Among my 5-month stay here, I benefit on both areas – studying and life.
This two-term study experience will be extremely helpful for people like me who are going to finish their master degrees abroad. Now I have a clearly view for the same and different points between Chinese and Canadian university systems, and so does my field. To be honest, it’s a little difficult for me to catch up with professors’ idea at first. It will require time for everybody to get used to. And the only difference between people is how long it will take you, for me, at least 3 months. During that time, I went to either DC or DP 5 hours every day reading books regarding my course, which I never did in China, and I still thought it was not enough. I finished my first project in Canada, and when I handed it to the professor, he asked me “you are the first student in my class to hand in the project, why you are in such a hurry?” I always think I’m here just like an Airborne Force, there’s no course for you to prepare or warm-up, everything is for me is the same like other 3rd year mechanical engineering student, so I have to work twice harder than others. That’s why I finish the project 1 week before the due date. I also had a wonderful time working on the lab with my team.
I feel so lucky that I can stay and live with a Canadian family. Here I can spend my weekend like a real Canadian. I checked every flyer and decide which super market is the ideal one for shopping. I was invited to be one of the family members during festivals like Thanksgiving, Christmas. I prepared presents for everybody. Those present are the souvenirs I brought from my hometown Nanjing China and people here love them very much. I knew Kitchener City Hall were recruiting volunteer for torch relay of the 2010 winter Olympics and they put their advertisement on a magazine. So I went to the city hall and had an interview there. Very unfortunately, there was virus in my computer and I can’t receive any emails, I even didn’t know I got the position several days after the event. But anyway, thanks for all the people help me get this position. I have been to Ottawa during the vacation and I am planning to visit Montreal, Quebec City in reading week, and Vancouver on my way back to China.
Thank you for letting me share my time here with you.