-Why did you decide to study abroad for a semester?
-Studying abroad is a very enriching experience, both personally and academically. I've always wanted to study abroad for several reasons:
- It is an experience that allows you to fully immerse yourself in another culture. By studying abroad and spending a semester in another country, living among the local people, you gain a deep understanding of their customs; you come to live like them and think like them, which provides a learning experience that you could hardly ever gain from a book or a classroom.
- Going abroad and fending for myself, finding a place to live, getting to know people, living on my own—all those experiences help you grow as a person.
- Studying abroad opens up many career opportunities.
-How did the opportunity to do this in Canada come about?
-There is a scholarship offered by the Canadian government for young women from Latin America. I found out about the scholarship through Universidad ORT Uruguay in Universidad ORT Uruguay applied.
First, I was accepted by the university, and then they sent my documents, letters, etc., to Canada. I was accepted by UQAM, and then I received approval from the Canadian government, which awarded me the scholarship.
-Why did you choose to do it there?
-Honestly, because of the chance to do the entire exchange program on a scholarship. But now that I’m back, after living in Canada, I recommend it 100% and would consider it a top priority when planning an exchange program, even if that scholarship weren’t available.
People usually think about going to Europe or the United States, but honestly, I highly recommend Canada—it’s an incredible country.
-Did you feel ready to study there?
-Yes, I felt prepared both academically and personally. At first, I was nervous because I went to Montreal, to the French-speaking part of the city, and there are a lot of tensions with English speakers, and my French wasn't very good.
But once I got there, it wasn't quite as it can suddenly be in Quebec—everyone spoke English, so I didn't have any trouble.
-While you were in Canada, you were part of the exchange group that organized extracurricular activities. What was that experience like? What were your responsibilities?
-Well, that was a truly amazing experience. As soon as I arrived, I heard about a trip to Boston being organized by an agency for exchange students, so I decided to go. I met people from all over the place there—it was a lot of fun.
Two days later, the people who organized the trips called me and told me they really liked my proactive attitude, my personality, and so on, so they offered me a spot in their organization to lead the trips—in exchange for free travel.
Of course, I agreed, and I got to travel to many places within Canada and many places in the United States, such as New York, Washington, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and others. And not to mention the incredible people I met during those trips, the responsibilities I had to take on, and so on.
-What was it like living in a place where you studied in English but French was spoken on the streets?
-As I mentioned earlier, even though I was living in the French part of the city, everyone spoke English. At the supermarket, or on the street, if I asked people for directions, they immediately realized my French wasn’t very good and answered me in English.
-Did you have any trouble adjusting?
-Not at all, no problem.
-What was your life like during the exchange program? How long were you there?
-I was there for four months, from September 4 to January 4. To be honest, my daily routine was very dynamic; it depended a lot on what activities I had and what time of year it was.
I went to class; the schedules varied a lot: some days in the morning and others at night. I studied at home, went shopping for household supplies with my roommate, talked to people in Uruguay on Skype, and so on.
In the afternoons, I also tried to go to the club located on campus so I wouldn't miss out on working out. And in the evenings, we would often get together at one of the students' homes and cook dishes from different parts of the world—a chance to chat and have a good time.
On the weekends, I either traveled a lot or we’d go out to explore different parts of Montreal; at night, we’d go to parties, and so on.
-Besides studying and the curricular activities mentioned above, what else did you do during your time abroad?
-As I mentioned in the previous question, I used to hang out a lot with other students to try foods from other countries, and on Wednesdays we’d even go out for dinner at a restaurant serving traditional cuisine—for example, Italian, Chinese, or Indian food. And of course, another favorite activity was traveling! I got to see a lot of places and had the chance to travel extensively with the group of exchange students.
I also had the opportunity to take a theater course at a school, since I’m studying theater here in Uruguay and wanted to supplement my studies with a course abroad.
-What kind of relationships did you form?
-Honestly, the people I met are the best part of my trip. I met people I truly consider friends; it was amazing how, in such a short time, I was able to feel so at ease, so comfortable, and so happy with the people around me.
Being practically on my own abroad and feeling that way is truly priceless, and that’s thanks to the wonderful people I met.
-What stood out to you the most during your time abroad?
-The diversity of people. To be honest, once I returned to Uruguay, I realized that we’re practically all the same. In Montreal, the diversity of people is something incredible and beautiful. Riding the subway and hearing more than five languages—people from literally all over the world! It really is incredible. And this openness makes it a much more welcoming country in every sense.
Another thing that really struck me is how different their values are compared to those in Uruguay. For example, over there, it’s practically unheard of for an adult to still be living with their family. It’s a different mindset, different values, a different way of life—a different culture.
-How did this experience enrich you?
-In many ways. It was a great academic experience for me; I’m just one course away from graduating, and being so far along in my studies allowed me to look at many of the topics I studied at university here in Uruguay from a different perspective.
I took a few courses on topics similar to those I studied in Uruguay, and the fact that I was studying them in a highly developed, first-world country, with professors from Europe and many other parts of the world, allowed me to see a completely different perspective—one that was truly enriching for my way of thinking and analyzing.
But the best thing I took away from the experience was the connections I made. They were truly wonderful people, and I’ll always remember them.
Interview published in 2014.