Dorcas (right) and her friend, rubbing the tummy of a statue in Budapest which is rumoured to bring luck
Tell us about yourself- name, year, faculty / major.
Hi, I’m Dorcas, currently a Year 4 History and Political Science double major.
Why did you want to go on exchange?
I’d heard about exchange through my seniors who raved about how fun and life-changing exchange was. Seeing their beautiful pictures on social media made it even more enticing. When applications opened for students exchange in Year 2 Semester 1, I applied straight away. I was eventually allocated Leiden University in the Netherlands.
Did you have any area or region in particular you wanted to go to?
I knew from the start that I wanted to go somewhere far, most likely Europe. My sister had gone to Europe to visit her friends and had also raved about it. Being a history major, it also appealed to me because it’s a place with rich history – which I learned about in secondary school and junior college.
The view descending into Innsbruck, Austria
What was the process like?
It was actually quite tiring. The internal school application was easy, but everything after that was quite difficult. There was a lot of paperwork required for my stay in the Netherlands, such as the long-stay visa application and the Proof of Sufficient Funds (basically having to prove that you can afford your exchange in the Netherlands).
Leiden is a saturated ‘university town’ so trying to secure housing was another problem. I texted a senior prior to my search and he warned me that some people ended up with no housing until the third week of school so that really scared me.
The worst part was that I had to think about all of this during my finals!
View of Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Iceland
What did you gain from going on exchange?
So much! I mentioned the paperwork was tiring, but I can assure you that the entire thing was worth it. Exchange was a blast!
One thing that I really learned over there was independence and self-reliance. For the first time in my life I was really 100% in charge of my own life with no safety net of a familiar community. From cooking, to cleaning, to planning my travels, decisions were completely in my own hands and I couldn’t (and shouldn’t too) rely on anyone else.
Tell us about a friend/ friends you made there.
My house mates are a particularly memorable group of friends I made from exchange. I lived in a flat with three other girls, each of us having our own room but sharing a common toilet and kitchen.
We really bonded in the short time that we were there together. For example, for Chinese New Year, my flat mates whipped up specialties from their hometowns for our own mini celebration. We also had many wine and cheese nights together where we shared about ourselves. We also grocery shopped together and when one of us visited the markets we would ‘report’ the deals to each other.
Honestly, the friendship was unexpected for me as I’d heard of cases where friendships were ruined after living together during exchange so I went with an apprehensive heart. Up till today, we still update each other occasionally about our lives and reminisce about exchange.
Dinner whipped up by Dorcas’ housemates for Chinese New Year
Name one or two most memorable experiences overseas.
One memorable experience was my time in Budapest. I was on a solo trip from Prague to Budapest and remember being very frazzled because I couldn’t find the Flixbus bus stop for my overnight bus. I eventually reached the bus stop and struck up a conversation with another girl to confirm that I was in the right location.
We ended up talking and found out that both of us were solo trippers going to Budapest for two days and our hostels were a 10-minute walk from each other, so we decided to travel with each other! It was my first (and only) time travelling with a stranger but it was actually really cool and we clicked with each other well.
Do you have any advice for people looking to exchange in Europe?
Do your paperwork early to ensure that you meet all the deadlines! I didn’t manage to secure student housing as it was completely full by the time I wanted to apply. It made me sad because I thought I wouldn’t be able to live near other students or find travel buddies, but my worries were unfounded as I got really lucky with my housemates. Still, not everyone might be as fortunate as me and I still recommend student housing if possible.
When travelling between countries, opt for buses or planes, as trains can be even pricier than the other two. Also, when travelling by plane, bring the largest backpack you own that is within the hand-carry dimensions to maximise your baggage space, since check-ins cost extra money. Opt for overnight buses to save money and time, but try not to do it too often as it is very tiring. Bring a good pair of waterproof hiking shoes that can also be daily wear for all your trips.
All pictures: Dorcas Gan
Do you know of other exchange stories or have an exchange experience yourself? Let us know through Facebook, Instagram, or down in the comments!
