How I spent the best time of my life in Vancouver

Hi everyone, my name is Anna. I am 21 years old and I spent the last three months in Vancouver. Going there was a rather spontaneous decision on my behalf because I wanted to get away for a little while. To be honest, Canada was not a conscious choice and more of a where-ever-my-organization-takes-me one. In the end, working with INTERNeX was a lucky coincidence.

My current home is in Berlin, Germany and I am doing my Bachelor in education. My main
reasons for going abroad were work experience and taking a break from studying. INTERNeX
found me a spot at a lovely preschool in Vancouver together with a homestay for the time being. Mainly, I assisted in supervising the children and all the other tasks that come up, e.g. laundry, dishes, clean up. The preschool I volunteered at is an inclusive one where classrooms consist of children with and without disabilities and/or special needs. Even as a volunteer I still needed organizational skills, patience, diligence and creativity. I loved that I didn’t have to be too strict but instead got the opportunity to play with the kids and experience their joy in learning new things. I consider myself very lucky to be able to work with colleagues who gave me a lot of freedom in getting to know the kids and how to best handle my work. Generally, everyone welcomed me with open arms and always stood by my side with advice and helpful words.

Spending three months in a different country is a bold decision. Nonetheless, I made that one very easily. I have wanted to go abroad for a few years now and finally took my chance. I knew that living in a homestay would never be the same as living at home. For me, that was exactly the point though — experiencing a different culture, living situation and work environment. It also sometimes means that not everything will work out perfectly. Problem solving is definitely a quality everyone should expect to use during that time.

Vancouver is a very diverse city with many possible activities. Downtown and also the rest of the city provide many opportunities for going out to restaurants, bars, clubs and activities like bowling, golfing, shopping or movies. Its location on the west coast of Canada means that there are several beaches with access to the Pacific Ocean. There is also a lot of nature to be found in Vancouver and surrounding areas. Many parks like Stanley Park or Queen Elizabeth Park are right by the city. Just an hour outside of downtown you can find forests and mountains which can be walked or hiked on numerous trails. Lastly, further up north are several snow topped regions during winter. Especially outdoor-lovers have a plethora of possible activities right next door. Personally, I loved the togetherness of all of those things. I could go out for drinks and dancing on Saturday and then meet friends for a hike on Sunday. The diversity of people living in Vancouver means that there are lots of choices concerning food, music and entertainment.

Additionally, INTERNeX provides students with at least two outings per week. On Wednesdays
there is always pub night, allowing people to meet and connect with each other and make plans for the weekend. Moreover, there is usually a weekend activity. In the past, those included fashion and art events, festivals, hikes, movie nights or sports events. During my time there we also took two weekend trips to Whistler and Sasquatch Mountain. All of those opportunities made it so much easier to make friends and find people with common interests. Without that I wouldn’t have met so many people my age that were as willing as I was to go out and do stuff. I have spent many nights laughing, dancing and having a great time with amazing people.

Let me tell you, INTERNeX makes it really easy to take part in excursions to see Vancouver and find people you like. I encourage everyone to spend some time abroad. I gained more work experience, learned many new skills, got even more independent and found a confidence I didn’t have before. I would do it all over again and stay longer if I could. So be brave and take that step!

All the best
Anna

How was the weekend?

Orcas, stunning sunsets and beautiful evenings with friends… Is there anything that sounds better to you? That’s exactly how our last four days went.

Let’s begin with Thursday. We met early for our pickup, got to know the other people that joined the trip to Vancouver Island and started our tour. After a short break at the grocery store – where we bought the necessary goods for breakfast and lunch – we took the Ferry to Vancouver Island and enjoyed the good weather on the deck and played ‘cards against humanity’. The 1.30h ferry ride passed by so fast and we started our journey to Tofino. On our way to Tofino we stopped at three different  locations. We went for a hike, saw  a waterfall, enjoyed our lunch in the sun and went swimming! Well, not everyone went swimming cause the water was freezing cold, but at least it was refreshing. As soon as we arrived in Tofino we went to a small restaurant and grabbed dinner. At the Hostel we moved into our rooms and went to the pier to watch the sunset 🌅. You would never believe what we saw there! It was an Orca family swimming really close to the pier right into the sunset, that was just unbelievable and truly magical. Afterwards we came together in a nice bar and had great conversations before  just falling into our beds after this long and exciting day.

