Trisha Bhamra
Posted by on

By: Trisha Bhamra, Camosun College, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Mexico

It has been a couple weeks since my return to Canada from Mexico. Needless to say, this trip was one of the best things I could have done to not only grow as an individual but also grow as a dental professional. In my last blog post (Part I and Part II), I had mentioned the epic four days of the clinic we had at San Pancho and all the amazing cultural education we experienced regarding the town of San Pancho.  After the...

Category: Student Blog
Cheyenne Rode, Vancouver Island University
Posted by on

By Cheyenne Rode, Vancouver Island University, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Melbourne, Australia

The amazing thing about studying abroad is that your days can be vastly different. For example, one day you’re just like a regular student. You wake up at 8 am, go to class, get a much-needed coffee, study, hang out with your friends, then go to bed.

Although, of course, there are slight differences between this day and the same one back home. The classes you go to are filled with people from another culture. These people have different accents, views on life, and socials norms. Also, the coffee you drink is tremendously better than the ones back home as you’re living in...

Category: Student Blog
Charlotte Telfer-Wan, Roy’s Peak Wanaka, New Zealand
Posted by on

By: Charlotte Telfer-Wan, Simon Fraser University, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Auckland, New Zealand

The study abroad experience is like a big juicy sandwich. At one end, you have the studying; receiving a quality education at a different university. At the other end, you have the abroad portion; living and travelling through a different country. In my case, I chose to come to The University of Auckland in New Zealand for 4 months.

At my new university, I am in courses related to my major that were not offered at my home University (Simon Fraser University). Studying here is different, not only do the courses cover new topics but the teachers have a different approach to teaching. I...

Category: Student Blog
Trisha Bhamra, Camosun College
Posted by on

By: Trisha Bhamra, Camosun College, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Mexico

My next favourite place was Circo de la Ninos. This place was actually started by one of the producers of Cirque du Soleil. If you know me at all….you know how much I love Cirque du Soleil. This place is special because it empowers young children and youth to take part in something outside of school and it inspires them to work towards to things that may seem impossible at first. Glades, who works closely with Circo de la Ninos, tells us that the main goal of this place is to make all kids feel they are all on the same playing field. Whether their parents are rich or poor, white or Mexican. The Circus makes this program...

Category: Student Blog
Entre Amigos, San Pancho
Posted by on

By: Trisha Bhamra, Camosun College, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Mexico

Well, after all the chaos of last-minute packing, trying to gather our things on time and catching the god awful 6 am flight to Mexico…WE FINALLY MADE IT!!!! As soon as we exited the aircraft in Mexico there was a huge wave of heat and mugginess. It was mere 30 degrees with 96% humidity. No big deal! The heat wasn’t the problem… I was worried about what the humidity was going to do to my already voluminous hair. Well, let's just say my hair had its own zip code in Mexico.

We took a 1.5-hour taxi ride to San Pancho from Puerto Vallarta and on the way, we stopped at a supermarket called MEGA for some grocery, shopp...

Category: Student Blog
Michelle Davies, Poschiavo, Switzerland
Posted by on

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

Study Abroad Destination: Germany​

Before leaving from Canada for Belgium in 2013, as an exchange student, I was offered the sage advice that nothing is “better or worse, just different.” I was encouraged to approach every situation with an open mind. Though I strived to do just that, I found myself comparing my host and home country. From the transportation to the food, Canada, in my mind had it all backwards. Upon returning to Canada after 11 months, I experienced reverse culture shock questioning and comparing everything between the two countries.

When I travelled to Switzerland for my second study abroad experience in 2015, I fe...

Category: Student Blog
Sarah Ganton, Capilano University
Posted by on

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

Study Abroad Destination: Innsbruck, Austria​

It is one week before my plane departs for Europe and yet the reality of it all has not hit me. I am one of those people that tends to procrastinate everything. I have done some organization for my trip but I have been procrastinating packing. Not only that but I also tend to be the type of person that avoids dealing with their emotions, if it’s possible. So that means that all the emotions of going away haven’t really hit me yet. I only just started to feel anxious, with that tightness in my chest the other day. I know this feeling will only grow in the days leading up to my flight.

This move to...

Category: Student Blog
Liam Grigg, Großer Tiergarten
Posted by on

By: Liam Grigg, University of Victoria, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Sophia Antipolis, France

Walking through the wooded Großer Tiergarten in the heart of Berlin, it’s easy to forget where you are and the history of the city. The sounds of spring echo around you drown out the surrounding roadways. Birds chirping, squirrels scurrying, and the occasional dog barking creates an atmosphere of peacefulness.

Originally planted in the 17th century, the area was used as a hunting ground for diplomats and aristocrats; however, it is now a popular summer destination for both locals and tourists. During the Second World War and the subsequent bombing of Berlin by the Allied forces, t...

Category: Student Blog
Posted by on

By: Matthew Rosenthal, Royal Roads University, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Lund, Sweden

I have been home for a few days now and it has been hard to get back into the routine of my daily life. I arrived around midnight so I am not being affected by jet leg, but I am experiencing a little bit of culture shock, or maybe it is reverse culture shock. Having to drive everywhere and sitting in traffic after three months of biking, training and walking is taking some time to get used to. I also had a stack of mail that I had to go through and deal with, along with tax papers, appointments and social requirements to attend. I am sure I will adjust, I am very happy to be home with my partner, my gui...

Category: Student Blog
Malmö Arena
Posted by on

By: Matthew Rosenthal, Royal Roads University, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Lund, Sweden

Even though exams are next week, I still managed to take in a hockey game in Malmö this week. It was a great time and a different experience compared to watching the Canucks or Victoria Royals live. The fans chant, bang drums and sing songs the entire game. Another interesting part is that you cannot drink beer in your seat while watching the game. You can only have a beer on the concourse during the intermissions. I do not know if this is better or worse, but what I do know is that when the period ends, there is a mass exodus towards the concessions on the concourse. Malmö ended up winning 3-1, so the...

Category: Student Blog

Pages