Report from Hanna Hotschnig

The University – Háskóli Ísland

My exchange semester in Iceland was an unforgettable, lifechanging experience, which offered me invaluable insights academically, culturally, and socially. In terms of the university teachers, I noticed differences in teaching styles compared to Austria. For example, teachers in Iceland were more relaxed with punctuality. They allowed both themselves and students flexibility in attendance. Despite this, I gained a lot from the academic environment, especially through a course on second language theories. This class pushed me to improve my English-speaking skills through extensive reading and discussions.
The university campus was well-organized, with common spaces for study and socializing. The food at the university cafeteria was reasonably priced, despite Iceland being an expensive country overall. The “Student Cellar”, a bar at the university campus added a lively touch, hosting karaoke nights, pub quizzes, and other events that enriched the social experience. Especially the welcome week in my first week in Iceland was well organized and included a lot of fun games and activities. All the exchange students had the chance to get to know each other better. I already knew a few people because I came one week further which I would recommend to do as well cause it was much more easy for me to get in touch with people. However during the welcome week, a close group of friends got formed, and we stayed
together throughout the entire semester, making the experience truly extraordinary and
unforgettable.

Accommodation

I lived in student housing just a five-minute walk from university, which was very convenient. I have never lived so close to school before and therefore it felt like a luxury. Applying for a dorm early was a bit stressful, but it was the best decision I made. My room came with its own bathroom, and I shared a kitchen with ten other people. Initially, I was nervous about living in a shared flat but in the end I can say that I loved it and I would do that again and again. My flatmates were amazing, and I always had someone to talk to or spend time with. Whenever I felt lonely, the kitchen became a social hub where I could connect with others. The dorms were modern, well-equipped, and any issues were resolved quickly. Another advantage was being just a five-minute walk from the sea, which was breathtaking and offered stunning opportunities to go for a ride with the bike along the coastline or to watch the northern lights on spontaneous evenings. I would recommend this accommodation to anyone planning an exchange in Iceland.

School practice

In my exchange semester in Iceland, I had the chance to observe 41 lessons in total in an Icelandic school in the International Department of Landakotsskoli. All in all, my experience in the international school was a whole pleasure. I am so thankful for this opportunity, for all the conversations I was able to have with the teachers and to get to know the students a bit more. They were all so open minded and happy. Even when it is not easy for them all the time with all the moving from one country to another, they integrate themselves in the classes well and I really appreciate their distinctive personality in these young years. I think every school system can learn so much from each other and an exchange like that is so important to get to know different kind of school systems. In my opinion there must be so much more exchange between different countries to get to know about their habits and everything else. In the end I can take a lot with me and gained new insights and experiences for my future teaching.

The city / country

Iceland was the most amazing country I had the chance to visit. In the past I saw a lot of different countries also other continents but Iceland impressed me the most of all. I guess that it also was because of the long time I had there to experience every part of the country and the whole experience as an exchange student. However this country offers so much. The landscape is unique. We had the chance to see two vulcanic eruptions there and see the most amazing northern lights while sitting in hot tubes. The rental of cars is really simple and easy for everyone. Around the island there are enough cottages to spend the best weekend trips with other Erasmus students. Reykjavik itself is a really small city. The special thing about it was the sea. I really enjoyed it the most to live this close to the ocean. The best thing about it where the geothermal pools which we visited 2-3 times a week. We were sitting there, talking to each other and just relaxed in hot water. There are cute little coffees and some cool bars to enjoy the nightlife. It offered a good mix of partying and tripping. In my opinion you don´t need this much to do in Reykjavik cause Iceland itself offers so much for weekend and day trips. And with the right group of people you are able to experience almost everything of Iceland in one semester.

Myself after this experience

After this experience I can say that my personality changed a lot. I became more open-minded and learned to see the world through different perspectives. Meeting people from diverse cultures, sharing unique experiences, and exploring Iceland’s stunning landscapes brought us closer together. The fact of seeing the vulcano errupting on the one side, the northern lights on the other and the full moon in the middle or hiking to a hot tube in the night under the stars and northern lights were once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I shared with amazing people. These adventures strengthened our bonds, making us feel like family.

To sum it up, my exchange semester in Iceland exceeded all my expectations. From academic growth to personal development and cultural enrichment, it was an experience I will treasure forever. The memories, friendships, and lessons I gained are invaluable, and I couldn’t have wished for a better destination than Iceland. This semester was truly the best thing that could have ever happened to me.