Study Abroad

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.

After spending the past few months living abroad, I have learned a lot about the world in ways I never could have within a classroom. Foreign exchange rates, politics, food and cultural holidays are all examples of concepts that are better understood once experienced in a different culture. Furthermore, having had a myriad of travel opportunities, I can officially call myself an expert in booking travel and flying, as well as sleeping on overnight buses and trains; my passport is evidence of this.

I recently returned from a study abroad exchange in Japan—my second experience, the first being a field school in Mexico. My experience in Japan was culturally more fulfilling, which I credit to, this time, staying with a host family. Here are a few perks of living with a host family:

The Food: during our month in San Pancho we dined at nearly every restaurant. I was surprised and delighted by the variety of food we found here. We even had a special dinner prepared for us in a local home as well as a private cooking class where we learned to make huevos rancheros and tortilla soup.

After spending 2.5 weeks in Costa Rica and landing in Prince George, I can safely say I’m already missing it. During this last week we have done some pretty amazing things. This includes ziplining, river rafting and swimming in the ocean. The zipline course included 12 lines with the longest line being over 800 meters long. Riding through the canopy is very beautiful. It allows you to view from the top of the canopy instead of viewing everything from below. Rafting was also very cool, we spent all day rafting down the Pacuare river.

I can honestly say that I have started and stopped writing this post a few times already. The magnitude and variety of new things I experience each day is sometimes overwhelming. How can I write just a brief post about a sliver of this adventure when I want to go on and on?

I chose to write about the top 3 things I am fascinated about in China so far.

Food (of course!)

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.

Thanks to BCCIE and the Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE), 20 lucky secondary school students from across BC have arrived in Beijing, China, on July 14! The students are participating in the Beijing International Student Summer camp, which each year unites high school youth from over 20 countries for a 10-day "life-changing" exchange program in China's historical capital. Students are now experiencing a whole new different culture and enjoying arranged activities while intensifying their interpersonal skills and communication among Chinese and other overseas students.

While adjusting to life in England, there were definitely some cultural differences to get used to, even as a Canadian student. Now, having lived in the UK for a few months, I am finally beginning to adjust to living in a ‘flat’, going up ‘lifts’, wearing ‘jumpers’, and eating ‘chips’ instead of fries. However, I was pretty confused when my English friends discussed going to the ‘chemists’ (apparently a pharmacy).

I still can't believe it, but here I am - China. Today officially marks one month that I've been away from home participating in a field school opportunity offered through my nursing program and traveling around China. To put into words what this time has been so far is seeming to be an impossible task. It's been a month of time change, language barriers and culture shock. A month of new smells, new food and new people.