ICS Canada (Québec)
Sahara Khoury
Degree: Bachelor of Management (Tourism) / Bachelor of Arts in International Studies
ICS University: HEC Montréal, Canada
I chose the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies at first as a way to further my French language skills and experience a university exchange, but as the In-country study (ICS) approached, I realised I wanted to push myself outside of my comfort zone.
Sahara completed her ICS in Canada in 2018
Q&A with Sahara
What was the highlight of your ICS in Canada?
My summer travels were a definite highlight. The freedom to explore Canada and the US and all the people I met along the way was an unforgettable experience. Being able to do so with a mix of friends from home and new friends I met on ICS made it all the more special, creating new memories and seeing places of the world I didn’t think would have as much of an impact on me as they have.
How did your language and intercultural skills improve?
Having learnt French for many years before my ICS, I felt that I already had a good conversational level but I lacked the confidence to try to speak it. ICS allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and try my hardest to practice where possible. Montreal is a bilingual city, which made it comforting knowing that if I was struggling to get my message across, local residents would always understand my attempts and help me translate from English to French. While I may not be fluent, I feel like I am more confident with what I do know.
What skills have you developed in the past year that will benefit your personal life and/or career?
Adaptability is a big takeaway from this year, as we are placed in a brand new city and country knowing minimal people, it’s important to be able to adjust to a new surrounding and make the most of it.
If you were going through a tough time, what support did you receive or access?
Constantly video calling friends and family from home. As hard as it is to always stay in touch with time differences and different schedules, it’s important to keep in touch with everybody at home. Fellow ICS students and other exchange students that I met through my host university were also a massive support, as they understood the struggles and were able to share how they dealt with similar issues - reminding you that you were never alone in your stresses!
If you could redo ICS, what are some things you would do differently?
While I enjoyed my time in student housing, it was primarily shared with other exchange students, therefore not giving me the full opportunity to mingle with local students. Majority of these students were also anglophone, so my French practice outside of university was limited. As this housing accommodation was also more expensive than a standard student share house, it would have also been more beneficial for my budget had I allocated more of my rent money towards experiences.
Blog #1 - Moving to Canada (Québec)
If you told me at the beginning of the year that I would take up ice skating, feature on a float in the Montreal St Patrick’s Day parade, or even say it's “warm” when it goes above 0°, I would not believe you, but here I am.
I chose Quebec for a completely new experience and it has not disappointed. Having studied French in high school and already completing a short exchange to France, I figured that Quebec would give me something completely different. Not sure what to expect from this year abroad, I was nervous that my language skills would not be proficient enough for this experience and I would completely freak out upon arrival, but Montreal is already a new home for me.
Going to HEC Montréal, a Francophone business school, has been challenging however it has provided the push needed to get out of my comfort zone and speak French in an academic environment. At HEC, we study alongside Francophone students completing a business degree and take one subject with fellow Exchange students learning French as a second language. I live in a student residence off campus, which has given me the opportunity to make friends from all over the world as well as local Quebecois students, many of these friends I now get to do my summer travels with. Only a 20-minute metro ride into uni, the residence is a 10-minute walk to both old Montreal and downtown- perfect location!
My French has improved more than I could imagine so far, particularly my confidence in social situations and in the classroom, which was terrifying at first!
The hardest cultural difference so far has been adapting to the Quebecois accent, and vocabulary variations to the traditional French accent. Luckily the locals are understanding of those studying French as a second language, and are happy to help you if needed.
My travels throughout the first semester took me to Canadian cities surrounding Montréal such as Ottawa, Quebec City, and Toronto, as well as crossing some borders to New York City and Mexico for our mid-semester break. I’m currently spending my summer making my way through Canada and USA with roommates from my first semester, writing this post in the Yale University library (which has nothing on UTS).
ICS so far has been incredible, and I can’t believe I’m not even halfway through.
Blog #2 - Roadtripping across the USA
In my second month of summer travels, I have travelled across both Canada and the United States- solo, with friends from Australia, and friends made in Montreal. The month started embarking on a road trip through Arizona and Utah, with the keys to a Jeep in hand we made our way through cactus fields and canyons we found ourselves in awe of the vivid colours of the rock formations.
The next part of my journey took me to explore the southern states of USA, joining a tour to cover Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Atlanta and ending the tour in Florida. Learning about the history of culture and music through these states didn’t compare to experiencing the live music scene that filled the streets (and learning some line dancing).
