Study Abroad Programme for St Mary's Students
What Our Students Say
Sara Lockwood (pictured above) – Tourism Management
“I am studying Tourism Management and already had a passion for travel but being able to live and study in Korea on placement was an unbelievable experience.
When in Korea I experienced a completely different culture. The history and heritage was fascinating and It was surprising to see how deeply rooted their traditions and values were. However, I was also amazed to find how easily I could communicate with people as the majority of people spoke English very well. I loved learning by observing, but also by attending lectures on a range of interesting topics about the Korean economy, politics and history. I also got the chance to learn the Korean language which was really beneficial as it has provided me with another skill for the future.
While in Korea the group visited a number of cultural attractions which included a number of religious historic temples which were breathtaking. I also stayed with a Korean family for a weekend, which I was a little apprehensive about at first but it turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip. The family were so welcoming, cooking traditional food for me and showing me around their home town.
I highly recommend this opportunity to any student, whether studying tourism or another other programme. I learned so much from it, as well as making new friendships. It really was an unforgettable experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life.”
Simmie Gould – History, Theology and Religious Studies
When I first heard that some students at St Mary’s went away to study abroad I thought, "I won't do that, of course. I'll stay in a place where I know my way around and where people know me." When you have a visual impairment and particularly when, like me, you have a hearing impairment and a visual impairment together, it’s very important to be able to find your way around the place where you’re living.
If you suddenly move to a new place, you either have to be trained to find your way around, or else you have to find someone to take you everywhere you want to go, and that can be very awkward, because you never know who may be available when you need them. This, as I say, is why I didn’t think it would be practical for me to join the Study Abroad programme.
However, when I attended a talk on studying abroad one day it seemed to me more and more that it’d be a good thing to do if I could do it. Later, when the start of term came round, I thought I might as well fill in the form and worry about the practicalities later. As it happened, it took us some time to find an institution that was willing to have me, but when I was accepted by St Francis Xavier University I was amazed at how smoothly the whole process went off.
I was really touched by how warmly I was received by the staff and students at StFX, as they call themselves. I don’t think I have ever had so many friends in one place before. They have such a sense of community over there, and they took me to their hearts. I particularly enjoyed the first week, when I joined the international students for Welcome Week, and we all went to Crystal Cliffs, one of the local beaches together. That afternoon, we played lots of games, had a swim in the sea, and in the evening, we went down to the beach, lit a fire, and sat round it talking and toasting marshmallows.
Over the course of the semester, I met many students who helped me to find my way around the campus and get food in the canteen. I met students from all over Canada, and also lots of students who were on exchange there from Europe like me. I learned quite a bit about different cultures, and particularly about the Canadian culture, which doesn’t seem to come in for a lot of notice from the world in general), and enjoyed being part of a close-knit community. As in all universities, we were kept frantically busy with our various courses, but I enjoyed it all very much, and I was really sad when it was time to go home.
Sarah McKenna – Philosophy and Theology and Religious Studies
I chose St Mary’s because of the opportunities it offers to study abroad. In my second year, I spent a semester at Charles University in Prague and in my third year I spent a semester at St Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.
In the two semesters abroad combined, I had access to a wider variety of modules than I would have done just studying at home. I have also had the chance to make friends from all over the world and to visit quite a few places.
Prague is a lovely city and it is also cheap for a UK student. I had 1,500 Euros available through Erasmus for my semester there. Having to spend 60 Euros on accommodation per month; I just used the rest of the money for travelling. I visited Vienna in Austria, Germany, Poland and Bratislava in Slovakia. My classes in Theology were taught in English and it was interesting to get a Protestant perspective to complement my studies at St Mary’s. The Philosophy classes were highly intellectual – but I coped!
At St Francis Xavier in Canada, the teaching was very different from what we are used to at St Mary’s. There were lessons every day, with more structured class activities. In the UK, we are expected to be more independent in our studies. I was in class with Canadian students but I also met international students from France, Germany, the Czech Republic and China.
The accommodation in Canada was about the same price as here in London. Flying out and back wasn’t too expensive either. If you booked well in advance, it was about £300 for a return flight. I also had to budget for my trips to Vancouver and Toronto, for health insurance and obviously for food.
Settling back to my home routine wasn’t easy. Being far away from home, it was easier to make good friends quickly. However, I have now started re-connecting at St Mary’s and I also have friends I met while abroad visiting me here...
