This journey began with a number of hard goodbyes and a ticket to London Heathrow Airport. After a long flight to London and a bus to Bath I was standing in the room that I would be living in for the next four months while attending the University of Bath’s School of Management.
Fast-forward to today, as I celebrate the end of lectures, dread the start of exams, and look back at what has been the most incredible time of my life. Upon arriving to Bath, I had little expectations for the city, the University, or the people and yet they all exceeded my wildest dreams. Bath is a quaint student city, located two hours outside of London, and is full of culture, beautiful landscapes, history, and architecture.
Whether you want to hike trails, browse high-end shops, or catch the end of a rugby game in a local pub, Bath has it all. Coming from a big city like Vancouver this was quite an adjustment. Unlike Vancouver, almost everything is within walking distance and you constantly recognize people walking around the campus and the city. The weather patterns and changes, however, are very similar to Vancouver (and SFU Burnaby Mountain in particular): it can be raining one minute, snowing the next and sunny ten minutes later, which made me feel a bit more at home. During my time here, Bath has really become my second home. Whether it is watching local sporting events, participating in BBQ’s with my flatmates or attending university events, I have become part of the community. I even got to show off this incredible city when my parents came to visit during the Easter Break.
Exchange has given me the opportunity to meet a number of incredible people from all over the world. Whether they are from Australia, Germany, New Zealand, or Canada we are all able to find something in common and love learning about the differences in our cultures and specifically our languages, as we compare words and phrases constantly. Not only does exchange allow you to meet other exchange students from all over the world, but also become friends with local students in lectures, group projects, and accommodations. For my exchange, I was placed in campus accommodations and have been able to get to know a number of students from all over the UK and Europe studying at the University of Bath full time.
I would recommend exchange and the University of Bath to all students, because it really has been a life-changing experience. Although everyone gets something different out of it, for me it was my confidence. This involved the confidence to introduce myself to new people, to explore places and things on my own and ultimately, the confidence to get on a plane and live across the world for four months. It is because of this, and the memories I will never forget, that I believe you are missing out if you don’t participate in exchange.
Bio:
Hannah Deplaedt is in her third year at the Beedie School of Business. She is currently on exchange at the University of Bath in Bath, England. She has travelled to Hungary, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Ireland, and Sweden during her exchange. Travelling and studying abroad has allowed her to experience different cultures and meet incredible people. She hopes to apply these experiences to her life. Email her at hdeplaed@sfu.ca if you have any questions!