Studying abroad in Canada
Studying abroad was a great adventure. It required exposing yourself to a new situation filled with new people and new experiences and a good ability to quickly adapt to a new environment.
The Beginning
Our program started in Ottawa, Canada. Being able to explore the city through my Chinese identity allowed me to see everything in a quite different perspective. Within 2 weeks of my arrival, I was able to view the many memorials of the city as well as some historical museums.
Soon after we settled down in our lovely warm house, we were invited to a “Winterlude Snow Festival” and got a chance not only to skate in the snow but also watch a mesmerizing light show.
‘Well begun, half done.’ The brilliant start greatly aroused our interest to discover more about the charm of the country.
Travel
Then the real exploration in this beloved country started.
We were very fortunate during our time abroad to have several travel opportunities.
Our first trip was to Montreal. Cafés and bars, creative spaces, parks, outdoor café patios—these were all core to our trip. A laid-back lifestyle filled with music and parties made the city a superb destination for just hanging out and chilling. We traveled to Mount Royal, small for a mountain, but absolutely huge on green space. Montreal had hundreds of great indie cafés, serving up espressos, cappuccinos or lattés to happy travelers like us. No matter where I walked, I was bound to bump into locals enjoying a hot cup of coffee, in places buzzing with conversations. Also, Montreal has been the breeding ground for many band and its live music bars are excellent spots to tune into the ever- exciting local music scene.
Our second trip was in Toronto. Heading across the city to a famous Chateau, we found a special national historic site—Kensington Market—less a market and more a cool, colorful, multicultural neighborhood well worth a wander around. There was a good selection of places to eat and drink too. It’s a real mixture of cultures and cuisines, with stalls and eateries selling tasty dishes from empanadas to hot pots.
Other places we visited was quite different from those scenic spots in China--what I saw was a more diverse, comprehensive and amazing picture, belonging to a quite exotic culture.
Living Abroad
Before coming to Canada, never would I believe that I could be a skillful cook someday. When I was a little girl, the kitchen had an invisible 'stop' sign put there by my mom. “No you cannot enter here!” she always said this to me.
Admittedly, I was a green hand of cooking. But later in Canada, starting from scratch, I got numerous chances to cook myself--from lobsters to traditional Chinese cuisine. Now I can proudly say I’m able to prepare many dishes for 3-5 people.
The school life was also interesting. Carleton University is famous for its long and complicated “maze tunnel”, functioning as a warm shelter to prevent students from walking outside in the freezing temperature. Figuring out the correct direction in the tunnel was never easy for me at first since I was hopeless for the direction. Thanks to my friends, I finally adapted to it after a certain amount of time. But to be frank, I only got used to it when my friends nearby--- there was no need to be a navigator myself!
Academics at Canada
I think one of the biggest differences I found between Canadian classes and Chinese classes is the classroom atmosphere.
In Chinese classes, information flows from the highest to the lowest, from teacher to student. From my observation, Chinese class style is usually lectures, and tends to be silent. Students just sit on the seat, listen to professor`s lecture, and take notes—they are so quiet in classes. Students hardly talk or ask questions to professors in China. They don`t raise their hands during a class even though they didn’t understand.
However, the class in Canada seems to be more active. Students talk a lot in class. If they disagree with something, even a teacher says, they say “disagree”. Even in lecture style class, students often interrupt professor’s talk and state their opinion. That’s the way they participate in school. In my regard, this is a very efficient way to deliver their thoughts. However, it was really hard for me to participate at first because I was a typical silent Chinese student. But soon after, I was deeply appealed to this style of learning. Regardless of some awkward usages of words and expressions, I began to engage in the class avidly and enjoyed it to my heart’s content.
In the end
Living in another country gave me a chance to learn about a new culture, meet new people and find new places to explore. Studying abroad opened my eyes to the world around me and woke within me an intense desire to travel and experience the world. This is a valuable lesson that I don’t believe I could have learned in the classroom. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had!
