Exchange to Windsor, Canada, winter 2013:
From the moment I applied to the moment I came home, I knew my exchange was something I was
determined to make happen and make the most of. Not knowing a lot about exchanges and the
exchange process, I found the start to be a little daunting. Giving the whole thing very little thought
and applying because it would be a great opportunity meant I was, you could say, very under
prepared for what was to come. Let’s start from the beginning shall we?
Sitting at the computer for weeks and weeks doing research into the schools available for exchange,
I wasn’t really too sure which one would best suit me and the programme I am in. After narrowing
down my top five universities, I took it upon myself to visit the exchange co-ordinator at Waikato,
and talk through the options and what would be most suitable for my area of study. This was a great
decision as Shannon, the co-ordinator, helped immensely to give me a rough idea of what to expect
from each of the selected choices. After that meeting, I then booked in to see the head of my faculty
who deals with student enrolment in papers, Damion Sturm. Damion was able to help me identify
what papers I would need to take over seas, to equate and cross credit back to Waikato before
graduation. After sorting both these matters, I went back to the trusty internet and found a
catalogue of papers for each of my top three choices. I found papers from each that would be
interesting to myself, and also beneficial to my studies. From there, I was able to better rank my top
three for the application form. I would highly recommend doing this as it gives a better indication of
what to expect from the course overseas at your host university of first preference, but also of the
other two if the first option falls through.
After the application form was submitted, I only had to wait around a month before I received an
email saying I was accepted into my first choice, the University of Windsor Canada. Windsor was a
new partnership with Waikato, so I was to be the ‘test-dummy’ to see how it pans out. Initially, I was
not impressed with the time it took for the papers and appropriate information to be sent from the
Windsor co-ordinator, Michelle Fitzgerald, as I am a stress-bunny at times. With that aside, all the
information that was sent through, came through in a timely manner and was all relevant and
important to what I was required to do and know. Michelle was very helpful when there was
something you needed help sorting out and for the most part was very organised and quick to
respond.
A few weeks prior to leaving New Zealand was when it really started to sink in that I would be
travelling across the world alone for a semester of study. The thought of leaving family and friends
was a little daunting at first, but knowing you are coming back and they are merely a Skype call away
made it all the more bearable.
Departure Day and Settling in:
WOW, an experience and a half! After sitting on board, travelling for close to 13 hours, the last thing
you really want to do is more travel, but sometimes that is just the way the cookie crumbles. I flew
from Auckland into Vancouver, and then from Vancouver to Toronto and caught a bus from Toronto
to Windsor. Now you know how I am feeling right? This was the easiest way for me personally, as if I
were to fly into America first (Detroit), and then cross the border, I would have had to have obtained
a visa to grant me entry not only into America, but Canada also! Flying direct into Canada is the way
to go for sure. All you need is your passport and acceptance letters and answers to a few quick
questions at security. As you may be there for less than six months it is not necessary to have a visa,
UNLESS you are 1) flying into America first or 2) planning on staying longer than 6 months in the
country.
Finally, after hours of travel, I arrived at my residence (at midnight even!) and had to drag my gear
through the snow. Not too ideal for a poor suitcase that’s previously done some miles. As it was late
at night, I was lucky enough to score a ride with one of the locals I met on my bus. I would not advise
accepting rides from strangers in any instance and after doing this, I have realised it was very risky,
although at the time seemed a great idea. It was freezing, as in well below negatives, and something
I was not dressed for that is for sure. After being dropped to the local police station where I was to
collect my keys for out of office hours check in, I felt fairly safe. They were even kind enough to offer
me a ride to my residence a few hundred meters down the road.
I arrived at Canterbury residence, a local residence for students of Windsor, to a row of town
houses, of which I was in Wake House. The houses looked just like the pictures online, however as I
arrived in winter, I was a little drawn back at how gloomy and un-appealing they were (this changed
CONSIDERABLY as the sun began to shine near the end of the semester). My house was three stories
and housed a total of 12 girls, all sharing a common cooking and dining area. Initial thoughts varied
from; “Oh gosh, what am I doing here?” to “Hmmm, I’m half way across the world in another
country for four and a half months…this is my home. It’s actually pretty cool.” The actual settling in
part of the exchange took a good week or so, as everything was so new. The room needed
decorations to be more personal and it took a while to sink in that this place was to be my home, for
a good four and a half months.
The University:
Unlike Waikato, the University is not on a set campus. The campus runs down from the waterfront,
following a straight road for a 15 minute walk. Lecture theatres/ blocks are all specific to your area
of study, so for example, if you study management, you will be in the management building, if you
are human kinetics, you are in the kinesiology building. Every Monday and Wednesday, you have the
exact same classes in the same location, and the same goes for Tuesday and Thursday. There are no
classes on Friday, so a three day weekend is most welcomed! I really liked the idea of having the
same classes at the same time in the same location as it meant you could have a routine to your day,
and most of all, never get lost. All of my classes were on the opposite side of campus, meaning the
walk was about 15 minutes in the freezing cold from residence. Despite it being cold, I always rugged
up and de-layered when I got to my lecture. Inside every building, there is heating, so you never stay
cold for long which is a bonus.
If you are a budding gym bunny, like myself, then you will highly appreciate the fact the University
Campus has a sporting facility called the Forge, FREE for all students! The fact that it was free meant
it was generally pretty busy, but if you timed it right, you would be fine. Everyone comes to know
you in the gym, and it’s really a very close knit little community, great if you want to meet new
people with like interests. The Forge has an indoor track, a swimming pool, cardio equipment, a
weights room, stretching gear and other room for fitness classes such as spin (rev).
