UWO International Exchange Program

Application Deadlines

uwoexchange — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:33:34 +0000

Hi Globe Trotters!

Thanks for expressing your interest in the UWO Exchange Program. Just a few reminders regarding application deadlines…

December 4th -OMG, OJS, ORA, OBW and St. Andrew’s Programs
December 11th – All other programs

Your application must include:

The submitted online application form
Supplementary application form for OMG, OJS, ORA, OBW and St. Andrew’s Programs
Two letters of reference
An official transcript
A non-refundable application fee of $25

For more information on application requirements, click here.

If you need help with your application or are simply seeking more information on the program or destinations, feel free to e-mail us at exchange@uwo.ca or drop by our office hours on Mondays 2:30-4:30 and Wednesdays 11:30-1:30 in WSS 2120!

Good luck and happy travels.

-The UWO Exchange Team

Greetings from Otago!

uwoexchange — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:24:33 +0000

Hey Western!

I’m currently on exchange at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand and am without a doubt having the best five months of my life. New Zealand is an amazing country, and I am constantly in awe of its beauty everywhere I go. My time here has almost come to an end, and as sad as I am to leave, I know I am going home with so many amazing experiences and memories to look back on.

In terms of the University and the student life, I really did not find it difficult to adjust and found it really similar to Western in terms of class sizes, lecture formats, etc. – I even had a Canadian professor for one course! The students make up a fifth of the population of Dunedin so the city is really catered to us which is great. The Kiwis (New Zealanders) are AWESOME people. They are so friendly and welcoming that I honestly think it would be hard not to feel comfortable here!

Although I’m obviously here for a semester of school, I’ve still managed to do lots of travelling on weekends all over New Zealand and also spent a week in Australia during the mid-semester break. I’ve realized that despite the country’s small size, there really is so much to do and no way to do it all in such a short time!

A few words of advice:

Prepare yourself for a tough first few days – arriving in a totally new country is difficult, and you’ll probably wonder what you’ve got yourself into, but give yourself time. It gets better quickly, trust me!
Put yourself out there and meet new people by going to the International Orientation events – remember that everyone is in the same position as you are.
Challenge yourself to try new things because they make for some of the best memories – for me it was bungee jumping and running my first half marathon, both of which are definitely highlights of my time here.

If you have any questions about anything please don’t hesitate to contact me – I’d love to talk to you about it.

Jenna Small
BMOS & Psychology IV
University of Otago – New Zealand
jsmall6@uwo.ca

Going to Grenoble

uwoexchange — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:55:51 +0000

Hey guys, my name is Natalie Zarb and I am in my fourth year at Western doing Honours Specialization in Political Science and a minor in French. I went to Grenoble, France in 2008/2009 as part of the Ontario- Rhone Alpes exchange. The university that I studied at was Université Pierre Mendes France. I thought I would make a list of tips and things to check out when you’re in Grenoble. I hope you have the best time and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to send me an email at nzarb2@uwo.ca

France has an excellent program that gives discounts to people under the age of 25. I recommend buying a 12-25 card which can save you about 30% on train travel, but make sure you go into the ticket office to buy the tickets as opposed to buying online. (If you’re looking to fly somewhere, you can find cheap discounted flights on www.skyscanner.com)
Make sure to carry some i.d. pictures with you for the first little while. Things like the 12-25 card will need one.
CAF (Caisses d’Allocations Familiales): any student can qualify to save 30% on rent every month; it’s a great perk that you should not miss out on.

Overall my exchange experience was the best year of my life. There will be a lot of challenges that you will face, but none of which are impossible to overcome. Always remind yourself of how lucky you are to have been chosen for such an amazing experience and when you look back, you won’t remember those challenges. I encourage you to join school teams as a way to meet students and practice speaking the language. Immerse yourself in the culture, eat lots cheese and bread, drink some wine, travel to see new places and have the best time of your life. Don’t be surprised if you don’t want to come home.

Natalie Zarb
Political Science & French IV
Université Pierre Mendes France – France
nzarb2@uwo.ca

Nanyang Tech in Singapore

uwoexchange — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:46:54 +0000

My year in Singapore was by far the best year of my life! It was such an amazing opportunity to visit a completely different part of the world, meet people from all over the place, and it gave me the chance to call a new place home. I went to Nanyang Technological University, http://www.ntu.edu.sg, which is located on the eastern side of the island. While locals will say it is out in the boonies, no worries; it takes all of 45 minutes to drive across the entire country.

