Preparation
Since I’ve always wanted to go to Canada, I decided relatively quickly that I would spend my semester abroad there.
With a presentation of a graduate my home university about the University of Winnipeg has piqued my interest at this university. After reading testimonials about the university at MicroEDU , I decided to apply there.
When I got the approval, I started looking around for flights, applied for BAföG abroad, applied for a credit card, took out travel insurance, etc. It should be noted that you are enrolled at the University of Winnipeg for as long as you are enrolled is insured through the university. You basically have to pay for this insurance, even if you can show your own. It is also advisable to have an international driver’s license issued. This is required if you want to rent a car to go on excursions, even if it says on the Internet that it is not necessary. In addition, you can only rent a car if you are at least 21 years old. Visit act-test-centers.com to get information about United Kingdom or England understand the difference.
Accommodation
After I had been accepted, I also thought about a place to stay very quickly. There are three options when choosing accommodation on campus: McFeetors Hall, Lions Manor and Balmoral Houses.
I chose the latter and would choose it again at any time. The houses are super close to the university; downtown. I lived in a house with 10 people. Sounds like a lot, but it’s perfectly fine. Everyone has their own room, each hallway has its own bathroom, and the kitchen and living room are common areas. Because you live with several people in one house, you get to know new people quickly. In our house we all got on really well, often sat together in the kitchen, watched films together in the living room or went out to party together.
Regardless of which of the three options you choose, each of these accommodations is looked after by so-called “RAs” (Residence Assitants) who work for the Housing Office and also live in the respective residence. The RAs also often organize events where you can get to know new people. We once took part in a cooking class with other residents. But also sports activities, such as Zumba, or parties are organized by the RAs.
UoW
The university itself has me very much. A “Special Programs & Records Assistant” already supported you when choosing a course, and you get an answer quickly if you have any questions. After you specified the courses you would like to take, the assistant entered you into the courses. I have taken the following courses: a course from the English section “Films for Young People”, a course from the business administration section “Management of Co-Operatives” and a course from the WGS section “Feminsim: Background and Fundamentals”.
The professors are all very nice and very helpful with questions. The courses are relatively small (sometimes with 20 people), which makes them very interactive. The workload varied depending on the course: All in all, I had to hand in a lot of essays, read texts or books and write intermediate exams right from the start, which means that you can collect grades during the semester. Ultimately, however, I would say that it is easier to get good grades there than at German universities.
The town
Winnipeg is not particularly beautiful, but you get to love the city over time. Osborn Village is nice, there are lots of small cafes, restaurants or bars. I can also recommend the park “The Forks” and strolling through “The Forks Market”. From there you can walk along the “Red River”, which is nice too. The “Assinibione Park” is also great and easy to reach by bus. The “Fort-Whyte-Alive Park” is not that easy to reach by bus, but at sunset you can watch the “Sunset Goose Flight” there, which is said to be beautiful. Also, I highly recommend going to a football game and a hockey game. Also recommended is the Human Rights Museum, which is really impressive.
Environment / travel
Before I flew to Winnipeg, I made a stopover in Toronto and stayed there for 4 days. From there I went on a day trip with a friend to Niagara Falls, which are incredibly impressive.
There are many national parks and lakes in the Winnipeg area. Since these are further away, you should team up with a few people and rent a car. Personally, I’ve been to Mountain Riding National Park and Whiteshell Provincial Park, both of which I found beautiful.
At the end of the semester, I took the bus from Winnipeg to the Rocky Mountains and stayed there for a week. From there I took the bus to Vancouver and spent another week there.
Conclusion
In the end, I am very happy that I chose the University of Winnipeg and would have loved to stay longer. I got to know a lot of nice people, with whom the time became unforgettable.
Nevertheless, the costs for the semester abroad should not be underestimated. With all expenses I spent over 10,000 euros. It is therefore advisable to apply for BAföG abroad, which will cover some of the costs.
