Learning, Growth and Success

My journey with SAIT began   in January 2008, when I first came to Canada from Taiwan by myself. The winter was particularly cold that year, and I was only 19. I was not quite sure about what I was doing and what I was supposed to do in the future.  Anyhow, I started the English course at SAIT. This course really helped me to learn the language and to understand the Canadian education system. It also developed my confidence.

While my entire classmates in the English course were discussing what program/career they were getting in, I felt alone. I felt like I was the only person who had no idea about the future. I believe most of the young Asians are just like me: over-protected, so we usually do not think independently. We just follow whatever our parents/friends/teachers say and we do it without asking questions.

So, I thought I should ask for help. I had the chance to talk with one of the ladies who works at SAIT international Centre. I will never forget her kindness, her enthusiasm, and her patience to explain all the programs SAIT had as well as the career options after graduating from those programs.

After that conversation, I had a basic idea about what I wanted to do, something that would work for me – not for my parents, teachers or friends. I decided to study the Emergency Medical Program. As soon as I got the certificate I realized that it was not the best choice for me. But, that was not the end of the world. I decided to take the Health Information Program from which I learned a lot about the Canadian Health Care System and I graduated with a high GPA! My interest in the Health and Safety programs did not end there! After that, I started the Rehabilitation Therapy Program.  I will be graduating soon. Most importantly, from all the programs I have completed, I learned that I do not simply want a job. I learned that I want a career in something I am passionate about and I am really passionate about what I am currently studying, which is very good for me!

This is not the whole thing! SAIT has also provided me with lots of opportunities to learn by volunteering. I volunteer at a nursing home as well as the International Centre here at SAIT. The International Centre has offered me the opportunity to help organize events as well as being involved in their Global Buddy Program which helps new international students adapt to life in Calgary. Although I have had a lot of volunteer experiences, the most memorable volunteer experience I have done was with SAIT International Centre when I helped to promote the institution in Taiwan.

It has been a great journey… Today, when I look back and see myself, I see so many differences and I know my life is meaningful now. I give the credit for this big change to SAIT, which helps and supports International Students and makes their lives worthwhile. Now, when I see an International Student coming to SAIT, I try my best to help them so they can also accomplish what they travelled to achieve, like I have done!

Ching Yin Liang is a Taiwanese International Student who took the Emergency Medical Program and the Health Information Program. She is now studying hard to graduate from the Rehabilitation Therapy Program. If you want to contact Ching, email her at z90542@hotmail.com

“The more you do, the more you get”

I came to Canada on 30 August, 2011.  And everything has started at the International orientation. I’ve found lots of friends from all over the world there and we still keep in touch.  It was my first time in an English speaking country but I was surprised that it was so easy to understand Canadians and other foreigners.

My communication skills and willingness to meet new people helps me a lot.  Networking is very important for the newcomers in Canada.  I try to participate in all activities here at SAIT. From September right after coming to study I was enrolled in SIFE (Student in Free Enterprise) business club.  Firstly I was there as a project stuff.  From SIFE I knew about “YOU Innovate Canada” tournament.  The idea was to create a value from the ordinary object.  This year it was a coffee cup. We could use any kinds of coffee cups: porcelain, paper one, “to go” mugs and the value could be different: monetary, social, environmental.

The idea of creating a social and environmental value came immediately into my mind.  I decided to make the bird- feeders out of paper disposable cup.  The task was to make and submit a short 3 minute video about the process of creating a value and the result.  There planned to be 3 teams from SAIT, but only 1 team got the things done!  We had only 2 weeks to do all the required stuff.  As I live in the SAIT residence I didn’t have even scissors to cut the cups, paint brush to color them, I had no idea how to use movie editing software to create a video clip. All in all, 30 birdfeeders were made, 3 posters were created, 4 lectures were held at SAIT and the video was submitted and everything was done in 4 days!

Our video got more than 7000 votes all over the world.  My friends from Russia supported me with their votes as well.  This period was the most exciting and interesting during my stay in Canada.  We came across with strong competitors and there was something like online battle between us. Being in Calgary only for 2 months I became so popular and even there was an article in the Weal newspaper about our participation in the competition.

Finally our video was chosen among the 3 best in all of Alberta and we got second position in the post-secondary category.  The most precious outcomes of this competition were gaining new skills (now I can make clips in MS Movie Maker) and now I know that there is nothing impossible for me.  It helps me a lot, not only in my studies, but in all other aspects of my life. Moreover, thanks to this competition, from January 2012 I am the President of Student in Free Enterprise business club at SAIT.

