Exchange Report

Exchange report - incoming students

Home university:

Arteveldehogeschool

Study programme:

Occupational Therapy

Exchange programme:

Erasmus

Semester:

Spring semester 2012/2013

Name:	Biene Foulon
Email address:	bienfoul@student.arteveldehs.be

Arrival and registration

When I arrived I knew how to get in stockholm, but once in T-centralen it was a bit difficult to knew were to go first. Luckily I had help of the pick up service. She helped me to get my key and joined me until my room.

I hadn't contact with students of the health centre. I only had fieldwork and met other students by organised activities for international students (Global friends).

London i ett nötskal

Acommendation

The housing is good. enough space, good kitchen, own bathroom. It's nice to be in a building full of students. Good atmosphere.

I applied by UAC for a student room in the Pax building.

The system to get your key wasn't really clear.

Morgonpromenad till skolan

Leisure time and social activities

I participated the activities of Global Friends.
It's really good that this excist. I went several times in the first weeks I was in Stockholm. I met there some people who are became good friends. I'm so glad I met them, they made my 3 months complete and fun.

The information is published by mail. I saw it always.

I didn't met any Swedish friend on the activities of Global Friends.

But my supervisors of KI invited all the OT exchange students for a diner and there were some Swedish students.

We tried to contact again but we didn't

It's a TATE!

Pre-departure

I wanted to explore how the profession of occupational therapy is filled in abroad. I wanted to improve my language and step in an adventure of expanding my skills and experience.

I choose for Scandinavia because of the good comments I heard about the health care. Also because I had the opportunity to do a fieldwork in home-care.

The information I get before coming was complete and clear. (Sweden and Belgium)

The information about the study was OK. I knew what I had to do in Sweden for KI as for Artevelde hogeschool Gent.

I wasn't required to be vaccinated or to bring certain certificates.

Ljus på slutet av tunneln

Courses during the exchange period

EAR002 : Clinical rotation 2 for exchange students - occupational therapy

First of all I felt really comfortable in the team. About the fieldwork, I experienced a lot of different areas, disabilities, disorders, roles of an occupational therapist. In school we learned to look at every client individually, in this fieldwork I experienced that it’s necessary to do that. I experienced how to communicate on different levels. Besides I learned techniques to prepare a meeting, how to ask questions, how to be sure that the client did understood the information. And I saw a lot of different equipment. These 4 weeks were very informative and I enjoyed the energy, ambition and way of working of my supervisor.

EAR003 : Clinical rotation 3 for exchange students - occupational therapy

A short week of fieldwork full of information. My supervisor tried to let me understand how the rehabilitation centre works. She gave me the chance to explore other fields of work (kine: Joya session). She filled my week in with the most interesting topics for me. Near the fieldwork I get some literature to read. This was good to understand the problematic of MS.

EAR001 : Clinical rotation 1 for exchange students - occupational theraphy

First of all I had really good supervision. Olle who’s guiding me around and showed me the nice places that are absolutely looking better in summer. Lena who has a lot of energy, what was necessary to get her work done and deal with an exchange student. Also the nice colleagues who were making me feel comfortable at the office. And I think it is one of the important things to have a good relation with the colleagues at work. A thing I experienced is that this work in palliative home-care isn’t sad at al. The patients are pleased with your visits and they aren’t always sad or depressed like I thought. They giving you the feeling that you are doing good work and that you’re important as an OT. It feels good to see how you can help people in the last weeks of their life. But also their family is pleased with our visits and our work. I learned to think in other ways, between my own ways of thinking. - creative part - thinking around the equipment instead of just the installation of it and the way to use.  also saying why it should be used in that way, other possibilities to use it,… - being prepared and get lots of stuff with you (tools, tape, equipment (structured or not, if you have it, that’s what count)) - write numbers of equipment down  if you have to order something for it later - LOTS OF OTHER THINGS But an important thing that I also experienced during my fieldwork is: how to be a good supervisor. If I’ll have a student later I’ll remember Lena.

EAR004 : Analyses of literature from an occupational perspective

I find it good that we could choose our own subject. I spend a lot of time on it and learned during the reading part. It was interessting but the writing part wasn't that interesting for me. I'm not that good in writing and lost a lot of time on it.

Modern Art In The Lab Gel

Summary

I had a great time and would do it again directly!

I love the country, the city, the nature, the environment, people I met, the fieldwork, my supervisor, the teams I worked with,...

The people or shy but once you met them, then Swedish people are really friendly!

Min London

Language and Culture

I participated a Swedish language course. I wasn't really confidenced with the organisation.

- first lessons didn't went through because the teacher didn't know the start date

- another lessons was canceled because the school was closed and the teacher didn't has a key

- vacantiondays --> school closed --> no lesson

So the end date of the course was moved on a date I already would be back in Belgium. I missed also some lessons because I was on a trip.

I wouldn't do it again. My exchange period was 3 months what is to short to go on a course. Maybe if I would be there for a year. But the basic things you learn in daily life and a lot of Swedish people speak English very well.

Babels torn; London- mångfaldens Mekka

Studies in general

The fieldwork I get was good.

I learned a lot, had really good supervisors. The team were I worked with was interested and I felt accepted.

In Sweden (positive):

- I felt equivalent as my supervisor

- I was a colleague and a friend

- I felt that my supervisors trusted me and they gave me the space to explore

- my supervisors tried to involve me as much as possible.

- my supervisors reflect several times, about the meeting, the student and the supervising.

- They were themselfs

- Asking how my day/weekend/… was (This is normal but not all the supervisor does this and then it’s awkward to be alone with them)

- …

In Belgium (difference):

- I feel like a student who need to learn more

- I'm only a colleague of my supervisor

The language limited some parts of the fieldwork but these parts I explored already in Belgium.

- the team meetings

- discussion of cliënt

The consultations were sometimes boring to follow but when I was focused I could follow the conversation and understood the main things.

I really liked the FIKA time

To be or not to be?