Capilano University Students Blogging Abroad

I am now nearing the end of my semester at Inseec, with two weeks left. Wow, feels like just yesterday I was driving into Bordeaux, eyes wide in amazement, and moving into my new apartment. These past two months have just flown by, especially with March being the intense party month (all the student campaigns going on… meaning they compete with each other to throw the best parties and events! And they have to do anything you ask… want a massage? Or McDonalds when you’re hungover? Or someone to come clean your flat? They will be there in a jiffy to get your votes at the end of the campaign). I am so grateful and happy to have called this amazing city my home the past 3 months, it has been a blast and I could definitely say that this has been by far the best semester ever! It does make me really sad however, to think that it’s almost over and I am going to have to say goodbye to some great friends I have met here, as we all continue on in our life journeys all across the worl

When first arriving in Switzerland over two months ago, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was in store for. Since then, I have fallen in love with this country and every thing it has to offer! Zurich Right away, I felt at home here in Olten. Switzerland as a whole has many similarities to Vancouver such as the landscape and the pure beauty of the country. It felt comfortable, almost too comfortable at first however, within the first couple weeks I started to notice many differences. The most obvious is that they speak Swiss German, which might be the most confusing language to get adjusted too. It’s another breed of German, which was very challenging at first, but you pick up on it as you go. The other staggering difference is just the cost of every day things. At this point it’s humorous, but if you don’t know tricks it can be startling. But don’t worry the price is worth the admission.  Luzern What can I say about Olten? Well, its small… but has a lot of character

Here is a little (not so secret) secret about why I decided to take part in the Study Abroad program: I did it for the travel opportunities! I am a travel junkie and one thing I have learned in the past and have most definitely relearned during this trip is to, "Embrace every and all opportunities you can." For me that statement has more to do with traveling but it also has a lot to do with activities and events within Bordeaux and INSEEC itself. However, for the purpose of this blog entry I want to truly express the travel opportunities that are possible when you partake in a Study Abroad in Europe.  Disneyland in Paris     During this Spring semester I have been lucky enough to travel a lot! Alex, Chiara, and I started off with a small adventure on a weekend trip to Toulouse and Carcassone. Little weekend/day trip opportunities are in abundance when situated in Bordeaux (St. Emillion, Archeon, Medoc, Rochelle, Paris, Toulouse etc) are all within a short trai

My first month in Vienna has been a total culture shock.   Living in a city where most people do not speak English, or just choose not to, is extremely challenging.   This can sometimes be a good challenge, and sometimes hard.   What I was most shocked about upon arrival was how difficult grocery shopping is.   The labels are all in German with little to no English translation.   Grocery shopping has become a task that takes time, which back at home is considered simple.   One noticeable difference between Vancouver and Vienna are the people.   The people in Vienna are very unfriendly (it’s a very true stereotype), whereas people in Vancouver are seemingly some of the friendliest in the world.   I’ve learned that taking a coffee to go is very uncommon, whereas at home, everybody on the street has a coffee in their hand.   The public transportation in Vienna is amazing.   You can get anywhere in the city within 30-40 minutes, extremely easy.    Vienna definitely has the