Student Blog

By: Brianna Condilenios, Simon Fraser University, winner of the spring 2020 BC Study Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Netherlands

Openness: the quality of being receptive to new ideas, opinions, or arguments; open-mindedness. This calls for active listeners who do not wish to have their expectations confirmed, but who bring with them a certain curiosity and openness to the world.

[dictionary.com]

The sheer amount of diversity on this planet inspires me. The world is bursting with brilliant cultures, people, languages, places, food, music, and countless other marvellous wonders. There is simply so much to learn, experience, and love. For me this sort of magnitude translates into a...

By: Theresa Doan, Simon Fraser University, winner of the spring 2020 BC Study Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Singapore

It was Lunar New Year weekend and news was spreading about this infectious flu that was coming from the Wuhan province in China. Knowing that people were travelling in and out of China and all around Asia meant that if the virus were to spread, this would be the weekend it started. After that weekend, things had really blown up in Asia causing people all over the continent to stir and panic.

My friends and I went through the same frenzy process everyone did in the early stages of COVID, we just did it two months earlier than our friends in the West. Individuals were bulk buying from the grocery...

Brianna Condilenios, Simon Fraser University, winner of the spring 2020 BC Study Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: the Netherlands

I arrived in Maastricht with three neatly packed black pieces of luggage and a folder holding my precious city maps, confirmations, and to-do lists. I meticulously prepared every thinkable element of this trip, from making a double copy of my birth certificate to handwriting the exact train transfers I needed to get from Paris to Maastricht. I have always found delicious comfort in planning. So for my first time in Europe, I wanted to ensure my safety and success through careful precision.

I cautiously wandered down cobblestone streets and ventured into curious-looking stores. I did not know where I wou...

By: Porsche Campbell, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, winner of the spring 2019 BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: India

After months of travelling, it feels amazing to be back home in Vancouver, BC. My time abroad in Kerala, India was nothing short of amazing. Most importantly, my outlook on life, my career as a nurse and my appreciation for my country were positively heightened. As I settle back into my reality and day-to-day life I have begun to reflect on my experiences as a student nurse in India, incorporating the lessons I’ve learnt into my work as a nurse in Canada. The biggest lesson I took away from my travels abroad was the importa...