INTERNeX Canada: Culture Shock!

Hey everybody,

This weekend I want to tell you about my culture shock (experience) when cycling in Vancouver! The second day in Canada I bought a nice looking mountain bike via Craigslist.com. (for just $100!)  I’m used to cycle in The Netherlands and it’s a cheap and fun way for travels.

I thought, it would be easy to move around with a bike. I was wrong.. Vancouver is not that so flat as The Netherlands is. There are a lot of mountains and hills so sometimes the ride feels like a big challenge.
Everyday I cycle around 7 km towards downtown. In this direction it’s really easy. There are only hills that are going down so you can gain some speed! But after work, it’s a hell of a job to climb up those hills. I’m really glad that I bought a mountain bike with a lot of gears. Otherwise it would be to difficult 😉
Now after two weeks I get quite use to this route. The length of my ride is getting shorter and at the same time I work on my fitness as well!

When you are coming from the east the best cycling route is the Adanac Street. It takes you all the way towards downtown Vancouver! All the cars have to yield for you so this makes your route saver and faster. One important thing that you have to remember is wearing a helmet. In the Vancouver area it is permitted to wear one. If you don’t you will risk a fine.. It’s up to you!

Enjoy cycling in Vancouver and stay safe!

Have a good Sunday and enjoy,

Jelle

INTERNeX International Exchange
Suite 200 – 211 Columbia Street
Vancouver BC -V6A 2R5-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Phone: +1 (604) 662 8149
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

Grouse Mountain Hike! Part 2

Hi everyone,

Well like Laura said, the hike up Grouse mountain was brutal! But it was so worth it when you reach the top and  see the view. You appreciate it so much more because  it took so much effort getting there! But the hiking up the mountain is not all you can do at Grouse Mountain. There are lots of activities to keep you busy the entire day!

When we got to the top the first thing we did  was take pictures of the beautiful view, and to also take a much needed rest. After grabbing something to eat and sitting in the sun, we went to explore the rest of the mountain. We started walking and soon discovered that there is lots to do.

There was a Lumber Jack show, where they show you how they cut wood and how they climb trees with a band. When we arrived, the show had already started and was almost over. There was this very funny guy, pretending to be stranded on one of the big pole they use to show how to climb a tree. I won’t go in to a lot of details, you just have to go up there yourself, because it was hilarious! The show is hosted three times a day.

There was also a bird viewing show. We got to see some amazing birds up close. There was a bird that was doing it’s third show and did not want to cooperate and flew up an electricity pole. It took a lot of convincing from the trainer to get the bird down again. There was also an eagle and at the time of the show a wild eagle flew over and they started gawking at each other! It was a totally awesome show!

There is also a grizzly bear habitat. Unfortunately we did not see any grizzly bears, but there was a wild black bear walking around.  Because the black bear was walking around they closed the walking path to make sure that everyone left him alone. So we decided to take another walking route! And it was totally worth it!

Have you ever seen snow in June? And I am not talking about a little bit of leftover snow but enough snow to  make a snowman! So we did! Before starting on the hike we asked people who where coming back what they thought of the trail. They said that there was a bit of snow so we decided to walk anyway. But there was a lot more snow than we thought!  I had never seen snow in June before so that made it extra special.

At the end of the day we took the gondola back down. This was the only thing we had to buy that day. So we had an amazing day for only $5.00 (not including transport).

I really recommend everyone to go to Grouse Mountain! I had such a amazing time and I also recommend everyone hiking up the mountain. If you don’t want to hike up the mountain but would still like to enjoy a day at Grouse Mountain for $39. 95 you can go up and down the mountain with the gondola. This ticket also includes a ride on a chairlift, giving an even better view and access to all of the shows and other activities at Grouse Mountain.

For more information about Grouse Mountain, check out their website

If you want to see more pictures from our trip, click here

If you want some more information about how to get there, send us an e-mail at pr@internexcanada.com and we will help you out!

