Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Hi, my name is Caitlin Vito and
I've recently graduated this past June from the University of Guelph
with a major in European Studies and a minor in German.
I've been many, many places [laughs], but mostly I've been to Germany.
I spent a lot of time during my third year, I did my third year undergrad at the University
of Konstanz and then after that, after I finished my fourth year, I spent two months at
the University of Bremen doing an internship there, and I'm just about to head off to
the University of Leipzig, Germany to start my Master's program.
There are many, many reasons why students should consider an exchange.
I mean, there's the academic aspect of course,
especially for students pursuing European Studies.
I mean, what better way to study Europe than in Europe?
You know, a medical student would go and do an internship at a hospital,
a European Studies student goes and has the practical experience
of living and studying and working in Europe.
So there's obviously the academic aspect.
There's the language, I mean what a learning curve.
You know, you come out, you know, sufficient after two years here at Guelph.
But then going over there and you're working and you're communicating in that language,
and it's a challenge, no question
but there's just such a sense of accomplishment after the year is over.
And also, then on the personal side of things, if I can get kind of corny on you,
it's just a real growing experience because you're faced with many challenges
and you meet an incredible number of people from all over the world
with different perspectives and ideas, and it's just an incredible opportunity and there are
so many different aspects of your life it will change and you'll really grow as a person.
I found in my own experience anyway, that I can recommend it to almost anyone.
The school of languages and literature is set up so that,
to prepare students for success, especially during their year abroad.
The European Studies program, for example, it's built into the program
that you spend your year abroad, so the professors know what they're talking about.
You know, you email them and you say, "these are the courses
I want to take, would this work?" and also on personal matters as well.
They've seen a lot, they've often lived themselves in Europe,
and they've had a lot of students go over and live in Europe, so things that come up,
roommate issues, you're just having troubles or whatever, feel free to email them.
So you really have that support network that maybe isn't there in other schools.
In addition to that, you have the languages and
all the professors are on the same floor so they're all interconnected and
talking to one another, so there is that built-in support and the language professors
make you proficient enough and give you the tools in order for success.
And then I found, especially now after the European Studies program,
once everything's said and done, you go out there with an incredible array of
knowledge, skill and experience that a lot of different, either it's
master's programs or employers, it's what they're looking for.
You know, an exchange looks very nice on a resume and it
not only says, you know, you're curious about the world,
but shows a certain level of perseverance, you know, just by having that
on your resume and saying that you've accomplished that.
And on the languages and literature floor, and I can speak mostly to European Studies,
you've got your hands in so many different disciplines.
I studied simultaneously political science, art history, classics, business,
German was my minor so obviously I delved into German full-throttle
with a lot of cultural understanding as well, and you don't get that
sort of multi-disciplinary learning in many other schools.
Totally a paradigm shift. It really is.
And you don't realize that you have a certain paradigm
until you go over somewhere else and it's challenged.
And I remember, you know, you're either having coffee with a group of friends
in the middle of, you know, in a coffeehouse in Germany and your friends can be
from Albania and Russia and China and from all around Europe
and you're discussing, it could be something as mundane as the weather or it could be
something, you know, geopolitical and issues get raised and you just,
you realize that, you know, what you used to take as just fact maybe isn't.
You know, there's all these different ideas out there
and, not that you necessarily have to agree with them, but just exposing yourself to them
makes you a much wider and expanded person and just
gives you that extra, gives you another lens to look through life.