Memorial University in St. John`s: Meike Machunsky

As soon as I saw the pictures on the poster and visited the Memorial University website, I knew that I wanted to spend my semester abroad in Newfoundland/Canada. The preparations were made quickly and the application for a scholarship also went smoothly thanks to all the help from Prof. Dr. Kibele (even if unfortunately nothing came of it afterwards). A student who had already been there last year was also able to answer a lot of questions and help me with my planning (what should I take with me, what is better to buy locally, etc.). So I felt very well prepared and was able to concentrate fully on the anticipation.
Even from the plane, I could see the coast and forests that made me choose this place to study. As I arrived a few days before the semester started, I spent the first few days alone in the 4-room apartment. It wasn't easy at first, as you find the apartment as if you were moving into a furnished apartment here (i.e. there was furniture and a mattress, but not the rest). And bringing bedding (including pillows and blankets), towels, pots and pans, toilet paper etc. from Germany is not that easy. So the first thing I had to do was go shopping to get the basics (pillow, blanket, comforter covers, a pot, 1 set of dishes, toilet paper etc.). Cheers to Sears and Dollarama in the nearby shopping center. Over the next few days, I had some organizing to do: Registering with the International Student Office, registering my health insurance, introducing myself to Prof. Behm, who also showed me around, etc. And of course I also explored the campus and the surrounding area.
It's amazing how different a campus in North America is (thanks to tuition fees, I have to be honest - it's a good thing I didn't have to pay them). All the buildings, including the residences and apartments, are in one place, as is a university center with a huge university store (everything from pencils, folders and sports gear to underwear is available there with the university logo), a food cart, its own pharmacy and doctors. All in one building. Then of course there is the huge library with several PC and internet places, the Work House with indoor running track, fitness studio, swimming pool, squash courts and 3 indoor courts for badminton, table tennis, basketball, aerobics or similar. courts. There was also an adventure-oriented swimming pool next door. Of course, everything was free for students, as they pay enough. There's also a lake and wooded area right next to the university, so it's great for walking. As Jan had already said when he came back: 'Now I'm in absolute top form'.
My flatmates slowly arrived two days later at the weekend. They brought everything that an apartment needs to come alive: Kitchen appliances, pots, toaster, microwave, TV, posters, etc. So now the place came to life. The two girls came from Newfoundland, one from the next larger town, Gander, and one from McCallum, a fishing village of 80 people in the south of Newfoundland. We got on very well straight away and quickly became friends and did everything together. This gave me the opportunity to get to know Newfoundland like a Newfoundlander. I spent the midterm vacation in McCallum, where I got to know the country and its people, went salmon fishing and was served typical food (codfish, scallops in bacon, rhubarb pie and lots of typical snacks). At the end of the semester, I stayed with my other flatmate and her family in Gander. It was a great experience and I can only recommend it to all of you: Don't look for other Germans (because you can also find them in Germany) but make friends with the locals. That way you will get to know the country and its people better, experience more and have more fun (I speak from experience ;-) ).
The courses I attended were also an experience in themselves. Especially the Introduction to Outdoor Recreation course with TA Loeffler, which is an absolute must at Memorial University. On the very first day there was a five-hour hike in the surrounding woods. Just 10 minutes by bus and you feel like you're far away from the noise, hustle and bustle and civilization. We literally hiked over hill and dale (otherwise we wouldn't have been able to get through the mud/water) and sometimes had to build our own crossing to cross a stream. During the breaks, we learned how to dress appropriately, how to pack a rucksack properly and how to read maps. The course was generally structured in this way, with lots of practice hiking (on the East Coast Trail), canoeing, climbing, orienteering (in the snow at the end of May) as well as reading maps, finding your way with a compass, how not to leave tracks and similar. We were able to tick off a few points on our list of things to see and do in Canada. A particular highlight was a sea kayaking tour where we went out on the sea, got to know animals and plants and even tried a few sea urchin eggs straight out of the water (it took a bit of effort, but it was very tasty). The absolute highlight was of course our backpacking trip into the wilderness. Armed with a large 25 kg hiking rucksack containing everything we needed to survive (tent, sleeping bag, pot, dishes, clothing for wind and weather, pocket knife, camping stove, toilet kit and a few food items), we set off. Ahead of us lay a distance of 14 km over hill and dale and the odd mountain and stream. We camped in the middle of the forest, near a lake and a fire pit (i.e. a few stones), no shower, toilet or similar luxuries. We stayed there for two nights and spent the time with some lectures on team building, lighting fires without a lighter, baking with a camping stove (we had cinnamon buns, yammee), edible plants, cloud science and similar topics. Those who had to go to the toilet (which is inevitable in 3 days) were allowed to dig a hole (without leaving any traces, of course) and washed themselves in the ice-cold lake. Back to basics :-) A unique experience that I will never forget (also because of the scars from the 150!! mosquito bites), but I was still looking forward to the pizza that my flatmates had already prepared for my return.
Of course, the other seminars (which were theory-based) couldn't keep up with this, but they were also very interesting and had one or two 'bonbons' in store. For example, we were allowed to visit the Med School for the 'Fitness and Wellness' seminar, where we were allowed to look at real organs (and touch them with gloves). This involved comparing healthy organs (heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, stomach) with their diseased equivalents (smoker's lungs, alcoholic liver etc.) It was absolutely fascinating and one or two of us drank a glass less that evening or gave up cigarettes.
All in all, the semester went by far too quickly and I would have loved to stay longer. If I had been single, I would definitely have taken up the offer to do my Master's or phd there because one thing was clear to me: if I ever emigrate, it would be to Canada!
I took an incredible amount away from the semester, and it's not just about knowledge or intercultural experiences. I made good friends with whom I still have a lot of contact today. And I have promised them and their families that I will visit them again in the next 5 years.
Would I make the same decision again? Definitely! Would I recommend Memorial University to others? Absolutely, I would love to go again myself. You can always go on vacation to America, Australia or Italy. But who would think of going on vacation to Newfoundland? Very few, so grab the chance by the scruff of the neck, you'll love it!