Singapore itself is a beautiful country, and is unnaturally clean. Their subway system, called the MRT, is probably cleaner than my bedroom ever has been and the streets are completely litter free. English is the primary language in Singapore, but it is a very culturally diverse country with Malay, Mandarin, and Urdu being its other official languages. It is a very modern country, with shopping malls full of American and European stores at every corner. Any comfort food you could imagine missing from home is probably there, plus the favourite/demise of every exchange student…McDonald’s delivery. Nightlife in Singapore is amazing, with clubs and bars to suit any taste in music and style. During the day you can browse tons of outdoor markets, try out the “foodie” culture of the Singaporeans and taste hundreds of different foods (I have no idea how they stay so thin, but Singaporeans love to eat), or head out to Sentosa for a day at the beach. http://www.sentosa.com.sg

A huge advantage to living in Singapore is how easy it is to travel to other parts of South East Asia, and for incredibly cheap. Airlines like Tiger Airways, Air Asia, JetStar, and Lion Air can take you all over SEA for under $100, if you book in advance. During my exchange I visited 9 countries over the course of weekend trips, my two “reading weeks”, my month of Christmas break, and for a few weeks before heading back home. If you aren’t a fussy person, travelling through SEA can be very cheap and an incredibly unique and rewarding experience.

The best part of being on exchange is making great friends from all over the world. It might seem overwhelming when you arrive adjusting to your new home and making new friends, but you have to remember that everyone is in the same position as you are. All the other exchange students are experiencing the same anxiety and homesickness, and everyone is looking to make new friends. So put yourself out there, be friendly, and attend any social events the school sets for exchange students. It will make your experience that much more enjoyable, and set you up with some friends to travel with.

Things to know before going to Singapore…

Don’t litter! You can pay fines up to $1000 SGD
It is no longer ‘Yes I can’ or ‘No I can’t’, it is ‘can can’ or ‘cannot’
Wednesday is Ladies’ night….girls, leave your wallets at home
Sweet Talk bubble tea, and Bread Talk buns are a MUST
Remember to buy gum when you go travelling or bring some from home…they don’t sell gum in Singapore in an effort to keep it clean
Don’t try Durian…no matter what anyone says. The smell will probably be enough to deter you

Kayla Jaisaree
MIT IV
Nanyang Technological University - Singapore
kjaisare@uwo.ca

Lancaster University

uwoexchange — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:10:15 +0000

Going on exchange, in retrospect, was a life lesson in seeing the world through entirely new eyes; a perspective I didn’t know I could inhabit; a complete change in priorities I didn’t know would be so welcome. Being on exchange centered my soul, and made me see human beings, geographic spaces, and cultural structures with an entirely new reverence-one that will sustain, I am certain, for the rest of my days on this planet.

All flowery rhetoric aside, an exchange is simply something to place yourself in, and simply ‘be’. I went about the process on my own learning curve; I never truly forced any sweeping changes in my comfort zones, although these shifts came naturally as the weeks passed. Your way of seeing life slowly begins to augment as you let yourself travel to more remote and interesting places, and as you interact with people who compliment your worldview despite growing up in an entirely different location.

If I can perhaps give a few simple words of advice, it’s be sure to take things at your own pace: if you feel you’re getting a bit stressed with an overabundance of travel, socializing, and school, take some time to yourself and replenish your focus. Also, if possible, keep a journal with you; not something in which you systematically enter words, but a forum for whenever you feel inspired to write all the things going on in your mind at a random point-you’ll be amazed at the kinds of poetry you can create, that will remind you of the tiniest points of inspiration when you return home. Further to this, let yourself unabashedly observe at all times. Look at the sky to notice the difference in its expanse; listen to the foreign conversations around you and wonder what is being said; look into the eyes of those you pass and wonder if they know you’re looking at their home with new eyes. It’s these minute, fleeting moments of awe that make the entire time spent abroad absolutely beautiful.

I hope, if anything, this blog will inspire a remote facsimile of the feeling you will encounter on exchange. It truly is a necessary experience, and there is no doubt in my mind that anyone who embarks upon an exchange will be a better, more whole person for it.

Any questions or comments, feel free to email me.

Kate Davis
MIT V
Lancaster University – England
kaydiddy@gmail.com

Information Sessions

uwoexchange — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:51:26 +0000

Interested in going on exchange? Come to an information session to learn more about requirements, scholarship opportunities and hear from students who have just returned from their international experiences.

