Writers in Residence

Having completed a study semester abroad in England, I was given many travel opportunities during my time there. Overall, I was able to visit 16 different countries over the course of a few months. I was able to travel both in a group and with just one friend, but I also took a few trips alone. I consider myself a pretty independent person, however whether or not you are should not affect your ability to travel solo. Travelling in a group has its perks, but I believe travelling alone almost has more. My favourite part of solo travelling is being able to do whatever I want whenever I want to, without worrying about what others want to do. I am free to explore and rest as I please, and can go at my own pace. This is also really beneficial when your travels are not entirely planned, as you are able...

Arriving home after studying abroad is an entirely new adventure in itself. I have done it a few times now and am always amazed by how surprised I am by the challenges I face when coming home. These challenges are not easily overcome, but always seem to provide new insights and gratitude for not only the country I just left but the home I am coming back to.

Some say they are surprised by how “everything is the same.” I feel this is accurate on the surface but totally misaligned as soon as you delve into any deep analysis. Your new perspective you have developed overseas adds depth and dimension to the world you left behind - a realization you will only come to upon return. The relationships, networks, friends, family, and co-workers all continued to live their lives in your absence and as...

When I first experienced what people call it, the ‘reverse culture shock’, I was quite bummed out because having lived in Vancouver for over 20 years, I thought I knew the city pretty well. I didn’t think that living in South Korea for one year would change my mindset and behaviour this much upon my return, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. For those of you experiencing reverse culture shock and struggling to “re-live” the life prior to living abroad, just know that you will eventually adapt. All you need is time; because after all, you are returning home.

Now that I have been home for a few months, I get a good laugh at some of the funny situations I had put myself into without even realizing it. Back in Seoul, there are no push buttons at crosswalks for pedestrians. The lights are all...

Has it really been a year already? I travelled to Colombia last May and immersed myself for two weeks in its brilliant culture. My study abroad trip took me up into the crisp aired mountains of Bogota and down into the sweltering heat of the Amazon. Our days were packed full of excursions, and while I trekked from one wonder to another, I tried to take in as much as I could of my environment. Time flew by so fast. Not only was this my first time on a study abroad program, but it was a chance for me to earn the last credits I needed for graduation.

But what now? Let me say that the Amazon: its people, trees, animals, beautiful air, and water became a part of me. It courses through my veins and fuels my dreams. I received the best, fleeting, taste of paradise that money couldn’t buy. I met p...