New fresh start after the boring long term

Few days ago, I was concerning with my part time job on campus for the food service. Unfortunately, it just like a dream; when you woke up in the morning everything seem disappeared. How can I get excited about my summer long term break, it seems to be a nightmare. Now, I am willing to wake up.

Always follow your plan is a good thing; you will get self-control, be organized, and have a meaningful day. Everything seems perfect, but it is not the reality. The reality is you may not have will to fight for your future even you were eager to fight for your life before. The long term break can take all of your will away; it is just like a killing machine. It will give you more pressure and destroy your dream life. This is not my purpose to be pessimistic, but it is just what I am feeling now.

International student learning the Canadian cultureI start to think that what if I did not stay in Canada. I might have a bunch of time to work as a tutor, model, or translator. Why I persist in staying in Canada? Actually, I cannot find out any reasonable arguments make me stay here. Maybe I have one argument; it is I want to be more Canadian. When I came back from downtown Victoria, I met my homestay mom and sister in front of the Best Buy. We were so amazed and happy to see each other. We talked a lot of funny things we did before. Like Halloween night, popcorn night, pajama night, Narnia night, and yoga night. I felt so happy to recollect last year stuff. It was one of the happiest memories in Victoria. My homestay sister and mom said, “ you definitely do not want to go back to China. You are so Canadian now.” I said yes without any hesitation, I do not want to go back and suffer from the fierce competition among the human resource market. I feel I do not even want to live in my old place. I am a confident, organized, and happy leader, why I want to go back to be a follower?

It is a compromise from my homestay sister and mom, it means I do not have to mind my poor English skills, bad accent; I can start to use my skills to survive in this world. I have capacity for making my life better and letting my family be proud. I am glad that after almost one year, I can be like a Canadian. I am so proud of it.

Even I can hardly find a job on campus; I will still try my best to get as many chances as possible. Before that, I will have a plan to buckle down on feeding myself by getting more knowledge from all kinds of books. It can be a magazine or a novel. It is strange that when I was in China, I was not a fan of any books. However, I am kind of addicted to books now. No matter it is a novel, magazine, or boring text books. I have patience to find out the messages that I need, and I am eager to get it. Victoria changed me; it makes me peaceful, mild, and patient. Therefore, it might be the most persuasive reason to make me stay here and fall in love here. I definitely will build my home in Victoria one day. It will be a warm and fabulous house.

I suppose to do something really fun these days. It is my chance to get close with every Royal Roads international students. I think I will come up an idea to organize another fun event with my dear friends. They are not only incredible, but also genius. I am kind of missing them now. It is nice to see them tomorrow; I think their short break is over now. We will have a great time tomorrow. It has been a long time since our PMP courses over. Everyone has their stuff to work on now. I hope they are fine with that. Since my favorite teacher Tam Uden has gone to Vancouver, the International Study Centre may have some new teachers join in. I am glad to meet them in the future. Now, I have to open my blotter, there still have few more things to deal tomorrow.

I am sending my best wishes to everyone I love now.

The importance of studying abroad

Despite the economic troubles of current times, international students world over are seeking higher education in English-speaking countries to polish up on their language skills alongside learning in their chosen fields.

Recently, Royal Roads University International Study Centre ran an essay contest amongst new applicants to understand better what international students look for in a degree from Canada. Entrants to the ‘Go Global’ scholarship competition, which ran in April and May 2012, were asked to write 250-500 words in answer to ’Why is a degree program with an international orientation more advantageous than a degree without?’ Two lucky winners have been chosen from the promising responses received.

First prize winner – Tatyana Tsoy from Kazakhstan

International student at Royal Roads University in CanadaTatyana, who intends to study the bachelor’s degree in International Hotel Management, says “I still can’t believe it that I took 1st place in this competition. I’m very happy!”

Essay excerpt:

In conclusion, degree program with an international orientation has an advantages such as share knowledge and experience, to know more about different cultures, meet people from other countries, and learn new language. People can share knowledge and experience between each other. Students learn more about different cultures. They meet people from other countries and their culture. International students learn new language. This is a good skill and helps in the future to become a successful in this world nowadays you have to know many languages. And quality of education and perspectives in other countries are totally different. That’s why people want to study in successful universities. From these universities diplomas are valued all over the world.

