Venice, Italy
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By: Rachel Abma, Langara College, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Italy and London​

I have been fortunate enough to fit a bit of travel into my twenties, around work and school schedules, and although I have had a variety of trips with family and friends I was not as prepared as I anticipated for the experience I would have on a field study. For one thing, I was travelling with a group of 18 people I had never met, and for another I had no control over my itinerary; I love spontaneity as much as the next traveller but having little to no say in your destination, activity, and accommodation selection can be a stretch for even the most flexible person. Initially, the idea of being in Italy, a pl...

Category: Student Blog
Garden of Cavaliere
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By: Rachel Abma, Langara College, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Italy and London

While my trip so far has been amazing, it's no secret that travel can be exhausting. I visited Florence on the third week of my European Field Study, and living out of a backpack in close shared quarters and walking for hours each day was starting to wear me out. I am not one to feel homesick, but the constant moving and lack of familiar comforts was making me miss my beautiful Vancouver spots that I frequent when I need a little time to recharge.

The weather had not been quite what we expected from Italy in May as a huge storm front seemed to be chasing us to each destination, and our previous week in Ro...

Category: Student Blog
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By: Brooke MacNab, University of Victoria.

Eleven days seems like a long time, right? That’s what I thought too, but as the saying goes it’s amazing how time flies when you’re having fun, or in my case, learning, exploring, and having fun in Guangzhou, China.

When I think back to the eleven days that flew by so fast, what jumps to the forefront of my mind are memories of the gracious and kind people who I had the pleasure of meeting along the way. My laundry list of names and faces could go on forever: from the program’s coordinators who provided this opportunity to experience Guangzhou; the student volunteers from South China University who made sure that us students were taken care of for the duration of our trip; the professors from South China Universit...

Category: Student Blog
Daejeon, Korea
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By: Aaron Siebenga, Simon Fraser University, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: South Korea

This entire trip can really be divided into two parallel trips, which I'll write one blog post each on. I'm studying at KAIST Monday to Thursday, and travelling around Thursday through Sunday. I've been having a lot of fun learning at KAIST, as there's several classes here that don't exist at my home university (as well as a few graduate-level courses that the professors were kind enough to let me sit in on).

Since I'm taking 7 classes and have Fridays off, my weekdays have been pretty busy. That said, I have gotten up to a few adventures with the friends I've made here. One time back in August, my...

Category: Student Blog
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By: Brooke MacNab, University of Victoria

Over the last year and a half, I have been studying Chinese language and culture at The University of Victoria (UVic). This winter break, I had the opportunity to be a guest of South China University of Technology for eleven exciting and wonderful days on an educational scholarship program between the provinces of British Columbia, Canada and Guangdong, China.

As the plane descended towards the airport after 12 hours in the air, the cityscape of Guangzhou appeared and seemed to occupy the landscape as far as one could see, bathed in the evening sunset. Buildings of all sizes and shapes stretched out for what seemed like forever, and although I regrettably don’t have any photos, I will remember the awe and wonder I felt in th...

Category: Student Blog
Michelle Davies
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By: Michelle Davies, Thompson Rivers University, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Switzerland

Traveling abroad to study is both exciting and terrifying. It is a whirlwind of emotions. From my two experiences studying abroad, and working with numerous outbound students at my university, most imagine their time away through rose coloured glasses. Few prepare for the reality that struggles and mental health challenges may very well present themselves on our "trip of a lifetime."

I remember during my time abroad in Switzerland, sitting on a bus heading for school looking out at the beautiful snow dusted alps asking to myself: “I am exactly where I want to be, I worked so hard to get here, so...

Category: Student Blog
Michelle Davies
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By: Michelle Davies, Thompson Rivers University, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Switzerland

At the feisty age of 4 years old, I promptly told my older brother: “you are not the boss of me, I know more than you do,” as I scaled the fridge in search of the candy cupboard. This offered insight towards the independent person I would become. There was little I didn’t want to do on my own and rare that I asked for help.

How does this connect with study abroad? Going to Switzerland, I had to learn to let go of control. Not knowing German, nevermind Swiss German, forced me to accept that I wouldn’t and couldn’t always understand what was going on. Plus, I didn’t always understand how life oper...

Category: Student Blog
Sarah Ganton, Capilano University
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By: Sarah Ganton, Capilano University, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Innsbruck, Austria

I have been at home in Vancouver for about two weeks now. My study abroad was about one month but I travelled for another two months before coming home. I am looking back at pictures and I can’t believe everything I experienced and I am so grateful for all of the people that I met. Studying abroad is really everything people tell you it is. I learned a lot about other people and cultures, as well as a lot about myself. I will touch on a few things I have learned about myself but I think there is a lot I still don’t realize.

A big takeaway from this experience was for me to be open to experiences, t...

Category: Student Blog
Charlotte Telfer-Wan, Juan de Fuca trail
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By: Charlotte Telfer-Wan, Simon Fraser University, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Auckland, New Zealand

Since my return to Canada from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, I have been humbled by the expansive beauty and vastness that the world has to offer. A semester abroad has not only benefited me by seeing the world and experiencing diverse culture but has also encouraged me to change the way I live the rest of my life. I recognize that continuous stories about being abroad can get old, this is why I want to keep living in stories and experiences.

In the 40 days since my return flight from New Zealand to Vancouver I have gone on a road trip across BC from Vancouver to Nelson,...

Category: Student Blog
Sarah Ganton, Capilano University
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By: Sarah Ganton, Capilano University, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Innsbruck, Austria

I have been living in Innsbruck, Austria for about three weeks now. It is such a beautiful town surrounded by huge mountains. I live directly at the base of the Nordkette Mountain, which they call, The Jewel of the Alps. I love the landscape because it gives me a taste of home (Vancouver). The view from my dorm room is beautiful, it looks out over the city. Although, having this beautiful view means walking up quite the hill and stairs every day after school. The walk to the campus is only about 15 to 20 mins, every day I cross the Inn River, stroll through the Innsbrucker Hofgarten and end up at the main...

Category: Student Blog

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