Writers in Residence

By Mariam Ali, Simon Fraser University, winner of the 2017 Stories from Abroad Scholarship and a member of the BC Study Abroad Writer in Residence Team

When I came back to Vancouver from my time in Europe, I had trouble readjusting to my new life. I disliked being stuck in the suburbs and not being able to explore other cities and countries like I could during my exchange. It was for that reason that I bought a ticket for New Zealand three weeks after I returned and flew there mid-December. My exchange had given me a desire to get out of my comfort zone to explore the world and I now had the confidence to do so.

Going to New Zealand was a comparatively less intimidating experience because I already had family there who would welcome and take care of me. Since this w...

By Alice Wang, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, winner of the 2017 Stories from Abroad Scholarship and a member of the BC Study Abroad Writer in Residence Team

I wish I have more coherent nuggets of ideas to share with you. But alas, I have exhausted the creative well of my journey. For now. Will you indulge me in sharing a few snippets of thoughts leftover from this prolonged journey of self-reflection?

1. When travelling, if you have the resources, leave the big cities to visit smaller townships. It will feel like a vacation within your vacation.
2. Balance your financial standing regularly. I had been lazy about doing that, thinking that to “spend on things that are absolutely necessary” would be sufficient to keep financial anxiety at bay. It did not. I...

By Janna Wale, Thompson Rivers University, winner of the 2017 Stories from Abroad Scholarship and a member of the BC Study Abroad Writer in Residence Team.

Even though January 2018 will mark one year since I boarded a plane to begin my big adventure of living in Scotland, things that I learned while living overseas are still fresh in my mind. Having these past months to reflect on my experiences of spending four months living within another culture, I have come to the conclusion that it was an opportunity worth taking. I would not trade experiences for the dollars I had to spend to be in that moment. 

One of the biggest takeaways from my exchange would be the independence I gained, and the confidence I found while living away from my friends and family. In my opinio...

By Adeline Hadijanto, International Hotel Management student at Royal Roads University

Being a full-time student limits my time to travel around the world, so I decided to make the most out of it whenever I get the chance. It has been three years since I left Indonesia for British Columbia, Canada to pursue my study, and it has been one dynamic journey. I experienced several challenges, from having cultural shock to feeling lost in this diverse community. However, this all turned into a fulfilling adventure over the years. I gained more skills and become adaptable, mindful and respectful as I live in this multicultural environment.

A year ago, I received an email from my university about an exchange opportunity, and after scanning through the list of countries I fel...