Second prize winner - Waleed Abuelzaki from Sudan

International student at Royal Roads University in CanadaWaleed, who will be taking the Bachelor of Business Administration at Royal Roads University, commented “Thank you very much for giving me this award. I hope one day I will be able to help students around the world to achieve their goal. I feel my dream came true and I am one of Royal Roads University students. My intention in coming to Canada for an education because I believe that Canada has the best education system and it’s the best country around the world for business studies”.

Essay excerpt:

The global orientation of the program will affect the academic, professional and personal life of the student, open new horizons for them, and allow them to act as an effective, aware and responsible global citizens … In other words a program with an international orientation should be able to introduce the international student to their new society and so facilitate their adaptation and melting in that new social and academic environment. This supportive assistance will take the edge of the stress off and improve the morale and mood, which are the psychological secrets behind success. Guidance and social support will improve the functional and academic performance of students and make them on ease to adapt and give their best.

Congratulations to both of the winners and welcome to the thriving international community at Royal Roads University International Study Centre!

Suffering Panic

After being busy with my Volunteer jobs in Victoria, finally I get a chance to have a breath. Most of my friends are coming back from China. They will start their new semester on campus. It might be hard and difficult. However, I believe they will smoothly go through it. Comparing with last year, all of us make a huge difference in English. No matter in writing or speaking, and we start to use our intelligence to create a bright future.

One of my friend he just starts his freshman year, but he is already worried about his future. Because he has no idea what he could do. All of us are wondering this question now. Because time goes so fast, we do not have time to be confused. We ought to know what we should do and spare no effort fighting for it. However, the reality is, what we consider now cannot be one hundred percent suited for our future. We cannot live in what we dream about. It seems frustrating, but it is the fact.

I doubt about my future. Even if I have a clear dream, I still doubt about the way to accomplish it. I am one hundred percent agreed that experience is the most important thing, if you want to have a high position in a fancy hotel. I positively think that I can start to get experience right away. Actually there are not any hotel will be glad to provide that chance. Economic storm not only make pressure on people who are having a stable position, but also have a negative effect on people who are just graduating from the university.

Why we cannot have a place for training university students and providing different type of work to most of students? Whoever has a right to study in Canada will be eager to find a training system. This system should be run by government and open to all of the university students. Giving them chance to learn and practice, instead of giving them pressure on finding their future job and paying their bills. Maybe it is just a dream, but this idea always in my mind. We cannot ignore that we will have more and more intelligent labors in the future. How can we deal with them? Maybe we will be in group as well. Fierce competition in the human resource market becomes a big issue, if we cannot find a way to solve it; most of us will not get any job in the future even if we have bachelor or master degree.

Victoria will not be a good place to find a job, here only have limited market and position. I think it will be part of the reason why here have lots of people unemployed. Every time when I check the online human resource market, I can easily find a large amount of people who are seeking jobs right now even they have ability and are legal to work. How can I describe this situation? How can we survive in this situation? It truly makes me worried about my future even a little bit panic.

I hope I can find a similar place to get more experience on serving people. However, I’m still worried that I cannot find any place. It definitely will make me feel frustrated. Life turns out like a battle, if you are not ready for this war, you absolutely will out. Do not even have chance to fight for you, do not even have chance to have a good life, do not even have chance to get more compromise. I truly do not want to be a person like that, so I want to force myself to get as many chances as possible and be ready for my future. Panic will explore your weakness and make you even more frustrated than before. I will try my best to calm down, and think an easy way to get rid of this situation. Maybe I need some help to figure out what I can do and what I am good at.

Suddenly feels that I am losing my confidence recently, it makes me weak. I am trying to recover from my panic. Maybe I need a chance to be what I used to be. I wish my friend will recover from his panic as well. Facing the reality, the only thing we can do is buckling down, gaining as much knowledge as we can. Then, keep practicing, be well equipped in the future. One more wishes: Good Luck everyone !

Barbecue party

We have already finished our final examination for almost three weeks. After the final exam, we decided to have a barbecue party at Goldstream Park in order to have fun together. All of my Pre Masters Program classmates joined in this activity; we definitely had a great time. Now, I want to share this happy with you guys.

