I always greeted the staff first with a smile, talked with them, and actively participated in school activities, so on the final graduation day I was able to receive the Student of the Month award. Above all, receiving the Student of the Month gave me confidence that I could succeed at something.
[Canada language study/review] One of the world''s best cities to live in! Learning English with friends from all over the world in Vancouver, Canada Kim Nami, gap-year traveler (27, office worker) / 4-week gap year |
# Full of excitement, departing Korea - Seattle - Vancouver
Filled with excitement, I went to Incheon Airport Terminal 2. I went to check exactly where the gate was and met the pilot who would be flying my plane. He was from Montreal, so we started speaking in English. He said he had worked as a pilot at Korean Air for 40 years. I really respected him for working in one field for 40 years. Hearing that he still loves his job made me respect him even more.
I browsed the duty-free shops a bit and boarded the plane. The flight was very turbulent, giving me a headache and making it a difficult flight. After the rough flight, when I arrived in Seattle the immigration line was so long that it took two hours after arrival to get out of the airport.
Then I put in the SIM card I bought in Korea, but it didn''t work so I was very flustered. I looked for a Korean staff member, rechecked the route to my accommodation, and asked if there was an AT&T nearby. After arriving at the accommodation and checking in, I went to the nearby AT&T and got the SIM to work, and it was already evening. I enjoyed the night view at Waterfront Park near the accommodation and ate at a well-known Seattle restaurant.
The next day I went to Pike Place Market and, by chance, met a Korean owner in a supermarket I stopped at. While having a pleasant chat with the owner, the bus to Vancouver was almost leaving. He told me to study hard in Vancouver and said he''d check how much my English had improved when I came back, and even gave me water for free.
Seattle was still unfamiliar to me, so I went to the Link station near where the buses depart but didn''t know exactly where to go to catch the bus. I asked a local and barely made it to the bus. When I arrived in Vancouver, a fellow passenger who had ridden the bus with me told me to take bus 211 at Burrard station.
I arrived around 5:30 PM at Burrard station and went to the bus stop for the 211. There was another passenger at the stop who took the 210 and apparently explained my situation to the driver. Then the 210 driver said that because it was evening the 211 route had been shortened and offered to take me to a stop where I could catch the 211, helping me. So I took the 210, then the 211, and arrived at the bus stop near my homestay.
I went to the correct address, but there were many houses in front of the door and they weren''t within shouting distance. I asked a passerby for help andI was able to call the homestay and get into the house. It was a home where a British grandfather and a Dutch grandmother lived. They welcomed me warmly. They told amusing stories and showed photos of past students; I was their 213th student.
# Receiving the ''Student of the Month'' award on graduation day gave me confidence that I could succeed.
Seeing how strictly Canadians follow traffic rules, I thought, "Ah, this is a developed country." In a month I saw only about three cars that had crossed the stop line. I also liked how considerate they were toward people with mobility challenges.
I also liked that they tried not to use gender-biased words. In lessons about professions they avoided words like "stewardess," "mailman," and "barber," and instead used alternatives like "flight attendant," "mail person," and "hairdresser."
At school I really got to meet students from many countries: Brazil, Japan, China, Colombia, Switzerland, and so on—truly various countries.A variety of activities were prepared. My classmates had large age differences and families, so there were no friends who could go on outings with me. So I always participated in the activities.
I skied on Mount Seymour, toured Stanley Park in four visits since it''s so large, went to Granville Island, went ice-skating, went bowling, visited Queen Elizabeth Park where my homestay grandparents had their wedding, took a one-day tour to Victoria, went to Canada Place, Gastown, Chinatown, the aquarium, the Vancouver Art Gallery, watched soccer at BC Place, saw Monster Jam, and went to ice hockey games.
I''m really an active person, and I realized I hadn''t been very active and had been repressed. Seeing my classmates who were older, I wondered how they had quit their jobs to come to Canada and felt anxious that it might be too late for me—but then I thought, is that really something to be so worried about?
The language school teachers and the homestay family were all people who respected and were curious about other cultures, and I liked the way classes encouraged communication with students from different countries and had a participatory style different from Korea.
By participating in so many activities I became close with Teacher Simon and was able to get around and make the most of things. In the last week I gave Simon some gim (seaweed) as a gift and exchanged email addresses. I became closer to the activity coordinators than to the classroom teachers.
I always greeted the staff first with a smile, talked with them, and eagerly attended school activities, so on the last graduation day I was able to receive the Student of the Month award.I also became a well-known person among the language school staff. Above all, receiving Student of the Month gave me confidence that I could achieve something.