– Laura and Manouk

Grouse Mountain Hike! Part 1

All I can say is – WOW! Saturday was an amazing day! The weather was gorgeous and made it the perfect day for hiking. Five of us met up to enjoy the day and get some exercise! I’m glad we could hike it together, because I must say that having each other there for moral support was needed.

You know, when I thought about hiking Grouse Mountain, I expected it  to be a couple hours of fun and some good exercise. When we arrived at the bottom, and I looked up to see the clouds covering the top of the mountain – I knew then that it wasn’t going to be all that easy.

It was a grueling 1 hour and 40 minute walk to the top. There were markers along the trail saying “You have now reached the 1/4 mark.” When I saw that sign I wanted to cry! I was a lot more out of shape than I thought, and with Radek calling me “Grandma”, you can only imagine how unamused I was. However, those comments made me push myself hard and keep going to reach the top. I was so exhausted already but knew that the view would make it worthwhile. And did it ever.

All of Vancouver – and further – could be seen from the peak. Below, the Lionsgate bridge sparkled as the sun reflected off of hundreds of vehicle tops. Hiking Grouse is a truly amazing experience and I encourage you to hike it! I won’t say too much more so Manouk can write some of her experiences and what activities there were at the top of the mountain.

Get out there to Grouse mountain and hike the Grind! You’ll love it!

– Laura

INTERNeX Family Interview #4

What is your first name?
Patrick.

Where are you from?
I am from the Netherlands. More specifically it’s actually an Island in the South West, known as Zuid Beveland.

What languages do you speak fluently other than English?
Fluently?…just Dutch.

What position do you hold at INTERNeX? And for how long have you been working here?
I am the placement manager for the Paid Vancouver Placements and also a marketing coordinator. I have been holding this position for the past three years now.

What made you want to become involved with INTERNeX in the first place?
Well I started off as an intern actually and then I was offered a more permanent position once my internship had ended.

In what ways do you think INTERNeX is unique from other international placement agencies? What does INTERNeX specifically offer that no other company can?
Our motto actually highlights why we are unique; it says “Undersell and over deliver”. Yes we are a company that strives for profit; however, monetary gains are not our main driving force. Our entire team is dedicated to making our candidates better global citizens, so first and foremost we are all about our candidates. Secondly, I wholeheartedly believe that INTERNeX is always ahead of the market so we truly set the standard for this industry. We have led the way for other companies to realize that the path to true success is to customize the programs to the candidate not the other way around.

What changes within INTERNeX have you personally witnessed since you have joined the team?
Even though I have only been a part of this company for the past three years I have seen an innumerous amount of changes. However, I will highlight the ones that I see as the most important. First and foremost, our company, our systems, and our staff have become more professional. Since our expansion in terms of our international reach our work load and ultimately work hours have extended so no more leaving the office early to catch the hockey game haha. Secondly, in terms of our candidates the amount of things that they can participate in besides from the program in which they are placed has exponentially increased. And with this increase in activities I have really witnessed the fostering of a true community amongst our INTERNeX clients.

Where would you like to see INTERNeX in the next 10 years? Do you have any New Year’s goals for the company?
Well I would like to see INTERNeX as a global brand for our industry. We can set the standard on a global level and introduce our personalized services to the rest of the world. I would also like to see us sending Canadians abroad so we address both sides of our international exchange markets. And on a more personal side I am really invested in expanding and successfully promoting our wildlife/environmental volunteer program.

Tell us one interesting thing about yourself that not a lot of people know?
When I was twenty years old, my father, my uncle and I climbed a mountain in Africa. This mountain was called Mount Kilimanjaro and it’s actually the highest peak in Africa at 5,895 meters (19,341 ft). It took us seven days to climb this mountain because if we went any quicker we would have suffered from altitude sickness, which can actually result in death if you do not take the time to acclimatize.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
Hmm well there are many places that I would love to travel to but being a tourist in a country and being a resident are two very different experiences. But I would love to live in Pantanal, Brazil and open up my own eco resort.