On Friday we had some free time and we were able to book different tours like whale watching, bear watching, kayaking or surfing lessons. All of us booked one of those tours and really enjoyed it. In the evening we met at a restaurant where we started telling all the stories of our eventful day. Back at the hostel we played a few rounds of pool and some card games with the group to top off the second amazing day on the Island.

Saturday morning started early when we headed to Victoria. On the way we made some stops. One of them was Cathedral Grove Rainforest where we saw an 800 year old tree. We also visited the village of Combs with heritage constructions, gift and antique shops. Fun Fact: In the village of Combs goats live on the roofs. At the last stop on our bus ride to Victoria we were at a lake where we jumped into the clear refreshing water. Arriving at the Hostel we ate dinner and strolled through the city. Some of the group went to a bar, the others went back to the hostel for some awesome chats and card games.

The next morning started with a short optional bus tour through Victoria with our guide. The guide gave a lot of interesting historical facts about the city and places to go for our free time in the morning and noon. We definitely used our spare time by visiting the parliament of B.C., Beacon Hill Park (there are a lot of animals e.g. turtles, ducks, deers, squirrels and peacocks) and Chinatown. In Chinatown we ate something and watched the lions parade of a local group with traditional clothing and dances. In the afternoon we headed back to the bus and drove the ferry. At 8 p.m. we arrived in Vancouver and everybody started their way home.

It was such a beautiful weekend. We’re still impressed by the stunning things we were able to see. What did you do on your weekend? Tell us about it next Pub Night 🎉. We hope it was as great as ours.

Cheers,
Anna & Chiara 🙂

What to do on the weekend?

Guess what? INTERNeX is going to Vancouver Island 🎉and we’re beyond excited! On our trip we’re visiting Tofino and Victoria.  One thing’s for sure it’s not going to be boring. First we’re going to take the ferry over to Tofino – maybe we’re lucky enough to spot whales and dolphins. When we arrive in Tofino we’ll discover rainforests, waterfalls and giant trees. On the second day everyone can decide themselves if they want to join one of the tours (e.g. whale and bear watching, kayaking, surfing) or just enjoy the day in town, maybe check out some cute coffee or souvenir shops. If the weather allows it we’re going to have a beach campfire, of course with lots of marshmallows and a lot of stories from the recent days. On day three we’re heading to Victoria where we can enjoy the beautiful harbour by night. On our last day we’re going to stroll through the city and visit the most popular sights of Victoria. In the evening we’re going to take the ferry back to Vancouver. So stay tuned for our blog post on Monday to see how it went!

If you can’t join the trip to Vancouver Island there are still lots of things you can do, for example visit the Shipyards Night Market in North Vancouver. You can discover local treats and artisan businesses and maybe find something you never knew you needed. 😉 After your shopping tour on the market you can go through the variety of food offered there. While you’re eating you’ll be entertained with live music and you can even get some drinks in their beer garden. The Shipyards Night Market is right in front of the SeaBus station at Lonsdale Quay which – by the way – gives you an amazing view of the Vancouver skyline.

Our next recommendation is going mini golfing. You can practise this activity whether the weather is good or bad. There are outdoor Mini Golf yards e.g. at Hastings Street, Keefer Street or Seymour Boulevard. For the indoor Yards there is one in Elmbridge Way which is kind of cool because it’s black light Mini Golf. This activity starts at 6 CAD and you could combine it with some drinks or snacks as well. 🙂

We hope you’re enjoying your weekend as we’ll do 🙂

Cheers,
Anna & Chiara 🙂

New ‘Kids’ on the Blog

We’re so excited to welcome 6 new members to our ‘little’ INTERNeX family this week!

