Memorial University in St. John's: Tina Knackstedt

"St. John's - Newfoundland" Where is that? Aaah, east coast Canada, cool! That was the reaction of everyone I told about my planned semester abroad in St. John's. And it was precisely this degree of unfamiliarity (remoteness?!) that magically attracted me. Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal ? everyone had heard that before. But who can claim to have spent a semester abroad in St. John's? Not that many ;). St. John's (not to be confused with Saint John in New Brunswick -> keep your eyes open when booking your flight ;)) has a lot to offer - both historically and culturally as well as in the outdoor area. It is the oldest city in North America, in 1901 the first transatlantic radio signal was received on Signal Hill, St. John's, Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America (!), is only about 15 km from the city center and last but not least it was the coast of Newfoundland where the Titanic sank in 1912. Apart from that, icebergs "swim" past in spring/summer and you can watch whales and puffins. If you're lucky, you might even see one of the 150000 moose. Newfoundland is also so far east that the island even has its own time zone (-4.30h to Germany).

Hospitality, helpfulness and warmth are very important in Newfoundland. Not only are shopping bags packed for you in the supermarket or you are greeted and smiled at in a friendly manner everywhere, you are also immediately invited into the respective home (even for an overnight stay). If there is a problem, you get help and support from several sides at once. Thanks to Alan (who was still on site during my planning phase), I found a really nice shared flat and lived privately. However, there is also the option of staying in a room in a student hall of residence(http://www.mun.ca/hfcs/). However, I would advise everyone to live in a (Canadian) shared flat, as this way you can experience and get to know (everyday) Canadian life and culture much better and more intensively.

As I arrived about four weeks before the start of the semester, I had enough time to sort out organizational matters (registering for courses, introducing myself to lecturers) and to explore the area in and around St. John's. As mentioned above, there is a lot to see. So if you don't want to come "just" to study, it's definitely worth arriving a few weeks before the semester starts or staying a few weeks after the semester ends. Depending on how many courses you take, you will be quite busy during the semester. The Canadian system differs from the German system in that the individual courses take place several times a week. The lesson times for the theoretical courses are usually "only" 50 minutes, but then three times a week. You are not allowed to take more than six courses (at least not in the sports area). I started with five courses, but then reduced this to four in the third week (two practical and two theory courses). Nevertheless, the workload was not without its challenges, as there were several "small" exams and coursework in the form of assignments or essays and two written exams (1x midterm/1x final exam) per course. However, above all the stress of university, you shouldn't forget why you actually came to St. John's: to get to know another country, its culture and way of life!

I can particularly recommend the "Summer Outdoor Activities" course. In addition to short units on golf and softball, the focus is on canoeing and hiking. The topics covered include how to use a compass and hiking map as well as behavior, handling and survival in the great outdoors. A three-day canoe trip is also included, on which what has been learned can be put into practice.

Apart from the activities already mentioned, there are many, many sporting opportunities in and around St. John's. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to experience ice hockey (Canada's official winter national sport) (live) during the summer. However, there are many opportunities to go canoeing and kayaking or take part in guided tours (e.g. whale watching). Beginner and advanced courses are offered by Paddle Canada, for example(http://www.paddlingcanada.com/). I myself took the Sea Kayak Level 1 course and can only recommend it! Apart from canoeing/kayaking, hiking is also very popular with Newfoundlanders. There is a very extensive hiking network in and around St. John's. Length and difficulty vary depending on the route. Many hiking trails lead past spectacular (and absolutely worth seeing) stretches of coastline. If you don't want to set off on your own, you can also join organized hikes (usually at the weekend)(http://eastcoasttrail.ca/scheduled_hikes/). Rock climbing in and around St. John's is a real treat for climbing fans. If you prefer indoor climbing or an introductory course, Wallnuts is the place for you(http://www.wallnutsclimbing.com/).

In addition to the sports facilities, which are also very good at the university(http://www.theworksonline.ca/, free access to most facilities for students), the nightlife in St. John's is not to be sneezed at. George Street, St. John's party mile, offers a number of options. However, the beer and especially the long drink prices are quite high. Public drinking, which is taken for granted in Germany, is also a "no-go" in Canada/the USA.

If you want to get to know something of Newfoundland outside St. John's, you should first and foremost visit Gros Morne National Park(http://www.grosmorne.com/), which impresses with its incredible beauty. Although the park is located around 700km from St. John's (at the other end of Newfoundland), it is definitely worth a visit. Countless hiking trails, canoeing and/or kayaking routes lead through breathtaking landscapes and to spectacular views. The park also offers a good opportunity for wildlife spotting (e.g. moose and/or black bears, to name the most spectacular). Gros Morne is the second largest national park in Atlantic Canada and is a World Heritage Site. If you don't have that much time, you can also go to Terra Nova National Park(http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nl/terranova/index.aspx), which is only about 300km from St. John's.

All in all, I can only recommend a semester abroad. I would describe my six months in Canada as the best in my life so far. I had a lot of positive experiences there, learned a lot about myself and made great friends. If I'd had the opportunity, I would have stayed there for at least another semester. Therefore: TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND APPLY!!! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!!

If you have any questions, need help/support with the application process or would like to make some initial contacts: talk/write to me, I will be happy to help you(Tina.Knackstedt[at]gmx[dot]net).

All the best and good luck,

Tina