Suomeksi
Posts
It has been 41 days since the May Day spring celebration in Finland, Vappu, which is also the day I began my internship with Tam Tam and the adventures in The Netherlands.
The first week was rather exciting as I experienced the nomadic living without proper accommodation arrangement, due to working permit issues. It involved many camping nights and hostel searching, but nonetheless first week at Tam Tam has been wonderful and I was warmly welcomed by many friendly faces and cozy receptions. It is a good reminder for all TAMK Media students with non-EU citizenship to look into visa requirements way before your internship and exchange studies starts in another EU country to save yourself from unexpected troubles.
First day at Tam Tam / My mobile home at Amstelveen’s beautiful camping site
Tam Tam is a full service digital agency based in The Netherlands. Its open space atmosphere, abundant portfolio and spontaneous working culture with more than 120 people working in three offices has been fascinating. Clear table policy, self-service lunch buffet in Dutch style, friendly Tammos and their straightforwardness and curiosity are amongst the cultural discoveries of my adventure in The Netherlands. There are always happenings in the office, such as series of Mobile First sessions presented by the Mobile design team sharing their thoughts and updates on the digital content design field focusing on mobile platform with all Tammos during lunch time. I especially admire such culture of sharing within an organisation and gets everyone (even HR and finance department) on the same page on digital design direction in the field.
Waternet available in app store / Tam Tam visitors from Lillebaelt Academy!
I have been learning much from my coach buddy, Barry and the design team on interaction design in mobile apps helping with building wireframes and animating mobile prototype with Origami, besides doing other visual tasks like motion animation and online ad concept design. Amongst my favourite Tam Tam projects is this award-winning mobile app, Waternet which helps Amsterdammers navigating their ways on canal water. Colleagues at Tam Tam are generous with sharing their cultures with foreigner, as knowing that I am a big cultural observer. Several gezellig lunches made by colleagues are lekker and lunch time has always been interesting to make my own sandwiches. Here I also learnt much about empathy from the people orientated culture portraying from the slight gesture from team leaders with their greetings, HR ladies who have been tremendously helpful with practical matters such as work permit and insurance.
Superlekker couscous on a Friday lunch / Cozy girl-power-pancakes lunch
The first month of internship at Tam Tam had flashed by quickly as time flies. At the same time I have been exploring much of the Dutch culture settling in south of Holland in a beautiful canal city named Leiden. Cycling is a pleasure here and discovering various food and fresh ingredients from outdoor markets are thrilling, too. The Netherlands is located below sea level which formed interesting landscape: you simply cannot see the water as it is higher than you!
Leiden, a city with 120,000 populations / Dutch delicacy, Haring (herring fish)
The multicultural scene and openness of the Dutch people means plenty of topics to talk about over beers and outing sessions especially summer is here. Another month and a half to go before internship ends, and I look forward to more adventures and discoveries in the land of not just cheese, windmills and tulips!
