Peter Mate, Matthias Church

On Pessimism

Posted by BCSAadmin on 10/31/2017

By: Peter Mate, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Vancouver Campus, winner of the 2017 Stories from Abroad Scholarship and a member of the BC Study Abroad Writer in Residence Team.

You’re bags are stowed – your plane is cruising through the sky. Thoughts swirl in your mind about travel and adventure. Most importantly, you’re looking forward to escapades in new cities, and excitement in untraveled streets. Perhaps these thoughts are padded with vivid images and written accounts from travelers online. Their exploits – whether cultural or spiritual – create an expectation of your destination. However, upon landing, you discover that your dreams don’t match reality. Perhaps the buildings weren’t as ornate, the people less polite, and the food less gastromic. These small disappoi...

Tags: Writer in Residence Study Abroad Scholarship Winner Advice Travel Fairleigh Dickinson University FDU Travel Tip
Category: Writers In Residence
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Lucy Dabbs, The entrance to the Beijing Royal School

Day 2: Milk Tea

Posted by BCSAadmin on 10/30/2017

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE)Summer Camp.

Have you ever gone into one of those saunas at the public swimming pool? Where you walk in and it's like stepping into, well, like stepping into a room full of hot, steamy air. The air kind of weighs down on you, slowing your breath and clinging to your skin. That's what we are met with as our curious faces emerge from the airplane and step onto the stairs leading to the solid ground of Beijing, China.

Now don't get me wrong, sauna air can be refreshing, for a few minutes. But this is an everyday reality of Beijing, and it is hot here in July and August, a fact I knew all of us would soon become very familiar with during our stay he...

Tags: Georges P. Vanier Secondary School Study Abroad BIEE Summer Camp exchange International Student education exchange Beijing BC students
Category: Student Blog
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Gigi Lin

Europe Voyages & Vancouver Explorations

Posted by BCSAadmin on 10/24/2017

By Gigi Lin, Simon Fraser University, winner of the 2017 Stories from Abroad Scholarship and member of the BCSA Writer in Residence Team.

It’s been exactly 8 months since I had departed YVR for LHR. Half of that time was spent rediscovering myself traversing streets, alleyways, restaurants, stalls, courtyards, gardens … and for the other half, it was a beautiful summer in which the sunny days outweighed the rainy ones, and I made my place at an awesome company with remarkable co-workers. It was definitely a great post-withdrawal period spent as I slowly transitioned into “regular” life again.

...

Tags: Stories from Abroad Scholarship Simon Fraser University SFU University of Bath Bath england Winner Writer in Residence
Category: Writers In Residence
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Katlyn Bieber, calamari fried in garlic and butter

Travel for Food

Posted by BCSAadmin on 10/23/2017

By: Katlyn Bieber, Thompson Rivers University, winner of the 2017 Stories from Abroad Scholarship.

Food has been a big part of my exchange so far, both in Graz and in all of the places that I have been fortunate to visit. Below I will highlight some of the foods (or drinks) that I have been able to try so far!

Switzerland: I went to Bern, Switzerland for 4 nights to visit my friend who is studying abroad there! Because Switzerland is very expensive, I didn’t really eat out much. While I was there, my diet consisted of carrot sticks, chocolate, and radler. I did; however, try an interesting Swiss soft drink called “Rivella,” which is produced from milk whey. I tried a kind that was mango flavoured. It was very interesting but definitely not my...

Tags: Thompson Rivers University Study Abroad Graz Austria Stories from Abroad Scholarship Winner Travel student blog
Category: Student Blog
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