Academic experience
Since I did not have any elective courses left at UQ, it was difficult for me to choose a host university that would offer me enough courses to be equivalent to UQ, but luckily the courses from UofC were approved and I could enroll in. However, I had to choose 5 subjects in UofC (maximum courses to study full-time). I studied mainly History courses and Russian courses during the exchange. Due to more subjects in host uni comparing to 4 in UQ, I was a bit stressed at first but quickly get used to it, time management is the key. Another interesting thing I noticed that the assignments deadlines in UofC are more flexible than UQ's ones. For example, if you are sick, in UQ you have to get a medical certificate and send to your faculty to approve it first, while in UofC you could send an email to your professor and get an approval. This was a good news to me since once I got really sick but did not a free medical cover in Canada (because of short-term study).
Personal experience
I have made a lot of friends from around the world, which was really cool as I love to learn about different cultures. Unfortunately, I could not explore many cities due to my full study load with 5 subjects, however I did really enjoy exploring some Rockies in Alberta such as in Lake Louis, Banff and Canmore. I also tried skiing for the first time and I loved it. After my studies finish, I participated in in a social service program with Aiesec for one month- teaching English and Russian to local University students in Guanajuato, Mexico. This was my favorite time as I got a chance to not only travel, make new friends and experience a different culture but also do some volunteering work that involve sharing languages, something that I passionate about. This also helped me to enhance my skills in communication, teaching, teamwork and event planning.
Accommodation
I would highly recommend living on-campus if you are studying at UofC, especially if it is Winter Semester. It can get really cold during winter in Alberta, living on-campus and be able to use tunnels from your building to get to classes is super convenient and can save you lots of time. It is also a good way to make friends since you will be more likely to share a room with someone and see other exchange students regularly on campus.
Costs
The rent living on campus will cost you around 1800-1900 per month. For transport, you can use bus and train. The fee for public transport included in the fees you pay for uni (they will put a sticker on your student card and you just need to show it to the driver before getting on the bus). This actually save you a lot of money comparing to using Go Card in Brisbane (140 per Semester). For entertainment and travel, I cannot really recommend a budget as it depends on your personal preferences and on what you can afford.
Challenge
The rent living on campus will cost you around 1800-1900 per month. For transport, you can use bus and train. The fee for public transport included in the fees you pay for uni (they will put a sticker on your student card and you just need to show it to the driver before getting on the bus). This actually save you a lot of money comparing to using Go Card in Brisbane (140 per Semester). For entertainment and travel, I cannot really recommend a budget as it depends on your personal preferences and on what you can afford.
Professional Development
As I mentioned earlier, being able to participate in a volunteering program with Aiesec to share my knowledge and experience in languages and cultures in Mexico was the time when I finally can use my skills and what I learn in uni more practically. I became more confident with my communication skills and organizing different events/ classes to improve my students' ability in their language. For professional development, I gain more experience working with a team, learn from others as well as overcoming certain challenges, such as language barrier.
Highlight
The highlight of my experience was definitely making new friends, building meaningful relationships as well as learning about different cultures.
Top tips
My advice is to plan your exchange well, get prepared but at the same time, be open-minded and don't expect anything too specific from your future exchange. Let this adventure surprise you and I'm sure you will have fun and learn a lot along the time. And don't be afraid to try new things.
