Students Case Studies
Vicky Roberts, Poland
Name: Vicky Roberts
University: University of East Anglia
Year of Study and course: Year 4 (2006-07) Environmental Sciences
Placement country and company name: Poland - Centre for Ecohydrology, University of Lodz
IAESTE was unknown to me until I walked into the university Career’s Centre and saw an advertisement, offering students the opportunity to go on exchange, not to study, but to gain real-world working experience relevant to my degree. The fact that the experience would be obtained in another country made the idea even more appealing. Living and working in a different country, possibly non-English speaking is an experience that only a tiny percentage of students can put on their CV.
Placement
My placement was based at the Centre for Ecohydrology at the University of Lodz, Poland, which undertakes scientific research used to evaluate reservoir water quality. Ecohydrology was an entirely new concept for me, and provided an alternative dimension to ideas already encountered whilst studying for my degree in Environmental Sciences. I learned a great deal academically during my placement including observation and participation of the field data, collection and laboratory analyses, lectures given by the Centre’s research team, and reading material related to the Ecohydrology.
My placement has not affected my immediate career choices but my enjoyment of and interest in the academic side of my placement has made me more open about a return to academia in the future, as well as the idea of moving to live and work in a foreign country.
Culture
IAESTE trainees working at University of Lodz stayed in university hostels on the outskirts of the city, an ideal place to meet Polish students. Spending 6-8 weeks living and working in Poland gave me a greater opportunity to discover the country’s culture than one would gain in a two week holiday.
Not only did this mean sampling a selection of the famous Polish vodkas and beers, but also trips to the theatre, churches and a public exhibition on Water Management organised by the Centre.
I met other IAESTE trainees from a very wide variety of countries; China, Denmark and Kazakhstan being just a few examples, and it was a good opportunity to learn about the culture of countries all over the world, not solely from Poland.
Conclusion
I would recommend an IAESTE placement to anyone who is open to new experiences and would like to see a country beyond the surface. It is a good way to experience life in a non-English speaking country, whilst having links with people whose job it is to ensure the placements run smoothly.
Local IAESTE committees in each receiving country organise social events and trips to places of interest all over their respective countries and provide support should any problems arise at or outside of work.
However you can retain a sense of “winging it”, which is usually required where English-speaking locals are absent. Part of the reward of living in a foreign country is the feeling of accomplishment following successful navigation of a city’s public transport system, completion of a transaction in a shop by speaking the native language (albeit in broken sentences with incorrect grammar!) and one of the highlights of my trip; understanding a few words of a conversation between two Poles in their native language.
