Julie Han, Simon Fraser University

A Chunk of the Berlin Wall

Posted by BCSAadmin on 08/31/2018

By Julie Han, Simon Fraser University, winner of the 2018 (Spring) Stories from Abroad Scholarship, member of the BC Study Abroad Writer in Residence Team

Study Abroad Destination: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

My high school economics teacher kept a chunk of the Berlin wall in his desk drawer. Of the many non-economics related lessons with which he blessed us, this literal piece of history served as a reminder of the importance of being there. And as someone who had quite honestly lived the majority of her life vicariously through richer strangers on the internet, I easily dismissed this lesson. I always felt the lesson never invest in an African amethyst mine to be much more poignant, and just as relevant.

But now that I was...

Tags: Stories from Abroad Writer in Residence Scholarship Scholarship Winner SFU Simon Fraser University Amsterdam Netherlands Berlin Wall Bode Museum
Category: Writers In Residence
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Drew Moffatt

Making Friends Whilst Being Abroad

Posted by BCSAadmin on 08/28/2018

By: Drew Moffatt, British Columbia Institute of Technology, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Barcelona, Spain

One of the biggest changes when doing a semester abroad is you don’t usually have a group of friends or family already living in the country you will be residing in. And finding a good group of friends to hang out with or travel around with is really key in making your time abroad a memorable one. I personally love meeting new people, especially when they come from all different walks of life. For some people, it’s not that easy to find friends. Here is a little guide to help you find places to meet new people!

  1. Choose a residence that is either a student dorm or sha...
Tags: Stories from Abroad Scholarship Scholarship Winner BCIT British Columbia Institute of Technology Barcelona Spain see the world
Category: Student Blog
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Morocco, North Africa

Don’t Judge a Country by Its Media Coverage - Morocco

Posted by BCSAadmin on 08/21/2018

By: Drew Moffatt, British Columbia Institute of Technology, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Barcelona, Spain

As the common saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover. The same goes for countries around the world. With people having an abundance of information at their fingertips, we can easily get misconstrued as to how we perceive a country nowadays. From social media to multiple news outlets, one never knows what to believe anymore.

I’ve always believed in the phrase “one must see it to believe it”. When travelling to Europe and being on exchange everyone was constantly worrying about my safety. During my time off from studies, I started to plan my little travels away from Barcelona...

Tags: Stories from Abroad Scholarship Scholarship Winner BCIT British Columbia Institute of Technology Barcelona Spain see the world Morocco
Category: Student Blog
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Julie Han, Simon Fraser University

Home Unbound

Posted by BCSAadmin on 08/14/2018

By: Julie Han, Simon Fraser University, winner of the BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship

Study Abroad Destination: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Two weeks before my return, I sent my parents a list of foods I expect waiting for me either at home or in the car as soon as my feet touch Canadian soil. Demanding? Yes. Necessary? Yes. Of course, I missed my parents, my friends, and my dog. And of course, I miss my friends in Amsterdam, as well as the cheap beverages. But, in the past 72 hours, I’ve managed to eat myself into a pretty impressive food coma while staring at big beautiful mountains and breathing in fresh West Coast air. As soon as that panicking feeling every couple of minutes that I don’t remember where I parked my bike, I think...

Tags: Stories from Abroad Scholarship Scholarship Winner SFU Simon Fraser University Amsterdam Netherlands
Category: Student Blog
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