Are you a UBC undergrad thinking about going on a student exchange? It can be a daunting decision. You might wonder, what's it like spending a year or a semester in another country? How can you prepare? And how do you handle it when things go sideways? We talked with a group of UBC Global Ambassadors who studied abroad with a Go Global program. They spoke with us candidly, sharing their personal impressions, fears and misgivings, best memories, top tips and advice. (This story is part of a series of Global Exchange Insider interviews.)
Meet Jaime Morgan, a 4th year UBC Vancouver undergraduate student studying sustainable agriculture and environment with a minor in sustainable food systems.
Before you go
Why did you pick the Wageningen University and Research (WUR) for your exchange? How did you hear about it?
Hi, I’m Jaime! This past spring I had the most incredible experience studying abroad at Wageningen University and Research (WUR) in the Netherlands. It’s crazy to say that ending up in Wageningen was something I initially tried to avoid. My first choices were big travel hubs because exploring Europe, taking advantage of travel ease was a priority. As an LFS student in the Sustainable Agriculture and Environment (SAGE) program, there were limited options that would align with my UBC degree, the main one being Wageningen University and Research. WUR, making up essentially the whole town of Wageningen, is about an hour and a half on transit out of Amsterdam, surrounded mostly by farmland. While this alone made me fear feeling far away from the ‘action’, it was also what made me such a big fan of Wageningen!
Burano, Italy. Small island accessible by water taxi from Venice. Famous for it’s colorful houses. (Taken by Jaime Morgan)
What was the application process like? Any tips?
During the application process I took a lot of time to reflect on what I wanted to get out of my exchange. This allowed my application to sound and feel authentic, opposed to writing what I thought Go Global might want to hear. I was initially matched with a school in Amsterdam, and although it was a great school, there were no courses that lined up with my degree. Right away I expressed these concerns to the Go Global team and luckily, it was not too late to look at other options. This is when I really considered WUR for the first time.
How did you prepare? Anything to be aware of? (travel, cultural differences, classes, etc.)
To prepare for this experience, I spent lots of time going through the school’s website and social media pages to try my best to understand the dynamics and expectations that I would face once there. This was helpful as I was able to gather how much of the school’s culture was based in community and events; so I was ready to show up! Another aspect of my preparation involved travel planning and budgeting. Going into my exchange it was helpful to have a set amount of money that I knew that I was going to be comfortable spending, and that helped to alleviate some of the financial stress that I knew I would feel being unable to work during that time.
Kotor, Montenegro. Mid-hike rest stop while hiking up to the Kotor fortress (Taken by: Jaime Morgan)
What worries did you have beforehand? How did you overcome the anxiety?
A big motivation for my exchange was getting the opportunity to travel and experience new places. Being over an hour away from an airport made Wageningen’s location feel like a barrier to this goal. I was also worried about making friends in a much smaller population size then I would experience in a bigger city like Amsterdam.
These worries quickly subsided once I got to Wageningen. The distance from an airport did require more planning as the hours at which I could get myself to and from the airport were limited. This forced some perspective onto my experience as I could appreciate how lucky I was to have the opportunity to be so close to so many places when my other point of reference for travel is Vancouver! Wageningen’s location did have to factor into my travel plans, but it did not play as large of a role as I was worried it would. In a similar way, my worry about the small population of the town was what ended up making my relationships with people so special. All of the exchange students were close by and eager to take part in town activities. With patience, there was always a silver lining to a worry I initially had that contributed to making my exchange experience even more special!
Wageningen, The Netherlands. 5th of May celebration in Wageningen. Celebration of Dutch liberation at the end of WW2 taking place in Wageningen. (Taken by Jaime Morgan)
During the experience
How was the overall experience? What did you learn?
