CANADA - SHERBROOKE
It has been over a week now since I returned home to Vorarlberg, and I am still talking about my experiences from the last 4 months. Before embarking on this journey, I had no idea what to expect and was very nervous about being alone for such a long time for the first time. Looking back, I can say that it was the best decision to take this path.
Right from the first few days, I felt comfortable there, whether with other students or in the university community. The unfamiliar quickly felt familiar to me after a few weeks. It was extremely easy, thanks to campus life, to form close friendships and learn more about other cultures, as I was always surrounded by people. Initially, it felt strange to me, as my student life at home is different. But I always enjoyed never being alone. What was also new for me was that everyone is so open-minded and speaks openly. When waiting for my food in the cafeteria, I was always approached by other students, staff, or older individuals. And this didn't just happen on campus but also on the street, in the supermarkets, or in public transportations. At first, it was a bit intimidating for me, as I was very shy. Now I can say that through talking, I have grown out of my shell and become a more confident person who would approach anyone without hesitation, something I would never have dared to do before.
What is also very normal in Canada and the USA are the more laid-back outfits. I started going to class in slippers and sweatpants and also walking around outside while shopping or in malls because that's what most people do there, going outside in pajama pants, and no one looks at you strangely. I also experienced the coldest winter so far, where we really couldn't walk around without a double layer at -15 to -18 degrees, which was still not so cold for Canadians. My body adapted to it relatively quickly, although I still prefer higher temperatures.
The last weeks of my semester abroad were very relaxed. Since the final exam period is very flexible, and most courses are passed during the semester, my best friend and I flew to Mexico for a week. It was my first summer vacation in winter and the best idea we had. After a 4-hour flight from Montreal to Cancun, we sat on the beach in December at almost 30 degrees Celsius. I took an exam online there while I fulfilled another dream - to visit a city in South America. A completely different culture that I was able to experience again thanks to my semester abroad, and now I flew back in winter with a tan.
After the final exams, I drove to Montreal with 10 of my friends to stay in an apartment since we had to leave the dorms anyway. It was a weird feeling to leave my university, since it became home for me, but it was also a nice conclusion to spend a few days in a big city with friends. I had my first Christmas with friends, and we did a lot of activities together like ice skating at the old port or visiting Christmas markets. After that, the first days in Austria were challenging for me. Although I missed my family and loved ones here, it really took days to get back into my routine and not feel empty anymore.
I am incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to live abroad for 4 months during my studies. I have met amazing people from everywhere, have grown as a person, discovered what makes me happy and what I still have planned in life, collected beautiful moments, gained confidence in language and in general, fulfilled some of my wishes by seeing so many different cities in such a short time, and lived in a different culture. I take a lot from my time in Canada and am proud that I took this step and feel like I found myself. I came back as a different person - a person I now like much better.