New ‘Kids’ on the Blog

And that’s definitely great news.
Welcome to a new blogpost and a really warm welcome to our three new candidates, from Germany, the Netherlands and from Wales. It’s really great to have you here with us!! 🙂

Ladies first, so let’s start with Lena. I just had an amazing long talk with her today where she told me many interesting things about herself. Lena is 23 years old from a small town close to Hamburg. She already finished her apprenticeship in trade forwarding a few years ago and was able to gain work experiences in this field of work. Since she quit her last job and has some free time until she will start her new job at the end of October she seized the opportunity to spend her time in beautiful Canada. The moment Canada opened the border she decided to travel as soon as possible – and that’s what she did 🙂
With INTERNeX she’s participating in the volunteering program in the area of ecological conservation for 2 weeks. After doing some great work for the Canadian natural environment she’s planning a trip to Vancouver Island. She already rented a car for this week – bold AND independent 😉 She wanted to see Vancouver Island especially Victoria and Tofino since school but what’s travelling without saving money first?
For this time in Canada she worked four years and is now finally able to travel on her own independently while gaining some experience and improving her language skills abroad. She always wanted to get to know the Canadian lifestyle, the culture as well as the experience travelling alone and doing things she never ever did before. Sounds like a plan!!!

The next newcomer is Nico, 22 years old from the Netherlands; or actually also Germany but since he’s studying at Fontys, Venlo and lives in the Netherlands we’ll leave it at that. As a marketing management student he’s excited to gain experiences while doing a placement in his field of study. This placement is part of his studies which I think is a great opportunity to live abroad while studying. He came to Canada on a friends recommendation – and he actually has the advantage of having friends from Germany here in Vancouver. Besides that, he also made the decision for Canada because he wanted to explore the mentality, the nature and the Canadian culture. Since he already fell in love with this city, after his 4 months long placement he’s planning to stay longer to explore the country. Isn’t that great?
With this experience he aims to develop personally and professionally which might be important for his future. And there are definitely some more places on his bucket list – how could it be otherwise; the Rocky Mountains as well as Vancouver Island. As you can see these places are very popular and definitely worth a visit 😉

To complete these three; Welcome Tom from Wales.

He’s 21 years old and just finished his bachelors in media and communication at Cardiff university. Which means the second marketing specialist in our round 😉 He’s doing his placement in the same organization as Nico which I think is pretty cool since these guys can work together. Originally his plan was to stay abroad last year but because of the pandemic he also had to postpone. He chose Canada for multiple reasons; firstly the fact that most of Canada is English speaking made the communication for him as a native speaker so much easier. He’s also really excited to finally be in the country he wanted to travel to for such a long time and getting a first insight into Canadian daily life. For him it’s definitely a great chance to add some new experiences to his CV while learning so much from the people he’s working with. Additionally, Tom told me that his goal is to improve his confidence as well as living independently. But Vancouver isn’t the only place he’s going to visit. He’s planning on going to Banff, Whistler and if he get the chance to do a Rocky Mountains trip. There’s more… his bucket list also says; Toronto after his time in Vancouver. Sounds like a perfect trip.

I hope all of you guys have an amazing time in Vancouver 🙂

Enjoy!!!

– Tatjana

INTERNeX International Exchange
2005-689 Abbott St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 0J2
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

What to Do in Vancouver?

New week new “What to Do in Vancouver” inspirations 🙂

What is Canada without hiking? Do not miss the chance to explore the beautiful hiking trails in the Vancouver area. In this blogpost I will give you some insight into the huge variety of hiking trails with amazing views and the most beautiful nature you have ever seen.

Grouse Grind, Grouse Mountain:

If you fancy a hiking trip right on your doorstep take the Seabus to North Vancouver or a bus ride over the famous Lions Gate bridge to start your adventure on Grouse Grind. It’s a 3-kilometre trail to the top of Grouse Mountain.

From my own experience I can say that this is very exhausting but definitely worthwhile. The view over the city on top of the mountain is unbelievable.
Additionally, have a look at how fast some people have climbed this mountain – there’s a list on top it’s kind of crazy.

Lynn Canyon Park & Suspension Bridge:

This Park features several hiking trails in addition to the main attraction, Lynn Canyon Suspension bridge. It’s smaller than the famous Suspension bridge but it’s free and a beautiful place which is definitely worth a visit. There are trails suitable for every hiking level so just find your perfect trail and enjoy. It’s also a nice opportunity to spend your day in the refreshing 30-foot pool; a nice spot for swimming, having a picnic and of course taking a lot of pictures. There’s a lot more to discover, but you’d better explore it yourself. 😉

Quarry Rock Hike in Deep Cove:

This trail starting in Deep Cove at the Baden Powell trailhead is a really popular hike in North Vancouver and definitely a place where you’ll meet a lot of tourists from all over the world. It’s around 4 kilometers long so it is possible for most hikers. Even if it’s a slightly shorter hike the view leaves nothing to be desired. On this all-season hike you’ll have an amazing view of Indian Arm (that’s why it’s sometimes called Indian Arm Lookout Trail).

