Students venture around the world thanks to opportunities available through the University of Ottawa. We asked 10 students where they went and what their experience was like.
Singapore
Hannah Schneider, Communication (French Immersion, Minor in Advanced French as a Second Language)
On an exchange program
The best part about being in Singapore was experiencing a culture that was really quite different from Canada’s. Recognizing that people around the world live a completely different day-to-day reality is incredibly humbling and allows you to consider perspectives and ways of life that you never would have otherwise.
United States
Cooper Lee, Commerce (Management Information Systems and Analytics)
Miami, Florida, for a spring training camp with the Gee-Gees women’s soccer team
My favourite part of the trip was definitely the time we spent on the beach. We got to bond as a team off the field, which is always nice. But it was also time for relaxing and resting our bodies after a hard training session or a tough game.
China
Isaac Kim, Biomedical Sciences
Shanghai Jiao Tong University on a Summer Undergraduate International Research Internship (SIRI)
China is an exciting and educational place that really feels like a different world. It is truly worth spending a summer to go and see how big the world is and learn about a different country and people while doing research. The research at Shanghai Jiao Tong University is stellar. With friendly professors and students, I learned many lab techniques and got critical thinking practice that will undoubtedly be helpful in future academic endeavours. The SIRI program provides a great learning experience while allowing you to discover the world.
France
Tanya Yeuchyk, Biomedical Sciences (French Immersion)
Université de Lyon on a Summer International Research Internship (SIRI)
I was fortunate to have been a recipient of a SIRI scholarship, allowing me to spend this past summer working in a lab in Lyon, France. It has been a fantastic experience to see how scientific research is managed in another country, gain expertise in a new subject area and speak lots of French! (Don’t worry, they speak English too — it’s the language of research!) At the same time, you’re close to some legendary European cities that you can easily travel to on weekends. I highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to expand their horizons in research and cultural competence!
Netherlands
David Taghizadeh, Telfer School of Management
On an exchange
My favourite part about my exchange was being able to meet people from all around the world. When you’re living with 17 people from 15 different countries, you learn very quickly about their customs and cultures. I created many close friendships with the students I lived with, and this is something that I will remember for the rest of my life.
United Kingdom
Jordan MacDonald, Commerce (Marketing)
On an exchange
If you had told me when I started university that I would be catching sunrise from Parisian rooftops or have to walk through the back country of Germany for two hours to catch a train, I probably would have looked at you funny. In reality, my favourite part was the people I met and shared these moments with. Only they will truly understand what it felt like to watch from above as Paris wakes up or navigate our own way through the East Germany’s forests. Every person I met made each experience more memorable. For that, I thank them eternally.
New Zealand
Katiana Paré, Second Language Teaching (French)
On an exchange
My favourite part about New Zealand was to experience living there as a local, with locals. I decided to rent a room in a house instead of living in residence, so my roommates and the friends I made were my own tour guides. We went on weekend trips all over the North Island, where they would show me their favourite spots — the places you can’t find on a map or on Google.
United States
Jacob Hanlon, Environmental Studies (Minor in Management)
Pennsylvania with the Gee-Gees men’s hockey team for an exhibition match vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
One of the trip highlights was watching a Pittsburgh Penguins pre-season game from a private box. But there is no doubt that the best part of the trip was Gee-Gees Quinn O’Brien’s overtime goal to win 4–3 over the nationally ranked Penn State Nittany Lions. Four thousand fans were silenced, and the only sounds in the 6,000-seat arena were the cheers from our team.
Senegal
McKinley Richards, International Economics and Development
As part of a Faculty of Social Sciences field research course
My favourite part about this international experience was that we were given the unique opportunity to be fully immersed in Senegalese culture by staying with host families. This allowed us to experience the daily living conditions of locals in both rural and urban environments (in the village of Mlomp and in the city of Ziguinchor) to widen our perspective of developing countries, to eat homemade local cuisine and, most importantly, to build meaningful cross-cultural relationships.
Taiwan
Nari Ait Hamou, Science (Translational and Molecular Medicine)
National Cheng Kung University on a 2018 Summer Undergraduate International Research Internship
I loved my experience in Taiwan. I’ve always dreamed of going to Asia and I was not disappointed. Taiwan was beautiful and so diverse in its landscapes. From beautiful beaches to skyscrapers, to the city that inspired the film Spirited Away — hidden away in the mountains. I got to not only enjoy my time but also work in a lab learning skills in histology and microscopy. At the end of my research internship, I was able to view the cerebrovascular system of a rat brain slice using fluorescent dyes and a multi-photon microscope.