Upcoming Sessions:

Thursday, October 29 – 3:30-4:30pm – WSS 211
Wednesday, November 4 - 12:30-1:30pm – WSS 211
Tuesday, November 10 – 11:30-12:30 – WSS 211
Monday, November 23 – 3:30-4:30 – WSS 211
Thursday, November 26 – 12?30-1:30 – WSS 211

Applications are due at the beginning of December.

If you can’t make it to an information session, don’t hesitate to drop by the International Student Exchange Centre for more information!

Happy travels!

East Anglia

uwoexchange — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:39:40 +0000

Going on exchange was an experience of a lifetime; one that I would not trade for anything. It was an incredible year and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone. I went on exchange to the University of East Anglia in England and loved everything about the university, the people and the city. It is a relatively small university located just outside of the Norwich city centre, and I loved the small campus and strong community. I lived on campus in residence accommodation which was a great way to meet British and international students. Check out the UEA student union page, it talks about the different weekly events they plan and the musical acts they get to come and play on campus http://www.ueastudent.com . The way the international exchange is run at UEA makes it extremely easy to meet other international students, which is an incredible opportunity to meet people from all over the world in the same situation as you. The first day I arrived at UEA I was met at the train station by a welcoming group from the university and they helped me find my residence and get settled in. It was a fantastic introduction to an amazing school, and if I had the chance I would go back in an instant!

England is an amazing place, and with an incredibly efficient and advanced train system it is easy and relatively cheap to get around. Definitely check out http://www.thetrainline.com to book tickets as far in advance as possible to get the cheapest fares. Also, buying a 16-25 railcard will end up saving you a lot of money if you plan on taking the train more than 3 or 4 times (which is highly likely). If you are planning on going for the first semester only, book your flight home as late as possible and use your Christmas break to travel around. If you can stay until New Years try to go to Edinburgh, Scotland for the Hogmanay street party celebration. http://www.edinburghshogmanay.org/

If you decide to go on exchange for the 2^nd semester you will love the fact that you have a whole month off for Easter break. This is a month just before final exams that you can use to revise and also travel around the UK and Europe. Taking the train is a great direct way to get anywhere in Europe. Sometimes flights may be cheaper so it is a good idea to keep your eye on this website for any deals (I got a flight to Barcelona round trip for £5.00 including taxes which is equivalent to around $10CN http://www.ryanair.com).

If you are to remember anything from this blog, try to remember these few things. Be sensible with your money, meaning spend it while you are there because you will regret the chances you decided not to take. Take as many pictures as you possibly can, especially if you are forgetful like me! Take your school work seriously, but remember that it is about the entire experience not just your grades. The time will go by faster than you can imagine, so live it to the fullest. I hope that reading this has given you an idea of what to expect going on exchange.

Lauren Karpman
Honours Biology & Psychology IV
University of East Anglia – England
lkarpman@uwo.ca

Leeds, Please!

uwoexchange — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:56:19 +0000

While I was on exchange in England I had the opportunity to travel all across Europe. I went abroad for winter term of my third year, and spent six months in Europe. During that six month period I visited fifteen different countries and did some extremely spontaneous and amazing things. Some activities I did while travelling include: clay pigeon shooting in England, skydiving in the Czech Republic, canyoning in Switzerland, and Irish dancing in Ireland. There were so many great days and I met so many amazing people. The things I saw, the things I did, and the people I met all added up to an amazing six months and an experience I will never forget.

Going on exchange was the best thing I have ever decided to do. There are no doubt obstacles you will have to overcome, but they are beyond worth it.

My advice to anyone going on exchange would be to take every day and make it something special. Be flexible and open to new experiences, NEVER say no to an experience that sounds fun, challenging and out of the ordinary. You will not regret the things you did do half as much as you will regret the things you didn’t do!

As for packing, and what to bring… Don’t over pack (I did), you will be able to buy anything you need once over there and the prices are not as scary as some will say. You will thank yourself when attempting to get to your flat after a long day of travelling!

And lastly, international friends are great, and trust me you will make many, but try to put yourself out there and become friends with locals. They will be able to show you the most amazing things and give you a true taste of the English culture, it may be a little harder to do, but very worth it.

Aileen O’Doherty
BMOS & Psychology IV
University of Leeds - England
aodohert@uwo.ca