St Mark’s Summit:

As a part of the Howe Sound Crest Trail this 11km round trip hiking trail gives you the opportunity to take a longer walk (around 5 hours) and experience Canada’s amazing nature while enjoying spectacular views of e.g. Howe Sound. So, if you’re ready for a more challenging hiking trail; this is certainly a good option.

Joffre Lakes Provincial Park:

Maybe you’re thinking about which trail you have seen on the countless pictures with the crystal-clear blue lakes on Instagram? That’s definitely Joffre Lakes Provincial Park.

For this hike you should plan more time, like a whole day, since it is a bit further away from Vancouver and you need a car. It’s one of British Columbia’s most beautiful hikes where you can pass and discover all three beautiful lakes in one trail.

Hope you will enjoy your hiking trips when you get to Canada. 🙂

– Tatjana

INTERNeX International Exchange
2005-689 Abbott St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 0J2
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

What to Do in Vancouver?

Welcome to Part 2 of the “What to Do in Vancouver” edition…
There is so much more to Do in and around Vancouver. Let’s continue with further amazing attractions.

Granville Island: take the Aquabus to Granville Island, a large market where you can enjoy good food and drinks as well as arts, culture and shopping. There is a huge public market open every day 9am-6pm. It’s kind of a hotspot for tourism and entertainment. Have a look what we did here on our March 9, 2020 blogpost. But that’s not the only market worth a visit. There’s the Richmond night market with a lot of Asian food. You can try many types of food you may not have experienced before. Some are really exotic but it’s definitely a great experience to taste something new.

Museum of Anthropology at UBC: Attention all culture lovers and those interested in history. Plan your trip to this museum to find out more about the First Nations people as well as other cultural communities in British Columbia. There are several exhibitions that invite you to explore new cultures.

English Bay and Sunset Beach: beautiful beaches to relax with friends or have some action while stand up paddling or taking a refreshing dip in the sea. There are also nice restaurants like the Cactus Club Cafe.
As the name already mentioned it is an awesome place to watch the sunset.

Directly next to English Bay is Stanley Park, Vancouver’s largest park in the middle of the city. This place invites you to relax and cycle or skate the seawall. Enjoy an amazing view of Lions Gate bridge, the mountains, and the sea. Additionally, it’s a good opportunity to find out more about local wildlife, plants and visit the Vancouver Aquarium with over 50,000 marine animals. Sometimes there’s an open-air cinema as well which is really fun.

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Queen Elizabeth Park: Just a few minutes by bus from downtown is Queen Elizabeth Park which is almost full of activity. It’s located a bit higher so you can also enjoy a quiet minute while having a nice view over the city. On your way to this park, I can definitely recommend to stop at La Casa Gelato. They offer more than 200 ice cream flavours and of course some are unusual, but I would give it a try. To make this hard decision ( 😉 ) easier, you can try a spoon of any flavour you like (of course, except in this pandemic).

China Town: Explore the vibrant culture, taste the exotic food or visit classic Asian speciality stores in Vancouver’s traditional China Town. When you enter this part of the city through the magnificent gate, you will feel like you are in another world.

Hope i could give you some inspiration 🙂

Cheers,

– Tatjana

INTERNeX International Exchange
2005-689 Abbott St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 0J2
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

Candidate Exposé – Lukas Hug

New week, new candidate – rather a new “old” candidate.

I am happy to present the story of Lukas, our previous INTERNeXer 🙂 glad he shared all his special memories with us.

Today it’s all about Lukas, a 25-year old student from Germany. During his time in Canada he did his bachelor degree in economics but now he’s already finishing his master’s degree in Finance and Accounting in Munich. Originally, he’s from the Black Forest. Additional fact 😉 – in his free time he likes to play soccer by the sea.

First things first, he enjoyed his time abroad very much. Since he wanted to work and live abroad for his entire life, the day Timothy visited his university and did a presentation about the programs INTERNeX has to offer, made Lukas’ decision. In this context a huge thank you to the INTERNeX team for making this opportunity possible for him. He did a practicum with a wealth management company which is a common company especially in Canada and the US. Primarily his tasks were to organize and taking part in networking events mostly to get new clients as well as recruiting and consulting tasks. He also did some office organization jobs which definitely sounds like an interesting and varied workday.

