How was the weekend?

A new week has begun and I can feel it’s going to be good one.

My weekend recap is rather boring, since I tried to cure my cold. I was resting a lot and couldn’t take part in any cool events, but I know some of you did! Since I haven’t done much, I will tell you about Marcel’s weekend instead. 😉

Guess where he went – Yes, he went to Ottawa. The flights were super cheap, so he decided to check out Canadas capital. From what he’s told me it’s a cool place!

Fun Fact: Ontario just lifted their mask mandate last weekend.

One thing he noticed is that it’s more bilingual than here in Vancouver. Everybody first starts speaking English AND French, and then chooses how to continue depending on your preferred language. For example, they’d say “Hello, Bonjour”, and see in which language you reply to proceed with the conversation. We think it might be because it’s so close to Quebec, the province in which French is the official language.

Compared to Vancouver, summer already arrived in Ottawa and Marcel took the opportunity to cruise around the rather small city, he says. His favourite thing was the view over Parliament Hill with its historic buildings and when I see this picture, I know why. 🙂

More things to do in Ottawa are a free tour through the Parliament building and a visit in one of the numerous museums the city has to offer. He thinks, there’s something for everyone. Since it is a smaller city, you can see all the main attractions within 2-3 days, so it’s a perfect destination for a weekend trip.
Pro tip: Go in summer, rather than in winter. Ottawa is very lush during the warmer months, whereas it can get very cold and grey in winter.

Another personal highlight for Marcel was the fast food chain Harvey’s. It’s Canadas second largest fast food chain, after Tim Hortons, and mainly present on the East Coast. He explained that it’s kind of like Subway, but with Burgers. And now I’m hungry. You might wonder why that’s a highlight, but he told me that he’s doing some sort of challenge, where he’s trying many different fast food chains, that are not existing in Germany, to compare which one’s the best. I already asked him to make a list based on his experience, so I could share it with you guys. 😉

What about you? How was your weekend? Would you go to check out Ottawa? Any plans for next weekend yet?

INTERNeX is going to do the Grouse Grind on Sunday, June 19! Are you up for the challenge?

Let me know if you want to join this workout with rewarding views at Pub Night this Wednesday, 7pm at Mahoney’s at the Convention Centre.

See you there!

Cheers,

Laura 🙂

INTERNeX Canada: About Spain and Spanish stereotypes.

Hey guys !

I know the weekend is almost over (yes…not funny), but I hope you had tons of fun!

Today I would like you to talk about a few Spanish stereotypes. Sometimes for me it’s kind of funny when people tell me things such as “but do you know how to dance flamenco?” or this kind of things.

When foreigners think about Spain they just think about “paella”, “siesta”, “bullfighting”, “fiesta” and “flamenco”. Right, isn’t it ??

But no my friends, Spain is not just this !! To understand better what I’m gonna explain to you, you have to know that in Spain we are divided into 17 Autonomous communities ( + 2 autonomous cities), and each community is just totally different to the next one.

We are a diverse country integrated by different contrasting regions that show varying social structures, as well as different languages (we have catalonian, basque and galician as official languages in their corresponding region). Furthermore we have different historical, political and cultural traditions.

So now that you know this, you will be able to understand that Flamenco is just a regional dance of the Andalucian Community for example. As I said before, each region has its own traditions and cultures, so all of them have different food, tradicional dances and clothes and so on.

About bullfighting, normally is more popular in the Southern part of the country. So if you go to the North, don’t expect to watch this kind of shows.

I want to keep a few things for the next time. So get ready because next week  I’m gonna talk about interesting things such as “fiesta”, the “latin lover stereotype (Banderas and Penelope Cruz..hahaha)”, “lazy and untidy people” and more interesting topics.

I hope you enjoyed reading this, and I hope to see you soon.

Best,

Mercedes

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

Head down under – Head to New Zealand!

