TRAVEL REPORTUniversité Laval - Spring 2016 422691

1. Preparing for exchange

1.1. Application, housing, health insurance and other documents

The preparation process of my exchange semester started in September when I got the first information letters and e-mails from the university. The process was very straightforward as both Université Laval and international services at Aalto University gave enough information regarding e.g. which documents must be sent as well as the important deadlines. Documents you usually need to provide or take care of before the exchange include

Online application form Housing application Health insurance (SF/Q4 form) Learning agreement Course selection Registration for Welcome week Possible eTa or ESTA applications if needed

The first step was to fill out the online application form sent by Ulaval’s International Services and soon after that the admission letter was sent by e-mail. You will be also provided with Student Handbook, which contains important and useful information about the exchange semester – remember to read it carefully!

Next step was to send the housing application form if you wished to live at the campus residence during the exchange. I lived at the residence while studying at Laval, and living at the campus residence has both pros and cons. There are plenty of rooms available at the campus, but make sure to apply as soon as possible to get the confirmation. There are 4 buildings and I highly recommend choosing Pavillon Alphonse-Marie-Parent as it is the biggest and most of the other exchange students live there.

Another important issue before the exchange is to take care of the health insurance. Usually exchange students need to register into Université Laval’s health care plan. However, Québec area and Finland have an agreement and therefore Finnish students do not need to pay for the health insurance. What you need to do is to contact KELA before the exchange either by visiting their office or calling their service number of International Affairs to inform them about your exchange as well as ask for the SF/Q4 form. If you call them, you will get the form by mail – otherwise you can get it from their office. I highly recommend calling KELA well before your exchange because it might take several weeks for them to mail the SF/Q4 form. During the welcome week in Quebec, you will be advised to visit the local KELA (Régie de l’assurance maladie Québec, RAMQ) to deliver the SF/Q4 document and to get your health insurance card.

Next thing was the course selection by filling out the learning agreement online. Both Université Laval and Aalto University gave all the information needed to select the right courses. Being a bachelor level student, I was entitled to undergraduate courses only and since I preferred taking all my courses in English, the course selection consisted of approximately 15-20 courses.

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1.2. Welcome Week and Student buddies

The welcome Week, organized by Globe FSA (International Student Committee) was organized one week before the classes began and it consisted of several events in order to facilitate the settlement to the living in Québec as well as meeting other exchange students. I strongly recommend participating! For us the price was $150, including e.g. several meals, parties and events as well as ULaval t-shirt. You will be informed about the welcome week registration before the exchange.

Every exchange student at Laval will be provided with a student buddy – a local student who will be willing to help you to settle during your arrival, possibly pick you up from the airport and in general help you through your first days in a new country. Your buddy will contact you before your arrival.

1.3. Travelling to Université Laval

I spent the New Year’s in New York and therefore I booked flights with Icelandair from Helsinki to NYC and Air Canada from NYC to Montréal. I chose to book a flight from New York to Montreal instead of flying directly to Quebec because it was cheaper. There are no direct flights from NYC to Québec so in either way you will have a layover in Montreal or Toronto. From Montréal, the bus ride to Québec City is approximately 2,5 hours.

As a citizen of Finland you will need passport and admission letter (printed) when you are travelling to Canada. In addition, since spring 2016 Canada has started using Electronic travel authorization, eTA (similar to ESTA in the United States), you might need to fill it out as well. If flying via the US or travelling in the US during your exchange, you must have a valid ESTA as well.

When arriving in Québec City, my buddy picked me up from the bus station and took me to the campus residences. Everything went very smoothly since we had agreed beforehand with my buddy about the pickup times. I arrived in Québec City during the first day of the Welcome week, but if possible, I would recommend arriving a day or two before the Welcome week starts so that you will have time to settle before the program starts.

1.4. Possible problems

I did not face any major problems during my preparation and traveling – maybe something small, but it was always easy to solve with the help of the ULaval International Services as well as my student buddy. All the students and staff I met at Laval are extremely helpful and friendly. Thus, do not hesitate to ask them if you have any concerns!

2. Exchange Studies

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2.1. General

Our Welcome Week began January 4th and the semester and classes started the next week, January 11th. The semester ends with the final exams, and for example my last exam was held April 24th. However, this might vary greatly depending on your course selection. There is also a week for mid term exams in the middle of the semester (in the end of February). When planning your trips, vacations and journey back home, remember to check all the important dates including both mid term and final exams and mandatory classes so that you avoid making mistakes by e.g. booking flights for wrong day.

2.2. Courses in general

Located in French-speaking Canada, Université Laval is mainly French speaking university with a wide selection of courses offered in French. Being a bachelor level student in Aalto, I was entitled to undergraduate level courses at Laval (this was the guideline from Aalto University International services). I was entitled to courses offered by the faculty of business and administration (FSA) and there were courses in both English and French, although the majority of courses are in French.

Before the exchange my French skills were pretty average – I have studied French in high school and a couple of courses at the university. Nonetheless, I chose to study in English. There were around 20 business courses offered in English from which it was rather easy to select 5 based on both my interests and courses already studied. Being said that, you cannot choose exactly similar courses that you have studied at Aalto, and you have to get a confirmation for your course selection from the Aalto University international student services before making the final the course selection.

