Memorial University in St. John's: Sebastian Plewe

May ? August 2010

Snow and cold all year round, big dogs and lots of trees ? or: ?Newfoundland? That's somewhere in the north, isn't it? This or something similar was the reaction I usually got when I told people about my plans to study at Memorial University in St. John's for a semester. Admittedly, I didn't know much more about this province of Canada when I started looking into my stay abroad. So I did my research and was prepared for the above conversations: 'No, it gets up to 30°C in summer', and: 'No, St. John's is on the latitude of Munich'.

The decision to go there was easy for me; after all, you probably only get the chance once to get to know such an exotic destination so closely and at the same time combine the pleasant with the useful, i.e. in addition to lots of new impressions, experiences, fun and adventures, you can also further your professional education.

As my second subject is English, I was able to kill two birds with one stone by spending time in an English-speaking country and taking courses (also in English, of course) from the Human Kinetics and Recreation department, which I can have credited towards my sports degree in Kassel.

The structure of the courses is slightly different to that in Germany: it is recommended that you take five courses for the summer session (including the intersession) and it is a good idea to stick to this rule. I would particularly like to recommend the Introduction to Outdoor Recreation course with TA Loeffler, which should make the heart of every sports enthusiast and outdoor enthusiast beat faster: the program includes hiking trips with lots of tips and tricks from map reading (did you know that the green areas on maps can only be green when the vegetation is so dense that a certain number of soldiers could seek cover from the enemy?) to orientation with a compass to the question of why almost all waters in Newfoundland are reddish. You'll also be climbing a cliff directly above the sea, where the biggest problem is concentrating on the climbing and not on the whales playing with each other, shooting fountains of water into the air and slapping their fins on the water. Admittedly, there is no guarantee of seeing whales, but the chances are not bad and it worked for me?

Other highlights of this course include kayaking at sea and a three-day camping excursion into the Newfoundland wilderness.

If you decide to travel with a suitcase rather than a large trekking rucksack, or if you don't have space for a sleeping bag, sleeping mat and things like that, you can easily borrow everything from the university free of charge. This service is really worth its weight in gold and I have used it several times. You can also get equipment here if you want to spend a few days out and about privately (as long as the equipment is not being used by the university).

A highlight on campus is the Field House. Here you will find fitness rooms, squash courts, badminton courts, table tennis tables, a basketball court, a swimming pool and a 200m indoor running track; all under one roof right next to the seminar rooms. It's free to use during the semester and is a really good opportunity to get really fit.

But I have also had consistently positive experiences outside the university. I quickly realized that hospitality is very important there. So it was no problem to make contacts. As the atmosphere at the university during the summer semester (approx. 1500 students) is somewhat informal and the proportion of international students in the department was very low, we got to know 'The Germans' quite quickly and after my fellow student from Kassel and I went to house parties once and then to George Street, we felt quite well integrated. George Street is the party mile of St. John's. It has the highest density of bars and clubs per area in the whole of Canada. There is everything your heart desires from dance clubs to Irish pubs and live music, usually free of charge, about five to six times a week. The musical spectrum here ranges from typical Newfoundland folk music, which is very similar to Irish folk, to mainstream rock. It is usually the case that several artists play in different bars on the same evening, so you are spoiled for choice. Overall, the party scene in St. John's is somewhat different from the German one and is worth the trip in itself.

But the hospitality of the Newfoundlanders went above and beyond. My buddy Philip and I experienced this several times. We were welcomed into friends' homes and invited on weekend trips that were really great; for example, a kayak tour along the rugged but wonderful coastline of Newfoundland. Everything was organized for us, kayaks were arranged, a place to sleep was provided and and and... During the trip, we saw countless bald eagles, a caribou, a family of sea otters and dolphins in great summer weather.

Outside of St. John's, it's not easy to get around in Newfoundland without your own car, but here too we were given a lot of support: A lecturer simply lent us his second car for a tour. We paid with a currency that is not uncommon there: a bottle of Screech. Your contact person, Dr. Behm, is as helpful as can be and he also gave us the chance to get a taste of research after the regular semester. We worked with him on a project about the effects of different types of stretching on performance.

Perhaps I should say a few words about the housing situation: I lived directly on campus in Burton's Pond Apartments for the entire semester. It consists of four fairly functional rooms for four people, an open kitchen with a living area and a bathroom. This solution is definitely the most uncomplicated and quite practical in terms of location. The Phys-Ed building, where events are held and where the Field House is located, is just a five-minute walk away, as is Long Pond, which is great for jogging and fishing. It takes around twenty minutes to walk to George Street Downtown, which is also perfectly fine, even if the way back usually takes a little longer? Cabs are also comparatively cheap.

As an alternative to the apartment solution on campus, it is also possible to book into a hostel for a few days (from 25 $ CAN/night) and look for a private apartment or room on site.

Looking back, I can only say that my time in Newfoundland was incredibly rewarding, both personally and professionally, that I experienced a lot of great things and, above all, that I was able to meet great people. The semester abroad is absolutely an experience that everyone should have and that I would definitely not want to miss.