What to do on the weekend?

Even though I’m not the biggest sports fan I’m quite excited for this event! INTERNeX is going to watch the Canada Sevens today! For all of those who don’t know, I’m talking about Rugby. It’s a major sports event but more than that it’s also a big party where people dress up and celebrate all day long. That’s really the part I’m looking forward to. 😉 Friday the tickets are much cheaper than the rest of the weekend which makes it the perfect day to go for a broke international student. If you can’t go with us on Friday, or are more interested in the big final on Sunday there’s still a chance for you to order tickets online. If you need a costume, just let us know and we’ll find something for you. 😉 Either way don’t be surprised if you see weirdly dressed people on the Skytrain or around Downtown this weekend. 😀

If you’re looking for something more cultural to do, I have the perfect event for you: The 16th Annual Coastal Dance Festival in New Westminster. Use the day to go for a walk, explore this area of Metro Vancouver and finish at the festival. Honour and learn about Indigenous stories, song, and dance from the Northwest Coast of Canada and around the World. The CDF ‘provides an opportunity for Indigenous artists to share and support one another in a celebration of song and dance, bringing recognition to their unique and diverse cultures and showcasing their artistic strength. Audiences are invited to witness these practices to see that Indigenous arts are thriving and vibrant.’ To me, this is a great way to immerse yourself into another culture. Here are some more information for you:
https://damelahamid.ca/coastal-dance-festival/

Want to travel around Canada, but have no money? No problem! Why don’t you try ‘FlyOver Canada’? With advanced technology to showcase thrilling captures and authentic footage of real locations, you’ll experience those places as they truly are. On top of that special effects like wind, mist and scents make it seem even more realistic. There’s flight motion seats, the floor will disappear underneath you, so your feet are hanging in the air and the wraparound screen gives you amazing views wherever you look. I did it once and thought it was absolutely crazy! I enjoyed it a lot despite the weird feeling it gave me for like 30 seconds because I’m very sensitive to motion sickness. 😀 The ride is relatively short but definitely a cool experience and a great way to explore Canada without actually leaving Vancouver. 😉 The cost is affordable with about $35. At the moment they also offer ‘Hawaii from above’, in case you’re sick of this rainy weather and would like to escape for just a moment. 🙂

As always I’m excited to hear about your weekend at our next Pub Night.

See you then,

Laura 🙂

New ‘Kids’ on the Blog

Who wants to meet our new INTERNeX crew members?

Let me introduce you to Lia. She’s from Herten in Germany and here with us for six weeks to volunteer at an animal resource centre. Back home she studies English and Geography to become a teacher. Vancouver wasn’t her first stop, she’s already been to Alaska for two weeks prior to coming here. There, she went on an expedition with her university, how cool is that? Her experience however was rather shocking. While the landscape was stunning it was the culture that gave her an uncomfortable feeling with easy accessible guns that made it possible to have shootings for fun in the backyard. The happier she was to finally come to Canada where she so far experienced that people are really nice. Her best friend who stayed a year in Winnipeg told Lia about her great time here and convinced her to see for herself. On her bucket list are Lake Louise, Capilano Suspension Bridge and other hiking trails around Vancouver. She loves exploring, hiking, playing volleyball, sports in general, cooking (especially pasta bolognese) and reading. Let’s make the six weeks count and show her how great Vancouver can be. 🙂

I’d also love for you to meet Isabel. She’s from Germany, near Munich and staying with us for two months to volunteer at a pre-school. Back home she’s studying to become a teacher in English and Arts. It’s her first time in North America and she picked Canada for various reasons, e.g. she likes the accent, plus she heard many good things about this country, that people are friendly, it’s safe with a high educational standard and there’s stunning nature around. I would say she isn’t wrong. 😉 Her first impressions confirm her expectations, she thinks Vancouver is beautiful with a mix of modern and historic buildings, the surrounding water and mountains almost everywhere you look. On her bucket list are visits to museums (especially arts) and parks, so if you have any recommendations send them her way! In her free time Isabel plays the piano and e-guitar. Additionally, she loves to paint and watch fantasy movies. Seems like we have a specialist with us, maybe she can be a great help on one of our trivia nights. 😉

We’re excited for the two to join our INTERNeX family! Make sure you say hello at our Whistler trip or next Pub Night!

See you there!