Travel:
During the semester, when classes are on, there aren’t a ton of opportunities to go and travel, unless
you plan small weekend trips. If you are doing this and plan on travelling anywhere in Canada, there
are a number of transport methods you can take. These include:
-
Via rail: Sometimes they have 50% of travel deals, meaning travel is very cheap and gets you
from A to B in comfort
Flight (I recommend booking on flightnetwork.com, or orbitz.com)
Taxi: Do not recommend this unless you are made of millions
The GreyHound Bus: Generally pretty good, but is unreliable, so be wary of your schedule as
most often, they run behind schedule and do not refund if you miss a connection. The buses
have free wi-fi which sometimes works, so you can keep entertained for a good half hour of
your journey.
If you don’t have time to travel during the semester, make sure to make the most of the break times.
During ‘spring break/ reading week’, myself and a group of exchange students travelled to Montreal
and Quebec city. This was a great trip however, it was a nightmare to plan as travel in Canada is one,
very expensive, and two, difficult to organise as you have to take numerous modes of transport to
get to one location. Montreal and Quebec were amazing, and I highly recommend forking out to go
there. It is French speaking, yes, but for the most part, everyone will speak English if you can’t speak
French. Both places are old and rustic looking, almost Old Venetian style, with cobbled roads and
old sign posts. It really is stunning, and seeing all the old building such as the Arc de Trumph and the
Notre Dame is something few get to experience so I feel very privileged.
Getting around here was easy! The subway is your saviour and a three day pass gives you unlimited
access to the station over a period of three days. Goes pretty much everywhere you need to go and
runs regularly, so you are never waiting long for it to come. Buses are also pretty good, but make
sure you have the right change. They don’t give change if you have too much.
Places to visit here are:
-
The Montmorency falls
The ice hotel, hotel de glaze
Old Montreal
Old Quebec
Lake La’ Fontaine- a frozen lake you can skate on
Calgary and Banff were also places I was fortunate enough to visit. I was able to be a part of the Kin
games team - a team of 21 students from the Kinesiology department, all mad about sports, and
having a good time. We travelled to Calgary to compete in the games against all the other
Kinesiology departments from other Universities across the entirety of Canada. Never have I ever
seen so much passion for hockey, it’s a big deal! Calgary was a little too modernised for me, and
didn’t have a lot of character. For some, Calgary is awesome but as I am very outdoorsy, I found
Banff to be more up my alley. Banff is you outdoor adventure hub. They have everything. Here I was
able to indulge in a ton of activities ranging from snow-shoeing, to snowboarding at Lake Louise
(stunning would be an understatement), to dog sledding. Banff is definitely my top five places to go
and I would go back there in a heartbeat. They have everything for winter activities, and also
summer activities too. If you find you are touristy you will, like myself, love Banff.
My fondest memories of the entire journey lie in the final travels I did 10 days before departure. As a
part of my course, I was required to complete an outdoor recreation camp that involved 9 days of
Canoeing on the back country lakes at Algonquin Park. Here is where all the action happened. I saw
my very first beaver, moose and even a brown fox. The lakes were pristine and the company was
awesome. Travelling with such a group of amazing people to a destination completely untouched,
and spending the last days in the sunshine paddling the lakes was a time to unwind and reflect. The
trip was great, and if anyone asks to go canoeing - DO IT - don’t say no! It’s very Canadian and you
get to see things a lot of people don’t ever get to see or experience.
SUMMING UP:
Through my time at Windsor, I really did have the best time of my life. I was able to learn a lot about
not only myself but also how other people live. I was in a house with 9 other girls from around the
world, three of which I became very good friends with and still keep in contact with to this day. The
things you learn from living in such a diverse environment for a period of time really is something
you can keep close to your heart for many years. I made a lot of lasting memories and I know my
time at Windsor will always be cherished. If there is one departing message I can give to anyone
going on exchange, it would be:
“Dream it. Plan it. Do it. Don’t be afraid to try something new, and go into everything you do
with an open mind and an open heart. Leaving your expectations hanging high only leads to
disappointment, so go in and take everything as it is. You never know what ball will be
played, so take it as it comes, and make the most of every situation.”
Through travel, mistakes and friendships, I have been able to really accept the term, take it as it
comes as you can’t plan for everything. Sometimes things don’t go as you planned or expected, so
try not to dwell on it too much and make the most of it. You will be better off for it.
HINTS:
ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS tip. IF you don’t tip well, you aren’t welcomed back. That is the
general rule of thumb. It is generally expected you pay 15% on top of your bills for any service
received.
When travelling to America, remember to get an I-94, and return it at the boarder upon your last
departure from the country. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT or you won’t be allowed back in. Uh-oh!
Blog. Blogging is key especially if you don’t like to write a ton of emails. This keeps everyone in the
loop and lets them know how you are getting on with your travels and what you are doing in bulk. It
saves a lot of time and hassle writing a million emails.
When flying, try and book flight from Detroit Metro (DTW) and fly back into Canada. It ends up being
a lot cheaper surprisingly. You won’t get meals, so pack meals and snacks. You will need them.
Make lots of Canadian friends - they love Kiwis and more even, the accent!
Try Maple taffy, pickles, hot apple cider. You will thank me for it.