The best advocates for going on a student exchange are the students who have been before. Here, we present the stories of some of those who have ventured overseas and the kinds of insights it gave them into life, the universe and everything.

The Politics of Travel

When Greg Webb set off on his Student Exchange to France at the beginning of 2003, the world political scene was dominated by the question of whether to invade Iraq. For Greg, who was studying European Politics and International Relations as part of his Arts degree, the timing couldn’t have been better. “It was a really interesting moment,” said Greg. “France was so adamantly against the war.”

In Lyon, where Greg was studying at Universite Jean Moulin Lyon 3, there were demonstrations and protest marches. While university students were involved in the debate and the protests, Greg said the political mood at the time was driven by the wider population.

“The students talked about it a lot in classes. But it was the ordinary people who were on the streets,” said Greg. All in all, it was an eye-opening beginning to Greg’s six months in France. “I got a French perspective on world politics, and a European perspective on world politics.”

Greg said that he chose to study in Lyon for a number of reasons. He had visited the city previously and had some friends there. He was also more comfortable with the size of the city. “I didn’t want to go to Paris. Being a country boy, I didn’t want the city to be too big,” he said. The reputation of the politics program in Lyon also swayed his decision.

Language was not a significant problem – Greg had studied French for five years. Even so, he did find that it took a while to get used to the accents and the speed at which many French people spoke. “I got by quite easily, though the first few weeks were a bit slow,” he said.

He also had to get used to different teaching styles and a different campus environment. Greg studied on two campuses, both of which were very compact. “They were basically only one building.” There was also only one library, which Greg said was used more as a place to study, rather than a place to do research. All these little differences meant Greg had to rely on his on initiative a lot more than in Canberra. “You needed to be more self-reliant. You had to be more forward,” he said.

Overall, Greg said the Exchange reinforced his thoughts about the kinds of study and career he wants to pursue. “I’d always wanted to get into International Relations and Politics. The Exchange consolidated those thoughts.” At the same time, the Exchange gave him a thirst for combining study and travel. “I want to go and study overseas again. The Exchange also made me want to continue to learn languages.”

Greg’s advice to other students who want to go on exchange is that they need to accept that there will be highs and lows, but they should approach everything with a positive attitude. “There’s not really many negative experiences, because even the negative experiences are learning experiences.”

An Inner Journey

When Yanya Viskovich was almost halfway through her combined Arts/Law degree, she was staring to feel under pressure. “I needed a break. I wanted to travel,” said Yanya. Rather than put her studies on hold, she decided to apply to the ANU Student Exchange program. She freely admits that the decision to go on Exchange has changed her life. “It’s totally changed me, and definitely for the better. It launched an inner journey,” she said.

Yanya did a 12 month exchange at Queens University, in Ontario, Canada. Originally, she wanted to go to McGill in Montreal but she got a place at Queens instead. In the end, she believes Queens, in the town of Kingston, was the perfect place. “The emphasis in Queens was on the University. In Kingston, the town was based around the University. It was the University that kept the town alive.”

While at Queens, Yanya concentrated on the Arts side of her studies – she is doing a BA in International Relations. She got involved in the National Model United Nations, an organization which educates students about the roles and responsibilities of the UN. She went to Harvard University in the US to attend a Model UN conference. This exposure to new ideas and networks was reinforced at Queens, where Yanya attended some inspirational talks by an array of guest speakers. “We had lots of really cool speakers at Queens – people who had been involved in humanitarian work in third world countries.”

While Yanya is glowing in her praise of Queens, she does admit that the first few weeks were daunting. Despite the fact that she had researched Queens, she felt unsettled and disoriented. “The hardest part was being in a place that I knew nothing about. I had to take responsibility for myself.” Yanya reiterates that the experience was worthwhile. “I did a lot of growing.”

As for the academic side of things, Yanya said she was glad that she chose to concentrate on her Bachelor of Arts, as the workload was more manageable for her. “You have to adapt to new teaching styles and methods. It’s a different way of learning,” she said. Yanya’s time at Queens reinvigorated her studies. “It clarified where my strengths lie. It definitely imbued a desire to do humanitarian work. It opened a lot of doors for me.” It also opened her eyes, particularly when she visited some third world countries – Colombia and Ecuador – on the way home. “It made me appreciate my education a lot more.”

It also made Yanya realise that an important part of her education lies outside the classroom. “You’ve got to find a balance. That’s one of the things the Exchange really taught me.”