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Blogs
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Being one of OLC's classic storytelling tools, blogs are crafted by SFU Community members which include the everyday student as well as expert voices. This is where we share touching stories, resourceful advice, and insightful knowledge with each other. In keeping with the OLC vision, the following blogs are created by and for students, so why not contribute to the OLC today?
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INTERNATIONAL
Jacky is a fourth year Business Student who spent his co-op in Beijing China. Read his interview to discover what his co-op abroad was like. Jacky covers preparing for the work term, work life, and living abroad.
New to Vancouver? Discover 4 spots Lauretta discovered in her adventures around the city.
Since its launch in 2005, the Students for Development (SFD) program has been supporting Canadian university students' participation in internships in developing countries and emerging economies. Isabel went on the SFD program in Summer 2011 where she worked with ICO (Instituto de Capacitacion del Oriente) in Bolivia.
There are a lot of things your international student friends have never told you. From depression to pressure to stereotypes - life isn't always easy when you are studying abroad. Read an international students take on life overseas.
A profile on international student and third year psychology major, Rainy Yumeng Jiang, and how community engagement and volunteering has helped her adjust to Canadian culture.
In this article, SFU Psychology graduate Ravi Bansal shares her experiences of participating in the Hellenic Studies Field School in Greece. Ravi’s travels encouraged her to become involved in the SFU community, opening up an opportunity to attend the Education without Borders conference in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Nancy applied as an English instructor in South Korea with the intention of just adding another bulletpoint to their resume. However, the experiences they have gained from teaching and living abroad has made their co-op so much more meaningful than what can be written on paper. Read Nancy's story to learn more about Teach and Learn in Korea.
Have you landed an International Co-op work-term and begun preparing for your semester abroad? Surely, you have done your research and are aware of the cultural differences and nuances between where you are going, and your home country? If you haven’t, have no fear! This article is meant to help you understand the basic tips and tricks to adjust to the cultural differences in your new workplace, making your transition much easier.
Looking to maximize your time abroad and integrate with locals, but nervous to take the first few steps? Read on to learn how Kendra broke through their personal barriers, and the advice they have for future travellers to make the most of their work term overseas.
Bachelor of Sciences graduand Charity Mudhikwa hit the ground running when she came to Canada in 2018 for university, dedicating her undergraduate degree helping SFU students and the community at large.
As an undergraduate student, Spencer Chen excelled with a GPA of 4.21 and received numerous merit-based scholarships and awards. She also sought diverse research and community service opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the SFU community.
Third year Business student, Corina Inigo, shares about her co-op experience with Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK). She discusses what TaLK is all about and also shares personal anecdotes from her teaching experience.
Still not sure if co-op is for you? Chetachi explains why co-op was such a valuable experience for her and what it was like to work in the corporate world during her Economics co-op work term.
Job hunting is never easy. This is especially true when you are an international student with no Canadian experience. Follow Alireza's tips and tricks on how to navigate around this barrier in your search for meaningful work.
Are you an international student that feels like there is a wall that stops you from moving forward? Are you trying to improve your language level, but feel embarrassed communicating in English? You're not the only one. But there are people who are reaching their goals. Find your inspiration and become one of them.
As an international student Ha Na had the reality of high tuition, no work experience and challenges in finding employment. She decided co-op was the solution to learn professional work search skills and gain related employment while attending university. She shares her challenges and successes along the way.
Morgan Karugaba shares his journey of how he overcame the challenges of uncertainty, by stepping out of his comfort zone.
Coming to a new country thousands of miles from where you grew up and from everything you know is no easy journey. In this award-winning story, SFU Business student Ali Najaf reflects on the past four years since arriving in Canada from Pakistan in 2012, sharing both his challenges and truimphs.
“Gosh Roop! Are you really an international student? But you do not speak with an accent. Wow, I would have never guessed that.” Through anecdotes and introspection, Roop shares a compelling narrative of the struggles of why International students face challenges due to language barriers and biases.
Mario Fong travelled to Hong Kong to join the HSBC trainee program through International Co-op. Dropping everything to live in a new country provided him with personal and professional experiences he won't soon forget.
Changing Times: Stories to Inspire Hope and Resilience
Working from home is a common reality for many Co-op students in the past year. Working from home while working for a Health Authority in the thick of the pandemic is a tremendous experience Kaylla went through last year. Take a look at how she learned to stay productive in these uncertain times.
The Latest
“After I graduated, I was unsure of which career path to take. Through working with Career Services, I’ve found that Project Management and Event Planning is something I really enjoy doing.”
Have a sneak peak at the girls' quick getaway visit to Freeset, an organisation similar to Destiny Reflection, located in Kolkata's red-light district. While they were there, they managed to visit some wonderful sites such as the Taj Mahal and the Golden Temple.
Many students struggle to figure out the best way to put a portfolio together. They commonly ask: “Which projects do I put in a portfolio?” or “I don’t know how to do HTML or CSS, how can I make an online portfolio?”
The Vancouver Canucks are well known for their community involvement, and every semester they hire two interns to work with the community relations team. Michelle Muravi was one of these lucky picks last season and she shared with us what it’s like to work behind the scenes in the latest instalment of the We Are All Canucks series.