Furthermore, he enjoyed being in a multicultural department with 4 guys from France, England, Poland, and Russia helping people to invest and save money with e.g., retirement plans or providing support in insurance tasks. There’s not only one thing that was the best about his stay in Canada, it’s a collection of memories. He really enjoyed being surrounded by friendly open-minded people who are always polite and tolerant. Because of this it was always easy to get to know new people from all over the world. For him it was not only about improving his language skills, but also getting work experiences in an international atmosphere. Another interesting fact he pointed out is the difference in financial planning between Germany and Canada as well as the different processes being used. This practicum helped him a lot to see finance from another point of view.

From the first moment on, Vancouver was a big adventure for Lukas. It all started with waiting for 5 hours at the immigration office because they were so busy. After that, he was able start to enjoy his stay with a BBQ at Kitsilano Beach organized by his host family. It was a great chance to get to know each other.

He enjoyed many of the INTERNeX events such as almost every pubnight on Wednesday. Additionally, he participated in a soccer club which is a funny story…. On his way to a hiking trip to grouse mountain he just spotted some guys playing soccer. He watched them until one of them asked him to join. He didn’t wait to be asked twice. From this moment on he was part of the team and participated in the training and games every week. He also enjoyed all the hiking trails like Garibaldi Lake or Grouse Mountain where he enthusiastically enjoyed the amazing view. However, for him, the Rocky Mountains trip was next to his trip to Victoria to meet some friends, for sure the best experience.

In his words he gave 5 out of 5 stars to the INTERNeX Team, his experiences, and the whole stay in Canada!!
Thanks Lukas

Have a great week 🙂

Cheers,

– Tatjana

INTERNeX International Exchange
2005-689 Abbott St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 0J2
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

Candidate Exposé – Helena Lauterbach

Wouldn’t it be great to share stories of previous INTERNeXers and see what they have experienced so far? I definitely think it is. So i want to introduce you to a good friend of mine who had the unique opportunity to get to know beautiful Canada (with me) a couple of years back. This is Helena, 22 years old from a small town close to Bochum in Germany. She’s currently studying environmental engineering which she started after her stay in Canada. She definitely decided to come to Canada for multiple reasons. On the one hand she wasn’t sure what exactly to study , so she decided to go abroad for a gap year. Yes, she stayed in Canada for a whole years which i think is absolutely amazing. She also had the aim to improve her language skills and since people in Canada speak English and French it was a great way to learn both languages. Moreover, she also wanted to meet new people from many different cultures. Additionally, she had heard a lot about really friendly people and the gorgeous landscapes in Canada which made the decision for Vancouver much easier. Who would say no to live in a country that has so much to offer?

During her stay in Canada it was kind of a “half and half”. Initially she participated in the practicum program where she did an unpaid internship for 6 months. She stayed at a staffing company based in the middle of downtown Vancouver. Maybe you can spot the big “W” when being there. That’s the building she worked in. Her tasks were to support this company with employing people and organizing promotion events.
Since she wants to work in an international company and speak English more fluently, this practicum was really useful for her career goals. She also became more independent in handle new and sometimes even challenging situations with different kinds of people.
After her practicum, she participated in the work and travel program. During the winter months she worked as an lift operator in Mount Seymour which came with the free ski pass for the whole season and for other locations such as Cypress Mountain as well. This was a really great experience and is highly recommended by her.
She told me that she made countless beautiful memories in Canada, but the Rocky Mountains trip was definitely one of her highlights. In addition, the view from Mount Seymour over the whole city Vancouver while lateshift was pretty amazing.

Of course, she also joined a few of the INTERNeX organized events. At the beginning of her stay she participated in the most because through these she got the nice chance to get to know people more easily and to establish contacts with people from around the world. She would have liked to take part in more pubnights, but as an 18 years old it wasn’t always that easy.
Side fact: In Vancouver you’re an adult from the age of 19.

But she could enjoy a few and also many other activities such as the open air cinema, a biketour in Stanley Park – yes as you can see in the picture we had a lot of fun – and beautiful hiking trips. Of these she liked the Garibaldi lake, Squamish Chief and the Joffre Lakes Provincial Park the most. She also went skiing very often (because of her job 😉 ), had BBQ’s at lakes and visited Vancouvers beaches. On the weekends she exploited the opportunity to go to Vancouver island, including Victoria and Tofino to explore the beautiful area out there. This definitely sounds like a great time and an incredible stay in Canada. After these experiences Helena told me that she’s highly motivated to travel more. She also wants to say thank you to the INTERNeX team for the help in preparing her time abroad especially with the work permit but also for the great opportunity to meet amazing people and see new wonderful places.

Hope you enjoyed our first Candidate Exposé after such a long time.

Cheers 🙂

– Tatjana

INTERNeX International Exchange
2005-689 Abbott St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 0J2
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com