About INTERNeX: Hospitality Program!

Are you getting bored with your daily routine? Looking to travel? How about working WHILE being a tourist? Experience the working life in a hotel, resort or any company in a tourism community through INTERNeX’s Hospitality program!

Our program offers you an opportunity to travel abroad and work in world-class cities in the hospitality sector as well as paid positions in resort communities. It doesn’t matter whether you are just taking a break from school or recently graduated, travelling abroad and working with other travelers is both rewarding and exciting!

What are some of other benefits through this program other than working? Well you will be able to improve your language skills, gain experience in the hospitality/tourism industry and especially, learn about Canadian culture! 

But working abroad is different than just simply being a “tourist” in a city. It allows you to truly experience what it’s like to live there. This means not only seeing the glamorous aspects of the city but the not-so great parts as well, giving you a more honest and realistic perspective of the place. Also, getting to meet new people daily while working in this ever growing industry and traveling around makes everyday count and never dull! And of course, you will have the best times through our pub nights and weekly activities!

Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did“.  In other words, we shouldn’t be afraid to take chances in life. So will you be next? 😉  For more information please visit our INTERNeX WORLD Website!

Cheers,

Flora

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

Ready, Set…GO!

What a weekend!

 
Ten young people, having a thirst for adventure met at 9 a.m. in front of the Waterfront Station in Vancouver, all ready for SNOWTUBING!

It took the old blue shuttle bus about half an hour to get to the top of Mount Seymour where everything was covered with a beautiful white layer of snow. Perfect conditions for snowtubing!

First, we checked out the facilities and got the sobering news that the lift was not working so we would have to walk up the hill after every ride…
Nobody of us was pleased about that but due to the fact that we got a 50% discount for the inconvenience…We went for it! We purchased the tickets, grabbed some tubes and could not hide our enthusiasm! Most of us started with the “slowest” lane to get an idea of what we could expect from the “Kamikaze” track…

I can only speak for myself, but when you let yourself fall on this huge tube with your stomach, sliding down the hill, constantly picking up the speed and feeling the wind rushing through your hair…it is just awesome!

Some didn’t go for a ride that often whereas others were going round by round, climbing up the hill like mountain goats! Even the guys were giving up after some time but Agnes, our candidate from Switzerland impressed us all because she carried the tube on her shoulder when walking back up and even went for two rounds while the others were still busy with making their way up the hill after only one lap…

In between we took a break and went to a small cafeteria nearby for getting warmed up. Hot chocolate, soup and tea were really helpful with that!

Temporarily, the weather conditions aggravated. Heavy fog made it impossible to see the end of the slope and nobody could estimate whether the way was clear. But! Since young people like taking risks…We showed no fear and kept dashing downhill! 🙂
Luckily, there were no accidents and the whole group got back to downtown sound and safe at around 6 p.m. It was a long day…with no end in sight!

On the bus, I met a German guy who invited the whole group to a huge house party. We did some pre-drinking at my place before crashing the party which was only two blocks down the street and indeed VERY HUGE! Everybody was having a great time and met a whole lot of new people. Unfortunately, police ended the party but we were tired and exhausted anyway…

George and Ziska really enjoyed this trip with you guys and we really hope to see you back at the next big event! Stay tuned!

Find more picture on flickr!

For those who joined this great event, feel free to send me your best picture of that day and maybe it will become the “picture of the week”!

Cheers,
Ziska

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

A Canadian’s Internship Experience

Some of you may know by now that today is my last day as an intern at INTERNeX. You didn’t think you were the only one doing an internship, did you? Many Canadian students also have to complete an internship for their post-secondary education, like me :). I have been a Public Relations intern with INTERNeX for three months now. My main tasks were organizing events, conducting orientation seminars for you guys and doing some design work as well. The time here has gone by so quickly and it seems like just yesterday I was new to Vancouver!

I flew to British Columbia from Ontario on April 28, 2010, excited for what the next three months would bring. I had always heard that Vancouver was an amazing city, and that B.C. was an gorgeous place, so I had high expectations when I first arrived. Ontario is quite a flat province, so flat in fact that on a clear day, the CN tower can be seen from where I live – about 82 km away from Toronto. That being said, you can imagine what I was doing in the cab from the airport: Marveling at the province’s rolling mountains as my eyes darted from peak to peak. That was only the beginning of my most memorable summer experience.

Looking back, I remember dreading the thought of an unpaid internship. The idea of working full-time for a company seemed so unfair and cruel for a student that was already broke from paying tuition. What I didn’t know then, was that my summer internship would prove to be a priceless experience, and the rewards would be far greater than a paycheck.

When you start any new job (an internship is pretty much a job – a bridge between the classroom and a real work environment), you try to imagine what the experience will be like. Will you like the position? Will you get along with your coworkers? What is the office environment like? All of these thoughts raced through my head as I walked to work on May 3, 2010.

