My exchange semester was full of positive experiences; I met international students from South America to Africa to Asia. The Summer School was a great introduction to the campus, the city and the many international & exchange students who’ve come from all around to study. There were excursion to places I would not have known about to visit. The classes were also very different from what I was used to - students were given a timetable where they were with a group for the entire semester. This was a wonderful experience for me as I was able to get to know my peers. And as INSA de Lyon is a well known engineering school in France, employers ask the lecturers to hire people. I still receive information about internships and graduate programmes.
The city was amazing in many different levels; the architecture, the history, transportation and the people. There is an annual light festival held during winter, which is very similar to Vivid Sydney called ‘Les Fêtes des Lumières’. This festival has its origins in the 1600’s. The history of the city was one of most loved things about studying in Lyon. The overall experience of exchange has helped me immensely to grow as a person. I learned to quickly adapt to new situations because I was out of my comfort zone. For example when I first started classes; they were very different from the structure I was used. Especially when travelling to countries where only a handful of people spoke English, I learnt to think on my feet when making decisions.
It is certainly difficult to convey some experiences through words as they have to be experienced by yourself. If I could, I would highly encourage you to explore this opportunity!
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