International students helping others adapt
Niagara College welcomed 22 new International students on Friday who will begin their Canadian education by enrolling in the English for Academic Preparation (EAP) program.
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, China, and Vietnam are just some of the countries represented by the recently-landed group who will join close to 300 others in the EAP course – on top of the approximately 10,000 international students currently studying at Niagara College.
On Friday, an orientation was provided – which also included a trip on Hornblower Cruises in Niagara Falls, a tour of Lundy’s Lane, and a shopping spree at the Outlet Collection at Niagara in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
“Our purpose is to make the students feel comfortable, get adjusted to life at the college, Canada, and Niagara,” said Nattalie Boverhof, international student engagement co-ordinator.
Misconceptions about Canadian weather are evident occasionally when students arrive, but associate dean Frank Bieri said most take the time to prepare for life in North America before heading to the airport.
“It all depends on the student and how much research they’ve done,” he said.
Communication with the incoming students prior to their arrival is also important.
“We try to share as much with them before they actually leave their country,” said Bieri.
Ana Luque, a native of Colombia, arrived in Niagara two months ago – her second trip to Canada after spending a few months in Vancouver about two years ago.
She spent the day Friday as a volunteer – helping the group of students get acquainted with their new home – something she gets a lot of satisfaction from.
“We were in that position before too – so it’s great to be able to help them improve and learn about Canadian culture,” she said.
Compared to Vancouver, Luque said Niagara is very peaceful.
“It was a really noisy city, and here it’s so quiet,” she said.