The highlight of the month has to be currently spending some time back in Canada, staying with ex-Montreal roommates in Vancouver for a week. Seeing Canada in summer has been long-anticipated, and eating poutine in the sunshine was a bizarre feeling compared to my first experience in -35°!
I haven’t realised how much I missed Canada until being reunited, and it makes me even more excited to return to Montreal at the end of next month. I’ve missed my second home and the French language more than I thought possible after just four months living there, but that just even makes me more excited for the second semester ahead.
Blog #3 - Enjoying the Californian sun
My final month of summer travels have sent me up and down (and up and down) the west coast with a friend from home. Spending majority of the month in California, staring out with the familiar Pacific Ocean was refreshing and a great way to relax and pause in the craziness of travel, and of course a little trip to Vegas to break it up.
The highlight of my summer (and probably my life) would have to be my week stay in the beautiful Banff National Park in Alberta. We rented a car in Calgary and drove through Banff and Jasper National Park for some lake visits. Although it broke any budget I could have set for myself, a stay at the Chateau Fairmont Lake Louise was an unbeatable experience and provided a breathtaking view to wake up to, along with some bear spotting. I can’t justify the scenery in words so probably best to just refer to the photos.
The only way to recover from the sadness of leaving the Canadian rockies was to pay a visit to the happiest place on earth, Disneyland, and no better way to do that than with a pair of corny Mickey ears. Even in the Californian heat, we powered through to conclude the trip on a high.
Now being time to take my last leg of my summer adventures back to Montreal, I am excited to restart my life in the new semester. Although I do not have the same familiar faces to return to, I look forward to the familiarity of the city and also exploring new areas that were left undiscovered in the winter.
Blog #4 - Back to Montréal
After over three months on the road travelling through Canada and USA, the feeling of returning to Montréal to kick-start the second semester at HEC was unbeatable.
Looking back on my time away, I realised I was missing the French language and the opportunity to practice in everyday life. With just over two weeks to myself before returning to classes, I took the opportunity to do some self-practice as well as explore the area more and attend some local events - with a highlight being Osheaga.
When I left Montreal in April, the snow had only just begun to melt away and reveal the colours underneath, so returning to a city covered in green was the best kind of surprise. I was shocked by the areas that I had yet to discover, even after spending four months living in such proximity.
The time away from Montréal made me realise why I am here and that now the clock is ticking down to my return to Australia. I need to make the most out of this incredible opportunity and push myself out of my comfort zone as much as possible, especially now that I no longer have the excuse of minus-30-degree temperatures keeping me indoors.
Blog #5 - Meeting up with fellow ICS students
The second semester at HEC was welcomed with much less fear of the unknown than the first. The familiarity with the campus, academic and language expectations, and even some professors and fellow students around the campus have greatly helped my confidence entering the new semester. The help of the student-run exchange society here at HEC have been a great help in my integration to life in Montreal, throwing us into welcome week activities. These include jet boating through the lachine, visiting La Ronde, water parks, beaches (yes, apparently they exist in Canada), and of course experiencing the vibrant nightlife of Montreal.
This society also organises weekend trips, one undertaken being to Quebec City, the capital city of the province of Quebec. This was a great opportunity to meet up with fellow ICS students who are undertaking their studies at Universite Laval, and have them show us around their city.
Meeting fellow exchange students as well as HEC students from around the world has been a highlight of this year. There is no better way to make lifelong friendships than bonding over shared experiences in a new country.
Blog #6 - Thanksgiving
The seasons in Quebec surprise me day by day, with the colours changing in the blink of an eye and so does my vocabulary, catching myself calling it “fall” instead of autumn. With winter just around the corner, I took the past month as an opportunity to rent cars over the weekend explore the Quebec region and take in the foliage and sunshine while it’s still around.
Having the opportunity to be in Canada for my very first Thanksgiving was also a fun experience and great excuse for a trip on a long weekend to embrace the tradition. We took to Ottawa for a few nights, trying our very best at cooking a whole turkey and exploring the city and the national parks surrounding.
While the subjects at HEC are challenging, I have found major improvements from where I started in January, being able to contribute more regularly and confidently in class discussions. The content is helpful in its relevance to my degree at UTS and I consider myself lucky that I can use what I am learning here.
More information about ICS
- Read about the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies
- Read about In-country study in the UTS Handbook