My motto is “The more you do, the more you get”.  That means that it is important to participate everywhere when you have a chance, volunteer everywhere, communicate with people, meet new friends, be involved and you will succeed!

To view Dinara’s Next Top Accountant video please click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJFi3Pe8KBA 
Dinara Yanbaeva is an International Student from Russia. She is currently taking the Business Administration program at SAIT and is the President of the SIFE Business Club. You can reach Dinara at Dinara.Yanbaeva@edu.sait.ca

A Day in the Highwood

The most memorable experience that I had during my first semester at SAIT was the 3-weeks Food and Beverage Service course in the Highwood Dining Room. This dining room is a live class room environment which offers School of Hospitality and Tourism’s students a chance to practice essential skills in a real restaurant setting. We studied the theory lessons in class and put them in practice by serving Highwood Restaurant’s guests in the evening.

The class was really fun and enjoyable. My teachers, Pat Ryan and Ross Robinson, were so helpful and devoted to the students. They always encouraged me to get more confident to step out and serve my tables (I was afraid because I had never done that before). We learned many proper manners used in a fine dining restaurant such as table setting, formal food and wine services, bartending, table side service. Before, all the forks, knifes, and spoons set on a fancy dining table looked all the same for me; but I can tell the differences between them now J and where they should go. We were taught different styles of napkin folding even the boot fold style ^^. We learned about which side to serve food and beverage from, which side to clear the dishes. We did bartending with mixing and making some common cocktails and drinks. I also got to practice making the flambé coffee for my guests at their table. It was so cool and beautiful!!

There were also some little challenges that made it more interesting during the time. Be prepared to questions from the guests like where’s blue crab from, Pacific Ocean or Atlantic Ocean . Last but not least, it couldn’t be that great without my classmates. As a team, we helped each other, shared knowledge and had fun. I felt comfortable and more confident because I knew I always got support from my friends in any cases.

My two years in Hospitality Management program at SAIT was a great learning experience. I wish everyone enjoys your classes and your time at SAIT too!!!

Phuong Bui is an international student from Vietnam who has graduated from the Hospitality Management program.

Picture courtesy of: http://travelingboy.com/archive-travel-wendy-cancun.html

5 things that Chinese students must know about Canada

This is the 3rd year I have been in Canada. I still remember my first day: it was July 29th and it was already 8pm when I got off the plane. I was soooooo surprised that the sun was still shining as strong as it was at noon! That will NEVER happen in mainland China!!! As time passed, I found that there are a lot of differences between China and Canada.

First: Class presentations are very normal here! A friend of mine told me a story about one of his very shy Chinese friends who, at the end of the program, was delivering great presentations and even making jokes during the presentations! That original shyness is understandable – when I was in high school in China, I never delivered a presentation. A few weeks ago, I talked to a friend who is attending university in China and she told me that she had only two presentations per semester… However, depending on the major you are taking, there are no presentations at all!

Second: In any post-secondary institution in China, 98% of your classmates will be as old as you are. That is why I was shocked the first time I saw my classmates in the ELF program whose ages ranged a lot!

Third: In China, typically parents will support their kids financially even if they are already 18 years old. So, most of the Chinese students will only study and play, they will not work hard because their parents will give them money. Coming to Canada, Chinese students will see that almost all Canadian students have part-time jobs!

Fourth: The format of the exams is different. In my country, all the exams are paper-based. So, Chinese students have to practice computer skills before coming to Canada, since most of the exams are computer-based.

Fifth: It is very easy to graduate from a university in China, even if you do not study very hard, but, do not think you can graduate here in Canada without studying and a lot of hard work!! So have a down-to-earth attitude and do not miss any class… That’s how you can get an A+.

I hope this helps Chinese students who are coming to SAIT to better understand how things are here in Canada!

Simin Zhang is a Chinese International Student from Chengde who is taking the Information Technology program at SAIT. If you want to contact her, e-mail Simin at spancerzhang@hotmail.com

Overcoming the challenges

Walking around…

[By Eeshwar Grewal]

Coming to a culture that is completely the opposite of your culture can turn your world upside down! I wrote this post so that some of my experiences can help the next person who steps outside his/her comfort zone.

One of the biggest challenges faced when we live abroad is to overcome the issues related to the language. Sometimes people do not understand us clearly and we do not understand them either! However, do not assume it is always you (or your accent) who needs improvement. People you are talking with can be just hard of hearing or simply do not speak clear enough. Do not be afraid of asking questions and asking people to repeat what they just said. There is no problem on that!

I would say that two big things to start doing before coming to Canada are: 1) to read local newspapers (it will help you with your reading and writing); 2) to find a good Canadian TV show to watch as it helps you to get used to the accent you are going to listen every day (some TV channels make their programs available in the Internet).