2.3. Courses taken in Spring 2016

As a bachelor level student I chose 5 courses worth of 15 credits/30 ECTS. For undergraduate international students at Laval, the French language courses are compulsory. I chose not to take language courses but I would recommend you to take them if it fits your schedule. Even if there are English courses offered, the French language is very strong in Québec City and I strongly recommended learning at least the basics of everyday French – you will need it!

Below a brief listing of courses I took at Laval in spring 2016.

ADM-3104 Strategic Management (3 credits, UG)Professor: Johnny BoghossianEvaluation criteria: group projects and class participation, final and mid term exam

This was probably the best course during the exchange. The professor was young and extremely motivated and keen on the topic of the course. His teaching style was very American, which was absolutely a positive factor for me. Overall the course was rather demanding but really interesting. The lectures were very interactive, lots of small group projects, presentations and discussions. The creative teaching methods supported the topic of the course, and different management theories and strategic

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management tools were well integrated with actual companies and current business trends. I would definitely recommend this course if you are interested in strategic management. You do not want to miss any of the lectures!

GIE-3104 International Human Resource Management (3 credits, UG)Professor: Nolywé DelannonEvaluation criteria: Online quizzes, group project, presentations, written reports, participation in class

This course was very pleasant and interesting. The professor was extremely friendly and very keen on the topic, and the lectures consisted of lecturing, group presentations and discussions. The topic being international human resource management, the professor focused strongly on cultural factors and differences that affect business. No exams – strong weight on group project, class participation and online quizzes in terms of evaluation. Rather easy course with average workload, the group project required some extra efforts at the end of the semester.

MNG-1103 Organizational Behavior (3 credits, UG)Professor: Salman KimiagariEvaluation criteria: mid term and final exam, group projects, term paper, participation in class

This course had both pros and cons. For the positive side, the topic wasinteresting: learning how the organizational theories and management styles are linked to interpersonal communication, work motivation and work performance etc. was very useful. Unfortunately there were a number of cons as well: the teaching style of the professor suffered from lack of motivation, interaction and genuine interest of the topic. The lectures were rather boring and the professor was not able to motivate students to give comments and interact during the course. The professor focused strongly on different theories and terms rather than giving real life examples that would have been more motivating. In addition, the structure of the course was somewhat dispersed as there were so many different terms and theories the professor expected us to learn with such a poor teaching methods. Thus, independent reading of the materials was crucial in order to pass the course.

The workload of the course was quite heavy - both the exams and group work demanded a lot of reading. In addition, the teaching methods did not support the fundamental topic of the course, and I found the lectures rather disorganized at times. I would recommend this course based on the topic, but I did not like the style of the professor.

MRK-2110 Consumer Behavior (3 credits, UG)Professor: Mahshid OmidEvaluation criteria: mid term and final exam, group project, participation in class

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This course was very basic marketing course, focused on the consumer behavior and consumer decision-making. The lectures were pretty boring mainly due to the teaching style of the professor – her English skills were not sufficient enough in order to properly and efficiently teach a course in English. In addition, the structure of the lectures did not support the contents of the course as the professor basically just read from the slides rather than trying to interact with the students and tell useful examples. I believe that the main reason for the challenges with the teaching style of the professor resulted from the lack of her educational experience.

This course had an average workload - the group project required some efforts but the exams were not demanding.

MRK-3102 International Marketing (3 credits, UG)Professors: Nancy Haskell and Donald BéliveauEvaluation criteria: final exam, group project, participation in class

This course was my least favorite during the whole exchange based on a couple of Iissues: teaching style of the professors as well as challenges in our group dynamics during the semester.

The topic of the course was marketing focusing on the international aspects, but in my opinion, the professors focused way too much on theories and models instead of bringing these theories to practice. Another problem I faced during this course was the team project, more specifically challenges regarding our team’s dynamics and personality differences. When you are studying abroad, you will meet and work with people from different cultures and backgrounds, and it is completely normal to have first some challenges in communication. However, unfortunately in this course we had serious challenges regarding communication and performance, which in turn resulted in social loafing and freeriding. At the end, we managed to pull through the course despite our challenges. However, I would not recommend this course based on the topic and teaching style.

3. Free time & other useful information

3.1. Cost of living

As mentioned in the beginning of the report, I strongly recommend staying at the campus residences during the exchange because it is both cheap and convenient. With around $333 = 230 euros you will get a small room with basic necessities (note: pillows, duvets, sheets, tableware etc. is not included – you will have to buy or rent them!), shared bathroom and kitchen. The campus housing is nothing luxurious, but sufficient for the four months’ stay. It is also very convenient and useful to live at the residence since that is the place where most of the events happen, and where most of the other exchange students live. If you are looking for a studio or otherwise a better

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apartment for your exchange, you will need to go to the private market and that will require some extra efforts.

The food in Canada is a bit cheaper than in Finland, but the difference is really not remarkable. Within a walking distance from the campus and residences there are a complex of 3 malls from which you can find everything you need during your exchange – also a grocery store with a good variety of quality food.