Firstly, I went to the International Study Center in order to hug my favorite teacher Tam Uden. She will leave on May fourth. When she told me she would leave our campus, I started to cry. Because I suddenly found that I may lose a very important person I met in Canada. She is an energetic and passionate teacher. She always provides everything to all of the international students and encourages them to have a good performance in their program. I hope she will help more and more international students in the University of the British Colombia. Even if Tam will work at Vancouver, and we may not have chance to meet every day; I will keep in touch with her as usual through E-mail. She never goes to be far from us.

After that I went to my classroom where is on the second floor of the Grant building. I saw my friend Nidal, he was using computer to check his Facebook. I still remembered the first day at the Foundation Class; I saw Vince, Nidal, and Andrea. They were having Study Skills class. Nidal is so friendly and intelligence. We had been classmates for eight months, so I could confidently say that we knew each other well. Even if we always tease each other during every class, we still get along really well. Because we know that we will always be friends. He just likes my older brother, sometimes likes to do some foolish things, sometimes will be serious as well. I hope he will achieve his PHD degree in the Royal Roads University.

Then I saw Mike Horne, a very cute and funny teacher, in the International Study Centre. He has a great family, and lots of great students. He really likes our class, he thinks that all of my classmates are trying their best to accomplish this semester and we have not waste any time. We feel lucky to have Mike to be one of our English support teacher. Mike always says I just like his daughter. We enjoy to teasing each other as well. However, during his class I will be serious and try my best to acquire as much English skills as I can. He came to our class to say goodbye with us and emphasize that he would miss all of us.

Later, when all of my classmates all arrived at the campus, we took our stuff to go to Goldstream Park to have our barbecue party. It was my first time went to the Goldstream Park. I hardly had time to look around the Victoria; it was a chance for me to see the different part of Victoria. When we had arrived at the Goldstream Park, we took everything to the table. Then, Abdul started to cook. Even if I knew Chinese cooking style very well, I still did not know how to make a barbecue. Abdul took everything from the supermarket, and drove us to the Goldstream Park. He is a very generous and smart person. I hope he will be one of the Royal Roads University master students on September.

Everyone seems starving, when Abdul finished cook. I was not such hungry, because I could not eat too much things. I only ate one hamburger and one hotdog after that I feel so full. I could not believe that they can eat more than two hamburgers after they still can eat two hotdogs. I was so surprised. However, I could not eat anymore. Therefore,I decided to look around . I was fan of natural. This park had so many beautiful plants, flowers and fishes. I felt I was sitting in a small oxygen bar. It helped me to reenergize my power. Then, we went to a small museum to see some rare animals like bears and butterflies.

We had a great time together; it will be a great memory for this summer vacation. We took lots of pictures in order to keep this memory in our mind. I hope everyone enjoy it.

My experience at Royal Roads University

Right now is an exciting time for me. I am about to finish the first chapter of my Canadian study experience and begin the next. In about a week I will be taking my final exams for the last level of English at the Royal Roads University International Study Centre. Then I will be going home for a visit before I begin the Hotel Management program.

I am excited about the final exams because it’s a chance to show how much I have learned and that I am ready for the degree program. I feel good. I have been studying English for more than one year and what I have learned at Royal Roads has been totally different form the other schools before. It has made me more confident to face the challenge of studying for my degree.

 In Reading class I learned how to quickly read short stories or articles and summarize them well. In Writing Class I wrote many essays and learned how to organize my ideas and express myself in writing which made it possible for me to write this blog. Speaking Class taught me how to think on my feet, share my ideas clearly, and answer questions without preparing ahead. Listening Class helped me to improve my ability to understand the main ideas and important concepts in difficult lectures even if there are many new words. I also learned a lot in Study Skills including numerous new academic vocabulary words, important information about Canada, and how to be a successful student.

The most important reason for my success so far has been my great teachers who have helped me to improve my English and academic skills so much. So, when I take my exams next week it will be an exciting time because I will be able to show that I am ready for the next chapter, my degree studies.

This is also an exciting time for me because I will soon see my family and friends back in Saudi Arabia whom I have not seen since I came to Canada in 2010. I miss them a lot and I look forward to spending time with them and telling them about all the great experiences I have had here in Canada and the great friends I have made. When exams are finished I will be racing around to buy gifts to bring home to everyone. I also hope to travel to few more places in Canada and finally see a hockey game to add to my experiences. The visit home will give me a chance to rest and get ready for the next step towards my future which will begin when I return to Canada in September to begin my Hotel Management program.