Hallelujah — midterms are finally coming to a close! Perhaps you breezed through your exams like a swan gliding through water, declaring “Einstein” to be your middle name. But if you’re like the rest of us ‘poor unfortunate souls’, your exam experience resembles more of a paper plane ramming into a wall and crumpling sadly to the ground.
We highlight the experience of Elena Barbir, Chemical Physics major, in the RISE program which has sent her to Germany. RISE is a dynamic summer program that offers undergraduate students from Canada, USA and the UK in an opportunity to receive work experience in research labs for a period of three months.
Martyna, Lindsay, Christine and Silvia share their visit to the Archana School for girls and what they have learned from this invaluable experience.
As the girls further their learning experience in Kolkata, they come across new findings and lessons everyday - either from each other or from their new surroundings. In this entry, Christine shares her thoughts on a Gender and Health seminar the group participated in and how that has helped her develop a better understanding of Indian culture.
Your palms sweat, your head's buzzing, and you've got those butterflies in your stomach. Sound familiar? You've been struck with a case of interview anxiety. But have no fear as these tips will help you make your interview slide!
Grammar police can be annoying. Infuriating, even. Yet, I can’t help but feel a small triumph whenever someone exposes themselves as actually caring about proper spelling and grammar.
After Justin and Samantha decided to create Career Friends, the rest was history. They have kept each other on track while job-hunting post graduation. Read Justin's story about his experiences after graduating in 2002, and how he overcame the challenges of finding full-time employment.
The BC Public Service is hiring! If youre considering applying for a position with the BC Public Service or have an upcoming interview with them, read on to learn about their interview tips and strategies.
The interview process can be a very intimidating and overwhelming process for many job applicants. The stress of being in the hot seat can make even the most composed interviewee melt under the pressure. Interview anxiety can be tamed and even prepared for with the help of an understanding and insightful SFU Student Advisor...
There are many factors that make a successful interview, but by far the most important is preparation. It seems simple, but it's not necessarily easy. Preparation is not only being able to answer the standard questions, but also being able to convey how outstanding you would be in the organization.
Everyday, the media informs us of new global issues arising in different parts of the world. We think about how troubling the situation is for a little while and then go on with the rest of our day. In most cases, this is where the story ends.
Meet the girls! Martyna, Silvia, Lindsay and Christine introduce themselves here by telling us about their hobbies, their likes and dislikes and what they love about India so far. Get to know them and follow them on an arm chair journey around India!
The references you choose ensure your work history comes up smelling like roses and is crucial to obtaining a job offer. Do they love you, or do they love you not? Learn how to pick your references and stop plucking the petals.
We all have our own sets of biases and preconceived notions, but unless we experience things first hand, they are merely based on conjecture and not facts. Martyna is here to break down some common misconceived perceptions about India by providing a comparison between horror stories she's heard from friends before leaving and the true reality of living in India.
Several days ago, I was able to visit Cherington Place with my friends, a nursing home located in Surrey. Our task was to keep the elderly company, so we made them cards and cookies, and prepared performances to keep them entertained (offering our time, treasures, and talent).
From working at RIM (Research In Motion) for a year before graduating, SIAT convocation speaker Simon Kwok shares the bits and bytes of his Co-op work experience as an interaction designer in Toronto.
Looking to find out more about Destiny Reflection and all the opportunities they have to offer? Here are some details on who the foundation is, how they came about and what their plans are for the future. Come take a peak!
This is where it all begins. Four SFU Health Sciences Co-op students share their incredible journey to India as they land in Mumbai, one of India's largest cities. Along with some new friends, Lindsay, Martyna, Silvia and Christine take a quick tour of Mumbai before heading off to Kolkata.
"So, if I don’t have a plan, do I just sit around and wait for stuff to happen?” You might ask. “How am I supposed to know what to do if I don’t know where I’m going?” Is another one I sense a lot of in my work with students.
Google+ is the latest and largest social media platform trying to compete with Facebook and Twitter. So is learning the ropes of another platform worth the effort?
Heard of Movember? It’s a fundraising movement for prostate cancer research in which men (mo bros) and women (mo sistas) alike dedicate the month of November to growing a moustache. In other words, it’s pretty much the best thing ever.
Have trouble writing a resume to land that dream job? Never fear the OLC is here! We've all been there and we have tons of resources to bring your resume from 'meh' to 'wow'!
The students gather to and fro A vibrant quivering mass Their thoughts are laden, heavy things Of textbooks, schedules, and a new U-Pass
I don’t much like talking to strangers. I have great conversations in my head with myself, but when it comes to vocalizing my brilliant, eloquent thoughts to other people, I often end up garbling the words into something near unintelligible.
There’s no denying it – people see and understand the world differently, and it’s only a matter of time before perspectives clash, right and wrong get mixed up, and feelings get hurt. But it’s pretty clear that different people handle conflict uniquely.
As this blog’s editor, one of the many joys I get to experience is the annual inundation training of those of our wonderful volunteers who aspire to contribute to the blog. I get to discuss things like “what makes a good blog article” and a few of the basics of good, simple online writing.