Where did you go, and what program did you participate in?
I went on exchange at Science Po Paris, in international politics and urbanism. I had the chance to complete a certificate in humanities, with a mention bien.
Why did you decide to go abroad, and more specifically, why did you choose that experience?
I鈥檓 passionate about project management, international relations and politics, and have a strong desire to change and improve things around me. Sciences Po Paris, at the heart of Europe, truly helped me acquire new skills and knowledge. Both on academic and personal levels, I believe that this university helped me be a better citizen of the world by helping me to truly understand the foundations of public policy, free-trade economy, cultural management and European politics.
Science Po Paris is also internationally known for its great courses in politics. I was more than excited by the idea of studying in depth politics and its link with economy and business. The courses that I took at this wonderful university contributed to the completion of my degree because of its well-rounded approach, well-known teachers and diverse classes. I studied gender inequalities, with an economic approach; urban studies; the art of speech and discourse, and many more subjects! Montreal has a lot to learn from Paris, and I came back in my home-city with new ideas and better solutions to support my community. Paris was the best fit for me.
What was the most interesting/surprising/rewarding thing about the experience?
Leaving my hometown, leaving my university helped me to change my mindset a bit. It helped me grow so rapidly in six months. Between the intense courses, the readings, the French friends and moments on the Quais de la Seine, the weekends in Copenhagen or in Milan, I always found a way to live the present moment. To 鈥榯ravel鈥� in my head, not just with my feet.
Any particular anecdotes that you鈥檇 like to share?
Friends are always close, even if an ocean or three countries are separating each of you. My two best friends, also McGill students but in other faculties, were in exchange at the same time; one in Copenhagen (DAN) and one in Bologna (ITA). We still manage to visit each other in our respective exchange countries and at the end in May in south of Italy.
What did you take away from the experience?
I wrote a poem for you to understand a bit more.
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When we travel, we feel infinite, limitless
We have less fear
We speak louder, kiss more, say 鈥測es鈥� to new adventures
Take more risks
Notice more around us
Our hearts are more open to different cultures and perspectives
We are directly responding to the present
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We are open and alive.
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But what if we can do that at home too?
The person you are when you travel is you
Just a little braver
A little more resourceful
A little more inclined to say 鈥測es鈥� to possibilities
And gives a little less of a damn what anyone else thinks.
You can travel wherever you are. Travel your own
neighborhood, your own city.
Your own mind. The people you have known for years.
New people too. It鈥檚 not necessarily a destination.
But a mindset.
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What advice would you have for McGill students who are thinking about going abroad?
First, travel, get out of your comfort zone. Second, make local friends. You will not only learn about the city or culture, but about yourself, too.
What鈥檚 up next for you?
I wish to bring together great minds and ideas in order to build innovative solutions and improve, step by step, our world. I would love to work as a public servant, after my Master in Public Policy - somewhere in the world, and maybe later do politics in Ottawa or Quebec City. With a focus on environmental public policy planning, this is the path I would like to follow!
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For more information about global learning opportunities, visit McGill Abroad. (Facebook and Instagram: @mcgillabroad)