Student Blog

By: Kyle Lee, Simon Fraser University, winner of the Spring 2022 BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Japan

Even though I’m more than halfway through my exchange semester in Tokyo, there are still moments when I can’t believe I’ve made it here. When I first found out I was able to go on exchange, after trying for two years throughout the pandemic, I was extremely grateful. I promised myself that I would take full advantage of this opportunity. However, despite all the planning I did prior to travelling to Japan, there were still many aspects of exchange that surprised me.

The first was the international community that I found among the rest of the exchange students. As I got to meet people and make new fr...

By: Sam Rae Harriss, University of Victoria, winner of the Spring 2022 BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Netherlands

Studying abroad creates so many new opportunities for exploring the world and its languages, cultures, and people, offering a great challenge but also great rewards. While when preparing for my exchange semester in the Netherlands I was beyond excited to meet new people and make new friends, and I also knew that I wanted to use this opportunity to take on some smaller solo trips of my own, too, as a challenge to myself. 

Solo travelling is amazing in its ability to help you grow and learn more about yourself but can also be very difficult. When I decided to take advantag...

By: Anna Hawboldt, British Columbia Institute of Technology, winner of the Spring 2022 BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Austria

Vienna is a city mixed with calmness and liveliness. During the days, the cars, bikes and trams move quickly throughout the city. Simultaneously people will be enjoying their coffees at a street side café with no intent on leaving soon. 

As the night falls, the restaurants prepare for their evening rush and the bars down by the canal open their stalls. The roads, bike lanes and sidewalks stay busy as people make their way to meet their family and friends.

As you move down to the canals you will pass people sitting on the edge. Their feet overhanging the water as they l...

By: Stephanie Wong, University of Victoria, winner of the Fall 2021 BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Reykjavik, Iceland

One of the reasons I wanted to study abroad was to create a global network and to interact with people from around the world. I was so pleasantly surprised with the social interactions I got to experience while living abroad. It’s always a bit cliché to say “I love meeting new people” but for me, it’s the diehard truth.

Two days after I arrived in Reykjavik, the University of Iceland’s International Office hosted an International Student Festival at a famous local bar, Gaukurinn. Now from the moment I found out I was accepted for exchange and landed in Iceland, I personally didn’t kn...