What it's like to study abroad in Canada: from beach barbecues to thigh-high snow

Here is an experience of an international student who studies in Canada for a year or so, enjoy the the journey in her own words and also do visit the source l. “Ayear abroad has always been part of my plan, and, ever since I began my studies at the University of Edinburgh, I dreamed of an exchange in Canada.

I study Sustainable Development and Social Anthropology, and Canada seemed to embody all the environmental ideals I had learned about.The northern nation is also home to many First Nations communities whose cultures are of great interest to me as a budding anthropologist.

I never could have imagined how much this year abroad would impact my life; changing me for the better and opening my eyes to the politics and history of Canada which I knew little about.The first few weeks at Carleton University - located in the capital, Ottawa - passed by in a warm haze. Memories of the late summer months became a blur of beach barbecues, outdoor adventures, and Canadian football games. Any fears of meeting new people dissipated within days. The International Student Office organised various events so I found friends among other exchange students all going through similar experiences.

It also helped that the stereotype of Canadians as extra-friendly and welcoming turned out (in my experience) to be true.Making friends in class was easy because my accent made me stand out. Exchange students attained instant celebrity at Carleton: “You say queue? Oh, that is so cute! Can you say aluminum?”As autumn blew in, the colder weather transformed Ontario from a lush green landscape to a scorched panorama of scarlet and gold.

For October break, I decided to join a canoe trip in beautiful Algonquin Provincial Park and began to tick off some Canadian boxes, including spotting moose along the shore lines and sipping maple syrup from the can as we warmed ourselves by the camp fire. I was thoroughly embracing the Canadian lifestyle.

After speaking to my other friends who have taken a year abroad, I realised that the experience is what you make of it. If you fully immerse yourself in the culture and challenge yourself with new experiences it will be amazing. But you have to make the effort in order to reap the rewards.

Ottawa’s fierce winters are notorious. Every Canadian I met recalled days of sub-30 degrees and warned that we Brits would struggle to survive. I was determined to prove them wrong. Luckily, Carleton University is well-equipped to deal with these harsh winters: there is an entire underground tunnel system which links the accommodation to lecture halls so students can escape the frequent snowstorms”. Visit source for more, and to know how to get there for real visit http://gkworks.in and talk to our experts personally.