Stories From Incoming Exchange

Alex
Macquarie University
Australia

“It was amazing coming into Winter, with lots of lovely snow! Carleton University in Ottawa welcomed me, and I felt like home! I have learned a lot about Canada, it’s Constitution, people, Canadian way of life. I have made many friends at the university, gained new skills, and improved working with scholarly materials. I participated in activities, excursions, and volunteered as a note taker for students with a disability. I travelled around Canada and to New York, USA! Memories to last a lifetime! Love every moment of my adventure!”

Marius
University of Hohenheim
Germany

“I experienced a lot. It wasn´t just a new country, culture, and people for me but also my first time living without my family. I have learned how to cook, do laundry, and care for myself. In addition, I gained academic skills in my classes like finance, marketing and academic writing skills including the APA citation style. Furthermore, this experience helped me improve my English skills daily and expand my social network. I got to know many nice people. Some were Canadian, but also many international students from all over the world. Thereby I also got to know the cultures of other countries and not just the Canadian culture. Some of my favourite memories of Carleton or Ottawa are the Parliament show, the Panda Game, the gym sessions, and the travelling and other events I did with my friends during my time in Ottawa. All of them were great and I´ll keep them always in my mind.”

Theresa
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Germany

“My winter term at Carleton has been absolutely fantastic! For the first time ever I got to try out cross-country skiing in Gatineau Park. I adored my winter walks through the arboretum and enjoyed building all kinds of snowmen. I took part in the exciting infamous Hockey game against UOttawa and even got to take part in the half-time show. This was such a fun experience and I am truly sad to not get to experience the spring here in Ottawa too. I have made many international friends whom I hope to meet again in the future. I would completely recommend Carleton, with its Residence style life, because it was the perfect place to spend winter.”

Jiayi
Shanghai International Studies University
China

“During this 4-month exchange experience, I have more understanding of Canadian culture and I’m touched by how friendly and tolerant the Canadians are. I clearly recalled my first day here, when I was lost and a couple helped me find my way patiently, and at last, they said, “We just want to make sure you are not lost”. This sentence is marked in my memory, for it’s so heartwarming. However, I also encountered some challenges like cultural shock, especially when I found it hard to cooperate with students from different cultural backgrounds. Luckily, I managed to cope with this problem with the help of my instructor. As for my biggest success, it should be enhancing my independence ability, and this is what I would like to say to anyone who is going to Carleton to exchange: You’ll be forced by the environment to depend on yourselves, and you’ll find you become a stronger person when you finish this exchange trip.”

Sonja
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Germany

“My exchange at Carleton University was simply amazing! I got the chance to meet people from all over the world and to explore Canada and its culture together. I now not only know what a double double is , or what the word “eh” means, but I also got the chance to experience what it is like to study at a Canadian campus university. I will return home with a a lot of memories like seeing Niagara Falls, hiking in Gatineau Park during the summer, watching sports games at Carleton and celebrating birthdays and other festivities  with friends. I am thankful for this time and will definitely remember it!”

Nathalie
Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication
The Netherlands

“I enjoyed the four months at Carleton a lot. One of my favourite memories is travelling to Niagara Falls and Toronto during reading week. Another highlight was the clothing swap that I was able to organize together with the Carleton Climate Commons in October before reading week. Together with a few other people, we found new owners for many clothes and raised awareness on sustainability and climate change. Based on this, I highly recommend other exchange students to get involved in some club just for fun. You get to meet a lot of new people, most of them from Canada and get an interesting insight into the workings of the city of Ottawa, CUSA and the university. That also helped me overcome the greatest challenge of adapting to the North American lifestyle.”

Fernanda
PUC-Rio de Janeiro
Brazil

“The last term was a fulfilling experience for me in many aspects. First of all, specially as an Education student, it was amazing to be able to experience different teaching and learning methods, as the university in Canada is different than in Brazil. Second, I had some classes at Carleton that my university in Brazil did not have, so it was a great opportunity to learn new things. This was my academic experience. But an exchange program has a lot more to it. I got close to new cultures,had the opportunity to be close not only to canadians, but to people from all around the world. I met new people, made new friends, from new cultures. I also learned how to be more independent, as I was away from home, friends, and family. I had to do things by myself. It is not easy, but once I did it, I felt so proud of myself. I learned in 4 months what would take me a lifetime to learn. My favourite memory will definitely be the first snow of the season. It was the first time that I saw snow in my life, and I will never forget how it felt like. I had so much fun!!”

Margot
Burgundy School of Business
France

“My fall term in Carleton was amazing and it is going to miss me, I am sure!

I liked the courses and the kind professors but what I liked the most was discovering a lot of new people from different countries. I had already visited Canada but living here is really different. I learned a lot of things about Canadians, and I enjoyed sharing viewpoints and cultural distinctions. I tried to attend several famous activities here in Ottawa but the more memorable event I can remember is for sure the Panda Game. The ambiance was amazing, and I had never seen something like that! If you hesitate to come to Carleton, do not anymore! ”

Yuxin
Shanghai International Studies University (SISU)
China

“I’m Yuxin Gong from Shanghai International Studies University. During my exchange in Carleton, I have attended business and economics courses, in which I got to learn from the professors not only about the textbook knowledge, but also about how to link it with real-life application and research. I have also learned a great deal about the intriguing indigenous knowledge as well as other important parts of Canadian culture. And although the courses were virtual, I still made good friends. Everyone I met during this experience was extremely nice and friendly, making me feel a part of Carleton. The exchange term at Carleton is very precious and unforgettable.”

Yasna
Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Netherlands

“Overall, I had an AMAZING time in Canada. I enjoyed my classes a lot, I loved the campus, the access to the gym, the many options to join different sports team and the study facilities! I met a lot of amazing people through mostly my roommates, went on some trips (to Montreal and NYC) and experienced some traditional Canadian holidays (thanksgiving). What I gained the most throughout my time in Ottawa is to step out of my comfort zone in actively trying to meet people. My biggest accomplishment when looking back is that I managed to overcome many obstacles and have one of the best periods of my life.”

Eunice
University of Ghana
Ghana

“I was an exchange student for the fall term of 2021 for my undergraduate final year. I was excited when I was given the opportunity to partake in a virtual exchange program with Carleton University. Carleton offers a flexible approach to online learning and equips students with knowledge and skills to be productive and successful. I appreciate the warmth with which the International Students Service Office (ISSO) received me virtually. The ISSO assisted me from the beginning to the end of my program. They organized programs that were both beneficial and engaging. The virtual learning, while tough, gave me an experience that would help me in the future. I am convinced that preparation and discipline really counts in all spheres of life. The exchange program at Carleton has transformed me into a well-rounded student who does not settle for less but strives to make the best out of every situation. My virtual experience at Carleton was tough but rewarding, and this joy will forever remain in my heart.”