Study Abroad

During my bachelor studies at the Bern University of Applied Sciences I had the opportunity to study abroad for one semester.

Thanks to the support of my parents and my employer, I was able to take advantage of this unique opportunity and spent four months in Calgary, Canada in 2022.

Above all, I was able to gain life experience and develop personally.

How I experienced the time there, you can read in the following sections.

The School

I studied at Mount Royal University in Calgary. By Canadian standards, the school is very small and known for not having such huge classes.
The size of the classes was actually very pleasant. However, the school was huge for me. The campus included several large school buildings, a huge library and a recreation center with various sports halls. Outside there were soccer fields, tennis courts and an amphitheater. To the west and east were the student residences.

It was really impressive to study at such a big university, there is really nothing like that in Switzerland. Also the life directly on the campus was pleasing. It was also interesting to get to know another school system.

The People

During studying, I lived in the West Residence on campus with three other students in a small apartment. The experience of living with three strangers was exciting. I got to know the others better, but also myself. The most important thing was that we communicated honestly and openly with each other to avoid possible conflicts or to get rid of them quickly.

I spent a lot of time with other exchange students. Mostly with other students from Europe. You could see that we had very similar values and behaviors. The daily routines were nevertheless very different for everyone and also especially how things were planned and implemented. The Spanish often approached things a bit more relaxed than the northern inhabitants of Europe. ;)

The Canadians are very open people. I was particularly impressed by the often obliging and very helpful nature. Everyone was friendly and greeted you when passing by and asked how you are. Such manners have been lost in Europe for several years.

Me, Myself and I

The distance I had from my everyday life at home during these four months was very good for me.
Through new situations that came up during the exchange, I was able to consciously reflect on my behavior and reactions as well as my personal needs.
I was also able to look at my life at home a little differently from a distance and ask myself what is really important to me and what I really want.
The trips to nature, to other cities, to new cultures gave me different perspectives but also a lot of energy.

Studying abroad was an experience I would not want to miss and for which I am incredibly grateful.

Letter of Acceptance

LOA Nicole Wyler.pdf

Transcript

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