Quang Neo Bui's Fullbright Journey

This week marks the beginning of my Fulbright journey as I wrap up the Fulbright Orientation. #FinishWelcome #Fulbright

I am deeply grateful to the #FinlandFulbrightFoundation and #UniversityOfVaasa for their support in making this opportunity possible amid many uncertainties back home in the U.S. I am also honored to stand among so many talented Fulbrighters who represent America and our values to the people of Finland.

Here are a few cultural surprises Iโ€™ve already encountered during orientation:

โ€ข ๐๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐š๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐š๐œ๐ž ๐ฆ๐š๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ! True story: I once sat next to a passenger on a bus (avoiding the priority seats), only to get an intense stare because plenty of other seats were available. Lesson learned.

โ€ข ๐’๐š๐ฎ๐ง๐š ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐›๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ! For the first time in my life, I plunged into a freezing lake after a steamy sauna. An unforgettable (and invigorating) experience.

โ€ข ๐๐š๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ž ๐ข๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ž! I discovered Everymanโ€™s Rightโ€”a unique Finnish law that allows people to access private lands for recreation. A striking contrast to the U.S.

โ€ข ๐„๐ช๐ฎ๐š๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐›๐ฅ๐ž ๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž! From gender-neutral public restrooms to the overall cultural mindset, inclusivity is deeply ingrained. More than once, Iโ€™ve had to double-check I wasnโ€™t mistakenly walking into the wrong restroom.

Iโ€™m excited for many more cultural discoveries over the coming months of this adventure.

๐„๐ฅรค๐ฆรค ๐จ๐ง ๐ฅ๐š๐ข๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ข! (โ€œLife is life!โ€ โ€“ a playful Finnish saying about embracing life as it comes.)

#Fulbright #FinishWelcome #GlobalEducation #FinnishCulture #LifeInFinland #CulturalExchange

Last week marked my second week at the #UniversityofVaasa, my host institution for my Fulbright visit (#FinlandFulbrightFoundation). I have been warmly welcomed by my hosts, Dr. #TeroVartiainen and Dr. #DuongDang Dang. We quickly jumped into our project, drafting plans to engage with various energy companies in the region.

The University of Vaasa is a beautiful, modern campus by the Baltic Sea. I arrived just as the campus came alive with the return of students. I enjoy working here each day in the open, light-filled spaces โ€” and the healthy, affordable lunch menus are a welcome bonus.

Alongside the busy work schedule, Iโ€™m also adjusting to our new life: my son has started school, my wife is set with her remote work, and as a family, weโ€™re happily discovering Finland day by day โ€” counting cultural surprises as we go.

So here's what I've learned in the last two weeks:
โ€ข ๐…๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐จ๐Ÿ๐ญ๐ž๐ง ๐๐จ "๐ฌ๐ฆ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐š๐ฅ๐ค๐ฌ": you may actually get a serious answer to "how's your week been?" ๐Ÿ˜…
โ€ข ๐…๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ค๐ž๐ฒ๐›๐จ๐š๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐š๐ฌ ๐š ๐๐ข๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐ฅ๐š๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ: my biggest surprise came when I couldnโ€™t even type a simple parenthesis and had to ask for help. I still rely on muscle memory, and the struggle is real ๐Ÿ˜“
โ€ข ๐ˆ๐Ÿ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ฐ๐š๐ฏ๐ž, ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐›๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฉ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ: a lesson learned the hard wayโ€ฆ twice ๐Ÿ˜ฑ. No more leisurely scrolling while waiting for the bus!
โ€ข ๐…๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ฌ ๐ก๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ง๐œ๐ก, ๐š๐ฌ ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐š๐ฌ 11๐š๐ฆ: Finally, a cultural habit that I can fully get behind ๐Ÿ˜

Excited to see what other surprises and lessons the next few months in Finland will bring! ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ฎโœจ

๐˜Œ๐˜ญรค๐˜ฎรค ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฑ๐˜ช๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ขโ€ โ€“ โ€œ๐˜“๐˜ช๐˜ง๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จโ€

Excited to visit the University of Turku this weekend for the 37th American Voices Seminar (#AmVoices2025) organized by the #FinlandFulbrightFoundation!

This unique event showcases diverse aspects of U.S. society and culture through the experiences of current U.S. #Fulbright grantees living in Finland.

On the first day, I learned so many fascinating things about American life that I hadnโ€™t known before โ€” from the cultural importance of Homecoming at the University of Missouri, to how mass timber could revolutionize U.S. construction and reduce carbon emissions, to life in a West Virginia holler, and even how to celebrate at the Kentucky Derby! ๐ŸŽ“๐ŸŒฒ๐Ÿ‡

Tomorrow, Iโ€™ll be presenting on โ€œThe American Workplace: The Employee Perspective,โ€ focusing on the U.S. healthcare system.

To be updated tomorrow ๐Ÿ˜Š

#AmVoices2025 #FinlandFulbrightFoundation

Shared from Quang Neo Bui LinkedIn post, with permission