The world we live in is a large and beautiful place. There are approximately 195 countries on earth, all offering different landscapes, cultures and languages. So, have you been exploring yet?  Maybe you’ve only been thinking about traveling, or maybe you’re currently planning your next move. But, if you’re searching for a destination where the landscape is green and the mountains soar as high as your dreams – you’re searching for New Zealand.

New Zealand’s spectacularly beautiful landscape includes vast mountain chains, steaming volcanoes, sweeping coastlines, deeply indented fiords and lush rainforests. Comparable in size and shape to Great Britain, Colorado or Japan, New Zealand has a population of only 4 million – making it one of the world’s least crowded countries. It is a haven for those seeking peace, rejuvenation and relaxation as well as a playground for thrill seekers and adventurers. A temperate climate with relatively small seasonal variation makes it an ideal year-round holiday destination.

Start planning now and you could be on your way to New Zealand in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup – the premier international rugby union competition. Canada, Australia, England, South Africa, USA, France, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga are just a few of the competing countries! This is the third largest sporting event in the world, behind the Olympics and the Soccer World Cup.

Choose from many INTERNeX programs such as work and travel, gain work experience in the hospitality and tourism industry, undergo a professional internships or even try out our Farmstay program! INTERNeX has the program for you!

INTERNeX has agents in Canada, England, USA, France, Argentina and more! INTERNeX itself also has offices around the world, including New Zealand! If you’re seeking work or internship opportunities, we can help you! For more information on our programs and services in new zealand, visit www.internexnewzealand.com. To visit our Canadian website, click here.

INTERNeX International Exchange
Suite 200-211 Columbia Street
Vancouver BC
V6A 2R5 Canada
Email: info@internexcanada.com
Phone: + 1 604 662 8149
Fax: + 1 604 662 8199

Hi from Houtan!

So you might be wondering who this fine young gentleman is?! Well this is Houtan and some of you  might not have met him before because has been out of the office for a little while. Currently, Houtan is working out of Toronto but will be back in the office in the next few months so here is a quick introduction to a new face (for some of you at least) and check out baby Nala in the picture…too cute!

What is your name?
Houtan

Where are you from?
Tehran, Iran

What languages do you speak fluently other than English?
Russian. I can also communicate in Ukrainian and Arabic and a bit of German, and of course Persian my mother tongue

What position do you hold at INTERNeX? and for how long?
Good question, I have no idea what one would call my position or anyone else’s position for that matter at INTERNeX International Exchange..funny thing is that part of our job is to try and envision what working in a Canadian company would be like to most people who are about to work within a Canadian organization through one of our programs. Yet we work in a company that demonstrates and represents a Canadian organization based on employees from different parts of the world who wear different hats on a daily basis to provide excellence in service. That is why I can’t really tell you what my position is. (does this make sense?) I think Im just blabbing on again, but hey that’s me!! Lol And I have been working at INTERNeX just over 2 years and they have been  full of excitement

What made you want to get involved with INTERNeX in the first place?
Like minded people, think alike…well, I’ve had quite a background in travelling from A to B (never enough though), learning about visas, after finishing up school and getting involved with Canadian Resorts and the hospitality industry, it all seemed like a good match with what INTERNeX had to offer, so there I was getting started and here I am still rocking it

In what ways do you think INTERNeX is unique from other international placement agencies? What does INTERNeX offer that no other company can?
Aside from the fact of how thorough our service is and its not even comparable to any other agency, it’s also that we don’t think our programs are for everyone. The participant needs to understand the purpose of the program before being forced to be a part of it. Our honesty in delivering the service is a key in managing expectations

What changes have you personally noticed within INTERNeX?
I have noticed a number of little programs come and go, but the city placement program was a great success and it still is both in Vancouver and recently in Toronto. We also now have more representatives abroad, an official office in New Zealand, and a more so active presence in Toronto, ON

