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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
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.
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.
Learning how to effectively communicate in a new work environment can be difficult enough, but add a language barrier and things get even more complicated. Here are Julia's top tips for overcoming language barriers in the workplace.
New to Vancouver? Discover 4 spots Lauretta discovered in her adventures around the city.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Who doesn’t love travelling? Summer is just around the corner and with that comes the time to make our travel plans a reality. Have you ever thought about travelling as a way to boost your career?
The holidays are a time for fun and festivities, but the feeling of being homesick can also creep in during this time. Here are some steps to help you through it!
Being an international student at SFU is not easy as there aren't many opportunities to meet other students. The Global Student Centre welcomes all, hosting events that bring students together to celebrate diversity and create intercultural awareness.
Morgan Karugaba shares his journey of how he overcame the challenges of uncertainty, by stepping out of his comfort zone.
Ever wonder how it would feel like being an international student in Vancouver? Talk about a reason to party, well coming from a Punjabi family we hardly need a reason to party but if there was ever a decent one, this was it. Read more to find out about Max Shyngs experience!
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's a phrase in Israel, "buckle up your elbows" which means that it's time to hustle. This is exactly what brought me to the place where I'm writing to you right now." -- read Kim's story and learn how you can achieve anything with enough courage and motivation.
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
From chemical reactions that hit the roof of our lecture halls, to trips to remote regions of Northern BC, this is an account of some anecdotes and experiences of my first co-op term, working for Science AL!VE in the summer of 2014, teaching children about the field of study that I love myself. This is part 1 of 4 of the "Science Al!ve Insider" series.
Do you want to become a better communicator and leader? Do you want to gain confidence in public speaking? You may want to consider SFU’s own Burnaby Mountain Toastmasters Club, an opportunity for the general public to gather together and prepare for interview settings, job and career development, and general group environments.
Email communication is a critical skill in many jobs. Business student Helen Bowman shares tips on how to efficiently and effectively communicate through email, based on what she learned during her co-op at SAP.
“ALWAYS do research on the company you are interviewing with.”
Read about Indigenous Research Institutes scholar Marena Brinkhurst and her work in Interdisciplinary and intercultural approaches to community-based land-use planning.
Do you know how SFU decides how to Indigenize the University?
Ever wanted to become a tutor? Find out why being a tutor can actually help you become a better student.
As a Biomedical Physiology major, Kirsten always imagined a co-op placement in a lab research of some sort or a hospital. However, working as a admin assistant at a physiotherapy clinic has changed this thought dramatically. Read about Kirsten's co-op journey to find out more!
Already involved in a club? Why not take it a step further and become a club executive! Loren goes through 4 reasons to consider taking on a leadership role in a student club or association.
Find out how Margaret takes on a challenging co-op experience in unfamiliar territory as a student kinesiologist with CBI Health.
When trying to get hired, I hardly considered the prospect of actually working. I was more concerned with building professional resumes and appearing impressive at interviews. Upon landing my first co-op, however, I suddenly realized that I would need to perform in a strange, new environment – one I knew nothing about!
As a follow up to Kim's article, "Employability Skills You Can Gain Through Volunteering," read how those three key employability skills could be applied to a future career! Let us know: How would these skills apply to your own dream job?
At first, the news was so devastating and heartbreaking ...
Are you a Computing Science Co-op Student and wondering what the right job is for you? How do you decide what the right job is for you, especially when software is becoming a huge part of every industry? Dylan breaks down “finding the right job”. This is part four of four.
How do you go from coursework to real-world projects? Dylan shares how his courses and co-op have helped him to be a better engineer. This is part three of four.
Are you thinking of getting a job but don't know where to start? Have you been sending out hundreds of resumes but never heard back from anyone? Check out these 3 simple strategies that will make you look so good that any employer will want to hire you.
If given the opportunity to go back in time, based on what I have discovered interning at SFU Career Services, I would offer my younger self three pieces of advice. Hopefully you can also learn from my experiences and have a smoother transition.
This week's SFU Club of the Week is the SFU Chapter of Love Your Neighbour. Here's a spotlight on this club that has expanded to offer local and international opportunities for students.
Are you a Computing Science Student about to be interviewed? Dylan shares interview tips, personal anecdotes, and learn how to prepare yourself for your next interview. This is part two of five.
Not sure what career path you want to take? Computing Science Co-op Student, Cody Santos, was not sure either. Read about his first co-op term at Mobidia and what he learned because of his experience there.
Meet Dylan, a fourth-year computing science student at Simon Fraser University with over a year of co-op experience spanning two large companies: SAP and Electronic Arts. He shares his unique perspective on Computing Science Co-op and offers advice for students on topics such as interview techniques and software engineering tips. This post is part one of four.
Why do you volunteer? There are many reasons why people volunteer for both professional and personal reasons. This is a personal article on why I volunteer at specific organizations.
Academics are certainly important, but volunteering can certainly help you in other aspects of your life, both personally and professionally. Nicola explains some key benefits to gain from volunteering.
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.
Joey Mak: Fighting crime one journal entry at a time. Business student Joey Mak worked an eight month co-op with the RCMP, gaining enriching experiences. From processing salary reconciliations to conversing with officers at the Pacific RCMP Headquarters with a little bit of database management and programming in the middle, this co-op experience had it all.
How does volunteering help your employability? Kim goes through a few of the top skills that you can gain from volunteering that will also help you as a working employee.
Are you looking for opportunities to share the pictures you have taken? Are you interested in developing your writing skills? Are you curious about writing for a magazine? Learn more about Her Campus, an online campus magazine, and how it got relaunched this year!
This week, Emily features The Social Media Network as the SFU Club of the Week. Read about how their activities aim to increase students' professional social media prowess!