As I approached the door to the INTERNeX office, I realized that – as cheesy as it sounds – I was about to open a door to a new experience , and to a new chapter in my life. Internship Tip #1: Breathe.

When I stepped into the office that day, I was greeted with big smiles and polite hellos from the staff. This of course, was a relief, because entering a new work environment can be daunting. Internship Tip #2: Relax and Smile. My first week at INTERNeX was CRAZY, but in a great way. I was able to dive head first into a number of tasks and projects, each one teaching me about the nuts and bolts of the company’s core values and objectives. The more things I did, the more I learned, which brings me to Internship Tip #3: Show initiative. Learn about the company. If you’re done a project, ask for a new task. Help out a busy coworker, even take the office pet for a walk if everyone else is too busy. If you show initiative, this will lead to more responsibility in the future.

Of course when you first begin your internship, there can be a lot to learn. You may suffer a bit of information overload (like I did), so take your time. The company knows you are new. They’re there to help and answer any questions you may have, so when in doubt, ask. Throughout my internship each and everyone of the employees were to help me understand certain programs or visa requirements. All I had to do was ask :).  Internship Tip #4: Communicate.

After learning about the business side of the company, I was able to get to the really fun stuff – events and promotions! Being in PR, this is what I was pumped about! Getting to organize events for clients, and promote partner trips was very exciting to me. My first events with INTERNeX were planning a pub night and a barbecue, both of which enabled me to meet program participants and learn about many different cultures. It was fun to hang out with INTERNeX candidates, but it was also great to hear about their experiences as well. One thing to mention was that because I worked for INTERNeX and became friends with their clients, I had to maintain a professional attitude. This is why Internship Tip #5 is important: Be Professional. Every intern’s duties vary, but you should always be punctual, dressed appropriately and be professional in everything you do.

If you’re looking to complete an internship or are currently completing an internship, remember Internship Tip #6: The Success Of Your Internship Depends On YOU! Someone is not going to hold your hand at work. If you really want to learn, you need plunge into the ocean of opportunity available at the office. There are endless ways to learn and grown personally and professionally in a work environment, so, will you take the plunge?

I can say that my internship experience has been amazing. I have made professional connections, developed friendships, and have learned a tremendous amount. I got to work alongside the owner of the company, the program managers, and other interns. Even Nala, the office dog, taught me something: If you’ve had a busy day, take a short walk outside to clear your head and stretch your legs. You’ll feel amazing.  By following Internship Tip #7: Take Risks, you will find that if you push yourself, you will discover that you’re capable of more than you think ;).

If you’re looking to gain real-world, hands on experience, I would definitely recommend completing an internship. If you have a real sense of adventure, then doing an internship abroad makes the learning experience even more valuable. This world is a huge place. It’s full of great people,  amazing history and beautiful landscapes. What are you waiting for!

Canada is such a beautiful country. Since being in British Columbia I have had the opportunity to see some beautiful, picture-perfect landscapes.  My most recent and most-loved experience was a camping trip to Garibaldi Provincial Park. When you see the following picture, just know that what it looks like to you is nothing compared to when you’re standing in front of it. A picture says a thousand words but seeing with your own two eyes leaves you speechless. This is just one of the amazing places in Canada and I hope you get the chance to see it!

As my day slowly comes to an end, I still can’t believe my internship is almost over! I’ll miss the international staff, the busy atmosphere , even the gurgle of the water cooler beside my desk. But as one door closes, another one opens. Moving on is a simple thing, it’s what you leave behind that’s hard!

Goodluck to everyone in the future, and thank you to everyone at INTERNeX for a life-changing experience.

– Laura

Go Camping at an AMAZING location!

Okay, if you haven’t been camping this summer – or at all for that matter – you NEED to go. Why? Two words: Garibaldi Lake. You may be thinking “Well, I don’t have car, it would be impossible to get there.” WRONG. Come on, where is your sense of adventure? What the heck are you doing in Canada if you’re not willing to go an extra mile, lose yourself in the wilderness and take a few risks? You’re here to have the time of your life so with a little effort, you may just have the experience of a lifetime like we did this past weekend, at Garibaldi Lake.

Our adventure went a little like this…

After work on Thursday, we made our way over to the local grocery store to get some food for our trip. Want a quick and easy lunch? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So easy, and so good. We were staying for two nights, which was three lunches, two breakfasts and two dinners. In total, our grocery bill was around $75.00 CAN. That’s $35.00 each for 3 days worth of food! We ate some pretty great food but be forewarned, cans of soup are very heavy…enough said.

