University: Saint Mary’s University
City: Halifax
Country: Canada
Continent: North America
Field of study: business administration
Study type: Summer Sessions
In the summer of 2009 I took part in the Summer Session (7 weeks, May – June) at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. Since I finished my studies in Germany in the spring, I only took one course – Auditing 4450. I was accommodated in the Loyola Residence directly on campus, like almost all German students. Check jibin123.com to see economics and education in Singapore.
Accommodation
I stayed in a single room on the 22nd floor of the Loyola Residence. There were four elevators available and with the exception of peak times around 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., these were usually there very quickly. The room was furnished very simply – bed with two drawers under the bed, wardrobe or rather shelf (no coat hangers available), small chest of drawers and desk with chair. Duvets, pillows and bed linen can be provided on request at reception. The rooms have to be cleaned themselves, brooms and mops are in the lounge, to which every resident of the floor has access with a code. The lounge also has several seating areas, a TV, a microwave, a sink and a fridge. Toilets and showers are shared and cleaned daily. Many of us have also bought a kettle for hot water bottles or tea – available in the Atlantic Superstore. Crockery, cutlery, cleaning supplies and the like can best be obtained in one of the many $1 stores such as Dollarama. Since W-LAN does not reach the 22nd floor, you should have an internet cable with you or get one there. The SMU IT service is available for any technical questions. For all other questions, the reception of the Loyola Residence is staffed all the time, so that you will find a contact person there 24/7. The International Center (located in the same building as the Health Center, canteen and bookstore, across from the library) is also manned on weekdays. This is also a good way to get to know other international students, because the staff at the International Center are very concerned about the international students and are happy to answer questions and give tips. You should also inquire there about the planned activities for international students. We had a trip to Lunenburg and Peggys Cove, which we all really enjoyed.
It is possible to use the canteen in the morning, at noon and in the evening (between 8 and 12 dollars per person). However, I did not make use of this opportunity and can therefore not give a rating
Halifax
The city of Halifax is fascinating. Due to the high number of students, there are many nice bars and pubs. It is also worth visiting the surrounding outlet centers and malls, which can all be reached very easily by bus (recommended offer: 20 bus tickets for USD 32 instead of single tickets or a monthly subscription). A restored path leads along the harbor, which is very suitable for a walk along the water. There are also many bars, restaurants and malls within Halifax. My personal highlight was Point Pleasant Park, which is only a few meters from campus. The park is beautiful and suitable for walks, reading by the water or jogging. At the park entrance there is a small kiosk with very tasty ice cream varieties – highly recommended, even if the store doesn’t look very inviting from the outside. The so-called Farmers Market takes place every Saturday (further information at http: //www.halifaxfarmersmarket.com). The market starts at 7 am every Saturday. Experience has shown that it is worth going there between 8 and 9 a.m., because at 7 a.m. there are still too few people, so that there is no real “market feeling”. However, later it gets too crowded. We mainly bought sausage, vegetables, baked goods and fruit at the market. Even if you don’t want to stock up there, it’s worth a visit, there are various tasting stands with regional offers and there are musicians on many corners, who once again underline the “market feeling”.
What is particularly striking in Halifax (compared to Germany) is the friendly and helpful nature of the Canadians. Rarely do you hear annoyed drivers yelling or scolding, the salespeople are very polite and when you leave the bus you thank the bus driver for the safe journey to your destination. When we asked the passersby who often passed by for the way in the first few days, it was not an isolated case that the interviewee came along a little further to show us the way. This open and polite manner helped me a lot to settle in and feel good.
Course – Auditing
I took the ACCT 4450 Auditing course with Mr Heather Sceles. The course took place twice a week for three hours. The lecturer distributed a syllabus with all the dates and elaborations for the first lesson. The lecturer was very motivated, open to discussions and mixed practical experience with theoretical textbook knowledge. The main focus of the course was on the role and associated responsibilities of an auditor, general terms and concepts, ICS, components of the audit plan and audit processes. There was also an Enron case study. I really enjoyed the course and can only recommend it.
Free time activities
We rented a car for the weekend and drove to Cape Breton. Cape Breton Highlands National Park is about 4 to 5 hours north of Halifax. The Cabot Trail, which is known as one of the most beautiful coastal roads, is particularly well-known. The park impresses with the colors, the views of the ocean and the adjacent mountains. We stayed very cheaply in a hostel right on the ocean. Please note that the shop opening hours are very minimal and not the same as the usual supermarket hours.
