Milou in Waterloo (Canada)

Where did you study?
At the University of Waterloo, Canada.

When did you study there?
In 2015-2016, the second semester of my third year as a bachelor student. I studied there from January until the end of May. The University had three semesters (trimesters) instead of two, but for me it was enough to be there for one trimester. I left at the 2^nd of January and returned at the end of May.

Was the university you studied at your first choice?
Yes, the University I studied at was my first choice.

Why did you want to go there?
I went on a vacation to Canada twice before and I started loving the country. I wanted to visit it again, but I wanted to see another part. Also, it seemed like a great opportunity to improve my English. I did not want to worry about safety etc., so this seemed like a good choice.

Did you get some sort of grant to finance your time abroad?
I applied for a Holland Scholarship and received it as well. This was €1250,00. Because it is a destination outside of Europe, I did not receive an Erasmus Grant. I did not travel with an organisation.

When did you start preparing for your trip?
I wrote my application letter about one and a half year before I left. When I heard back from the university, I started looking for more information. I checked out the website and read reports from others. In the end, everything like housing, courses and application fell into place about three months before departure. I took care of the rest of my travel during the summer.

How much money did you spend each month abroad? Where there a lot of unexpected costs?
I did not come across many unexpected costs, but I also did not make a cost plan either. When I arrived in Canada, the costs for groceries were disappointing. I visited a lot of places that were definitely worth the money, though. It sounds cliché, but when you arrive at your destination it gets very easy to spend money on trips. That is also where I spent most of my money on. I think that my average expenses each month were around €700,00 to €800,00.

Did you have a hard time meeting people there? Did you make friends you still talk to?
It was not hard at all to meet new people, it just happened. I have met a lot of people that I still see. It is very easy to visit some different addresses in Europe when I have weeks off. I definitely made friends for the long run, because we became very close in a short amount of time. I was scared that I would end up alone, but everyone was very social and looking to meet nice people. I do feel like it was harder to make Canadian friends, because everyone already had their own friend groups in classes. Fortunately, everyone was very helpful and I never experienced difficulty finding students to work with on group assignments.

How was your housing arranged?
I chose not to live on-campus, but to choose for a semi-private cooperation for student housing. This had the benefit of living on campus, but cost me less. Another advantage was that the cooperation was owned by students. I applied for a room about two months before my exchange, but I was lucky and they got me a room.

In other semesters, it was more common to share a room with a roommate. The organisation organised many activities and the majority of the residents were international students.

Do you feel like your exchange has added something to your study, finding a job, personal growth etcetera?
I think that I did not meet many people that choose to study abroad for their academic development. I found it really valuable to be a student at another university, but I was not able to take the courses I would have been able to take in Tilburg. When studying abroad, it is possible that you end up at courses that do not really feel right to you. However, this might cause you to get new insights. That is why I consciously made this choice. I also think it looks good on your CV, but that will turn out when I start applying for jobs.

Would you advise others to study abroad? Do you have tips?
I would definitely advice everyone to go on exchange! I know that it does not necessarily sounds appealing when you have not experienced it yourself, but everyone who doubts, should really go. It is a unique experience that enables you to visit placed you will never be able to visit again after your life as a student. You also learn so much about yourself and about other cultures. When you look at it from many aspects, it is a very positive experience. From my perspective, the biggest obstacle might be the financial situation. But you can always find a solution for that. Do not worry about all the arrangements, because that is one hundred percent worth it! I would immediately go again if I could!