University: Thompson Rivers University
City: Kamloops
Country: Canada
Continent: North America
Field of study: business administration
Study type: bachelor’s degree
Organization
I can recommend the organization with MicroEdu with a clear conscience. I only decided to do the semester abroad at very short notice (almost 1.5 months in advance) and thanks to the good organization everything went smoothly. Nevertheless, I would advise everyone to take a little more time for planning. Check mcat-test-centers.com to see Solent University.
Canada
Canada is definitely a cheaper alternative to the States, although that shouldn’t be underestimated. Of course, this should not be the reason for choosing this country. If you decide to go to Canada, you can definitely count on friendly and likeable people who are extremely helpful and usually up for fun. In addition, Canada simply captivates with a beautiful environment.
Kamloops
Kamloops is a very cute little town. It has the charm of a village but is surprisingly very spacious. I’ve been to downtown Kamloops maybe twice, apart from the nights. If you’re in need of clothing tech you’re better off catching a quick bus to Aberdeen Mall which is only a few minutes away by bus. Unless you can get a bus, because they are very peculiar and don’t come as they should. But the good thing is that the TRU allows you to use all bus options for free.
If you want to go out in Kamloops in the evening, you don’t have the extreme options, but you can also have a lot of fun here. So there is even more than one club to go out to.
Studies in Canada
There is a very large proportion of international students at TRU . This is of course very interesting, although it has to be said that you meet a lot of Germans here. On the one hand it’s nice, of course, but you have to be careful that you don’t just get along with Germans, otherwise the semester abroad isn’t really worth it.
Studying in Canada is very different from studying in Germany. A lecture usually has no more than 35 or 40 students. You can almost imagine that this makes the lectures much more integrative. You can also get grades by attending classesget for the overall grade. But this varies from teacher to teacher. However, the rule is that there is not just one final at the end, but several quizzes in between and/or midterms. In one course I had 3 presentations during one semester. This sounds very complicated, and it is. But you learn a lot here. And because the teachers make sure that nationals are always in the same group with internationals, it’s also much easier for you.
Costs
The costs should not be underestimated. In addition to all the costs that are incurred anyway, you have to consider the cost of groceries extremely here. British Columbia is a very expensive place on earth. Anyone who has ever shopped in the Superstore knows what I’m talking about. Unfortunately, the prices for spirits are just as high.
Accommodation
So in general I would advise everyone to go to a student residence instead of a host family. You just connect a lot faster and have a lot more fun. Another possibility would of course be to look for a room yourself, although that is only worthwhile if you can look for it on site, so not very recommendable for a semester.
I myself lived at Upper College Hight. This is one of the three alternatives offered, like the New Residence, which is more like a hotel. You always have to register yourself and your friends who visit you and is rather limited in itself. You pay a lot more here than in the other two dormitories, but of course you get more space and comfort. You should then consider for yourself whether you can get by with a little less comfort for a semester. You pay about the same at Upper College Hight and McGill. In the McGill you are very central right on campus and at the sports facilities, but you live like in a toilet.
As I said, I lived at Upper College Hight. And I would probably do this again. The location is also better than expected. You are within 5 minutes on the university campus and it is practical that you have the supermarket right in front of your nose. You underestimate that when you suddenly don’t have a car to go shopping with. You live here with three other students. Of course you can be lucky here, but you can also be unlucky. However, you have a separate lockable room, a shared kitchen/living room and 2 bathrooms.
Unfortunately, I had the misfortune to live with 2 young Canadians who unfortunately had no weakness for cleaning. And I was definitely not the only one, there were many apartments with this problem. On the other hand, I was lucky with my 3rd roommate and that can make up for everything!
However, anyone who is very sensitive to noise should refrain from using UCH.
Fun factor
How much fun you have in Kamloops and the surrounding area depends on you. But the Canadians don’t make it difficult for you. They are fun for everyone and not only that, but actually all nationalities there.
Because I was there in winter, our sports facilities were somewhat limited. So we limited ourselves more to skiing and snowboarding. So we went to Sunpeaks almost every weekend. This is a nice, relatively large ski area about 45 minutes from Kamloops. I would recommend the hostel there to anyone who also enjoys skiing and is looking for overnight stays. Run by a German, it’s extremely homelike, cheap, and clean. I can also recommend the snow-mobile tour to everyone here. Extreme fun that you don’t have every day!
If you want to do something else and see something more, you definitely have to go to Vancouver. A very beautiful city with lots to see. And for a change, it’s also good to have a big city with certain shopping facilities. When you need it! It takes 5 hours by bus and 3 hours by car. Slightly longer, so in about 5 hours you are in Seattle. Definitely a city to check out.
Those who love nature more simply have to go to Vancouver Island. Victoria, BC’s capital is very British, with a lot of charm. I recommend exploring the whole island here. You should also check out the national parks like Jasper and Banff. The Rocky’s are just incredibly beautiful to look at.
Conclusion
Personally, I can advise everyone to go to the TRU, because you definitely learn something for life here and possibly also something for your studies. Although I would say that that can also take a back seat, because you usually only have one semester abroad in your life!
