Breanna's Exchange to Simon Fraser University | Canada
A year ago, out of pure curiosity and entertainment, I had a psychic reading where I was told my life was changing direction. Apparently, my long term boyfriend and I were breaking up, and I was going to ‘relocate somewhere away from friends and family.’ Naturally, I dismissed this ludacris prediction and decided the psychic was just another fruit loop trying to make ends meet. Coming from the small country town of Albany, moving to Perth the year prior was huge, so moving ‘far away’ without my boyfriend, friends and family was not likely or remotely desirable. It isn’t until now, sitting in my room in Vancouver, Canada (completely single) I realise she may have been onto something. That, or an extreme coincidence, but either way I have never been more happy to be proven wrong.
I am currently half way through my Student Exchange at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia and can confidently say, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’d be lying if I said I did exchange for purely academic purposes. I am consumed by a thing called the ‘travel bug’ which will take any path necessary to get to a new place…and at the time of accepting my offer into Simon Fraser, I was more excited about exploring the Rockie Mountains than a new campus. I knew I would love exploring new cultures, places and faces, but what I wasn’t anticipating was how much I’d love being a student.
Probably the reason Student Exchange enables such an amazing experience, is that you’re not juggling work, study and a social life as you do at home. I’m not allowed to work on my Study Visa, which means I have the time to actually go to class, and be involved in uni life. Not only do I have the time to be there, I want to be there. All the friends I have made are there, I have friends in classes and because of this, I am much more focused as a student. When I left Australia to study in Canada I had a plan. It was the same plan I’d had since starting primary school. Finish my degrees in Law and Journalism, and start working by butt off to earn a job somewhere as a well-respected journalist. Never once had I considered anything else. Yet once again, I’ve been proven wrong. Simon Frasers’ Communications degree is very different to the one offered a Murdoch and I am so glad I have had the experience to explore the degree from a different perspective. While I never would have thought it three months ago, I’m now exploring the possibility of a career in communication projects rather than something journalistic.
The other thing about Student Exchange is, while you’re immersed in an entirely new culture and learning so many things about the world, you can’t help but learn so much about yourself. Along the way, you make amazing friends, some of whom you will have for the rest of your life. Before I even left Australia, Murdoch partnered me with another student, who was going to the same place as me. I didn’t know it at the time, but the stranger then, was to become not only my roommate and Aussie companion, but a friend I will keep forever. For the past two months we’ve been together every day experiencing this opportunity and creating our temporary lives in Canada. Naturally, when we were split into different ‘clans’ on Student Orientation, the first waves of nerves and anticipation began. This is what I love about Student Exchange. It puts you in exciting and sometimes challenging situations, where the only option you have is to go along for the ride and enjoy it (because otherwise it’s a waste of an extremely long and painful plane ride.)
The other thing about Student Exchange is, while you’re immersed in an entirely new culture and learning so many things about the world, you can’t help but learn so much about yourself. Along the way, you make amazing friends, some of whom you will have for the rest of your life. Before I even left Australia, Murdoch partnered me with another student, who was going to the same place as me. I didn’t know it at the time, but the stranger then, was to become not only my roommate and Aussie companion, but a friend I will keep forever. For the past two months we’ve been together every day experiencing this opportunity and creating our temporary lives in Canada. Naturally, when we were split into different ‘clans’ on Student Orientation, the first waves of nerves and anticipation began. This is what I love about Student Exchange. It puts you in exciting and sometimes challenging situations, where the only option you have is to go along for the ride and enjoy it (because otherwise it’s a waste of an extremely long and painful plane ride.)
The Exchange Program does such an amazing job at bringing International Students together, that half the social work is done for you...and often even hard to keep up with. Meeting people is so easy, and everyone is in the same position, keen to make friends, explore the country and enjoy their time abroad. I have been in Canada for 10 weeks and I have already made so many amazing friends from all over the world. We have been to the Rocky Mountains together, Whistler, ski trips, mountain hikes, pub nights and everything in between. Some of us are even planning to visit each other and do an ‘Exchange Reunion.’ It’s weird, how close you get in such a short time, but that’s the beauty of Exchange…the time abroad is a unique experience no one else will quite understand. As a naturally outgoing person I kind of expected this chaos, I didn’t expect the dread I’d feel at the thought of saying goodbye.
Whether or not the psychic reading I had a year ago was a lucky coincidence or not, I am so grateful she was right. I am only half way through Student Exchange, and already planning my next semester abroad. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity where if not the best experience of your life, will at very least be a journey which develops you as an individual and as a student.
- Breanna studied abroad at Simon Fraser University in Canada
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