Old World, New School
by Liliana Gaete
It was January 2008. While all my Vancouver Island University friends were starting a new semester in Nanaimo, I found myself on the other side of the world, ready to embark in a unique experience: an exchange program.
I left Canada to move to Utrecht, a gorgeous city in the Netherlands. I walked along the extensive canals, stared at the beautiful architecture, watched with joy the students crowding the little pubs, and tried to practise my Dutch. Utrecht became my home.
I was part of a European culture & European journalism semester with a group of exchange students from countries including England, Spain, and Austria. And the best part was that I could transfer a semester worth of credits towards my VIU degree.
My exchange was part of VIU's Study Abroad program. While enrolled at VIU, students may attend one of the many partner schools overseas for one or two semesters. Students from those institutions are also welcomed by VIU. As part of the exchange, students pay tuition fees to their home university, not to the partner institution.
There are several partner schools from countries such as Australia, England, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the USA.
Exchanges can be a really enriching experience, in both personal and educational ways. They are an opportunity to see other cultures, to explore the world, to experience education in a different way, and also to make friends and have fun.
But the journey is different for everybody. It is important to consider all aspects of the program in order to get the most out of it.
Fieldtrip to Paris
"The main two things [to consider] are the amount of work to get ready to go, and the cost," explains Audrey Hansen, manager of Study Abroad at VIU.
"[Students] have to know it's a lot of work." In addition to their normal school work, aspirant students must apply to the partner school, often have to apply for a visa, must choose their courses and look into transfer credit, make sure they have a passport, and attend pre-departure sessions designed to prepare them for the exchange.
However, Tyson Macmillan, an International Business student who spent a semester in Australia, didn't find the application process hard. "Audrey guides you through the process," he says.
Before going on exchange, students have to review the courses offered by the overseas schools in order to find ones that match their degree. Making sure the credits are transferable to their VIU degree is essential.
Another important aspect to consider is the cost. Students must cover expenses such as plane ticket, living costs, visa, and health insurance. It varies depending on the circumstances of each student and the country.
Students must have a B average to participate. "We want to make sure they can adapt and they are able to academically do well. Usually a strong student here can do well anywhere," says Hansen.
Participants should expect things to be different from VIU. "You have to be flexible," says Hansen. "Go because it's different, not because you hope it is the same."
Macmillan found that Deakin, his Australian university, had a very intimate environment. "I really liked it," he says. "You see people you know all over the place. And the teachers were really good."
Erasmus weekend trip to Ameland, a Dutch island
International students, he says, tended to bond. "Most of my friends were other exchange students. We all went to the same parties, all went out together, went on trips together. It was pretty cool," he says. "Meeting all those people was the best part."
Just like Macmillan, I also met a large group of international students. The Student Network, Erasmus, makes sure the exchange students spend a great time together. They organize many weekly activities and trips, from travelling in the Netherlands to going on a skiing trip to France. It is hard to get homesick when you are having so much fun.
For Charles York, a Forest Resources and Technology student at VIU, things were a bit different. He had the opportunity to study one semester at the University of West Hungary.
"I really wanted to experience other cultures, and also learn about my area of interest in another setting. I actually achieved that going over there; I learned quite a lot about European forestry practices and science in general," he says.
But York found that social integration can be a challenge. The language barrier in particular can be hard to deal with.
"It was quite difficult to integrate in with the students on campus as well as people in the community because English is not very common," he says.
VIU receives a number of exchange students every semester. Min Sun Chang is a Korean student who comes from the Seoul Women's University. She also thinks the language barrier can make social integration more difficult.
VIU is very different from her Korean University. "In Korea," she says, "I spend a lot of time on campus, and go back home at night." Here students tend to leave campus after class, making it hard to meet people. And language remains a problem. "I feel a little bit afraid to talk to them. I can understand better the professor's lectures than the students talking."
In-class discussions become a challenge as well. "In discussion time I have to talk. If I don't talk they will think I'm not smart, and I really hate that feeling," she says.
But Chang thinks it is all worth it. "There is only one chance in my life to study at a foreign university." At VIU, Chang has the opportunity to listen to other students' opinions in class and she learns a lot from them. "When I go back to Korea I will know other nations' thinking."
Academically, sometimes, things don't turn out the way we would like. York says he gained a lot of knowledge and experience in Hungary, but also missed some valuable content while he was away. "I'm responsible for all the content I missed. This is creating some challenges for me now." But overall his experience was worth it. "Now I have connections that are priceless."
The Hogeschool Utrecht in my graduation day
As for my own experience at the Hogeschool Utrecht, my Dutch university, I had a hard time accepting the teaching and grading system. Unlike VIU, sometimes the grade for a course would be reduced to a single exam or assignment. I also found a few teachers whose English was not as good. That was frustrating and more than once I missed VIU's system.
My university also had highlights. As part of my program, my classmates and I went to different European cities to do journalistic work. I visited Barcelona by myself for two weeks. I had to arrange my accommodation, find my sources, organize meetings and interviews, visit places and take photographs. This journey gave me valuable experience that can't be acquired in a classroom.
Homecoming is also a unique experience for each of us. Macmillan says it was a bit difficult to go back to his old life.
"After having such a fun experience, coming back and going straight into the normal routine, it's kind of like taking a step back. Going back to your old life is not as exciting."
York, on the other hand, says he liked returning home. "I've been snowboarding, I've seen my friends, and it's nice to be back at VIU. It can be challenging, especially because [the Hungarian university] wasn't nearly as demanding as my program here. So, to come home and to step right into eight courses can be more challenging in terms of education. But it's nice to be here because I enjoy my studies."
For Hansen it has been rewarding to talk to the students when they return. "I've never spoken to a student who said "I wish I hadn't gone," even the students who had some disappointments about the school or the teachers. They all still said "I'm glad I went because I've learned so much and I met so many incredible people, and it's still the best semester of my education for other reasons.""
Exchange programs can be a life-changing experience in many ways. "[It] is a great opportunity for students who are looking for personal [and] professional growth." Students on academic probation have been known to significantly improve their grades because they want to participate. Others, after finishing their degree at their home university, have returned to the country they did their exchange in. "There are even some marriages that have come out of it," says Hansen.
The skills and experience that I acquired during my time abroad are not just going to help in a workplace, but in my life. And I am probably going back to the Netherlands after I finish my degree at VIU. My Dutch is not that bad after all. Ik hou van Holland (I love Holland).
Although the program gives preference to domestic students, international students, like me, are also welcome to apply. For more information contact Audrey Hansen. Audrey.Hansen@viu.ca