UWinnipeg science and education student Jade Hamelin from Nelson House Cree Nation embarked on an educational European adventure this past summer. Hamelin spent six weeks at Aarhus University in Denmark as part of UWinnipeg’s Students Leading Students exchange program.
UWinnipeg offers undergraduate exchange programs that gives students the opportunity to study abroad.
Students who qualify for this program can apply to have 40-90 per cent of their exchange costs covered by Global Skills Opportunity, the Government of Canada’s outbound mobility pilot program.
Hamelin has always wanted to travel but did not think it was possible with her university schedule and budget constraints. However, this exchange program made it a reality.
“Travelling has always been a dream of mine,” shared Hamelin. “It just was never anything I could afford. This exchange program was the perfect opportunity.”
Hamelin, who is training to be a teacher, has an interest in Scandinavian countries’ educational systems. She choose Denmark for her exchange program to pursue this interest.
“UWinnipeg was very supportive,” said Hamelin. “I received intercultural training, and the exchange officers were helpful in planning my trip.”
UWinnipeg guided her through all the steps including visa information, course selections and most importantly, funding.
“As someone who comes from a family that has never travelled,” notes Hamelin, ”I’m really glad I had support in ensuring all the proper steps were taken for my exchange.”
While in Aarhus, she attended classes and was able to participate in many cultural activities including the Aarhus Jazz Festival, which was one of her many highlights of the trip.
“During the festival, there were pop-up shows and events all over Aarhus,” said Hamelin. “One night, we went to see a band from the United Kingdom play outside a pub and everyone was just so happy and swing dancing to the music. It was just a beautiful atmosphere.”
Another one of her favourite things was the dinner and games night in the park with other international students that she had met during her stay.
“Everyone brought blankets, food and drinks, and I learned so many different games from students from all over the world,” said Hamelin. “At the end of the night, we ended things with a kebab, and then went back to the dorms to play Uno, a card game, which was a favourite for me and my dorm mates.”
Hamelin highly recommends the program, “It was the greatest experience I’ve ever had. I feel like I learned so much about myself and the world in general after travelling to another place.”
To see more of her trip, visit Jade Hamelin at Aarhus University.
The deadline to apply for exchange programs during the 2023-2024 academic year is February 15th, 2023. For the full list of exchange possibilities, visit UWinnipeg exchange partners. To learn more about how you can apply and participate in an exchange program, visit UWinnipeg Exchange.
