Interview
Meet Andrea from Mexico
Name: Andrea Norman
Home Country and City: Mexico, Guanajuato
Programme of Study: IDI Industrial Design Intensive. This course focuses on the design methodology and design practice, the pace and study methods in IDI support students in the possibility of reaching a high level of design skills and competence.
Personal Interests: art and design, hanging out outdoors.
Favourite thing about Umeå University: Meeting people from all over the world and working together.
Favourite Swedish word or custom: lagoom - jahaa! ‘everything in moderation’. As an example, “work hard, play hard” is not a common concept in Sweden. People work hard but not too hard, they go out and enjoy themselves.
Three words to summarise your time in Umeå: interesting, challenging in personal development, and inspiring.
What is your educational and professional background?
Interior design
Why did you choose to enrol in your degree programme at Umeå University?
I really wanted to live somewhere completely different. The Nordic countries have very nice design, unique cultural differences, the way they experience life (react to challenges, interact with people), social beliefs (equality is amazing and democracy, I’m so lucky to see the real difference). And turns out my school, the Umeå Institute of Design, was chosen by the Red Dot Award as the best design education in Europe and the Americas. So I really wanted to come here and become a better designer. And it’s all worth it!
What do you like most about your programme?
The teachers are super friendly and they really push us on being better designers. And they motivate us to grow together and help each other, be influenced with other cultural approaches.
What is the most interesting thing you learned in your programme or courses so far?
Communicate and interact better, my etiquette has improved, and I am trying hard to be punctual.
What do you do when you are not studying?
Cook and hang out with my roommates.
What is your impression of Umeå and the surrounding areas?
Only a walk or a bike-ride away, surroundings of nature are beautiful. Brings up opportunities for weekend excursions, BBQs at the lake or potlucks and northern light hunting.
What do you find as the biggest cultural difference, both socially and educationally, from your country with Sweden?
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I’m in heaven really. Super clean place, where you recycle everything, great education. Mexico: bureaucracy and machismo vs. Sweden: complete equality and democracy. While Swedes are too cold to express any emotion and Mexicans are dramatic and loud.
What would you say or what advice would you give to another international student thinking of attending Umeå University?
Prepare yourself for the eternal cold and darkness in winter and the longest daylight in the summer, which is equally fascinating. Your body and mind will transform into a creature of the north.
What are your career aspirations?
After my thesis about “friendlier hospital design”, I will graduate. I will apply to master’s courses in Product Design (somewhere in the world) and at the same time look for internships to get more experience.
