My Journalism Notebook: Integration with Obstacles 

Is there a place for an immigrant journalist in Finnish media? Can a foreigner compete for a job in a field deemed among the least sought-after? These questions swirled in my mind as I was trying to find my path in a new country.  

My work experience as a journalist and a photojournalist in Ukraine felt irrelevant in this search in Finland. Journalism demanded language proficiency, and photography a developed network. Changing professions appeared to be the only viable choice, but it entailed either a significant downgrade or a commitment to several years of study. Uncertainties loomed large as I stood at a crossroads.  

I came to Finland two and a half years ago due to my husband’s relocation. We had set a trial time for ourselves – a year to decide whether we would like to stay in the country. However, after just six months, Russia launched an attack on my home country Ukraine. With two kids in tow, we found ourselves with little choice but to stay.  

It was a devastating situation: the first couple of months, I couldn’t think of anything but the war. To maintain my sanity, I threw myself into volunteering. 

Making decisions about my future felt nearly impossible. Ultimately, I came up with the strategy “one step at a time”. The first thing I did was start learning Finnish, so I enrolled in integration courses for immigrants. At the work-life lessons, the teacher introduced to us the ammattibarometri site, on which one could check the demand for various professions in Finland. Unfortunately, journalism ranked among the least sought after.  

It felt very discouraging. If Finnish journalists are struggling to remain in the field, are there any prospects for an immigrant like myself?  

New Chapter of Journalism Career While studying Finnish, I was chosen for a three-week internship for language practice at the Espoo city newspaper, Länsiväylä, as a photographer. This opportunity filled me with hope. 

Shortly after, my four friends sent me the announcement about the Haaga-Helia University program for immigrant journalists, almost simultaneously. It seemed as if the universe wanted me to seize this opportunity. I applied and was chosen as one of the 20 journalists. 

The program included internships in the media houses. The university negotiated with various media outlets to find a suitable placement for each student. Our class is a diverse group, comprising individuals with different languages, expertise in journalism, and work experience.  

Just after a year of study, my Finnish was far from fluent, so I aimed for a photographer’s position. Nonetheless, Suomen Kuvalehti offered me an internship as a writing journalist instead. I was extremely worried in the beginning:, even pitching an idea to the mentor felt difficult with my clumsy Finnish. In addition, I hadn’t been writing articles for some time and was afraid that my brain had forgotten how to do it. 

However, I was determined to try my best.  Before the interviews, I immersed myself in topic-related vocabulary and prepared questions in Finnish in advance. I occasionally used English words when Finnish failed me. 

I interviewed a professor of the University, Ministry officials, etc. No one mocked my Finnish language mistakes. I managed to get all the information I needed. However, when it came to writing articles, challenges with the Finnish language arose. 

At first, I tried to write articles directly in Finnish, only translating words I didn’t understand or lacked vocabulary for. This method was frustratingly slow, so I opted to write in English first and then translate it into Finnish. Translation applications yielded quite good results. 

Mistakes were inevitable, but my mentor helped with this issue. It became clear that language proficiency was not as critical for the work as I initially thought. 

I proposed various topics to the editor, with a majority centered around the Ukrainian community in Finland. I tried to spotlight issues that Finnish journalists might overlook, such as Russian propaganda in libraries, the hurdles faced by Ukrainian schoolchildren, the rehabilitation of Ukrainian defenders in Finland, or instances of Russian cultural appropriation. I endeavored to provide Finnish readers with a deeper understanding of the Ukrainian community here, its challenges, and areas of interest. 

As part of the program for immigrant journalists, I worked as a producer for the multilingual media Satakieli, which was established in January 2024 by Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. Drawing on my background as a writer and photojournalist, this role allowed me to leverage my skills.  

My journey in Finnish journalism is ongoing. As my internship and one-year study have concluded, I find myself at a crossroads once again. However, I remain hopeful. My experiences, alongside those of my colleagues from the Haaga-Helia program, have demonstrated that there is a way to integrate immigrant journalists into Finnish media.  

With the right support, we can make meaningful contributions to Finnish journalism.  

Journalisti is publishing articles by international students from Haaga-Helia to mark the 100th anniversary of Journalisti.