BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT
INTERVIEWS
Mr. Sarowa
(Principal of R.E Mountain Secondary School)
Interview
Why are you taking international students in the school?
"I believe it's such a good opportunity for our students and for the students that are coming because they make new connections with the students that are coming and get a chance to experience the Canadian culture and extend their language. That's why we provide those opportunities."
Do you think it worth it and that it's a good experience to live?
"I believe so because it brings all the different cultures together, we have a better understanding of where the students come from. We know about Mexico, we know about Italy, we know about Brasil, but we don't, until we actually are able to you know, interact with people, learn from their culture, learn from their experiences. It becomes way more worthwhile and extends us in our understanding."
Is it also because here in Canada, I notices that there is not a lot of different countries besides the United States?
"Yeah, I think that's a good point, actually, because we're only right beside the US, and that's the only influence we have. When you look at Europe, countries are all close by and there's so many different cultures that come together right?"
Would you recommend it, if there is students who wants to do it?
"Absolutely! I think it just changes a student perspective. I just think about you and how much your English has improve from the beginning of the year to now, and how confident you feel. Once a student is confident you can just take on anything in this world and you feel like you can take on this task and I can take on this opportunity and I think it gives students to have confidence."
Would you do this experience if you could go back to high school?
"If I could have be an international student I would have loved to have that opportunity. I never had that opportunity and I would've loved to go, even to Spain or France, learn a different culture and a new language, right? Because once you learn one language or two languages, it becomes easier and easier and easier, right? So, I would've loved that opportunity, even for my kids too."
What is the best way for international students to fit in with local kids?
"Oh, that's a really good question... I think the best way, even for other students coming in, but internationals more so, try to get involved in the school culture. We have a lot of social activities like, we had the senior night last week, and for students to come and interact in social settings, clubs, sports,... Anything outside just the classroom setting. If you can get involved in those then you learn how to interact with other people and you build friendships with other students."
What is one advice you would give to someone who wants to do it but is a bit scared to make the step?
"We all feel comfortable if we are in our own settings. But as soon as somebody gets pushed to be uncomfortable, some people don't like that, but in order for us to grow, as people, we always need to be uncomfortable. So I'm just gonna say that you have to be uncomfortable and then the experience and what you gonna get back and return is gonna be amazing, because you are going to learn so much. But I can see the hesitation where people would have that, but what you are going to get at the end will be worthwhile."
Benedetta Di Geronimo
(International student from Italy)
Interview
What's your name, how old are you and where are you from?
"Hi! I'm Benny, I'm 17 years old and I'm from Italy."
Where you scared or anxious to come here alone?
"Yes, and that's because by coming here I left behind my family and didn't know what will happen here, how the host family and the school will be. I feel like everything that is unexpected kind of scares me."
Are you happy with your decision to come here, and why?
"I feel like this is the best decision I've ever taken, because changes are often scary but living in an other country made me realize how much I can actually grow. Especially since I had the chance to develop my English."
Do you have any regrets?
"My main regret is definitely not being extroverted enough, since the beginning of this experience, because for the first month obviously I didn't know where I was, what I was doing here and the people around me. I think that limited my social life a bit. But then, as soon as I started talking to people, they were super nice to me and could finally enjoy more of my experience here."
Are you feeling sad and nostalgic sometimes?
"I would like to say that until December I was okay, I wasn't feeling nostalgic, but then, as soon as Christmas and my birthday came, I started to feel really nostalgic because I missed my family. I think that feeling never went away. I feel nostalgic usually on Sundays, because that's a day where I don't hang out with my friends, so I don't have any distraction from that feeling, and all I think about is how I would like to spend that time with my family."
What are you doing to overcome this loneliness and sadness?
"I usually try to distract myself, by keeping myself as busy as possible. What works for me is to hang out with my friends or even by trying something new I never tried before. Also from September to December I used to play volleyball at school, it was really fun, and kept my mornings busy and also sometimes my weekends. And at the same time, I go as many times as I can to the gym during the week, it's a healthy habit for my body and my mental health."
What is or was the hardest thing for you while being abroad?
"The hardest for me was realizing that I had to change host family, because it's like I had to start all over again. I didn't know what to expect again, it was the same feeling I had at the beginning, like being scared of the unknown came back again."
What is something you really miss?
"I really miss my family, Italian food, hanging out with my friends, and not having a curfew."
Would you recommend other students in your country to do it?
"Yes, I recommend it, to people maybe who have a strong mentality, because this experience is not for everyone. Of course it's an amazing opportunity and experience, there is a lot of positive things, but at the same time there is a lot of downs and there are times where you can feel really bad, and there is nothing you can do about it, you just have to be strong in order to live happily and fulfill the experience."
Carla Ruggeri
(International student from Italy)
Interview
What's your name, how old are you and where are you from?
"Hi! I'm Carla, I'm 17 years old and I'm from Italy."
Where you scared or anxious to come here alone?
"I have to say that I was, but at the same time I really like to change things often in my life, so I was more confident and sure about being here rather than stay in Italy."
Are you happy with your decision to come here, and why?
"Yes. I know it can be really hard sometimes, I've experienced really hard times here in Canada, but I must say that this was probably one of the best decision I've ever made in my whole life and I'm very happy that my parents supported me. I found a beautiful place, here in Canada."
Do you have any regrets with your decision?
"With my decision, no. I wish I could go back, probably, and change some things at the beginning, but rather than that, I would never change anything."
Are you feeling sad and nostalgic sometimes?
"Yes, I am, at the beginning I have to say, I wasn't, because I was still living the dream, I was happy because everything was different and it was more like a holiday from some point of view. But as soon as I started to actually live in this new country, changing my every-day schedule, and all my programs, I actually realized how much sometimes you miss what I've had. As soon as my birthday came, and Christmas, I probably was sad one day a week, but at the end, right now, I'm going through a hard time, so I feel like now, in April, almost everyday I feel very sad but it's not like a bad sadness, it's just me, showing emotions; without problems. I feel like it's also normal to have some breakdowns and go through them. I just need to be confident and keep going."
What are you doing to overcome this loneliness and sadness?
"I usually try to not think about it and spend as much time as I can with people that surrounds me, that care about me, that love me, in this case I would say I try to hangout with my friends the most of the time and not to think about my family."
What is or was the hardest thing for you while being abroad?
"I would say that the hardest thing is to remember that you're gonna leave, so live your life the fullest. Try to not have regrets, do as much as you can here, now that you can."
What is something you really miss?
"I really miss my family. That's probably one of the only things I miss, because I also miss the food, but other than that, that's it."
Would you recommend other students in your country to do it?
"Of course! Of course, I really recommend it to whoever has the opportunity to do it, it's an amazing experience, live it as much as you can, and I would definitely recommend this experience, now, at the age of 17, rather than do it for Erasmus."