I talked with many citizens I met on my way to and from school and did a lot of promotion for Seoul. I realized the saying that you become patriotic when abroad. I also didn''t forget the tip that palaces are free on the last Wednesday of each month. Many people really liked that information. In particular, an Air Canada flight attendant I met at the supermarket said they do this job because they love traveling like me, that they definitely want to visit Seoul, and thanked me for the great information.
The 210 bus driver I met on the first day was curious about Seoul''s transportation system and showed interest in Seoul. It felt good that many people liked Seoul. I promoted Seoul every day and explained its transportation system in English, so when the speaking test topic on the final exam was transportation, it was easy since it was something I talked about all the time.
By actively participating in activities and studying hard, I reached the level to move up to the next level on the final exam.Even the day before the exam I went to watch ice hockey, and chatting continuously with the Swiss friend who was level 8 sitting next to me seemed to loosen my tongue and helped.
# Four-week homestay living with a Dutch grandmother and a British grandfather
The homestay was a pretty house in North Vancouver. There are mostly houses there. A short walk takes you to a supermarket, an A&W, a Subway, a laundromat, cafes, and so on. It''s far from downtown but quiet, with mountains nearby and beautiful natural scenery. A Korean friend who went with me to Whistler said it''s a place they''d really like to live after retirement.
The Dutch grandmother really took care of me like a mother, saying things like, "It''s cold today, so dress warmly."Grandmother also learned English after coming to Canada, so she understood the difficulties of foreign students well. Grandfather was from England, so I was able to become more familiar with British English. While others became accustomed only to the Canadian accent at the same time, it was nice to be familiar with British English as well.
After dinner, watching the Olympics or hockey games together was an enjoyable evening activity. Probably more than in Korea, we studied hard and wandered around during the day, and after watching the Olympics together in the evening I would just get sleepy and fall asleep, so I often did my school homework every morning at school. On the last day I wrote in the guestbook and gave them a postcard. It was such a great homestay that I want to go again. Next time I want to visit with a pretty notebook to write in the guestbook and with improved English skills.
# My gap year tip
(How to get there)
There is a front door and a back door, so first-time visitors might find it hard to locate the host''s house. If it''s your first time, I recommend calling your host after you arrive at the bus stop.
(Language)
I had been studying English regularly. But I didn''t study right before joining the program. Hahaha.
(Accommodation)
The hosts were really nice, so I want to go again. The grandfather was from England and the grandmother was from the Netherlands. You can learn both Canadian and British English at the same time.
(Meals)
Just buy and eat what you want. School lunch time was short, so there were hardly any options.
(What to bring)
I forgot to bring nail clippers, so I bought some.Having a multi-adapter, a selfie stick, and a water bottle was convenient. I brought seaweed as a gift and gave it on the first day, and they liked it.I was a little disappointed that the host grandmother didn''t like seafood.
Check the local weather carefully and pack clothes accordingly. Also, prepare items in your backpack to last about a day in case your luggage doesn''t arrive on the first day. When I was returning I stopped by Seattle before going back to Korea, and two Korean friends had their luggage delayed by the airline and came to the hostel with nothing. They looked very flustered.And definitely pack light. Luggage is just luggage on a trip. It would be good to bring gifts from Korea like seaweed. Many foreigners like it.
(Travel)
On days without school programs,After class I asked the teacher who handled program sign-ups and went to various places. Visiting just one place per day after class is just right.There are so many places worth recommending; one of them is Granville Island. It''s a small island and the public market sells lots of really tasty foods.
Whistler is the best place to go the day after it snows in winter. The snow-covered trees were really beautiful. Try the Victoria day tour too. On the Victoria day tour we took the evening ferry back, and the stars seen from the ferry were really beautiful, so don''t miss it. I told a local kid, “Look at the sky!” and the kid looked up and said, “Oh, my gosh!” I also recommend the Capilano Gorge. And an "I made it" certificate is a must.
I used a mileage ticket, but there were no mileage seats on the Incheon–Vancouver route, so I flew into Seattle and took a bus the next day. I bought a Seattle pass and visited the Space Needle, the Harbor Cruise, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Pike Place Market, the EMP Museum, and the Seattle Aquarium.
On the day I was returning, before going to Vancouver I stopped by a grocery store at Pike Place Market run by a Korean owner,I told him how my month in Vancouver had been and proudly said I had worked hard and won Student of the Month. Then he told me that it seemed like I had experienced a year''s worth in one month and praised me!
My gap year was
Experience★★★★★
It was my first time going abroad alone; I booked accommodation myself and traveled for sightseeing.
Learning★★★★★
I was satisfied because I could also learn Canadian and British English as a bonus.
Environment★★★★★
The natural environment is really clean and pleasant.
Safety★★★★☆
Canada is safe, but after 7 PM it gets really dark and scary. So I can''t give it 5 stars.
Leisure★★★★★
After classes, by participating in all the school''s programs I was able to spend my time meaningfully.
