My dream had come true

Last year, I had time to reflect on what I wanted for myself. One of my goals is to experience studying abroad in 2011. I felt like I was the happiest person alive when I found out that my name was included on the list of successful applicants, even though I didn’t have good scores.  

Experiencing both English and Culture

I went to a school called ‘ILAC’ for 10 weeks. It is one of the biggest language schools in Vancouver. The way English is taught at ILAC is very different from how it is taught in a Korean school. There are many activities in the classes because the teachers wish for the students to be interested in English class.

The ILAC student population consists of many students from various countries, so ILAC has many activities (e.g. camping, festivals, travel opportunities) for students to enjoy Vancouver life. 

A Homestay Family Similar to My Family in Korea

I was lucky meeting my homestay family in Vancouver, especially my host mother who was from Peru. I even called her ‘Mom’. I don’t think I would have adjusted well to living in Vancouver without her. I have a lot of good memories with ‘Mom’. For example, we participated in the Sun Run, which is a marathon race in Vancouver. We also learned how to dance the Salsa together. She treated me like her own daughter and I appreciated her actions. I can’t forget my lovely ‘Mom’. 

Learning Step by Step from an Internship

I worked at Ten Thousand Villages for eight weeks. It is a nonprofit and fair trade organization. I was supposed to sell products in the store. I was confident that I would work well because I had experienced retail work in Korea before I went to Vancouver. However, I didn’t have enough of the English skills needed to sell some products to customers, so I made the effort to study about the products with other volunteers and tried to talk to customers as time passed. Finally, I have gained helpful experience for my future job and my confidence returned.  

My four months in Vancouver were the best experiences I’ve ever had in my life .I learned a lesson from living in Canada. The world is wider than I thought, so I want to travel around the world and see it through my own eyes.