Cheers,

Laura 🙂

TOTAL RECALL 2022 – Part III

Here it is, the last week of 2022! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I’m always still in the holiday spirit a couple days after, so I’d love to tell you about our most recent Pre-Christmas events to let it last just a liiittle bit longer. 😉 If you haven’t read the first two parts of our year review here are the links for you:

Part I: https://internexcanada.wordpress.com/2022/12/14/total-recall-2022-part-i/

Part II: https://internexcanada.wordpress.com/2022/12/21/total-recall-2022-part-ii/

So, here we go:

The closer winter came the more our Halloween activities shifted into Christmas/Winter. 😉 Have you been on the Christmas Market, or to the VanDusen Botanical Gardens Festival of Light? I love these kind of activities to get me in the mood for Christmas, they light up this dark cold winter time and help me stay sane. 😀 Or have you been to a Canadian Ice Hockey game yet? I can highly recommend it, even if you’re not too familiar with the sport it’s a great experience and who knows, maybe you’ll walk out of the arena as a new Canucks fan. 😉

Our last bigger trip this year was to Whistler, but this time for ski season! We had a nice hotel with a jacuzzi in every room which was really nice at freezing outdoor temperatures of -14 degrees! The weather was cold, but beautifully sunny. The first day we went on a stunning snow walk around the golf course, it looked like a real winter wonder land. The main event was obviously the skiing on the following day and for real it looked amazing, plus Whistler is also known for its great Apres Ski parties which many of us enjoyed. 🙂

Now 2022 is coming to an end and to conclude, the year has definitely been challenging with all the changes the pandemic has brought with it, especially in the tourism industry, but we can proudly say we had a great year with lots of adventures, learning curves, and most importantly awesome people.

We are grateful to be back and we want to continue helping you grow through your experience here with INTERNeX in 2023. Off to a new chapter! We wish you all the best for the next year and all the years to follow!

Did you set yourself any challenges for the next year? How has this year been for you? What was your favourite event/trip this year? I recommend sitting down for a minute and really think about what you’ve achieved and how much you’ve grown, it makes you really excited to see what’s coming next, doesn’t it? 🙂

Lots of Love,

Laura 🙂

What to do on the weekend?

We are getting closer and closer to Christmas, who’s excited for the Holidays?
I sure am. This weekend I have a few great suggestions for you on what to do.

The first one is the Christmas Cabaret which will be an immersive experience with the theme of Light, Love and Liberty. Guests will explore a labyrinth like space filled with live music, weaving voices, corridors of original paintings, movement artists, all flowing inviting the audience to come on magical journey for a few hours. There’ll be wine & cheese, coffee, hot chocolate, mulled apple cider and other Christmas goodies, perfect to get into the Holiday spirit. Be prepared for 11 musicians, 6 actors, 3 movement artists and 4 painters. See what Vancouvers art scene has to offer and maybe take a walk along the beach beforehand. 🙂 The price for this event is by donation, recommended is around $25, but really just see for yourself how much you’d like to give to support the artists. 🙂
Let me know if you’d like to join. 🙂

Link: https://youtheatresociety.com/2022/11/04/christmas-cabaret/

Maybe you’re not into arts? I have a few other events that could prevent you from being a Grinch this year. A bunch of you asked me about the Capilano Canyon Lights and it’s for sure nice to experience. If you want to go to the Capilano Suspension Bridge I’d go during this time rather than in summer time. It just has a nice touch to it, kind of like walking through fairy land if you ask me. But be prepared for crowded paths, like almost every event here in Vancouver it gets quite busy. The entrance fee is $62.95 plus tax. You can get there free with a shuttle bus that leaves from Canada Place. Make sure to buy your tickets online in advance for the planned date.

Link: https://www.capbridge.com/events/canyon-lights/

If your budget is low because you’ve been buying lots of Christmas presents I totally understand! How about a nice stroll through Stanley Park? I feel like that’s always a good idea to spend the weekend. There’s of course the seawall, or different paths through the forest, just make sure to stay on the path and give wildlife its space. 🙂 The weather will be sunny, so make sure to catch the sunset on your walk and maybe you could end up at the ‘Bright Nights in Stanley Park’. Volunteers of the Burn Fund set up their dazzling displays including an antique fire truck, a giant red reindeer, and a sparkling tunnel of lights in the plaza. There’s also going to be food vendors offering churros, pretzels, popcorn, hot chocolate and more for a cozy evening in Stanley Park. Enjoy some live entertainment and donate as much as you’d like to support the Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund when you leave this event. 🙂

Link: https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/bright-nights-train.aspx

Whether you decide to immerse yourself into the Holiday spirit, go last minute gift shopping because I just reminded you that it’s next weekend, or avoid it all by watching movies in bed, I hope you have a great weekend!