Still regarding the language, there is one more thing: a mistake that International Students use to make is to speak their mother tongue whenever they meet a person from their own country. Now imagine you standing between two people speaking a language you do not understand… The first question that comes to your mind is: “are they talking about me?”. Plus: we study and live abroad to have an international experience, right? Limiting yourself to a small group of peers will limit the ability to fully utilize the opportunity and, believe me, you are the only one who is going to suffer. I mean: do not forget your own culture, but look at the future, get to know other cultures and other ways of life!

One last thing: as soon as you land you will realize that you have tons of work to do and also several opportunities to have fun! It is up to you to achieve a balance between work and party. So, make sure that the parties you attend today will not cost you tomorrow! I do not mean you do not have to party at all. You have to! But find the right balance! Being at SAIT, I can definitely say that this is a special place for International Students. We have a system along the path which help us not to end up working too much nor too little!

Eeshwar Grewal is an International Student from Chandigarh, India. He is currently taking the Business Administration program at SAIT and can be reached at eeshwargrewal@gmail.com

Enjoy the weather!

This is me, ready to go down the slope

[By Andrey Ustyugov]

I have already spent over 1 year as an International Student in Canada.  This year was full of events, new experiences, new acquaintances, and a huge step in broadening my outlook which is very important for me. I am absolutely convinced that, wherever you go and expose yourself to a new culture, you have to use the opportunity to gain as much as possible from it. This is particularly true for those people coming from the Southern hemisphere and/or warm climate countries. When you come to such a Northern country as Canada, it can be very different from your homeland in terms of culture and weather.  However, because we become so worried about these differences, sometimes we may not realize the opportunities that these differences can bring up.

One classic feature of Canada is the cold winter.  Being myself from a Northern country, I have so many positive emotions associated with winter and all the exciting activities it brings with it.  However, I have noticed that not all International Students share my excitement about the approaching winter. At a certain point, I have come to realize that this is due to the fact that not everybody sees the positive sides of this kind of climate.  Yes, winter brings cold weather and ends summer.  But, on the other hand, many nations that face cold weather most of the year have come up with some cool (literally sometimes!) ways to make the season unforgettable and makes you impatiently wait for a new winter – and its snow – during the summers.

Winter is not just cold and slippery sidewalks.  Winter is white crispy snow that makes sure you know the laws of physics do work!  It means: you can experience acceleration (due to gravity) by gliding on a fresh powder snow on a snowboard or ski at a heart-breaking speed while breathing the fresh and clear air that you can only experience on a sunny winter day!  The Province of Alberta, in particular, offers a unique opportunity of being close to numerous ski resorts.  From time to time, SAIT organizes ski and snowboard trips with all possible support.

For me, being in Canada and not taking advantage of the amazing Canadian winter is like feeling the heat in Hawaii without enjoying the beaches. You know, when you go to Australia you make sure you try surfing, right?  So when you come to Canada, you do not have an excuse to miss all the great pleasures that come with Canadian winter!

Andrey Ustyugov is an International Student from Russia. Before joining SAIT to take the Petroleum Engineering Technology program, he studied foreign languages in his home country and worked as a translator/interpreter in Africa and Asia. You can reach Andrey at astafjev.forever@gmail.com  

What is home?

That is me at Bowness Park, in Calgary

[By Daniel Rodriguez]

Sometimes we think that “home” is far away from us. At the beginning, when we get in a different place, especially a new country, the first impression we have is “my homeland, with all my family, my friends, my culture is very distant”. Over the first weeks, it looks like we will never fit in a place where people speak a different language, eat different foods, think and do different things. It can be very hard to find a spot in a new place, especially when we have the feeling in our heart that “home” is so remote.

After a few months, we start opening ourselves up to this new place where we are. We start calling friends, not only those ones we miss from the place we came from but also these new people we have met in the classroom, people we have met in the streets… Then, we discover that the new food is actually great: we delight and enjoy so much as well as we enjoy the one we miss.  We start to see a new way to think and a new way to do things, which brings us a new perspective of the world and a new perspective of the life.

Suddenly, we realize that this strange place is becoming now part of us – part of our memories, dreams, and feelings.  We realize this place is now becoming our home. Like a song that I used to listen a long time ago says: “the wisest man is the one who knows that home is as big as you can imagine”.

In a very simplified way, that is pretty much what has been for me since I touched down here. On August 2011, it has been one year since I arrived at the Calgary International Airport to study at SAIT, thousands of miles away from my country.  At the beginning, I felt like a fish out of its fishbowl. However, I have learned that I can be more than a stranger here, I can be at home.

