Studying abroad is something many students dream about, but turning that dream into reality can be challenging. There are countless programs, requirements, and decisions to make, which can feel overwhelming at first. Still, for those who take the leap, it can lead to unforgettable experiences, valuable lessons, and lifelong friendships. In my case, I found a unique opportunity through a double degree program that allowed me to study in both the Netherlands and Canada. What followed was a journey filled with personal growth, cultural discoveries, and academic challenges that shaped who I am today.
While I was finishing off my last years at high school, the idea of studying abroad started playing around in my head. However, I didn’t know where to start as you cannot easily orientate yourself with the different programs all these universities have to offer. Therefore, I decided to not pursue this at the time and just started looking at Dutch universities. Then I came across a wonderful opportunity in Nijmegen, as they offered a dual degree option. This program would consist of studying two years in the Netherlands and after that two years in Victoria, Canada if I met the requirements.
During my time in Nijmegen I had to study quite hard as I had to achieve a 7.0 average score over the two years and complete all the courses. This meant that I was not your typical student, as I did not go out much in the evenings and mainly focused on studying. All my hard work paid off and I was able to go to Canada. Even before I knew I was able to go I had to start a lot of processes already such as applying for my visa. Due to the nature of the study program in Canada I had to apply for both a study visa as well as a work visa. This way I would be able to complete the two internships that the University of Victoria integrated into their program.
Once I arrived in Canada, there were quite a few things that I needed to figure out on my own. One of the things that I had to do was set up my own bank account, which was quite an experience as back home my parents had set this all up for me. However, it was in a sense a fun experience as well as it is part of learning new skills and adapting. The same thing applied for my phone plan and grocery stores. As it was a new country for me, I was unfamiliar with all the different brands/companies and their reputations. This makes selecting the right choice somewhat a gamble.
On a personal level it was also a challenge to adapt and make friends. In my program I sort of joined halfway through. Most students knew each other already from the first two years and thus had established friend groups. Most people were very welcoming, but it was sometimes hard to really be part of one of these groups. Luckly, I had four other girls that were in the same boat as I was. There were two students from Taiwan and two from China, all from different universities, that started the same dual degree program. They also didn’t know each other yet, which made our first meeting a great moment to bond. I am currently still in contact with them so that is really nice.
During the first year I was there our program was divided into five different groups. With the group that you were placed in you had all your lectures with. This made it so that you really got to know all your classmates in this group, but also that you saw the other students less than you might have hoped. This small scale type lectures were also a great way to have a lot of interaction with your professors. They also encouraged this during the lectures by asking lots of questions to different people in the lecture hall. On another note, I did feel like the level of education was sometimes lower than I was used to in the Netherlands. This doesn’t necessarily mean that I think that it was bad, it just felt different compared to what I was used to.
During my first full summer in Victoria, it was time for my first internship. As I did not have much work experience at that point it was a bit harder for me to land a position. In the end I ended up working in a gift shop on all different fronts, as a kind of all-round employee. It might not have been the internship that I initially had in mind, but it did teach me a lot about how people in Canada behave. You might not think so because they are both well developed western countries, but social cues do vary a lot. In the Netherlands we are a lot more direct in the sense that we cut to the chase and don’t want chit chat if it is not necessary. An example I have from this is during my lectures. If in the Netherlands, I had a question for my professors I would walk up to them and just immediately ask the question once it was my turn. In Canada, however we would first talk about how the lecture was and how I was doing before I could actually ask my question. It is these small differences that do show that we need to adapt to the country and culture that we live in.
In the spring of my second year, I had the opportunity to do another internship in Montreal. This was a great opportunity for me to experience the French part of Canada, as the country of course also has this cultural divide. This was quite hard to adjust to as everything, and I mean everything, was in French. I luckily had a basic understanding of French, as most French Canadians did not really speak English very well or just refused to talk in English. This internship was a great opportunity for me to experience the more corporate environment of Canada. Here I also learned a lot and really enjoyed the work I did. So, to finish this story. I had a really great experience in Canada and would make the same choice again if I had the chance. Canada will now also hold a very special place in my heart, and I will try to visit as often as possible. I have made friends for life, both Canadian as well as other international students and will cherish them forever.
