By Madeleine Malone

Highlights of my exchange

One of the highlights of my exchange was spending my December birthday in Paris. Paris is only a four-hour bus ride from my host city, Ghent, and since it was Christmas, there were a number of beautiful Christmas markets and lights around the city. I saw all of the main tourist attractions like the Arc De Triomphe, Champs Elysées, and I even climbed up the Eiffel Tower. I was so lucky to be able to try a range of authentic French food and immerse myself into French culture, I even tried using the language!

Another one of my highlights was seeing snow for the first time. I had been told by the locals that it only tends to snow a couple of times per year in the much colder months like February, however, it snowed for two days straight in December. I built my first-ever snowman and got into a snowball fight. It was so wholesome to see all the people in the streets enjoying and playing with the snow. After snowfall, the snow would settle on the roofs of the buildings around the city, and it looked magical.

Challenges I faced

One of the biggest challenges I faced during my exchange was being so far away from my family, particularly given the 12-hour time difference between Belgium and New Zealand. This made regular communication more difficult, but we made it work! However, it was especially challenging over the Christmas period. While many of my friends from other European countries were able to return home to be with their families, the distance and cost of travelling back to New Zealand made this impossible for me. Spending Christmas without my family was quite hard, but luckily I was able to spend it with some distant relatives in England, which was lovely. Being able to call and FaceTime my family over this period also made it much easier to deal with.

From a financial standpoint, despite having researched the cost of living and expenses in my host country, I have really struggled financially as everything is so much more expensive in Belgium (and also in nearby European countries). Adjusting to the cost of living has been quite a shock. I am staying in halls of residence, and the cost of my accommodation is cheaper than it was in New Zealand, but the groceries, clothing stores, eating at restaurants and activities can be up to double the price.

What my exchange has taught me

My exchange has taught me so many valuable life skills. I have learnt how to navigate solo travelling, figure out how to communicate with people when we do not speak the same language, how to navigate public transport in different countries, and figuring out how to adapt to the cultures and lifestyles. The experience has helped me grow into a completely new person, and I have become so much more independent.

How I expect my exchange will affect my future

My exchange has absolutely changed my life. I have become more open to the idea of living abroad, and I have started exploring the idea of working in Europe for a couple of years in the future. It has taught me so many life skills that I will carry throughout my life, and has truly pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I feel that I am much more capable and more inspired to go solo travelling, and I am already excited to explore more of the world! I now have friends from all over the world that I will cherish for life, and I am planning on visiting all of them in the future. I already have a friend from my exchange who will be visiting me in New Zealand this year!