Daniel Rodriguez is currently taking the Journalism program at SAIT Polytechnic. When this Venezuelan guy is not writing, he uses to snowboard and to take pictures. If you want to keep in touch, e-mail him at: daniel.rodriguez@edu.sait.ca

To do list

My friends and I (right) during a trip organized by SAIT

  [By Jaitun Sheth]

Hello friends, my name is Jaitun Sheth! I am an International Student from India and I would like to share my experiences of the places you could visit in and around Calgary which could be new, interesting, and most importantly: affordable! 

1) When I first joined SAIT, I was very excited about the new school and the new things to do on campus so I started exploring and realized there is so much to do in our own school.  There is a hot water pool for around 12 people as well as sports like basketball, soccer, table tennis, and swimming provided in the auxiliary gym. Plus: there are many volunteer opportunities by which you can make new friends. I have visited every corner of SAIT, which included the welding labs, automotive labs, and, of course, my own campus – the Art Smith Aero Centre, which has 9 aircrafts and 3 helicopters.

2) Banff and Johnston Canyon: for people who like natural beauty and skiing, Banff is the place to be.  Lake Louise Mountain Resort, Sunshine Village Resort and Ski Norquay are the 3 skiing places for which Banff is known for.  Now imagine this: you are in a swimming pool which has a temperature of 39 °C and surrounding you are the snow capped mountains.  How does it feel? I can tell you: it feels relaxing and it is the most beautiful view a person can ever imagine. That is the beauty of the hot springs in Banff, AB.

3) Calgary Downtown: this place looks beautiful at night!  Besides enjoying the beauty of downtown, you can also go to the Glenbow Museum, find any Chinese product in a Chinese Market, or stop by Stephens Avenue where you can find all kinds of restaurants and some sculptures. But my favourite place in downtown is the beautiful Bow River Walk which can be seen as you enter downtown. If you prefer, you can enjoy rafting in the river.  And of course there are some clubs, pubs, and many food places which are open late night and that you can only find in downtown Calgary.

4) Surprise place: Calgary is the largest city in the province of Alberta and there are many places to explore here. There are at least 15 malls to visit. Among them, CrossIrons Mall is worth visiting.  Besides this mall, places like The Calgary Tower and the Calgary Zoo should not be missed.  One of the exciting things I used to do was to go on a random bus or get off at a random stop and walk around, you will find so many different things to see and it would really be a new and awesome experience. Plus: it would be free because SAIT already provides you with the transit pass for the semester!

There are still many places which I explore on a daily basis and I think you can do the same and enjoy your stay in this beautiful city. Let me know if you find any new and interesting place and we all might go and visit together!

Jaitun Sheth is an Indian International Student who is taking the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Technology program. If you want to contact him to find out more about Calgary and surroundings, e-mail him at: shethjaitun@gmail.com

The right choice

SAIT = people from all over the world

[By Felipe Alonso ]

Choosing a post-secondary institution is not an easy task, especially when it is in another country.  There are lots of things to worry about besides the institution itself.  For example, we have to be prepared to face culture shock in this new country as well as we must prepare for the new language, the weather, the local laws etc.  I had to think and consider all those things before coming to Canada.  After just over a year here, I can say I made the right choice.

Being a student coming from South America, I did not find Canada so much different from Brazil when it comes to culture or religion.  Aside from removing snow from my doorsteps or going snowboarding in the winter, I have been living a very similar life here in Calgary compared to the one I used to live in my homecountry.  Well, the weather can be a challenge sometimes… Coming from a country where it is pretty much hot all year round, I did find it hard to adapt to the winter time in the beginning, especially on my first day when I was faced with a snowstorm.  It can be fun though, and once you get used to it, you will realize that -5 °C is actually a pretty warm day here in Calgary.   And besides, there are lots of activities to do here during the wintertime such as skiing, snowboarding, ice skating etc. 

Even if you are not interested in any of that, SAIT has many activities for you to be engaged in during the cold winter days.  As an International Student, I found SAIT very welcoming.  The teachers are friendly and always ready to help.  I have met people from all over the world, even from countries I did not even know that existed!  And it’s always rewarding to work with them, because you always end up learning something new.  The campus is very lively and, as I wrote before, there is always something going on for everybody.  You know what? I really think that being left out is not an option at SAIT!

Felipe Alonso is an International Student from Brazil who is working hard on his second semester of Business Administration. He loves travelling, hiking, catching movies, and hanging out with friends on weekends! If you want to keep in touch with Felipe, e-mail him at felipealonsobr@hotmail.com