Let me know how it went at next week’s pub night. 🙂

Cheers,

Laura 🙂

New ‘Kids’ on the blog

This week we have some new candidates joining our INTERNeX Family! Let me introduce you to them! =)

Starting things off with Fran (short for Franziska). Fran is 24 years old, from a town near Cologne in Germany. Here in Vancouver, she’s doing her practicum for about 4 months at a company which runs its business in cultural development. Back home in Germany she’s currently studying multicultural communication at a university. After her internship she wants to go on a vacation for 1 month in Texas to meet a friend there. She chose Canada because she enjoys cold temperatures and the vibe they create. She skies since she was 3 years old and has a deep passion for the cold, plus she wanted a change of environment, which she’ll definitely have here in Vancouver. Unfortunately her first impression was influenced by a little sickness after her plane ride. It was totally different than she imagined it to be, but for the positive =). She thinks the culture and the people here are interesting. Since she loves the cold weather she really wants to go skiing. Another of her hobbies is photography which makes her want to travel around and go on adventures where she can collect memories with her camera, maybe she can start a blog with her pictures? I’d love to see that! Also on her list is watching a hockey game while she’s here. In her free time she also enjoys swimming or doing yoga, and when it comes to arts and crafts she likes to do macrame and DIY’s. The list of interests doesn’t end here, Fran also likes going to the movies. That calls for an INTERNeX movie night. When it comes to her favourite food she loves Pizza. Here in Vancouver she wants to try Beavertails and Canadian craft beer. We are happy to have Fran in our rows! =)

Moving on with Helena. Helena is 23 years old and comes from a town near Frankfurt in Germany. She’s here to do a 4 month-internship at a Hockey Club in Coquitlam. Back home she’s studying business administration online at a university in Stuttgart. After her studies and her time in Canada she wants to start working as a graphic designer. The reason she chose Canada is because Canada is the perfect fit for her: She can learn English, go skiing or watch a hockey game and also spend time in nature with super friendly people! Her first impression was that Vancouver is very big. She thinks that Vancouver is a mixture out of Germany, Austria and Italy because of the combination of things you can do here. I’ve never heard a comparison like that but I can tell it’s true! =) Except for watching an NHL game, she doesn’t really have a thing on her bucket list and just wants to go with the flow. In Germany she’s a supporter of the Ice Hockey team “Adler Mannheim”, she’s a real hockey girl, another reason Canada is the perfect country for her to visit. One of her favourite hobbies is to go to the movies once a week! For her favourite food she likes Italian food in general, what a good choice! Here she’d love to try Beavertails and some donuts. I suggested her the apple fritter from Tim Hortons, since that’s my favourite =). We are very glad we have Helena with us and that she will join our events!

Next we have Emma. She’s 19 years old from from a town in the south of Austria. Nice to see some other nationalities mixing up the Germans =)! In Vancouver she’s doing a practicum in the sports museum. Back home in Austria she graduated high school in 2021 and started studying business and economics but unfortunately it wasn’t the right decision for her and she decided to do a gap year here in Canada to gain some experience and grow beyond herself. During her time here she wants to find out which course she will be studying back home. She chose Canada as her gap year destination because the country has just so much to offer and the cultural diversity really fascinates her. Her first impression was very good since she thinks the city is very beautiful and also because it matches her imagination of the city. When it comes to her bucket list she really wants to visit Vancouver Island and experience the Vancouver lifestyle. I think Vancouver Island is a great choice! =) In her free time, Emma enjoys reading, cooking and also doing all kinds of sports. For her favourite food she likes a good Italian lasagna. We are so happy to have Emma with us and hope that she will have an amazing time in Canada!

We are very happy to have them on our events and in our INTERNeX Family! I hope that they enjoy the Tim in Vancouver but I’m pretty sure they will as everyone does!

Let’s meet them together at today’s Pubnight!

Cheers,

Tino