Campus, Culture and Canada
Larissa Mestrum is a BSc. Student in Business Administration at the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences. She talks about her semester at the Sauder School of Business of the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada, what she experienced before and during her stay and what she took with her to Cologne.
Which positive memories to you associate with your semester abroad?
It was the most intense time I ever experienced. Four months filled with new impressions, experiences and adventures. Besides countless excursions into the beautiful Canadian nature, I mostly associate with my semester abroad the many new international friends that I met.
"My semester abroad was a fantastic time full of memorable experiences and impressions and I met many wonderful new friends from around the world. It’s an experience that everyone should make!"
And are there any negative ones?
Overall, my experience was really positive. The only negative memory is perhaps that it was often quite stressful. Four months are a very short time and a semester abroad has so much to offer. I did not manage to relax very often. But in retrospect, every excursion was worth the organizational effort and getting up an hour early!
How did you cope with cultural differences?
It was not so difficult to adjust. Certainly there are smaller differences one has to get used to – for example that people thank the bus driver when they get off at a stop, or that all prices are listed without tax and that you always have to give a 15 % tip – also to taxi drivers. It’s difficult not to make a blunder and offend people, but usually you find out pretty quickly where potential blunders lurk. And Canadians are very hospitable and obliging. For example, on our first bus trip we didn’t know that you needed the precise amount to buy your ticket because there is no change on public transport buses. We didn’t have enough coins on us, but the bus driver just smiled and sold us the tickets for half the price.
What did you miss about Germany? What did you miss about the UoC in comparison to the higher education system abroad?
I guess the standard answer to that is: German bread! I have to say that I really missed German food. And of course the many local traditions here in Cologne, like the carnival. Vancouver is very international, which makes it hard to discern a local culture. It makes you appreciate all the rich traditions at home all the more.
At the university, I mostly missed the freedom I have at a German university. The Canadian higher education system is highly structured in comparison to the German one. There is a lot of homework and group work, and the lectures with grades for oral performance reminded me of my school days. Surely the system has its advantages, particularly regarding soft skills such as the ability to work in a team. But I personally sometimes missed the self-sufficiency that is expected from students at the University of Cologne
What do you miss most about your experience abroad?
Definitely the contact and exchange with so many international students, the many weekend trips and campus life at the UBC – the UBC’s cultural and sports program is outstanding. I miss exploring Canada’s nature with other exchange students and cheering on the UBC’s sports teams. The international spirit of an exchange semester and particularly campus life at a north-American university are just an unbelievably enriching experience.
In what ways did your stay prepare you for the time after your studies?
Certainly you find out a lot about yourself during your stay abroad – about your strengths and weaknesses and about your limits. I think my semester abroad mainly helped me find out what is important for me in working life. It was an important step in my job orientation process. And you develop a lot of interpersonal skills: cross-cultural competence and the ability to work in a team play an important role. That’s important in any job.
What advice can you offer to UoC students who are interested in spending a semester abroad?
Get the necessary information as soon as possible! The choice of partner universities is huge at the University of Cologne and the deadlines for application are often a year before the actual start of the exchange semester. The International Relations Center of the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences and the UoC’s International Office are very helpful in this process. Particularly the experience reports that can be accessed at the International Relations Center helped me a lot with my decision. Independent of the destination country, I would encourage everyone to take a semester abroad. All of my friends who spent a semester abroad were inspired by the experience. I can only encourage others to make use of this opportunity and the UoC’s broad offer of exchange schemes!
Dos and don’ts that you would like to share?
Don’ts: doubts if you have really made the right decision; too much contact with people at home; quickness to judge the culture and behavior of people in your destination country.
Dos: Make a conscious decision to leave behind your home country, your family and friends. Be open to experiences in an unknown environment. Become familiar with your host country’s culture and try out as much as possible – travel around and explore your host country!