SWAPPER Testimonials

"In the UK, Swap's partner organization is BUNAC and the people there have helped me out consistently and thoroughly for the past 2 years! I had some major problems with the first flat I moved into in London and I had to immediately move out. The BUNAC people not only directed to me the proper organizations and advice bureaus to make sure I got my deposit back, but also talked me through the problem when I was upset! They really went above and beyond. I'm so glad I did this programme, it has altered my life for the better! Like St Augustine said, "The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page."
Christine Louise Estima, SWAP UK

"I wanted to go to London because I'm very interested in theatre, history and English (those are the topics I studied in school) and London seemed to have it all.  I went to a small university so they did not have any exchange programs to England.  However; I think SWAP was a better option because I was able to make money and spend what I made and not use up too much of my savings because I didn't want to still be classified as a 'starving student' when I returned to Canada."
Ashley Harding, SWAP UK

"Try and attend one of the SWAP social meets when you first get to town, you'll meet a lot of great people because you're all there for the same thing. Also, don't give up or freak out if you're having trouble finding a flat or a job, as long as you keep at it, something will come along."
Jessica Simms, SWAP UK

"I owe so much to SWAP! They proved to be a far better option than going on my own. SWAP provided me with the resources I needed to get a job, a place to meet other travellers, and a support system that I can always turn to, it was more than anyone could ask for."
- Jennifer Lam , SWAP UK

"Travelling with SWAP made moving to the UK much easier. There is a lot of hassle in setting up in the UK and SWAP helped me figure it all out. I found my job, a place to live and met a lot of great friends through the SWAP office and events.”
- Jennifer Smith , SWAP UK

“SWAP made me feel comfortable about leaving Canada for such a extended time and I didn't have to worry about obtaining visas ect. Plus it was nice to have someone there on the other end expecting me and it gave my parents piece of mind as well!”
- Chris Roosenboom, SWAP UK

“I chose SWAP because it is well organized, trusted, simple and the best option for traveling abroad!”
- Adam Petrie, SWAP UK

“SWAP made the transition easy, as opposed to doing it all on your own”
- Mallory Thomson, SWAP UK

“SWAP was very helpful, especially for someone who hasn’t traveled on their own before. They took care of all the little things!”
- Katie Kdunich, SWAP UK

“SWAP offered the right services and fit in perfectly with my plans. The staff was incredibly helpful and I was so thankful I came over through them and not on my own. I met a lot of people from other countries who just came over, and they could've avoided many problems if they'd had a service like SWAP.”
- Christie Black, SWAP UK

“Travel, travel, travel! Take every opportunity to explore not only the city you are in but also everything that is around you, especially if you’re in London. Explore England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and the rest of Europe!”
- Aminah Ahmadh, SWAP UK

“Don’t let the first week blues discourage you! It’s stressful, exhausting and lonely, but once you start to get settled it’s the experience of a lifetime.”
- Robyn Ross, SWAP UK

“I chose SWAP for many reasons! They helped in many ways such as getting my work visa, answering all of my silly questions one might have before moving to another country for the first time. The best thing was that you can meet and chat with people who are going to the same country as you through the SWAP Exchange! This is how I ended up meeting my two best friends that I ended up living with while I was in London. SWAPs staff are so friendly and they treat you like family. They make every little arrangement for you such as booking your accommodation for your first couple of nights, give a good orientation about how to get jobs and flats, SIN numbers and your bank accounts… they do everything for you.”
- Kristen Milliron, SWAP UK

“I chose SWAP because it is the best way to get a working holiday visa for overseas work and the SWAPPER’s Guide to the UK saved me so many times - Thanks SWAP!”
- Kathryn Vaillancourt, SWAP UK

“SWAP is amazing! They help you out with all of the little things that you would never think of. They make the transition easy and give you all the advice you need. Many of the things they help you with are things that could be very difficult to do on your own, such as setting up a bank account, insurance numbers… They just help you so much without holding you back!”
- Melinda Mercer, SWAP UK