One of the biggest takeaways from this experience is how much I enjoy being involved in my community. At UBC, I often felt like a small member of the student body. This had me shy away from getting involved and branching out far beyond my LFS bubble. Placed in a very new environment on exchange, I had no choice but to do things that scared me. There was a sense of freedom that came with knowing that the experience was temporary and that pushed me to get out of my shell and put myself in uncomfortable positions. I learned that involving myself and taking people up on impromptu invitations is what makes opportunities like exchange so special. It is a unique opportunity to try new things in a low stakes environment, surrounded by people who are doing the same!
If you could change something or do it differently, what would you change or do?
I planned for my exchange to include lots of travelling, and it did! But if I could go back and do it again, I would still choose to take as much advantage of that as much as possible. I would leave more room to experience living life in a new country! My weekend travel plans always excited me, yet there were times when I felt left out from friendship experiences back in Wageningen. Once I realized this, I made an effort to find more of a balance exploring new places and experiencing what it was like to live in the Netherlands! I spent time finding my favourite coffee shop and spot to read, I made a Saturday morning routine out of going to the market, and I made sure to try all the Dutch delicacies- Hagleslag is my favourite!
How were the academics?
I lived in Wageningen from February-June, took a total of 4 classes, and traveled to 15 countries! The academic structure was very different from UBC. At Wageningen, the term is divided into periods of 3 or 6 weeks where you will take 1 or 2 courses at a time. I appreciated this structure as it allowed me to put all my school energy into one thing while also leaving space for me to enjoy the social and travel opportunities of exchange. Classes were based in group work which was helpful as an exchange student because I always had a connection in the class and someone to ask about any new platforms or processes that I was unfamiliar with. As Wageningen has a large international community, English is spoken as the common language around the university and town- though “Dankjewel” instead of “thank you” is always appreciated! My studies opened my mind to the opportunities available in agriculture academia all around the world. I got to learn from knowledgeable professors in fields that I did not previously know existed. My class in Political Ecology on the topic of natural resource distribution was a highlight! This experience expanded my understanding of agriculture’s place within the global food system and encouraged me to seek further opportunities for study.
Scottish Highlands, Scotland. Photo taken on and Exchange Student Network field trip while visiting a friend at the University of Edinburgh. The filming location of the Hogwarts Express. (Taken by: Jaime Morgan)
Munich, Germany. ‘Eisbach’ river that flows through Munich one of the few places you can surf in a city! (Taken by: Jaime Morgan)
How was the social aspect?
Wageningen is a very welcoming school for international students. As a university focusing on life sciences and food systems, it draws students from all over the world! I took part in Exchange Student Network (ESN) events such as international kitchens where I got to cook a ’North American’ meal for my fellow exchange students and eat meals cooked from their home countries. The small city made it easy to get around- I was well-acquainted with my bike by the end of my exchange! All amenities and friends living in the city were no more than a 15 minute bike ride away. Our close living proximity made it easy for the group of exchange students to stay connected throughout the whole semester.
After the experience
Would you recommend this experience to others? What can they look forward to?
I would strongly encourage anyone who is thinking about doing an exchange to take the opportunity. It is a sure-fire way to get out of your comfort zone and get comfortable being in uncomfortable places. It is such a unique opportunity to learn about life in different places, from living there yourself, and from making friends from around the world who have different experiences than you. There will be times where you feel like you have no idea what you are doing there, and that’s because you probably don’t, but the opportunity to show up for yourself by learning and making the experience everything you want it to be, is worth every worry.
Prague, Czech Republic. Exploring the Prague Castle on a trip with friends visiting from UBC and friends made on exchange (taken by: Jaime Morgan)
What was the impact on your academic and personal development?
Before I went on exchange, I was very sure that the end of my undergraduate degree would be the end of my academic career. I never thought that there was a place for me in research or any higher academia spaces.
"Learning at WUR opened my eyes to where academia can take me."
While I was there I was introduced to research projects and fields that I had no idea even existed. I was forced to reconsider my previous idea of “post-grad”. I realized that there are many opportunities that staying in academia affords me, allowing me to reconsider possibilities for my future with a new open mind.
Read more Go Global student stories.