My Exchange at McGill University
I found out about the 360 International exchange programme from hearing other students in my French classes talk about their exchange plans. Going on exchange was always something I had wanted to do, but hearing others talk about it and discovering that two of the friends I had made in class were also looking to go encouraged me to take the leap.
Arriving in Canada was scary at first. I was experiencing awful jetlag and fighting a cold that I’d picked up on the flight over. These two factors exacerbated my homesickness and I won’t lie that the first week was really hard. However, once I moved into my apartment and was able to ground myself, things started to get easier.
I had managed to secure a place in the housing that McGill reserves for exchange students which ensured that the move-in process was relatively seamless and friendly. The building was older but well-insulated and in relatively good shape for its age. I was in a three-bedroom apartment with two other exchange students. Originally, I had thought that I would be placed in a studio apartment but, looking back, I’m very glad that I was given roommates because I think it encouraged me to be more social. I also feel that I have made a friend for life out of one of the roommates, which would not have happened if I had been living alone.
I found the courses at McGill challenging but also rewarding of hard work. Many of my Arts courses were heavy on readings but as long as I kept up with the material, I found my assignments very straightforward. Many courses reward participation as well so you can pick up easy marks by contributing in class. Overall, I found it easier to do well at McGill than at UoA. However, it is rare that lectures are recorded at McGill so it’s important to attend all your classes to keep up.
I loved living in Montréal for the six months I was there. The older areas of the city and the abundance of green-roofed churches were particular favourites of mine. The public transport was also a dream compared to Auckland and that is definitely something I miss. It’s not necessary to know French to get around the city, particularly Downtown near campus, but I enjoyed feeling like I could practice my French when I wanted to. I would say the cost of living is pretty comparable to Auckland. Groceries are maybe slightly cheaper but going out to eat gets more expensive once you factor in tax and tip. Tax was probably the hardest thing to wrap my head around and, honestly, I just got used to expecting to pay slightly more than I thought for things.
The food in Montréal was good and I found many food places which I’m going to miss dearly now I’m home. Despite this, I found that a lot of produce in supermarkets was not as fresh as I was used to back home. However, Montréal has plenty of markets where you can buy fresher produce, if this would bother you.
One of my favourite moments on exchange was visiting the Christmas markets. One in Montréal and one in Québec City. These were such a novelty to me because there’s not really anything like it in NZ. There are so many stalls where you can try maple syrups, wine and pastries. I particularly enjoyed trying mulled wine for the first time.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time on exchange but it wasn’t without its challenges. Being away from my family and friends got easier as time went on but it was hard when I was having down days and felt like my support system was so far away. Making new friends really helped with easing those feelings. I also struggled with balancing wanting to do well in my courses with enjoying my time on exchange. Ultimately, I found that setting aside most of my weekends for exploring the city or even just taking myself out for brunch really helped with finding this balance.
For any students looking to go on exchange, I would ask yourself what you’re looking to get out of the experience. Whether it’s travel, new friendships, language immersion or just new life experiences, going in with an idea of what you want the experience to be for you and planning accordingly will make it far easier to make the most of it.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
It was really interesting to discover the nature of another university’s academic programmes in comparison to UoA. There were some things that I liked more, and other aspects gave me a greater appreciation of the systems and norms back home. For example, lectures at McGill are rarely recorded, which was initially difficult to adjust to, but I found it made me more motivated to attend all my lectures in person, which I think helped my overall academic performance. I also appreciated how interactive most of my classes were, even when they didn’t have smaller tutorial-like sessions.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
I would definitely recommend planning a weekend trip or two to other parts of Québec or Canada. There’s so much history and unique cultural contexts to experience all in one country. Québec City was one of my favourite places I’ve ever been and I was only there for about 36 hours. I would definitely recommend getting accommodation in Old Québec to really immerse yourself in the history and to be close to most of the tourist areas.
What are your top tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
1. Try to get a place in the student housing they have available for exchange students. McGill makes an effort to place exchange students together so it’s an easy way to make friends. The rent isn’t much more than what you would pay for your own place and you get more support from the university.
2. Don’t worry too much if you can’t get into the classes that you originally wanted when enrolment first opens. They fill up very quickly but spots almost always open up in the first week of classes. Enrol in other classes just in case and keep checking back.
3. If you’re not living within easy walking distance of campus, get the 4-month student plan for the Métro. If you’re using the Métro most days, it will save you so much money. If you’re going for only the Fall semester, you won’t be able to purchase a student Métro card through the university but there are instructions on the STM website for how to get a student card yourself.
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
I budgeted about NZ$15,000. Flights, four months of rent and the meal plan that McGill requires exchange students to purchase probably totalled nearly NZ$10,000. The meal plan is only enough for about one meal per day for the semester, so you’ll need additional money for other meals. There are also transport, phone plans and additional spending money costs. NZ$15,000 was definitely enough money to go with and cover all the necessities but, in hindsight, it would have been nice to have a bit more set aside so that I could go on more trips out of Montréal.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
I’ve learned that I shouldn’t judge the value of my exchange experience by comparing it to that of others. Early on in the exchange, I was conflicted because I simultaneously felt like I wasn’t doing enough to make the most of the exchange but also wasn’t particularly keen on doing many tourist activities. I discovered that I like to explore a new city by trying to live in it like a local would. Finding the best brunch places, cozy bookstores and cool clothing stores. There’s nothing wrong with exploring a city through sightseeing, but I realised it’s not what brings me joy. Once I stopped trying to force myself to mold my exchange experience into what I thought it should be, I found myself enjoying it far more.
Tags: 2023, Arts/Humanities, Global Studies, Report