My Exchange at The University of British Columbia – Vancouver
It’s hard to begin to describe my experience at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. To do so, I would have to speak about the mountain views, the vast campus and beaches that sat all within arms reach. I would also have to talk to the brilliant and adventurous friends I made in the 5 months I was there. I would also, of course, have to speak about the rain!
Vancouver is a very special place in the world. And being able to live and experience the life and culture of the people there, I count myself very lucky. I struggle to think of many other places in the world where the diversity of the scenery meets the diversity of the people living in the city itself. No matter what adventure you could think of doing, this was possible from right outside the doorstep of the university campus. Have you ever hiked through knee-deep snow, crossing paths with a bear? Neither had I—until Vancouver. Other adventures come to mind such as whale watching from the ferry that takes you to Vancouver Island where some crazy people surf (be warned, a wetsuit is compulsory!) or skiing on top of a mountain that has a view of the whole city. This was all possible (and more!) during my time in Canada. This was my favourite part about my exchange, exploring and being outdoors – the “city girl” in me was left behind when I stepped off the plane in Vancouver!
To describe my experience here, however, I would need to mention my time in class at UBC. I won’t beat around the bush, the engineering courses were challenging and required a good amount of effort to stay on top of the course load. I was definitely used to leaning on my friends at UoA when things got hard, but at UBC I had to figure it out myself. In hindsight, I grew a lot and gained a lot of knowledge this semester. They are more old-fashioned too – think chalkboards, no lecture recordings and many hand-written assessments. The class sizes were also significantly smaller. I was not expecting only 8 people to be in one of my electives! The lecturer definitely noticed when people didn’t show up to his 8 am class!!
Some things people mentioned when I told them I was going on exchange to Canada were: “What about the cost?” and “Isn’t accommodation going to be very expensive?” and of course, I was told many times to prepare myself for the weather. In response to this, and perhaps some friendly advice, is that I actually – shockingly – didn’t find Canada that much more expensive than my life in New Zealand. Things in the supermarket cost the same, without accounting for the slight exchange rate difference. The only thing is that the cereal boxes are supersized in Canada – I guess some things they can’t shake from their neighbour! And yes, accommodation was expensive, but to live on campus was a luxury that I think was worth every penny. I was lucky enough to have a family friend who supported me a lot through my time in Canada. She helped me settle in (linens, pots and pans, plates etc.) and without her and her family, my experience would not have been the same. In saying that, the rumours are true – Canadian people are lovely, and whether you have roommates or meet fellow students, everyone will help you settle in fine. The bonus is that the time zone difference with New Zealand is not large at all!
The time I spent and the memories I gained in Vancouver and Canada are ones I will revisit often. My friends, now scattered back across the world, are ones I will keep in touch with. Some parting advice would be to ensure your hiking boots are packed, and your willingness for adventure is piqued. And of course – bring an umbrella and a good raincoat! You’ll need it!
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
I took some challenging engineering courses that were equivalent to 4th-year papers in New Zealand! Whilst they were hard, thank goodness they were only pass or fail so I could test myself with my knowledge. The small class sizes also allowed me to engage with the lecturer and make some new friends.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
If you are coming during Semester 2, I would recommend hiking – there is so much to explore and do around Vancouver and BC. My personal favourite hikes were Joffre Lakes or Elfin Lakes. The skiing will come towards the very end of your exchange – consider allowing yourself a couple of extra weeks to explore Whistler once you’re done with your studies! However, if you are coming during Semester 1, you have to ski and snow activities will consume most of your time.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- If you miss out on accommodation, start looking immediately! Post about yourself on the Facebook pages the university recommends and adjust your budget.
- Get an Evo account when you arrive. You will need to get a copy of your driving record from NZTA, but then you can rent cars by the minute and get to all of the hikes you need.
- Join some clubs at UBC. My personal favourite was the Ski and Board club – the bonus is that they have some cheap ski and board rentals and fun trips. Other great ones are the Varsity Outdoors Club (VOC) and the Surf Club.
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 around $12,000 and had a weekly allowance from StudyLink too. I treated the weekly allowance as my day-to-day budget and used my savings to pay for accommodation, flights and extra trips. I was more than fine, but some weeks I lived tight on my wallet! Also! I didn’t realise that Canada is not eligible for the University Exchange Scholarship – which would have been helpful so keep that in mind.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
My most significant takeaway was how proud I became to be from New Zealand. I always loved being from here, but travelling to the other side of the world made me realise how many people also loved New Zealand. It made me realise how much I loved home. I’m hoping to see many of my exchange friends visiting down under!
Is there any advice you could share about accommodation options at your host university and/or in the local area?
The crazy thing is that I applied for accommodation (most exchange students are placed in Fairview Crescent or Walter Gage) and I missed out! I was stressed out. I started looking for accommodation elsewhere, until one day I woke up to an offer from UBC Housing and I accepted it immediately.
I’m biased because I stayed at Walter Gage, but I think it’s better of the two exchange options. I had amazing roommates and a view over the mountains which never got old. It’s also close to everything on campus such as the gym and pool and all my classes. For context, Fairview Crescent is slightly further away and is much more homely. I still think Walter Gage is better.
Do you have any advice on what mobile phone apps and/or phone plans that were useful in your host country?
The common theme is that phone plans in Canada are expensive, but they have a lot of data. I paid $32 for 50GB of data – I never wanted to run out, especially when off campus without certain access to wifi. I was with Koodo, which is TELUS’ budget brand. They have one of the widest coverages in Canada, so I never really had to worry about not being able to access anything. I also used an eSIM and kept my NZ number active. This was good for two-factor identification and meant I could still iMessage and WhatsApp my original contacts.
Google Maps is very useful for navigating to classes. For the buses and sky trains, I would recommend the app “Transit”. And then, of course, Evo for renting cars.
Final Comments
If you are thinking about this experience, go for it. Everyone says it is the best time of your life and I would 100% agree. It has given me an incredible experience, and I truly think it is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Best of luck and enjoy UBC! Go thunderbirds!