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A Semester That Changed Everything: My Time in Canada

Chantal GlaubitzErlebnis, 2026 Leave a Comment

semester that changed everything

My Time in Canada
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von Chantal Glaubitz
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31. Januar 2026
Prince Edward Island is Canada’s smallest province, located on the east coast in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Known for its red-sand beaches, rolling farmland, and seafood.
Canmore has a vibrant arts scene, wildlife nearby, and serves as a quieter alternative to Banff while still offering easy access to world-class mountain landscapes.
A major tourist destination, Banff offers year-round outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and sightseeing, and is one of Canada’s most iconic mountain towns.

    Wildlife in Canada

    A country known for its freezing cold, maple syrup, and impressive nature. However, I had no idea how beautiful and impressive Canada's nature really is. Before I flew to Canada, I knew very little about the country, except what I had learned in school or seen on television. I only realized the extent of nature when I took a short trip to Banff National Park. My cousin showed me some beautiful spots in Banff, as she herself vacations nearby every year. Although the park was covered in snow and ice, it was still very impressive. However, it's important to remember that Banff is not only a tourist destination but also a popular spot for Canadians. Furthermore, it's important not to disturb the animals in the park. Even though you're usually surprised to see animals at all, there's always a lot going on due to the large number of people.

    Indigenous peoples

    Canada is also a country of diversity due to the different cultures that come together in everyday life. However, diversity is not only about immigrants but also about indigenous people. I was somewhat suprised and did not quiet understand why, at the beginning of every event, the indigenous peoples in general are thanked and thus shown respect. Unfortunately, the festivals cannot be seen during the winter months. But in spring and summer, downtown Edmonton shines in bright colors as the indigenous peoples celebrate their festivals at this time of year. For example, on June 21, when National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) is celebrated.

    Structure of everyday university life

    I went to Edmonton, Canada, for my semester abroad. I chose Canada because I didn´t want to be completely alone in another country I didn´t know much about. So I went to MacEwan University, because there would never be another chance to go there, and I could to get to know the rest of my family, and a part lives there not far away from MacEwan. But when the time came to move into residence, I entered the campus for the first time and noticed the unique layout of the university, which played an important role in my experience. Each building is dedicated to a specific subject area, so you mainly have classes in one building. Compared to German universities, the buildings are relatively large. Since temperatures in Canada can drop to minus 30 degrees in winter, all the buildings are connected by walkways, so you don't have to go out into the cold in winter. Something I was confronted with even before my stay in Edmonton was the choice of courses. Every student can choose their own courses. There are also evening courses for people who work during the day and then attend classes in the evening. What fascinated me more, however, was that with three chosen courses, you are already a full-time student at the university, but you can choose up to five courses. I was also surprised by the support services available, such as the Math & Stats Learning Center and the Writing Center. Here, you could not only discuss current topics from class, but also get help structuring your assignments if the study load was becoming too overwhelming. MacEwan also places great emphasis on mental health and openly discusses it. Not only are there centers and people you can turn to, but there is also a program called “PAWSS”. Here, the university offers students the opportunity to sit in a room with a dog, pet it, and play with it. There are also various activities offered with the animals from the PAWSS club to help reduce mental stress.

    Ice hockey as a symbol of identity

    One situation that really stuck in my mind was when I had been in Edmonton for about a week, and we wanted to get to know each other better through the buddy program. The buddies decided to take us exchange students out for dinner to create a relaxed atmosphere. On the way to the restaurant, we walked through the university, and since the new stadium of the ice hockey team is very close by, we ran into lots of fans. It looked like a mass movement. Everyone was either wearing an Oilers jersey or a cap, but they had all collectively put on the merch. There were also lots of fans in the restaurant, because the motto is that if you don't have tickets, you go to a restaurant or pub to watch the game collectively. Even at the university, there was always advertising for the Oilers games, and even if you don't understand the game, you watch it because it's just part of the culture.

    My learnings from my experience

    Looking back, I can say that the experiences I had during my stay abroad are important to me. Not only did I get to know a new culture during that time, but also made friends and got to know another part of my familiy. Studying at MacEwan showed me that there are other ways to approche your studies than just learning. The most important thing about the experience is that, if everything dosen´t work out, I still have a place where I can start over again, and I don´t want to miss out on that opportunity in my life.

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