Here’s Nicolas (he/him) from Munich in Germany who’s going to volunteer in the field of Marketing for the next three months. He’s already been in Vancouver for a year of studies but couldn’t get enough which is why he’s back, very understandable if you ask me. He said he had the best time of his life here and a bunch of his friends are still around so he thought he’d come back before going to visit his family in Greece for a few months and starting to study Economics right after. We have a real Vancouver expert amongst us, so if you ever need recommendations you know who to ask. 😉 His favourite thing is hanging out at the beach, either English Bay, Kits, or Jericho. However, his first impression of Vancouver wasn’t really good. Upon arrival he had to go into quarantine for a few days and his luggage arrived delayed. The student accommodation was pretty bad he explains, but the people around him made his experience perfect in the end. I think that’s the key, it’s all about the people. This time only one thing is really on his bucket list: Clubbing. Last time he wasn’t old enough to enjoy Vancouver’s night life to the fullest, but that changed, so if you plan a night out, let him know. 😉 Aside from going out Nicolas likes to play soccer, travel and listen to music. Fun fact: His favourite memory from Vancouver was seeing skunks in the city. I admit they’re pretty cute, but I would keep my distance just in case. 😀

Alexa (she/her) from a place close to Hamburg in Germany will volunteer for three months in Marketing, mainly handling social media channels and planning events, how exciting! Before coming here she worked in an office and afterwards she plans on studying Business in Hamburg. Alexa has family in Canada, mainly in Alberta, but she’s never been there. On her bucket list she set it as a goal to maybe visit them, but she’s not sure how it will work out in the end. That’s one reason why she always wanted to come to Canada and I mean who wouldn’t? I’d love to have family here that I could visit anytime. 🙂 Her first impression of Vancouver is that people are very warm and friendly and that the city looks like in the movies. I’m not surprised considering a lot of series and movies were filmed here, even though they claim to take place in the United States. If you’re a movie lover I recommend looking into what movie scenes were filmed here in Vancouver. It’s super fun to find out and look for the places, plus you’ll get to know the city better through it as well. Her hobbies include playing the piano, cooking and baking traditional German dishes with her grandma and watching soccer. Her favourite team is Liverpool, and hereby the discussion is opened. 😉

Next up is Sophie (she/her) from Germany as well, but close to Frankfurt. She’s going to volunteer in HR for the next seven weeks. Back home she studies Business and plans on continuing once she’s back home. Contrary to Nicolas, Sophie has never been to Canada before but she heard so many good things about it that she wanted to come check it out, especially the nature.:) And so far Vancouver hasn’t disappointed, the people are friendly, the city is nice and the food is really good she says. She doesn’t have a bucket list for her short time here, she just wants to meet people, make new friends and see as much as possible from Vancouver and the surrounding nature. I believe that’s a good way of spending time here. Maybe you can tell her your favourite place to go to, or your must-do’s so she can get inspired. One thing’s for sure, it doesn’t get boring in BC! In her free time Sophie likes to ride horses and to go travel. 🙂

Let’s introduce you to Laura (she/her) from Germany, near Mainz. She’s going to volunteer at an organization that helps people who can’t afford lawyers to access one for little or no money. She’ll be taking calls and talk to customers, trying to find out if she really wants to study law once back in Germany. Right now she just graduated from High School and wants to use her free time to travel which is another reason why she’s here with us. At first she wanted to do an exchange High School year in the United States but Covid wiped out that opportunity for her. She’s been to the States before and thinks Canada is a bit similar but also has its differences which is why she picked it for her current journey and so far she has no regrets. When her plane landed she saw the mountains and it got her excited. She compared it to New York and says Vancouver is quite the opposite with all its nature around which makes it really beautiful. She wants to take everything as it comes and has no fixed plans on her bucket list, one thing she’ll explore this week is Vancouver Island and I’m really excited for her! It’s going to be an amazing trip! What a great way to start your adventure here. 🙂 In her free time Laura not only likes to travel, but she’s also a dancer (modern) and loves to bake. She has no favourite recipe but rather likes try out new things and challenge herself. 🙂

