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International Student Story Circle

Group photo of participants and attendees of the International Student Story Circle

Student Stories

In celebration of International Education Week, the Library and Douglas International hosted the International Student Story Circle on Thursday, November 17.

It was a wonderful opportunity to meet, mingle and learn about just a few of the many international students who make up a big part of the Douglas College community - to share where we come from and how our background, culture and journey shapes what we all bring and give to our learning and work here at Douglas.

We’re excited to share a few of the stories submitted by our International Student Storytellers below. Thank you to Lo Oliveira and Nathalia Romo Quezada for sharing their stories!

Story by Lo Oliveira

My name is Lo Oliveira (they/them). I am from a small town in the state of Bahia-Brazil called Jacobina, a city surrounded by mountains, rivers, waterfalls and other natural beauties. Its warm weather, the delicious traditional food and the vibrancy of its people are what I miss the most about my hometown. I moved to Canada in 2014 at the age of 24, after realizing that I was not passionate about my career path back home as a civil lawyer. I decided to leave everything that was known and comfortable to me – my culture, community, family and friends - to embark on an adventure of self-discovery. I was hoping to expand my career and education possibilities, and challenge myself to find out who I wanted to be and what was my purpose in the world. What made me want to attend Douglas College was how accessible, welcoming and accepting this post-secondary institution is to newcomers. One of the biggest challenges I faced moving to Canada was the loss of a sense of community and a sense of belonging. I struggled to make new friends and find people that were open to connecting. Other challenges I experienced were related to the language barrier and the feeling that I had lost my sense of identity, which was deeply associated with how I used to express myself in my native language. After finishing my Therapeutic Recreation degree program at Douglas, my goal is to become a certified Recreation Therapist, pursue a master’s degree in Clinical Education, and continue working in Academic Research. I want to be able to advocate for TR best practices and evidence-based programming in our health care system. What I love about Canadian culture is its progressive and inclusive values, celebrating diversity and the uniqueness of each individual. There is still a long way to implementing inclusive spaces, resources and services in our society, but I believe we are in the right direction. As a Brazilian immigrant living in Canada, I bring a unique perspective to the DC community. In Brazil, we say “meus amigos são seus amigos”, which means “my friends are your friends”. In my culture we embrace others in our circles, we make them feel welcomed and loved, and that is how I live my life, breaking the barriers to human connection through my work in recreation therapy. This is the career I love and am so passionate about. Thank you Douglas College for creating opportunities for International students to share their stories. I feel honoured to be able to share a bit of mine with you.

Story by Nathalia Romo Quezada

Challenges cannot be achieved without perseverance and support. After going through the isolation from Covid-19, moving to a different country with the excitement of making new friends, starting school again, and being part of the labour force in a foreign country was one of the most challenging things we could've ever done in our lives. Indeed, it wasn't easy; however, it has been the most rewarding experience and one of those experiences that makes you grow and learn about yourself.

By 2019, our generation had finished our bachelor's degree in our home country; all new graduates faced job laid-offs and shortages. Speaking as a Mexican woman who started her career in the field, she liked the most. It was hard to say goodbye to a job position where she would gain more experience. Still, I'd rather stay home and care for myself and my family. Now, I'm convinced that when a door closes, another one will open soon; something better is waiting for you.

One of the values I appreciate the most in Mexican culture is "family" and the willingness to help others. I will be eternally grateful to those who held my hand when I was afraid of taking this step, my brother and his wife, my sister, brother-in-law, aunts, uncles, and especially my parents. One of the most important news was the excitement of passing the English test, being accepted into the college, and getting my study permit. The bitter-sweet feeling of preparing the luggage, getting my things ready to move abroad, and visiting my friends and family to say goodbye helped me to realize that I was going to write a new chapter in my life.

On December 23rd, I arrived at Guadalajara's international airport with my dad, my luggage, and tons of dreams. The first stop was Mexico City, the last opportunity to take from the duty-free some Mexican treats. On December 24th, 2021, I arrived with all my papers ready to give them to the migration official and start my holidays in a foreign country, just waiting not to be forced to take the quarantine; I was fortunate and able to cross the border without any further covid restrictions.

Almost one year after my arrival, further than the academic knowledge that we've obtained going to school, all the personal development that we've achieved is incredible; not everything has been smooth sailing; missing family and friends became one of the most challenging parts but after a year of building friendships, get independent and learn from other cultures has allowed me to consider Canada as my home now, a place where I want to grow and develop my future.

Call for International Student Story Submissions!