By Eloise Krige

Hi there! I’m Eloise and am a first year Masters of Science (Research) in Earth Sciences student. After doing my Bachelor’s in Earth Science and Chemistry at Waikato, I realised I want to mesh the two together by specialising more in Atmospheric Science. Since we don’t have that at Waikato, I broadened my horizons to Europe. Being born in Ireland I was hoping to go back, but Helsinki turned out to be an even better fit for what I want to study and be something completely different to what I’m used to. The University of Helsinki not only they offers a wide range of Atmospheric Science courses, but they also have other Earth Science disciplines that we don’t have access to here in NZ (such as Glaciology). I have always dreamed of visiting Europe and am beyond excited to experience the Nordic winters, see aurora, and find out for myself if Finns really are the happiest people on earth.

This will definitely be the biggest life challenge so far, but am excited to gain a new level of independence and confidence through navigating a foreign country all alone. It goes without saying that experiencing all the food, culture, and history Finland has to offer while studying something I love will be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Academically, I hope to build a strong foundation in atmospheric science that I can bring back to my research at Waikato, and to make connections that will help me with my thesis and whatever comes after it.