All in all it has been a great year and it is an exciting time for me because I will finish the last part of my English studies, reconnect with my family, and begin the next stage in my education. It’s a time of change and challenge for me but with change comes opportunity and that is exciting. Wish me luck!

Four Months in Pre Master Program

Time really flies! This semester will have end on next week. I am trying my best to get an A, so I can not have any time to relax. It might be a disaster; but I certainly enjoy it.

Looking back to the beginning of this semester, I was making a tour for the students, who are coming to university in Canada from other countries. After the tour, I helped them to buy books and take the language examination. For the on campus tour, I do not have confidence to say that they all enjoy it. Anyway, I hope they found what they wanted to know at that time.

International students at Raoyal Roads University in CanadaAfter I had been working for the international study centre for a while, I met two of my classmates. They were from China, we all felt glad to meet each other. I think both of them will be the most memorable persons in my life. They make my life in Victoria become more and more colorful. They taught me how to be brave when you meet your love, and how to be a thoughtful friend as well. This semester will end soon. Although we will not be in the same program on September, we still will have fun and be together. You guys will be part of my life in Victoria.

Everyone in my class seems that they want to maintain this group, because this is our bright and warm homeland. We create it together, so it is pretty hard for all of us to say goodbye not only to our instructors, but also to our dear teammates. Therefore, we decide to spare our last effort together to give a perfect ending to this semester.

Firstly, we want to say thanks to our English Support Instructors (Mike Horne & Daniela Geremia).They have been encouraging and supporting us for four months. We have to say without their help, we cannot finish this semester perfectly. Due to their strong responsibility to supporting us, our English skills have been improved. We learned how to do peer editing and presentation skills. By the way, I hope all of us can get a high score for the final drafts.

Secondly, we ought to thanks professor Michael Pardy. Even if I thought he gave us too much challenges, but I still thought he was trying his best to make us better. Critical thinking is a difficult course, because it is not easy to teach people how to think critically. Actually, most of us are not a professional critical thinker, sometimes we will be controlled by our emotion and feelings, not our brain. Michael perfectly makes us understand this part; I think it is the most important part in learning.

Thirdly, we should thank our professor Gloria Miller. Because of her fabulous class, we acquired lots of knowledge not only related to run a successful business, but also related to become an ethical and critical citizens. If we become a leader of a company, we ought to use what we learned from the context of business class to help us to achieve the final target, which is having a sustainable and stable business system.

In conclusion, next week will be our final week. All of the examinations will start soon; everyone is preparing to show their best parts. We do not think our final case will be an individual work. We all believe if we can work together, the result will be incredible. Now, I am more appreciating to work in a group, it is not only helping you to finish your assignments efficiently, but also help you to finish your assignments effectively.

Additionally, good luck with everyone’s final assignments! Come on we will accomplish it perfectly!

Life on the Pre-Master’s Program at Royal Roads University

I have been in the Pre-Master’s Program at Royal Roads University for three months now. However, I did not think I talk about the life in this new team. I have been feeling pressure from class, work, and other activities. I remembered that last semester I said life should be busy. While now I want to say,”please give me some breathing time!”

As you think, the Pre-Master Program is not as easy as before. I have to spare no effort in every assignment and presentation. All of your classmates are taking their time to accomplish their goals. How could you say let us have fun? Even if I am the youngest students in our class, I still want to be one of the best students in my class. I force myself to think critically and logically, because it is a way of developing academic thinking. We suppose to be more and more professional, no more jokes and funny things. All of the students in my class are mature and intelligence. They are competitive. Sometimes I find it is difficult to the best students in this class, because even if I through myself in every assignment, I still cannot get the highest marks.

Sometimes I truly feel frustrated about myself, but I have to face the reality. The reality is I have to analysis why I cannot get the highest scores. The only reason is I still have to practice my thinking skills. Every time when I get an assignment, I do not ask myself about “five special questions”. It relates to my thinking process. If I cannot think completely, I cannot write precisely. It is important for academic student to write their paper precisely, we have to know well what we are going to proof. After that by using, which example can be excellent evidence? I think it is the most significant thing I learn from this semester.

