the experience meet your expectations?
I experienced more than what I expected. I was not expecting it to be such a great experience. It is hard to describe because experiencing so many new things in such a short time is overwhelming and you just live in the moment. Let’s just say that it was the best time of my life so far.
What were the highlights of your exchange?
Meeting all the people around me. Especially other exchange students, local students, teachers and surprisingly the Uber drivers. I’d also say that traveling around Asia was also one of the biggest highlights. I visited more countries than I’ve ever visited in 5 months.
How did you get the study place? What was the application procedure like?
I applied to UPM through Asia Exchange and got the study position confirmation quickly. I had to fill a lot of different papers, but I knew it would be a big and pretty long process. The most troubling thing about applying is the visa process, but if handled as the procedure requires it’s doable and not so hard to acquire. It just takes time and patience.
Lasse’s Instagram is filled with amazing pictures like this one now! Photo by Lasse
Which were the most interesting topics in your studies?
All the courses were interesting but I’d say computer animation and game design courses were the ones that gave me the most. I’ve never animated in my life and I got the hang of it surprisingly easy. I think the big thanks goes to the teacher that held the course, he was one of the greatest lecturers I’ve ever had.
What kind of accommodation did you have and how much was the monthly cost?
I lived with four other people in a pretty new house with a public pool and gym and 24/7 security. Per person, it cost around 200 euros including the rent, electricity, internet connection and water. About half of the exchange students lived in the same area so we had an awesome time there (pool parties and such).
What were your normal days like while living in Asia?
Mostly it was studying and hanging around with other exchange students. In the morning went to school and came back at around 4 pm the latest. Evenings included partying, just relaxing, eating out or cooking together with the housemates or just going to the gym/pool.
He travelled to 4 other countries during his exchange and visited temples like this one (Batu Caves)! Photo by Lasse
Did you have a chance to travel during your stay?
I traveled quite a lot, but I wish I had traveled more. I visited 4 other countries and the shortest trip was 3 days in Thailand. We used many weekends to travel out of Kuala Lumpur and visit other islands or cities in Malaysia.
What kind of things did you learn about Asia during your stay?
Too many things to list here but I guess mostly English, other cultures and how to arrange things while traveling.
What kind of things did you learn about yourself?
I considered myself quite shy before the exchange, but I opened up during my time abroad. I also recognized how valuable it is to get experience abroad and how rewarding it is to travel. You learn to appreciate the things you have back home and learn to appreciate other cultures as well. I was also really worried about traveling by myself and leaving from Finland alone. It was surely the biggest leap I’ve ever taken in my life but at the same time, it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I can assure that when you have done this kind of a decision once you can take another big leap more easily in the future.
It was a big leap for Lasse, but also the best decision he ever made! Photo by Lasse
In your opinion, why should people go to study in Asia?
Asia is probably the place where you can experience the most: the variety of cultures, food, people, countries to travel quite cheaply and mostly because it’s warm there. Also, the schools there are quite highly appreciated.
You might also be interested in: UPM – Meet Asia Exchange’s Partners
Would you recommend this study program to other students?
Most definitely! If you are reading this and considering going study abroad just apply already! First, it might scare you, but I can assure you it’s one of the best experiences you will ever face.
What are your greetings to Asia Exchange?
Thank you for making this possible and being such an awesome group of people!
A free word for any student considering going abroad
Don’t think anymore, just apply. Go. You won’t regret it.
Find out more about studying abroad in Kuala Lumpur
Asia Exchange is a Finnish company providing study abroad opportunities in Asia Pacific for students from all around the world. Want to get travel tips and new blog posts straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter! If you have any questions about studying abroad, feel free to contact us! We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
This article was written by our planning officer, Sami.
