CANADA - SHERBROOKE

The reason why I decided to do a semester abroad was to have hand on experience of another culture and see something else than home and on the other hand to improve my linguistic skills. Therefore, I thought Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada would be a perfect fit. But stepping into a foreign country, especially one like Canada that operates with two languages and not just one, can be both exciting and overwhelming. For me, as an Austrian citizen this experience has provided a rich linguistic challenge. While English was my main focus, not only given to its global context but also to my academic pursuits, I found myself navigating French as well, a language I had not learned before. But it was not as easy as it sounds on paper. So let me start from the beginning and explain the strategies I developed to not only overcome language barriers but also improve my linguistic skills to a certain level.

Initial Struggles: Even though I had learned English in school, adapting to it felt overwhelming at first. Especially when you are surrounded by native speakers and their accents/nuances. I personally would call this “stage one” (1-2 weeks) - the period were you keep overthinking what you want to say and ask yourself if it is correct or if you could have said it differently. This phase can be really exhausting and as mentioned overwhelming, as you are constantly in a conflict with your inner voice. However, this phase is lived very rapidly, and you develop a natural feeling (?) for the language quite quickly as you keep talking to other people. This point also marks the shift to “stage two” – the time where you stop overthinking and get the natural feeling talking to people in a different language, in my case English. This was the point where I had been not only brave enough to initiate social interaction, but also actively participate in class.

Strategies I used to improve my linguistic skills: I have now been in Canada for a little more than two months, and I would say one of the most effective way to enhance my English has been through constant engagement with others. Conversations with people – whether on or off campus with strangers – helped me to pick up new phrases. A lot of times I didn’t understand the meaning of them, so I had to ask for an explanation. This was a straightforward strategy and required a lot of courage, but it worked wonders, and I made a lot of new connections by doing that. Another key point was reading. Then on the one hand it helped to encounter words repeatedly in different contexts which expanded my vocabulary. And on the other hand, they also provide a chance to start a conversation.

French another foreign language: My host University is located in Quebec, a province in the French part of Canada. While being here, I have encountered French on a daily basis, which was really daunting since I had never learned it. Yet, learning even basic phrases has revealed the impact of foreign languages on my live. Even it is very tough to learn, French sounds unique and the people appreciate any effort speaking their language, even imperfectly. This experience has taught me the value of learning new languages and sparked a curiosity to learn more in my future.

The usefulness of the skills I learned in my future and how they affected my selfunderstanding as a communicator/speaker in a foreign language: So far, the semester abroad, has changed how I see myself as a communicator. It has taught me that it takes courage/confidence and adaptability for an effective communication. Furthermore, I have learned that it needs patience and creativity when it comes to learning new languages. These skills are transferable to my private live and I can use them also for my studies and career. This semester in Canada has enriched my understanding for myself and cultural differences, which is definitely going to help me later on in life.