Stacey Griffiths

Host University: University of Waterloo
Year of Study Abroad: 2010-11

Where did you live? Would you recommend it?

I lived in university accommodation at Columbia Lake Village South. It was a great opportunity as the university trys to pair you up with Canadians in your house. I lived with two Canadian girls in my first semester, and they really enhanced my experience of Canada. One of them took me home with her for thanksgiving weekend, so I got the chance to experience my first thanksgiving with a real Canadian family. It was a great set up and a good chance to meet all kinds of international students and domestic students.

Which department(s) did you study in?

Geography - Faculty of Environment

How does the workload/classes/teaching styles vary to Sheffield?

The workload was very intense compared to Sheffield! You are always busy everyday during the semester due to the way the courses are examined and broken down, however this system seemed to work much better for me, and the breakdown of each module took the pressure off of finals, which is always a bonus! My grades were also far better than in my first year in Sheffield.

What did you do for fun at the weekends and during the holidays?

During my free time, I often travelled around with some of my Canadian friends, to their hometowns and to meet their friends and family.

There is also a nearby ski slope which is just a bus ride away that you can visit any weekend during the winter term to ski and snowboard.

You can also go skating for free at the Columbia Lake Ice Field at any time during the winter semester when hockey and figure skating practises and games are not on.

The international exchanges unit at Waterloo also hold various different events through the year for internationals to experience different parts of Ontario. I took part in several trips including a visit to Niagara Falls in October, and a trip to the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival in April, which is the biggest Maple Syrup festival in the world!! Whether you enjoy Maple Syrup or not, it is such a fun day out, and something you would never get to experience in the UK!

I also visited Toronto on a few occasions, as well as Montreal and Ottawa, which are fantastic cities!

Did you join any societies or clubs?

I joined the Geography society whilst I was in Waterloo.

Describe the University/City/things to do

Waterloo is a fairly busy town, and occupied by many students! It is very different to the UK in that the campus and the town itself is so spread out, and it takes a while to get to places compared to what we are used to (often involved a 40min bus to get downtown to bars and clubs!) but that's Canada for you! The university is beautiful, and such a pleasure to live in and walk around. It is very green and well maintained both in the summer and winter. The nearby mall is only a bus ride away (which is free if you show your university watcard!)which I visited on many occasions for shopping, the cinema, and lots of dining out.

You can also take a bus to a nearby town called St Jacobs, which is a mennonite community where you can learn alot of cultural differences between us and them, and also get to buy their produce and learn their way of life.

Could you give any travel or immigration tips?

Sorting out visa's and immigration can often be a lengthy process, so start early in your preparation (particularly if you have a busy summer planned, as I did). Talk to students such as myself who have been before, because you need someone to ask those 'stupid' questions. Immigration is straight forward when you arrive in Canada, they are very friendly people so don't be nervous and you will be OK.

Could you give any advice or tips to a student preparing to go or tell them anything you wished you knew in advance?

The best advice I can give is to go with an open mind and with the intention of grabbing every opportunity. Make as many friends as possible, and make the effort to meet people you wouldn't otherwise have the chance to meet. It can often be a stressful process to get used to their way of life, but persevere and you will find yourself having the absolute time of your life! Don't stress too much about saying goodbye to family and friends in the UK as your goodbyes at the other end will be the worst!

Also, make sure you visit Tim Hortons, its like a staple food for Canadians!

On a practical note, those needing to fly to Toronto, Calgary or Vancouver, I recommend travelling with Iceland air, you do stop off at iceland, but its often quite cheap and has such good baggage allowance. I didnt know this beforehand so I travelled with Air Transat and had to fit my entire life into one suitcase! But I travelled home with Iceland Air and it was a great service!

Would you say it is cheaper or more expensive to live than Sheffield?

Overall, I spent less in my year in Canada than I did in Sheffield. At Waterloo you don't pay for any buses as your watcard is a free bus pass, so I saved on transport, but food (especially some foods) are much more expensive in Canada than the UK. If you live off pre-made or frozen foods your food bill will double, but fresh food and meats and veg are cheaper, and of much better quality, as everything is grown in Canada. Also, student discount isn't really a known thing in Canada, so for many things you don't get student prices you just pay standard adult prices, but they are cheap enough.

Any other information or comments

Canada is an amazing country, and such a fantastic place to study no matter what your subject. Canadians are lovely people and the country itself is beautiful with so many opportunities to see such wonderful things that you would never get to see in the UK. I would recommend Canada and the University of Waterloo to anyone wanting to experience the Canadian way of life! Good luck to everyone in your preparations and applications!