Iris during her internship in Toronto

Hey! Where are you from? Where do you study/live/work?

Hi! I’m Iris and I’m originally from Haarlem. I study Communication in Leiden. I decided to do an internship abroad. Because when else do you get that chance? I’m a marketing and communication intern in Toronto!

What was the first thing you thought when you arrived in Canada?

It’s kind of strange, but the first thing I felt was a sense of home. I remember looking out the window from the plane and I couldn’t wait to see Canada. It gave me a really nice feeling. Once I arrived in Toronto, I had to get used to the size of the city in the first week. It felt like I was in a movie. Which is pretty cool! I’m still a big fan of all the tall buildings when I see them.

What was the most shocking difference between the Netherlands and Canada?

The people. Personally, I find the people here quite different. People are more reserved. In the Netherlands, I find everyone more down-to-earth and direct. That’s a bit different here. Everything is either really amazing or really terrible. Sometimes a bit exaggerated. But I got used to it quickly. Not sure if these are really my kind of people, but that’s okay.

What does your typical workday look like?

I work Monday to Friday, from 9 to 5. Everyone in my company strictly sticks to these hours. Sometimes we have a wine party on Friday afternoon, which starts at 4 but also ends at 5. Whereas in the Netherlands, if this happened, it could go on till late at night. So that took some getting used to.

How is the work atmosphere at your internship company?

The atmosphere is informal but also somewhat formal. For example, we have a dress code: on Fridays you can only wear jeans, but not on other days. Everyone is very kind and helpful. I work with only women, so that’s a different vibe than working only with men or a mixed group.

Have you ever felt homesick? How did you deal with it?

To be honest, no, I haven’t (yet) felt homesick. There have definitely been some bumps along the way, but I never thought, “I want to go home now.” Of course, you miss your family and friends, but then I tell myself: I know I’ll go back eventually, so I might as well make the best of it now. And I often have moments of happiness, where I really enjoy the little things—like walking in the sun over a bridge here, or when it’s snowed. Then I really enjoy myself!

I have done an internship abroad before and then I did have terrible homesickness, and that’s really not nice. I even went home early then. I think I just wasn’t ready at that time. But now I am, so if I may give a tip: really ask yourself, can I handle this alone? Because that’s often what it comes down to. You learn a lot about yourself and it’s nice if you can trust yourself and be happy with who you are. If you know that, everything will work out! Just go for it, don’t doubt too much, and don’t overthink everything.

Do you feel at home in Canada? Why (not)?

This is a tricky question. In a way yes, because I do feel quite free here. But also no, because I don’t have my family and friends here. Maybe if they all lived here it would be different. But I’m enjoying myself here. My internship is starting to get a bit repetitive now, I’m learning a lot and doing a lot. But it’s not the kind of company where you make friends easily, and I’m often used to that. So now I’m trying to make friends in other ways. There are many meetup groups here, so that’s a fun way to meet new people. I definitely recommend that if you’re going to Toronto alone. Sign up and meet new people!

Is there a typical local dish that you REALLY can’t eat (or really like)?

Hmm no, there isn’t really a typical dish here. Of course there is maple syrup and I thought I would really like it. But I didn’t haha. It’s very sweet, but it’s not really my thing.

Give us tips on who you should befriend abroad. Russians? Irish? Chileans?

You might not expect it, but Toronto is very diverse. You see more Asian people than actual Canadians. Everyone is very kind, but I can’t really give a tip on which kind of people you should focus on. Last week I went on a date with my canoe guide, who was Canadian and Portuguese. It’s just about which people you meet and who you get along with. And for me, it doesn’t matter where they come from. For example, yesterday I met a Ukrainian girl. It just depends on who you meet.

Describe the people of Canada in three words.

Diverse, kind, and welcoming.

What have you learned from your experience abroad? Was it the beloved community you liked? The cheap cocktails? The beautiful nature? Or was your experience less than expected? Details, we want details!

What I’ve learned is what I said before: if you go abroad alone, you really do it alone. You have to approach people yourself, you have to make something out of it yourself. And I think you really grow from that. And that is very valuable. You get to know yourself very well, and I think that’s beautiful.

I’m a huge nature fan myself, so the first thing I wanted to know was how to get into the great outdoors. I went to Morningside Park and I would completely relax there. I really enjoy that. And the city is great too because there’s always something going on! But no one is going to hold your hand—you have to do it yourself. And that’s sometimes hard but also really cool if you actually do it. My expectations have changed compared to what I originally thought. And certainly not less, actually more than everything. And I think I will realize it even more when I’m back in the Netherlands. But someone from the Netherlands said to me recently: “You are living the dream!” And then I thought to myself, yes that’s really true! So I do realize it! I would say I recommend it to everyone, but that wouldn’t be honest. Because I think this is not for everyone. You have to be ready and you really have to want it!