Thursday night was spent packing our backpacks for the adventure to the campground. Believe it or not, camping doesn’t have to be expensive. Mette and I had no camping gear before this weekend. We borrowed two sleeping bags from a coworker (and bear spray) and bought a tent from Army and Navy for only $30.00 CAN. Because campfires are banned in many provincial parks, we had to plan accordingly. We were able to buy a package of small cubes that when lit, would provide flame for 15 minutes. These could be used to cook food and were very inexpensive. These would prove to be very handy in the wilderness. A few other things we bought were flashlights (from the dollar store – worked great)  a tarp (if it rained), a fishing rod (optional – $30.00 Army and Navy as well) and some cards. For the ENTIRE weekend, we only packed ONE pan. That’s right. When you carry everything on your back, you need to pack light. If you’re going to camp, also bring only one set of cutlery per person and one plate, you don’t need anymore than that.

As for clothes, we each brought very little. Again, when you carry everything on your back, think light. Bring a couple pairs of pants, a couple shirts and sweater and that’s it. You won’t need more than that. Some other things to bring are a first aid kit, toilet paper and garbage bags. After we were done packing for the night it was time to get some shut-eye before we embarked on an awesome adventure!

It was early Friday morning when my alarm clock went off and the sunlight was streaming through my bedroom window. I was still a bit tired from last night’s packing but knew the day ahead would be so much fun. Rolling out of bed, we both put on the most outdoorsy camping outfit we had – a plaid shirt. I also added a bandana for an added outdoorsy effect. The shirts were bought at value village – we wanted to look and play the part so we had fun rummaging through second-hand clothes. 🙂 Try it yourself!

At 7 a.m. we were on the bus downtown, and at 7:15 a.m., on the skytrain to catch the Greyhound. I told you you didn’t need a car to go camping! We bought round trip greyhound tickets for $35.00 CAN that would take us close to the Garibaldi Provinicial Park Parking lot. Some of you may be living in a home stay. You can always ask if they would be willing to drive you to your camping destination as well. Or, if there are enough of you wanting to go, you could rent a car for the weekend! We however chose greyhound.  At 7:50 a.m. we were boarding the bus, grinning from ear to ear.

Note: If traveling to Garbialdi Provincial park, the bus stops in Pinecrest, about 4 kilometres from the park. But, we politely asked the bus driver to drop us off at the entrance, which he did, and you can do the same. Most of the time they are very nice and happy to help out. As we got off the bus, we were ready to begin our adventure!

The Garibaldi parking lot was 2.5 kilometres from the highway. Once we arrived there, we were ready to begin the REAL hike – a 9 km journey to our campsite. Before we left, we registered ourselves in, and camping for the entire weekend was only $20.o0 CAN. Pretty cheap when you think of the costs of a renting hotel room or an apartment.

As we began the trek up the mountain, the scenery was breathtaking. Green trees, natural waterfalls and terrain stretched as far as our eyes could see.

Of course, with 50 lb bags on our backs, we worked up a sweat. The natural waterfalls kept us hydrated though.. Once we reached the top, after a 4 1/2 hour hike, the views were spectacular. After seeing these pictures you can imagine how fantastic our weekend was!

This picture was taken after we crossed a river and hiked up a few rocks. The trail was so beautiful! Mette can be seen in this picture! What a trooper! While on the way up, hikers were both ascending and descending, but each one that passed gave us a chipper “Hello!”. Of course they were in a good mood, it’s impossible not to be with such a great environment around you. We met hikers and campers from all over the world at this campground. Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and of course, Canadians!

View from the bridge. Spectacular isn’t it? On the right, a glacier can be seen that has been frozen for over 10,000 years! While we were camping we saw a deer, birds, a lot of fish (trout are spawning right now), and even some insects like black and yellow millipedes!

There is no other place I wanted to be at the moment this picture was taken. I felt relaxed, humble, and lucky to be standing in front of this magnificent view. I forgot all about the city, cars, traffic, work, home – everything, when I was away at Garibaldi Lake. Camping is an amazing way to strengthen relationships and create memories that last a lifetime. It is also a good time to take a few moments for self reflection. I learned a lot about myself this weekend – my capabilities, my goals and aspirations.  I am so glad that myself and the “insane dane” took the time to plan for a trip like this, as it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! Thanks Mette for making this trip possible, I couldn’t have done it without you! And also, thanks to the INTERNeX Staff for lending us some gear, and for giving us a day off!

If you have a real sense of adventure, and want to hop up and go, a camping trip is the perfect thing for you. If you’re not in Canada, but are eager to travel and experience new things, why not do it through one of INTERNeX’s many programs? Work in the city, on a resort in rockies, or, complete an internship in your field of study. INTERNeX even has volunteer opportunities! Then, while you’re here, plan your camping trip ;). For more information on INTERNeX programs, visit our website!

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