Another new ‘Kid’ is Ibrahim (he/him) also from Germany. He lives in Bremen but was born in Turkey. In Vancouver he is going to volunteer at a cat sanctuary. His children love cats and as soon as he is back home they want to get one. That’s the reason why he decided to volunteer in this field. Ibrahim wants to learn more about those cute animals so he’s prepared for their furry soon to be family member(s) 🐱. What a great way to approach this! He decided to go to Canada because he wants to gain international experience and improve his English skills which will help him find a well suited job in the future. Last time he spoke English was 6 years ago but I can tell he speaks really good English and doesn’t need to worry about it. 🙂 Another reason why he decided to go to Vancouver was because his brother is currently in Japan and so Ibrahim wanted to see the other side of the world. 😀 As soon as he’s home, he wants to work as a mechanical engineer. His first impression of the city was that the people are very nice and helpful. He will join us on the Vancouver Island trip which is definitely a great start to his journey here! We are looking forward to it! Besides that he wants to see the typical sights of Vancouver and discover beautiful known places. In his free time he likes to play soccer and volleyball which I can highly recommend doing at the beach! Anyone down for another match?

Please welcome Alina (she/her) from near Cologne in Germany to our INTERNeX fam. At home she loves to play with her dogs which is one of the reasons why she”ll be volunteering at an Animal Rescue Centre, she’s an absolute animal lover! She decided  to come to Vancouver because she wants to work with animals, gain some international experience and because it was always a big dream of hers to go abroad to North America. We’re happy she made that dream come true. 🙂 She already received her High School diploma and did an internship at a hospital for her later studies. After her time in Vancouver she wants to study medicine – but not as might be expected for animals, she wants to study medicine for humans. Her first impression of Vancouver is that it’s amazing, overwhelming and beautiful all at once. Luckily she arrived here with stunning weather – we want that weather back! ☀️On her bucket list are many things, especially the sights of Vancouver including UBC, Granville Island Public Market, but also places further away like Vancouver Island (she’s attending our weekend trip, so the first point of her list is almost completed;)) and Seattle. Her hobbies include going to the gym, roller skating, reading, especially medical novels and of course playing with her dogs. 🙂 

We’re excited to have so many new ‘kids’ with us for the summer and can’t wait for you to meet them at Pub Night! 🥳

Cheers, 

Anna, Chiara & Laura

How was the weekend?

What is better than two days of weekend? Right, three days of weekend! We definitely enjoyed the long weekend with lots of fun activities.

Friday evening some of us came together to start the weekend properly. We played some games and had some really good conversations. What did you do on Friday?

On Saturday there was the Holi festival🎉. Sadly none of us got a ticket for it but we still went to the Town Centre Park in Coquitlam. Have you ever been there? It’s definitely worth going, the park is beautiful! On that day there were three different food trucks. Some of us tried the food and had some drinks. Luckily we were able to see the people throwing colours in the air and the coordinators taught traditional Indian dance performances. After we enjoyed the beautiful weather and the festival we all became hungry and decided to grab some burgers. We found a good spot not far away from the park and stilled our hunger. We all learned something new as we wanted to pay cash: you can just leave the money on the table, instead of giving it to the waiter like in Germany. Fortunately the waiter clarified the misunderstanding.😉

After the actual weekend event with the sold out tickets for holi festival didn’t go as planned. We decided to do another weekend event on Sunday. We went to the largest night market in North America, the Richmond Night Market. The weather switched the whole day from sunny to cloudy. It seemed very dark but luckily there was no rain. After we entered the market we were surprised by the variety of the booths and the mass of people there. First we checked everything out to have an overview of the offered food🍱. As you might all know this was not an easy decision! Everybody grabbed their food and met at our table to eat together. After a little dessert we decided to go through the rest of the market and visited the gaming booths. At about 10pm we went to the train station together and went home. To sum that up we can definitely recommend visiting the Richmond Night Market with its interesting food and entertainment options

On our third day of the weekend some of us visited the Vancouver Lookout. After we bought the tickets we took the elevator all the way up. The elevator there is a special one because the front door consists of glass, so you can enjoy the view of the city the whole way up – not really suitable for people with fear of heights. The view on the top was amazing and the weather was great. After we walked around we headed back down. In our opinion Vancouver Lookout is also worth visiting, so go check it out when you have a chance. 🙂

We’re excited to hear more about your weekend at the upcoming Pub Night tomorrow!

Cheers,
Anna & Chiara 🙂