The International Exchange Programme Experience

I’m extremely happy that I chose to study International Politics and German at Aberystwyth.

One of the highlights of my university career has been the year I spent in Germany on exchange. I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy living in a foreign country but the time flew by and it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I went to Germany straight after the end of my second year.  The beautiful and lively city of Bremen was the first port of call. Over the summer months I worked for an international company that conducts research on educational technology. Working on projects and solving problems with co-workers from different countries and backgrounds was very exciting.

In September I moved on to Darmstadt, a medium-sized city a few miles south of Frankfurt. Having spent the first month learning German on an intensive course at the University, I spent the rest of the academic year studying politics. Attending the course was a good idea, as it gave me a great opportunity to make friends, improve my German, and to sort out all the paper work before the real work got underway. The experience of attending lectures and participating in seminars held in German certainly stretched me academically and was very satisfying. The year’s highlights included making friends from all four corners of the globe, travelling, and experiencing the European way of life.

-Einion Dafydd, 3rd Year

My McGill exchange allowed me to encounter a diversity of cultures, Quebec nationalist influences, Canadian lifestyle and a bilingual English-French community. 

This was a defining lifetime moment, and an awesome experience!

McGill University boasts a lively Political Science Department and a wide range of module options.  Montreal offers a friendly and enjoyable social environment with a large international student community from all parts of the world, which increased my knowledge of other cultures.  McGill has numerous clubs and societies.  I took advantage of this opportunity by taking part in the Secondary Schools United Nations Symposium 2007, which is one of the largest high-school Model United Nations in North America.  The exchange also gave me the opportunity to attend various local sporting events, including ice hockey, American football, and basketball.  Due to Montreal’s location, I was able to travel to New York City and to North Carolina for American Thanksgiving; and I organised my own three-day road tour of Quebec. Studying at Canada’s #1 university was an unforgettable experience!

-Jason Edwards, 2nd year