Filip Puljiz has always been fascinated by different cultures and languages. He was born and grew up in Split, Croatia, but at the age of 17, he moved to Massachusetts, USA, to study at the high school level. After that, he relocated to the Netherlands to pursue his undergraduate degree in Human Geography and Planning. Since autumn 2022, he has been studying the two-year international master's programme in Strategic Urban and Regional Planning at LiU.
Opportunity for an exchange semester
When the opportunity arose to participate in an exchange programme during his third semester, the choice was simple. Why travel to a more common destination for exchange studies such as Germany, France, or Spain? No, he wanted something different. Upon learning that LiU had an Erasmus+ exchange agreement with the University of Greenland in the capital city of Nuuk, he knew that was where he wanted to go. Receiving a scholarship through the Erasmus+ programme only enhanced the opportunity.
- This might be the only chance I get to visit Greenland, as it's otherwise very expensive. The scholarship helped cover some of my living expenses here, Filip Puljiz explains.
- Everything one needs is available in Nuuk. It's not very large, but there are several shops, museums, schools, a hospital, and of course the university.
The reception he received from the University of Greenland was very positive. Initially, he took a course in Greenlandic, the official language spoken there. He has also learned a great deal about Greenlandic culture and history, which he has found very interesting. He has been active in student life, helping to start a student association that organises events for university students and participating in a political student organisation.
The experience of a lifetime
But one of the most magnificent aspects of the experience was, of course, the nature, including its ice fjords, and the opportunity to try local foods such as raw seal and whale blubber and roasted reindeer.
Next up he will write his thesis in the Netherlands, after which his time as a programme student at LiU will end. However, one thing is certain: he will always look back on his time as an exchange student in Greenland as a unique experience that he wishes more students could share.
