215 days. That sounds like a long time. But I can tell you – my past 215 days passed by incredibly fast! Now, it is time to say goodbye to INTERNeX, Vancouver and of course, to you!
“Welcome to INTERNeX Canada!” How often did I hear this voice of our lovely orientation video? Many, many times! When I got to see the video for the first time in January, I did not know what kind of adventure was awaiting me. Every time I have seen the video from then on, I have met new people from all over the world. Some, I only saw once, but with others, I have spent so much time together. I am happy that I can call a whole bunch of them my friends now.
215 days – and I spent not one of them entirely at home. There was always something 
going on. At least one INTERNeX event per weekend and a long bucket list kept me busy. Skiing in winter was an absolute highlight for me. It’s awesome to leave the house in the morning in skiing clothes and just take a bus to the local mountains! Kelowna, Mount Seymour, Cypress Mountain, Whistler – all beautiful destinations to hit the slope. I am glad that I always had a cool crew with me who made these days even more fun.
But also when the snow had already melted, I spent much time outside. Hiking, biking, kayaking, ziplining, surfing… BC offers many great opportunities to do so and I enjoyed exploring pretty parks, beaches and lakes. I also loved to spend time in the city and to scratch the typical tourist attractions from my bucket list. The weekly INTERNeX events were always a fun way to spend the weekend and discover Vancouver together.
However, Wednesday became my favourite day of the week. Chats, drinks, bingo and karaoke – I loved meeting the gang with old and new members every Wednesday night. Not only during the week, but also in the weekends there has always been a reason to go for ‘a pint’ and discover Vancouver by night.
As part of the PR-gang, I was also responsible for organizing a couple of weekend trips for you. “Back to nature” was the motto of both of my trips. The first one brought us to Salt Spring Island in March, where we spent the weekend in a huge house in the middle of nowhere. I will not forget all the laughs we had in the cozy outdoor hot tub where we squeezed in 14 people and our cider tasting in a beautiful scenery.
The other island trip just happened in July – our adventure on Vargas Island. What a 
journey! Struggling with lighting up the campfire, looking up into the beautiful sky full of stars, eating loads of schnäcks, cheering for everyone who was able to stand on the surfboard for a second – these are memories I will take home with me. I hope you guys are going to wear your Schnäckqueen/king shirts with pride. And don’t forget: no matter what, we will always have Vargas!
During the past 215 days, I have learned a lot: about the polite Canadians and how they say ‘thank you’ when leaving the bus; the rules of hockey and of many international card games; the three different words you can use to order a beer in Swedish; how to dance to country songs and so much more. And of course, I have learned the most important rule as a future leisure manager: Expect the unexpected!
In- and outside the office, I enjoyed the past months to the fullest. I am very glad that I had the chance to experience my Canadian adventure with the people I met here. It would not have been the same without YOU! A huge thanks also to the INTERNeX team who made me feel welcome from day one. That was easy!
The first reunions are already planned and I am excited to meet you again somewhere in the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Brazil or maybe even back in Vancouver. Until then, make the most out of your time in this beautiful country.
See you soon!
– Kerstin
INTERNeX International Exchange
International Village,
Suite 2077, 2079 – 88 West Pender Street
Vancouver, Canada -V6B 6N9-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com
After visiting Vancouver in 2013 before I started university, I fell in love with this amazing, outdoor city. It had always been a dream of mine to come back. Since I wanted to expand my work experience after university, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. In Canada, I did a volunteer program where I focused on sustainability and increasing the company’s social media presence. In order to be successful there, you need to have a strong sense of independence and be self-reliable. You also need to be a team player. I enjoyed my time there a lot.
The nature is definitely one of the things I like most about Canada, together with White Rock, Salt Spring Island and the people. It is my goal to come back one day. However, I really want to visit other places such as Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries as well. My ultimate dream is to go on a safari and explore a rainforest in Africa. For now, I am back in Scotland, where the first thing I did was cuddle my dog, as I had not seen her in 6 months.
I remember being at the airport in Amsterdam about 7 months ago and being both sad and excited to leave my safe, familiar life behind. I could have never hoped that my time here was going to be as amazing as it has and I can say without a doubt that coming to Vancouver was the best decision I ever made.
During my time as a PR coordinator at INTERNeX I got the opportunity to organize PuB NiGHTs, weekly events and monthly trips for our candidates. Thanks to that I have had the opportunity to do and see so many amazing things. I went bungee jumping in Whistler, skiing in Kelowna and experienced the most beautiful scenery of my life in the Rockies. Besides all these amazing trips we went out every week to discover something in Vancouver. There was never a dull moment and I enjoyed every single one of them.
INTERNeX Canada 