Where would you like to see INTERNeX in the next 10 years? Do you have any New Year’s goals for the company?
I truly believe that the possibilities are endless. Obviously I, along with the rest of the team, would like to see a world wide network of services provided by INTERNeX offices across the world. Now the services provided by INTERNeX within the next 10 years is what I would like to see continue on its journey to completion and perfection so that one day we’d be a tool for anyone from anywhere in the world that would like to take a trip to any part of the world for the purpose of work experience and/or self development

Tell us one interesting thing about yourself that not a lot of people know?
As a kid I always wanted to become a vet

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
It is really hard to answer this question, I love travelling and I don’t think I can settle anywhere for too long. I like what Toronto has to offer as a city, yet Vancouver’s geographical location is much more attractive than Toronto. On the other hand, Kiev Ukraine is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever lived in due to its historical background and remarkable architecture. But again, the grass is always greener on the other side, so we’ll keep on moving

If you have any more questions or queries about our programs please do not hesitate to contact us at the office:
INTERNeX International Exchange
Suite 200 – 211 Columbia Street
Vancouver BC -V6A 2R5-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Phone: +1 (604) 662 8149
Email: info@internexcanada.com

Meet a New Staff Member

So it has been a few weeks since we had our last INTERNeX staff member introduction. Life here in the office has been pretty crazy and I’ve had a few bumps along the rode so i hope you enjoy one of the few remaining expose’s. This week you will gain a glimpse into Marien one of our lovely staff members who has a lot to offer to both INTERNeX and you…

What is your first name?
Marien

Where are you from?
Mexico City

What languages do you speak fluently other than English?
Spanish and I used to be fluent in Italian because I used to live there back in 1991-1992, but not anymore

What position do you hold at INTERNeX? And for how long have you been working here?
I am the program manager for hospitality and I have been working in/at INTERNeX for the past two years and a half

What made you want to become involved with INTERNeX in the first place?
Years ago I was working in an international programs office at one of the main private universities in Mexico City. I was primarily responsible for student placements within their field of study and INTERNeX was actually one of our partners and that is how I came to meet Tim.

In what ways do you think INTERNeX is unique from other international placement agencies? What does INTERNeX specifically offer that no other company can?
First and foremost our tailor made placements. In this process we are focusing primarily on the participants and their personal goals and from there we find a suitable position for them. Another important and unique aspect of our company is our international team and work environment. We are all highly committed to this companies missions and values and we appreciate the fact that even though we have a substantial amount of systems and procedures in place, we are granted a considerable amount of freedom in which we can truly flourish. Given this room for innovation INTERNeX can always be one step ahead

What changes within INTERNeX have you personally witnessed since you have joined the team?
The city placement program has grown and developed on an exponential level. And we now have INTERNeX New Zealand

Where would you like to see INTERNeX in the next 10 years? Do you have any New Year’s goals for the company?
As other staff members have mentioned previously, I too would like to see at least one INTERNeX office, both for in and outbound, in each continent all around the world. Now what I mean by in and out bound is that we will cater to both international clients wanting to come into Canada and Canadians interested in travelling/working abroad

Tell us one interesting thing about yourself that not a lot of people know?
As most of my candidates I took a gap year myself back in high school. I lived, worked and traveled in Europe for a year and a half. I studied English, worked as an au-pair and even as a cleaner so I can truly relate with all of the participants of our hospitality program.

Oh and another thing is that when I was young I wanted to be an Olympic gymnast. At age 6 I was already training 4 hrs a day, but then my family and I moved to a smaller city where there were no Olympic trainers so I unfortunately had to find a new dream.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
Well surprise surprise I have to say Vancouver. Coming from Mexico, which is a highly commercialized area with lots of, Vancouver just seems like this evergreen oasis in comparison. It is by far one of the most beautiful cities in the world and everyday I continue to be taken aback by all that is has to offer. But open to new cities and experiences.

If you have any more questions or queries about our programs please do not hesitate to contact us at the office:

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