Snow, Toronto, Homesickness :( and my trip home :)

By Modinat Tijani, Queen’s University, Canada

Of course, we all know what Canada’s weather is famous for being, and the stories are true. I can now say that I’ve experienced -30°C weather and survived. THE COLD IS NOT A JOKE. My nose hairs literally froze but I made it through.

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A guide to finding accommodation in Toronto

By Olivia Bucherer-Ezer, University of Toronto, Canada

Time to plan where to stay in Toronto? Let’s break some options down. 

Just a cheeky disclaimer before we get into the nitty gritty’s of Toronto’s accommodation options… this is all based on mine or my friends experiences, which are obviously subjective so don’t be completely put off if you already something in mind. This is more of a guidance in case you have absolutely no clue where to start… just as I did this time last year. 

So lets jump in and hopefully this can be of use!

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Ending the year abroad in California!

By Christevie Ngoma, University of Toronto, Canada

Pre Holiday

In January, me and my best friend (Danielle) from London (who did an exchange at McGill in Montreal) decided we needed one more holiday after New York to celebrate the end of our exchange! So we picked California, I have a close uncle in San Diego and my best friend has a close Aunt in Los Angeles. This meant we had free accommodation so we were saving over £1,000 not paying for a hotel.

My flight from Toronto to San Diego with a return from LAX costs £374 with Air Canada, me and Danielle planned to meet in Chicago during a stop over! We didn’t have to pay for a ESTA since we got one in December for when we went to New York so that was sorted! All we had to do was plan our trip!

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UK vs Canada – Studying & Exams

By Christevie Ngoma, University of Toronto, Canada

3 exams and 3 assignments later, I’ve officially completed my third year at UofT! After experiencing the Canadian University system for a year, I think I’m qualified to compare it to the UK!

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A Night in Little Havana

By Lara Bradley, University of Colorado Boulder, USA

What better way to start off a Spring Break trip to Miami than some cultural immersion in the heart of the city’s Cuban community, Little Havana. 

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New York New York!

By Christevie Ngoma, University of Toronto, Canada

I decided to take advantage of being close to North America and travel to New York! All I needed was a travel buddy! I have a friend in Montreal whose doing an exchange year at McGill University, and she had a visitor from the U.K. so we all decided to be tourists together!

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A Locals Guide to a Colorado Snow Storm

By Lara Bradley, The University of Colorado, Boulder, USA

The weather in Boulder, Colorado is insane. When I first arrived, the sun was blazing and temperatures hit well over 30° for weeks- and I had packed only one pair of shorts. Fast forward 2 months later, and the first snow storm hits. These storms are intense- heavy snow for hours, strong winds, and temperatures that dip below -20°. Generally, these winter storms leave Boulder with 6-10 inches of snow. After spending 2 years in Manchester, I did not come to Colorado prepared for the snow- but now, I’m basically an expert. So without further ado, here is a locals guide to surviving the snow.

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5 of the Biggest Academic Differences in the USA

By Lara Bradley, University of Colorado Boulder, USA

In many ways, the US education system is really different from the UK’s- and while you might not be thinking about academics very much right now, knowing these differences could help you adjust quicker and concentrate on all the other things you can do in college.

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