Being a foreign student at the Political Science Department

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Joseph Boer is a 20yearold exchange student from Canada who currently studies Political Science at the University of Iceland. We asked Joseph a few questions about his experience as a foreign student in Iceland.

What was it that made you decide to study in Iceland? “In the summer of 2008, I came to Iceland on vacation with my family. I immediately fell in love with the country. I was captivated by Iceland’s unique culture and the beautiful landscape. I’ll never forget seeing the bright sky from my hotel room at 3 in the morning. Since then, I’ve always known I wanted to return to Iceland someday. As soon as I had the chance to come here on exchange, I jumped on the opportunity.”

Why did you pick political science? “At my home university, my major is in International Studies, so it was natural for me to take political science courses on exchange here. I believe it’s important, as a Canadian citizen, to follow politics in my country, as it directly affects my life. I also enjoy learning about political events in other countries because I have a keen interest in travelling, and politics helps me understand what happens in other parts of the world.”

Do you think that the teaching differs a lot from your home University? If yes, in what way ? “Generally, I find that courses here are of the same quality as my courses back home. However, I have an advantage in the English classes here, since I’m a native English speaker. Back home, I take many of my courses in French, my second language, so to speak the course language more fluently than the other students is a big change.”

What are the highlights of your stay so far? “I have so many fantastic memories of my time here that it’s hard to narrow it down. Last semester, I went on a trip to the East Fjords with some other international students, and many of the sights we saw were incredibly beautiful. I'm also happy I’ve been able to see the northern lights. I never saw them before coming to Iceland, but seeing the northern lights is an unforgettable experience.”

What is the weirdest thing you‘ve come across here in Iceland? “The strangest thing so far in Iceland was definitely Þorrablót. I’ve never eaten or seen such strange food in my life, and I will never forget the taste of hákarl. I also really enjoy the pig logo of Bónus because of its bizarre expression. For Christmas, I gave my Canadian friends Bónus shopping bags, and they all enjoy the bags because of how strange the pig looks!”

Do you believe that your stay in Iceland will benefit you in some way in the future? “My time in Iceland has already transformed my life. Before I came here, I was unsure if I would be able to cope on my own in an unfamiliar country. Fortunately, I found a great, supportive community of friends, which made this the greatest experience of my life so far. In the future, I hope to live outside of Canada again, and because of my time in Iceland, I’m confident in my ability to step out of my comfort zone and thrive.”

Boer says he immediately fell in love with Iceland while on holiday here in 2008.

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