Was the place you went to your first choice for exchange? Why (not)?

No, I wanted to go to Seoul, South Korea, which is completely different from where I ended up going. I wanted to go to Seoul because I wanted to explore a completely different culture (and the food seems absolutely amazing there). I also put Oslo on my list because I had heard about Norway being a beautiful country and I really wanted to experience what Scandinavian culture was like, and how it compared to the Netherlands, which is where I’m from.

What were your expectations before going?

To be brutally honest; Before going, I expected exchange to be very difficult and not fun at all. I was quite terrified of being “on my own” in another country for five months straight, as I had been living with my parents up until that point. However, I can confidently say that exchange has been one of the most wonderful times of my life and I would do it all again if I could.

What was the biggest challenge during exchange for you?

The biggest challenge for me was probably to keep myself busy. The workload at BI (my host university) was substantially lower than I was used to at UM, so the urge to do nothing all day was big. I had to make sure to fill my days with activities to avoid being at home the whole time!

What’s the most important thing you learned during exchange (outside of university)?

I think the most important thing I learned is that I am much more capable of things than I previously thought. I wondered how I would balance social life, school, grocery shopping, cleaning and hobby’s, but in the end this was not challenging at all. I learned how to be an adult and take care of myself, while still having fun.

What is your favourite memory of exchange?

I have so many good memories from exchange, so it’s very hard to choose one. I really liked hiking up the Ulriken mountain in Bergen (which is where the photo accompanying this blog was taken). Another good memory is when a group of friends and I went sledding in Oslo when there was a lot of snow, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking and I couldn’t stop laughing. Lastly, the countless beautiful sunsets in Oslo are a sight to behold and I will never forget them.

What would you tell someone who is debating whether to go on exchange or not?

Even though it might seem scary and you feel like you are leaving everything behind at home, it will bring you so many good things and new experiences. It is totally worth it to go on exchange, in my opinion.

Do you have anything else you want to add?

To me, it always felt like everyone loved going on exchange, so the pressure to “be excited for exchange” was surely there before I went. But as I got closer to leaving, I discovered that there were a lot of other people that weren’t looking forward to it (but ended up having the time of their life). Just know that everyone is nervous to go on exchange, you are not alone!