There are no similar cheap student restaurants at Laval compared to Finnish universities. The meals at the campus restaurants cost around $10, and thus it is cheaper to cook your own meals in the large shared kitchen at the residence. At Laval, it is very common that everybody bring their own food to the campus and there are microwave ovens located in various spots to reheat the food.

In terms of possible book fees and materials, I would say it depends strongly on your own devotion to the courses, course contents as well as the attitude of the professor towards independent reading. In general, in every course there are mandatory books to be read, but in reality I do not recommend buying these books. The course slides are often quite comprehensive, you can get most of the material online for free, and in addition, the library services at ULaval are quite good. I only needed to buy one course package (online) and otherwise I succeeded well with the library books and course materials.

In general, the price level in Canada is slightly lower compared to Finland but yet more expensive than in the US. Remember that tipping is basically a norm and you are expected to leave the tip ( le pourboire) at restaurants, bars and when ordering a taxi.

3.2. Free time

Apart from the studies, Université Laval offers a great deal of free-time activities, trips and parties. While studying at Laval, you will familiarize yourself with Globe FSA, which organizes for example the Welcome Week activities, different events during the semester as well as trips within North America.

During spring 2016, Globe FSA organized extended weekend trips to e.g. Jay Peak (skiing resort in the US), New York and Toronto. In addition, they organized events such as dog sledding, ice fishing and snow rafting as well as tickets to a local hockey match. Globe FSA and other student organizations at Laval arrange a good number of student parties to attend almost every week.I highly recommend attending as many events as possible since it is absolutely the best way to get to know new people and also to adjust to the ‘culture québécoise’.

Another thing you should definitely take advantage of during your exchange is the sports complex at Université Laval called PEPS (Pavillon de l'Éducation Physique et des Sports). It is located in the campus area and offers tremendous opportunities to do sports at low cost. Among the amenities of PEPS, there are large gym space, running tracks, swimming pools, skating rinks etc. – you can basically practice any sport there. Personally I used the gym a lot and it was a great way to spend you free time as well. For one semester (4 months), the membership costs around $65.

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Of course you can also plan your own trips for example with other exchange students. When not studying in Québec, I spent most of my time travelling around the US and Canada and it was a blast!

3.3. General information: Local area, weather, culture

Québec is in the center of French speaking Canada, and thus, French is the primary language. You can manage without knowing French, but you will probably face some challenges as there are surprisingly many people who do not speak English at all. The weather in Quebec is similar to Finland. The spring and winter in 2016 were cold and snowy, so be prepared! The nature in Canada is spectacular and I recommend exploring it if only you have the opportunity and time. The culture in French speaking Canada and more specifically in Québec is an interesting combination of North American laid-back attitude and European values and habits. As for European student, I think it is quite easy to adapt to the Canadian culture and society even though there are different habits and language issues.

3.4. Travelling in Canada

Travelling within Canada can be a bit tricky due to long distances. It is easy and inexpensive to travel to Montréal from Quebec (2 hours by car), but the other larger cities are far away, and you will need to get on a plane. Travelling by plane in Canada is not cheap as there are no low-cost airlines in Canada, e.g. compared to the US. However, it is absolutely worth the pay to visit other locations in Canada.

If you are travelling short distances, there are trains and busses available. Nonetheless, I would recommend trying Amigo Express which is a company providing ridesharing platform for affordable travelling by car. I used it twice when travelling from Québec to Montréal and it worked great! Renting a car in North America is rather inexpensive and good way to travel as well.

4. Final Comments

I would definitely recommend Québec and Université Laval to anyone who wants to explore the North American culture with the unique québécoise twist and style of living, combining both American and European habits. The culture in the French-speaking Canada is very interesting and people are extremely friendly and helpful. After spending a couple of weeks adjusting to the way of living in Québec, I totally enjoyed my time there for the rest of the semester and would go back in a heartbeat. The language factor is an issue that must be taken into consideration before applying to Québec since studying and living will be a whole lot of easier I you know even the basics of French.

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There are not many things I would do differently if going to back to Québec. I would like to visit Québec in summer and fall since I only got to see the cold winter and spring this time, and the summer is indeed very beautiful there. I would also prep myself with a little bit better French skills in order to fully adapt to the French speaking culture. I would also reserve some time to explore more French-speaking Canada apart from Québec and Montréal.

I have always been an independent person, but during my exchange semester I understood how well I actually survive in new circumstances and culture by myself. I learned how to solve everyday problems, to take full responsibility of my doings and also became braver while living in a new country. It was also a great opportunity to challenge myself by e.g. speaking foreign language daily, and thus to expand the boundaries of my own comfort zone.

As for the studying, I learned the importance of communication skills as well as the diverse working styles in multinational teams. Moreover, the exchange period was all about exploring and getting to know new cultures and learning how to work and interact with people from different countries and backgrounds. In my opinion, learning about myself during the exchange was at least as important as gaining knowledge during the courses. No matter what the destination is, exchange semester abroad is always a great idea to learn more about yourself, meet new people and expand your view of the world.

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