By Alesha-Ann De Penning

Hi! My name is Alesha, and I am studying a Bachelor of Business majoring in both Accounting and Strategic Management.

I have lived in Australia for 10 years, and have done some travelling with my family, but am looking forward to experiencing travelling for the first time by myself.

Travel has always been something I have been interested in. I love learning about different cultures and comparing them to what I am used to. I am looking forward to gaining a more global perspective and approach which I will be able to use in my future career.

I have chosen Calgary, Canada, for my exchange as it was always my plan to make it to Canada, initially with my brother as a post-high school trip, but when he had a kid, plans changed. Now, I am excited to have the opportunity to travel independently and make amazing memories with the people that I meet in the process. I am looking forward to experiencing the snow, and have my fingers crossed for a white Christmas.

Another factor for choosing Calgary in particular, is that the courses on offer aligned the most with my degree. In doing a double major, I do not have much flexibility, and so that was a major consideration. It is close to Banff and the Rocky Mountains, and I am excited to really try out some winter sports while I am over there. In general, I am looking forward to exploring all that Calgary has to offer, and hopefully some other Canadian cities too, such as Vancouver and Toronto.