Four months ago, I thought that writing one thousands words paper was the biggest challenge for me. While now I have to write more than two thousand words per week. That was the most difficult thing for me at the beginning. However, I can handle it now. Because I think I am familiar with English writing, no matter it is an essay or report. Writing for International Students Centre was a gift I gained from my dear teacher in last semester. It made me to focusing on using grammar correctly. Due to this, I have improved my writing ability. I still think my writing ability should become stronger.

Life seems only has competition and study now. If I can find a way to accomplish the rest of my two assignments perfectly, I will definitely feel glad about that. Maybe I can show it to my dad proudly. The pure meaning of compete is nothing relate to competition, it is improving and developing. If you find yourself always getting better than last time, you do not have to be disappointed. On the other hand, if you lost several steps, it might be a chance for you to analyze your problems. You cannot be frustrated and disappointed, you ought to cheer up find the problem and keep going.

I will continue on my way to figure out how to successes in the rest of two assignments. I hope everything can just follow my order. It is time to buckle down, no more distracting things. I am expecting to see my final marks at the end of April. I hope I could get everything done as soon as possible. The way that our professors treat us makes me think we are professional business students. We suppose to handle all kinds of real business problems and sustainability issues as well. We are training to be successful managers. Just as one of my classmates said“ everyone in this class will tend to be leaders in any companies.” If we become leaders, we will have more responsibilities and plans. We have to think more critically and specifically.

If you want to ask me whether your life change a lot this semester, I will definitely say yes. It has changed a lot. Even if sometimes I cannot find any time to communicate with you guys. I love the feeling to be treated like a professional businessperson. It makes me think that I am not far away from what I am dreaming.

Important people in my life

It’s really a good feeling when you have someone in your life that you trust or is helpful or smart, but when you have all these personal qualities in one person it’s a treasure and you should value them. They can also help you achieve your dreams; I have two people in my life who are helping me since my father died. I would like to introduce those people they are my brothers Saleh and Mohammed. Both of them help me a lot to study at Royal Roads University in Canada.

One of the most important people in my life is my brother Saleh. He is the oldest one of my brothers thirty-four years old, and he is a businessman. He has two lovely daughters. The older one is four years old, and the younger one is six months old. Moreover, my brother couldn’t complete his studies when he was at the university, because after he started at the university and finished one year, my father asked him to come back to work with him. My brother couldn’t reject my father’s order.

My brother Saleh started back to work. At this time, he was twenty-two years old.
He worked with my father for two years. After that, my father died. He learned a lot of things from my father while he was working with him. My brother is a smart man. He became a successful businessman after my father died. At this time, he became our father who helped me a lot when I was in school. He supported me to study and finished high school in my country. Moreover, he supported me with incentives. I remember when I passed the tests he always asked me what I wanted and he would go buy it for me. My brother helped me and supported me to come to Canada. Studying at university in Canada was one of my goals and I will never forget that it was my brother who made it possible for me to reach that goal.

Mohammed is my second brother, he is thirty-two years old. He has a diploma in commercial accounting. Further, he worked as accountant in international shipping company for five months. After he spend that time working at that company he realized it’s not a good idea to work, and he decided to help in the family business. Mohammed helped the family business for five years, and he got a lot of information about business. In 2007 he started his own business which is general marine supplier, also he is supporting me economically.

My brothers helped me and supported me to come to Royal Roads University in Canada. Studying at university in Canada was one of my goals and I will never forget that it was my brothers who made it possible for me to reach that goal. I’m really happy to have my brothers in my life who did, and will do, a lot for me. Having people like my brothers in your life will help you to reach your goals and be a successful person.

My life while I’m studying at University in Canada

How do you feel when you get the opportunity to travel and study far from where you grew up in? And what do you feel when you have spent a long time away from home? I’ve got the opportunity to travel and study from Saudi Arabia to University in Canada. I passed some difficult moments and moments of happiness too, having my friends beside me helped me to overcome the difficult moments and made me get the happy moments. Thinking about reaching my goals is the primary motivation to overcome difficulties and take advantage of them.

