Day 8: Summer Palace and Silk Market Part III

Posted by BCSAadmin on 01/26/2018

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

On the bus ride home I was in need of a distraction to take my mind off horrible visions of myself at 80, showing my grandchildren my antique fidget spinners collection now taking over my house, dust-ridden spinners causing my single cat to sneeze with distaste. As had been on our previous bus rides, Jack offered open mic to anyone willing to entertain us during the long hours. I took my sudden need of a distraction to be brave and share my geeky side with the fellow students.

Smiling mischievously I read from the screen of my iPod, reciting the Periodic Table song (unfortunately I’m not cool enough to have it memorized). I managed...

Tags: Georges P. Vanier Secondary School Study Abroad BIEE Summer Camp exchange International Student education exchange Beijing BC students
Category: Student Blog
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Day 8: Summer Palace and Silk Market Part II

Posted by BCSAadmin on 01/24/2018

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

I was familiar with the silk market of Shanghai and assumed this one would be along the same lines. Lots of little stores and tables set up, slightly aggressive and loud vendors with steel looks that could make me shiver despite the thirty-five-degree heat. Bargaining skills a must, unless you were okay with paying more than the price in Canada. Preferable to have good judgement for the value of sale items.

What I was not expecting was the wall of fidget spinners, hundreds of fidget spinners. More than just every colour of the rainbow, numerous shapes, sizes, and materials. Some with gears, some light aluminium, some tempered rainb...

Tags: Georges P. Vanier Secondary School Study Abroad BIEE Summer Camp exchange International Student education exchange Beijing BC students
Category: Student Blog
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Hallstatt, Austria

Going to Study Abroad? I Recommend Austria!

Posted by BCSAadmin on 01/23/2018

By Adeline Hadijanto, International Hotel Management student at Royal Roads University and a member of the BCSA Writer in Residence Team.

It has been over three months since I returned from exchange, and I still feel that part of my soul was left in Austria. Let me tell you why Austria is one of the best places you could go for your study experience!

Canadians are known to be some of the friendliest people in the world, but in my opinion, Austrians are just as easygoing and approachable.  Most of the people I met were very well versed and curious to learn more about me and my background in an authentic way. We had fun conversations and exchanged our cultural knowledge. My host-campus, IMC University of Applied Science Krems, and the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) als...

Tags: Writer in Residence Royal Roads University stories experience Austria Europe Study Abroad Erasmus
Category: Writers In Residence
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Lucy Dabbs

Day 8: Summer Palace and Silk Market Part I

Posted by BCSAadmin on 01/22/2018

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

As a little kid I used to create menus, usually for my dream restaurant that would serve every one of my favourite foods, from Mac and cheese to Nanaimo bars. These menus were written in different coloured markers, under the category of lunch breakfast, dinner, and dessert. On the dessert menu, of all the possible ice cream flavours I could have desired, green bean was not the first that came to mind. It wasn't even the forty fifth I thought of. However, here in the summer palace of Beijing, I wonder why I had never thought of it. Of course it would be a great ice cream flavour! China has thought of everything I realized, from the moments...

Tags: Georges P. Vanier Secondary School Study Abroad BIEE Summer Camp exchange International Student education exchange Beijing BC students
Category: Student Blog
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