France in 2016
I had the opportunity to participate in an exchange through the organization OSEF. I lived in Tours for three months of my grade 10 year with a host family. It was the first time I had been away from my family and I learnt a lot, primarily about my own priorities and ways I moved throughout the world. It broke down initial barriers and feelings of Canadian exceptionalism and showed me how small my vision of the world really was. Growing up in Kamloops in a largely homogenous community it is easy to fall into a feeling of “this is the only place that exists.” Thankfully my parents supported this early experience that changed my life in probably innumerable explicit and implicit ways.
Serving Food and Beverage at Mittz Kitchen
I have worked many jobs in a variety of sectors, many of which probably have more direct pertinence to education. However, I would rather focus on serving in downtown Kamloops. It is a workplace where everyone is working under such immense stress in order to fulfill customer orders. Yet, everyone is working together. Even when everything seems to be on the verge of falling apart, coworkers help each other and run around the alleys of the restaurant to place food on the tables. Everyone shares the experience of just trying to make it through the rush. I say this only half joking but if you can survive the stress of a brunch shift on a sunny Sunday morning, you can survive most intense moments life will throw at you. Also, in terms of tangible skills, this job has taught me organization, improved my memory, showed me how to prioritize, and most importantly how to de-escalate tense social moments.
France in 2020
Evidently, studying abroad once is really fortunate but I had the privilege to do so twice, this time in University. Even though I worked hard to be able to afford the exchange, I nonetheless always knew that my parents could support me if I needed, which provides a comfort many people do not get and reflects my class privilege. I studied at l’Université d’Angers and had an even more extreme shift of my view of myself, the world and my community than I had in 2016. I experienced immense cultural hospitality of my Moroccan, Egyptian, and Tunisian dorm mates who would invite half the floor to eat together in the shared kitchen. I witnessed the power of language and how English holds such supremacy culturally even when there are other common languages spoken that could be used. Almost accidentally, I became involved with activist movements through my friendships with student union folks. We (hilariously compared to Canadian institutions) protested educational costs (maximum 300 euros a semester for books), cafeteria food costs (7 euros for a three course meal), and student housing (250 euros a month). Our protests typically worked, resulting in the postponement of rising educational costs. These, along with countless other experiences, fundamentally changed the way I perceive and behave within the world.