When I got the opportunity to travel to and study in Canada I was very excited and I had a lot of energy and was good and ready to study. When I was waiting for my visa I started to read about Canada to have some information about the place that I was going to study in. I received my visa after waiting for one month and I felt so happy, because it was one of my steps to reach my goals. Saying goodbye and looking for the home were the most difficult moments of my farewell

After I spend eight months in Canada, I started to miss my home and my family, both of them always make me feel homesick, so this is one of difficulties that I faced. Living far away from the place that I grew up in, far away from the activities that I used to do, and far away from the people that I love is difficult. Now I have been in Canada for one year, I still sometimes feel the same; however, my family always support me and my friends as well to overcome the difficult moments.

I am renting a house with my friends and my cousins which is good for us to help each other . Doing different activities with them every weekend and studying together during the week days make us busy to not feel a yearning for our home. I am really happy seeing them around me and all of us feel better together. If someone have problem all will be together to make him overcome it. Being with my friends and my cousins is a big supporting factor for me, I feel as what I feel in my back home. At the same time I am studying to reach my goals.

Off the top of my head, everyone needs someone next to him at least once or twice to help them and listen to their problems.Therefore, they will be able to overcome the difficulties of living especially if they were directed in the same situation in which I live. I need to be patient to settle down and to take the right road. The most important thing is if I want to push the envelope I need to keep my friends and cousins next to me to support me. Thank you for all who stay by my side in good moment and in bad times.

Missing my Mom and Dad

Me at Royal Roads UniversityFinally, I recognized that I have not been talking with my parents for a while. I have no idea what they are doing now. Maybe they are still like to argue with each other, or share their feelings together. They have been married twenty-two years. I cannot say that they never fight with each other, but at least they never say they do not love each other.

In their mind, marriage is not only loving each other forever, but also sacrificing themselves to their family. My father, who is a faithful person, always remembers it. He wants to give us a perfect life, even if others think that our family is perfectly. He is a hardworking man with a wise brain. I never have heard my father complained that he felt exhausted. He always says, “Even if we are not the richest people in the world, but our mind and heart is richer than other rich people.” I think he feels satisfied with his life.

I still remembered that before I came to Canada, he tried to persuade me do not leave. He said, “Baby, I will give you everything, why you still want to leave your parents and be independently? Would you mind staying with us have everything around you, just do not go to Canada?” How could I say no to my father? He just gives me too much love. How can I give it back? However, I should say no, I could not imagine that I will rely on my parents for my whole life. He was surprised at that moment, he thought I had already grown up; I could not be only his little girl.

Mom always likes to argue with dad, because she is boss all the time. Everyone should listen to her, even if sometimes her suggestions are not excellent. I think I am the judger of my family, only because I am the only child. When they cannot agree with each other, they will ask my opinion. They will vote who will win in this part and who knows me better. If I stand on one side, they will just act like two kids. The winner will be laughing at loser for few days. I think it might be a way to be young. I like to see them to laugh at each other. When they start to tease each other, which is the funniest part in my family.

All the things just show up in my mind, I cannot leave it. We have limited time to talk with each other. Sometimes I feel it torches us, because we can only see each other, we cannot hug and kiss each other as usual. This feeling will be expanded, when I get in trouble or be sick. Yesterday, when I had a stomachache, I was lying on the bed dreaming that my parents were here with me, they touched me as usual and said “Sweetheart, come on, drinking more water.” I was crying on the bed, because all these scenes could only happen in my dreams. However, I could not give up my choice. I ought to prove that I make a wise decision. Even if there are many difficulties, I still have to keep going.

I cannot be frail I have to be strong. If I am strong enough, I will not get hurt anymore. I can handle everything, and accomplish my target. To be a strong woman, this is not as easy as we think. Maybe I chose a tough way; maybe I will grow up through handling all kinds of problems. I hope it will not be so far away. Then, my parents can rely on me. Do not have to worry about me anymore.

Maybe it is my life, being busy. I love challenges, I love organize things. I hope they are good hobbies. God gives me these personalities, which means he wants to use my characteristics to make this society become more and more beautiful. I love the life in Royal Roads University; even sometimes, I miss my parents so much. Not everything can be perfect; the only thing I should do is be satisfied. I ought to be thankful because I get too much things from others. I am the lucky one.

Everyone should have his or her life and destiny, do not doubt just be youself!