Studying in British Columbia: A Life-Changing Experience for International Students

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Geography of British Columbia
Canada is considered one of the top locations across the world for higher studies. Every
year, hundreds and thousands of students arrive here to get a world-class education and earn a
degree from a reputed Canadian University. International Students love the different lifestyle and
the option of getting jobs on and off campus while studying. The country has become a
multilingual country and offers excellent exposure for the students (Kashetti).
As a student, I was always keen to go abroad for higher education. Thus, when I
completed my graduate studies in my home country, India I began to explore the ventures
abroad. I compared studying in the US, Canada, and Australia and I settled for British
Columbia(BC) in Canada. I even looked at the options I had in my home country. The reason
behind was the higher global ranking it enjoys for the quality of life and education. The
universities are the top-ranked in Canada and offer progressive education. I felt excited at the
thought of going to a quality university and study with different students from all across the
world. What attracted me was the extraordinary quality of life and education in one of the most
peaceful provinces of Canada.
Moreover, the weather is much milder (British Columbia Council). I came across an
article that reported how the Chadian educators are building academic cooperation with India
and investing money in collaborative education projects between the two countries. They offer
generous fellowships to attract the bright minds form the Indian universities who wish to study

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abroad. The University of British Columbia is among the top eight colleges in Canada (Prakash).
All those aspects encouraged me to look for higher education in Canada.
As stated by Jingzhou (1), India (12%) ranks second after China (33%) in terms of the
number of students coming to Canada. This is followed by South Korea, France, and Saudi
Arabia. It is the Chinese students that make for the significant group of international students in
Canada. Thus, after looking at the pros and cons, I decided to go to British Columbia for higher
studies. The tuition fees were affordable and the course offered was a lot better. So, I applied to
a prominent university in Vancouver, BC and was lucky to get accepted there. I think it was
because of my good academic record and impressive application. I was lucky enough to get some
scholarship too.
Higher Education institutions believe in adding diversity to their student bodies as well as
provide quality education. The educational administration feels that nothing could be a better
educator than the diversity within the classrooms for personal growth and to encourage critical
thinking. It is the only spaces where students can come across students from other lands and
community, and interact with them freely to overcome any serotypes (Geary 528). International
students enrich the educational community of countries like the US and Canada. I was aware of
my position as an international student from India. When I landed in BC, after a long flight, I
was both excited and tired. It was the first time I saw snow. My student mentor at the airport
received me. His warm smile and hug lifted my spirits and filled me with energy. Initially, I
stayed with my host family who were really nice to me. They took me around and showed met
my universality and the city. As my English was not very fluent, they were patient with me, and
gradually I felt more comfortable.

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I got all the help I could at the International Office, and the staff went out of the way to
arrange for shared accommodation with another student who was from India. There was a
pleasant feel around the people and in the atmosphere. One could use the laptop, printer, and
phone whenever they wanted and for free. Another free goody were varieties of chocolates and
endless cups of hot coffee. Those first memories as an international student are still fresh in my
mind. During the college orientation, I met other students who were as recited and nervous as
me. After interaction them, I felt that deep down we were all the same.
Once we settled down to our study schedule and the clause began, I must admit that the
initial weeks were a bit difficult. The post-secondary student population in the Western countries
is made of a significant number of immigrant and international students. Emerging data from
these countries report that although international minority students are confident of their
academic abilities, they carry weaker study skills (da Silva et al. 546). The infrastructure was
very modern, and although the mode of instruction was similar, the assignments given were very
different. Each student was on his own and had to put in his very own efforts. There was nothing
to memorize here but the application of mind and study skills. What helped was the productive
atmosphere, approachable instructors and the small class size. I felt no discomfort in calling my
professor any time whenever I was stuck. I could not imagine doing that back in India. It was not
just me, but I saw that each of the students in my class enjoyed a personalized instruction and
attention from the professors.
Canada is the seventh most popular destination in the world to attract international
students. While international students add to the diversity in the classrooms, they face challenges
when integrating and getting used to the Canadian academic environment (Jingzhou 1). Thus, it
was reasonable for me to face intimal problems of adjustment and overcoming challenges. I felt