Experience stories

In this Stories from the North episode, meet Carolina Vaz-Pires from Portugal, whose passion for education and travel has taken her across Europe. Host Linda Paulauska explores Carolina’s inspiring journey through the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s program, spanning Latvia, Finland, and Estonia.

At the age of 18, Valeria and Aivis got married and hoped to welcome a baby. Unexpectedly, they faced infertility. With the help of IVF, they became happy parents at the age of 20.

Aleksandra donated eggs bringing hope to anonymous infertility-struggling families. She navigated medical tests, hormone therapy, and oocyte punctures five times.

Somshubhra Ray is from India. He shares his life from childhood until now, as a student in the Erasmus Mundus master’s degree program “⁠Service Design Strategies and Innovations⁠.”

Katie Leatherwood transforms lives with prosthetic solutions, helping individuals who’ve lost limbs. From Texas to the global stage, she’s currently making a significant impact in Latvia and aiding Ukraine.

Amena Mohamed⁠ is from Egypt. She shares her amazing and sometimes challenging life journey from childhood to the present as a student in the Erasmus Mundus master’s degree program “Service Design Strategies and Innovations.”

From plumber to commercial diver, Nikolai Jokinen’s story is one of passion and adventure. Discover how he combined his construction background with a love for the extreme, diving into a challenging underwater career.

Meet Ieva Putnina — diagnosed with Alopecia Areata at 12 years old. For years, she hid behind wigs and fear. But everything changed when she chose to embrace her true self.

Guided by a deep passion for understanding people, the natural progression led me into the world of Service Design—an ideal alliance that seamlessly integrates empathy with innovative solutions.

Discover Erum Ali’s inspiring story in the latest Stories from the North episode. Host Linda Paulauska explores Erum’s journey from Pakistan to Finland as a single mother of two. Hear how she balances motherhood, education, and life in Lapland, showcasing courage, resilience, and determination.