Anna Kosa

Nepal: Embrace the Experience, Learn about Yourself

Posted by BCSAadmin on 10/05/2015

Everything about Kathmandu is colourful. The stupas are gilded in gold, the temples are bordered with red and yellow, and the Himalayas are a stark white against the soft blue sky. But it was the people more than anything else that made me love Nepal.

In January, I travelled to Nepal as a Junior Professional Consultant through the United Nations Association in Canada’s (UNA-Canada) International Development & Diplomacy Internship Programme (IDDIP) to work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), specifically with the Democratic Transition Unit (DTU). The DTU assists with Nepal’s democratic transition following the ten-year armed civil conflict between the Maoist rebels and government forces that ended in 2006. My placement was set for six...

Tags: Nepal Writers in Residence United Nations Development Programme Kathmandu
Category: Writers In Residence
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Jude Campbell

All in a Day's Travel

Posted by BCSAadmin on 09/22/2015

Travel days are sometimes so full of new sights, sounds, physical and emotional changes, that it's hard to imagine that the morning was part of the same day as the evening. Today was one of those.

Breakfast in Venice was full of fond goodbyes and best wishes as our field school finished. Some people were heading home but others would continue travelling. Rain poured buckets on the first group as they wheeled their baggage over the cobbled streets, clutching mini-umbrellas or sporting lollipop-coloured disposable ponchos sold by street vendors. I headed to the train station shortly after, reveling in walking the early morning streets. Everywhere vibrated with the commerce of running a tourist enclave; construction, garbage collection, deliveries, repairs, cleaning. What's unique is that eve...

Tags: Stories from Abroad Study Abroad student blog Italy Florence
Category: Student Blog
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Melinda Ng, South Korea

Tech Up If You Can

Posted by BCSAadmin on 09/16/2015

If I could give one piece of advice to students studying abroad, it would be this - get to know the apps in your city! I was fortunate enough to get to study in South Korea, one of the most technologically-advanced countries in the world. While abroad I took advantage of local apps to help me adjust into my new life. Not all countries have this luxury, but it is a great idea to know what your country excels in. I recommend taking some time to look into whether you can use technology to your advantage to overcome culture shock, or to help you get around the city. Technology comes in all shapes and sizes, but for starters, I’m going to go on the assumption that most university kids will have a smartphone. If you do, research your apps! Apps are absolutely amazing, and can help you out in many situa...

Tags: Writers in Residence stories adventures Study Abroad South Korea
Category: Writers In Residence
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Kayla Schofield

Exploring the island

Posted by BCSAadmin on 09/08/2015

It is hard to prepare yourself for a different culture because you never really know what you are going to get. Before travelling to the Philippines, I did research, but it did not come close to preparing me for the culture shock I was about to experience.

Upon arriving in the Philippines, the weather was hot and humid, which was expected. We gathered our things and proceeded to climb into a van with our entire luggage. I was definitely not prepared for the scariest drive of my life! In the Philippines, drivers and motorcyclists weave in and out of traffic, sometimes travelling at high speeds on the very crowded roads.

After settling in, we explored the neighbourhood. I never imaged that we would see the roads littered with garbage and so much pollution in the air. I have heard from...

Tags: Stories from Abroad Scholarship Philippines Scholarship Study Abroad
Category: Student Blog
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