Melissandre Naud

How was your overall Dal experience? 
First things first, my experience at Dalhousie University was great! The International Centre is an extremely helpful place at Dal for international students, not only on an academic level, but on a personal level as well. The staff are extremely helpful, friendly and engaged, and the space is perfect to study.

Compared to European universities, Dalhousie is a very dynamic university especially concerning student activities and there is always a society organizing an event. I went surfing with DalAfterDark and, although there were no waves that day, I had a great time! Student life does not get boring fast when there are so many societies!

The university was great as well—many great courses were offered and accessible professors teaching them. The course load was not very different from back at my home university and I managed well.

Favourite part?
My favourite part of being a Dalhousie student was to be able to buy a lot Dalhousie Tiger gear! This was something that amazed me coming to Canada, this culture of pride for the university and wearing its clothing. I like having this stuff to remind me of the great time I had!

How was the weather?
Before arriving in Halifax, my mom was all worried about the Canadian winter. However, the period of August to December is really not that snowy. And it wasn’t particularly rainy much either (compared to the Netherlands, which is a very rainy country). But the weather is unpredictable and it changes every day, if not every hour!                    

The things you MUST see/do when living in Halifax
The best places in Halifax are the waterfront, for its serenity, and Argyle Street (this is the street with most of the bars).

Advice for other students thinking of coming on exchange to Dal?
Be open-minded and enjoy! You'll find you have a lot in common with very different kinds of people and fun will ensue! You will make some awesome friends as long as you are yourself and stay open-minded!