Do you know those typical American films and TV shows about high school and university life? I have been feeling as though I am living in one for over a month now. It is like the American Teenager Dream, but in Canada.

I was very nervous when I got off the plane in Montreal alone, looking for my shuttle. It was my first time travelling alone and so far away from home. While everyone in the shuttle was speaking French, I could not take my eyes off the window because I could hardly believe that my semester abroad had actually begun. When I arrived at the university, the student ambassadors greeted me warmly and took me to my room on campus. I was given a room in the oldest dorm, with old wooden furniture and drawers that were difficult to open, a roommate in a small room, and a unisex shared bathroom. I was a bit disappointed because I had wanted a single room for more privacy, but it did not dampen my mood.

The next morning, I went to our cafeteria, called “Dewies”, because everyone living on campus is required to eat there. There are different food stalls and plenty of variety, but after a while, it starts to feel as though you are eating almost the same things all the time.

On my very first day, the student ambassadors reached out to me, and I met other exchange students from different countries, some of whom are still part of my group of friends today. I walked around the campus to explore everything, and it all seemed enormous to me, even though it is considered a smaller university by local standards. We have seven different dorms, a cafeteria, a large sports complex with a pool, a gym, an ice rink, a fast-food outlet, and much more, as well as a large library, classrooms, a supermarket, and a nightclub. On the very first day, I went to the pool with eight other exchange students and realised that everyone was very open and friendly. My biggest fear had been that I would not make friends or find the right people to connect with. However, there were around 180 international students, and we were all looking for friends because we were all far from home.

I have also come out of my shell a lot in this short time. I was very shy at the beginning, and it was difficult for me to talk to new people or approach them, especially because of the language barrier. However, I have already made a lot of progress in such a short time.

We had three days of orientation for international students, during which many university staff members gave speeches and organised various activities, such as a scavenger hunt and icebreaker games. I got to know more people each day, and during the first few weeks, I spoke to several new people every day. Everyone was extremely friendly, whether they were students, professors, or other university staff members.

After my first five days on campus, I met the other Canadian students, and OWeek began on the same day. It was an incredible experience. We had to choose a team with leaders selected by students in higher semesters, and each team had its own name and song. We received T-shirts and small gifts, and there were lots of activities and challenges throughout the day. During that week, I was only in my room to change and get a little sleep. We did everything we could to earn coins for our team, from having foam and mustard in our hair to eating five cloves of garlic or being tied to other people for two hours. Of course, there was also a party in the tent almost every day, and the weather was still very warm.

Canadians in Quebec really enjoy country music, and owning cowboy boots and a cowboy hat seems almost essential. It was incredibly fun to bond with people even more and get to know the Canadians. It is also common for almost everyone to wear sweatpants and slippers or UGG boots, even to class. Do not be surprised if you go to the library and see students taking naps on the sofas. You also see squirrels everywhere and occasionally encounter deer on campus.

You get to know most of the people living on campus, but it can be difficult to become close friends with Canadian students because we exchange students will return home in a few months, while first-year students want to make friends for the entire academic year. That is why my closest friends are all exchange students from different countries. As a result, I am not only learning about Canadian culture but also discovering many other cultures. I never expected to form such close friendships here with people I definitely do not want to lose touch with after my exchange. That makes the whole experience even more special.

Before my classes started, I was still very nervous because I was afraid that I might struggle with the English language. However, I must say that things went very well from the beginning, and I quickly immersed myself in the language. The academic level is not as challenging as it is in Liechtenstein, but we have many tests and assignments throughout the semester that are quite time-consuming. The classes are relatively small, with around 20–25 students, but I am used to that from my university.

I spent the first few weeks on campus because we have everything we need there, and the town where the university is located is very small, with not much to do. I go to classes, study in the library with friends, go to the gym with them, and see and talk to lots of people in the cafeteria when I go there for lunch or dinner. In the evenings, we either watch a film or simply chat.

We also have many sports teams at the university. I have figure skating training every Wednesday morning and occasionally go to the university's tennis club. It is also great to watch the athletes compete at weekends, when everyone wears university merchandise and purple. You feel like part of one big family while cheering on the players, even though I did not understand much about American football at first.

So far, I have also travelled to Montreal, a beautiful city just an hour and a half away from campus, Quebec City, and Toronto over the Thanksgiving weekend. Canada is a truly beautiful country, and I particularly enjoyed Toronto. There are plenty of opportunities to plan short trips, and I am excited to see which city I will visit next.

I had never considered visiting or living in Canada before, but I am extremely happy with my decision to spend my semester abroad here. I am building close international friendships, feel comfortable at the university because it is small and personal, am growing as a person and getting to know myself better, and have the opportunity to visit many beautiful cities during the semester.