Merle's Incredible Time in Canada : Community Service Internship

StudentsGoAbroad supported me at all times during my whole preparatory stage. At first, I created my online profile and uploaded various application documents. I had the chance to discuss my preferences with my contact person and after that everything happened very fast. They suggested a very interesting and exciting internship offer to me - and I was all in! Shortly after my amazing Skype interview with the partner organization in Vancouver, my internship position got confirmed. Basically, I have to say that planning my trip and gathering all the required documents consumed a lot of time and - as well - nerves. However, my adventure in Vancouver was definitely worth the costs and I would definitely make this decision again!

My adventure brought me directly to Vancouver, one of the most beautiful metropolises I’ve ever visited. From the first day on, the country really amazed me and I was fascinated by all the diversity and enormous variety. People from all over the world live in this stunning city and form a multicultural society. In the late 1970s, many Asians immigrated to Canada and you still see the impact, especially in Vancouver.

Of course, I was confronted with some cultural differences and aspects, which confused me and it took a while to get used to them. But isn’t that the main reason, why we travel to foreign countries? To explore exciting, new and curious traditions and cultures? What fascinated me most, was the Canadian openness and hospitality, along with the diversity in food, landscape, and people. On the one hand, I was surrounded by the dynamic lifestyle of a city jungle, but on the other, it was just a stone’s throw into the wilderness and pure freedom with wild animals and nature. This combination made me a huge fan of the country!

Canadian food is influenced by various cultures and you can absolutely find everything from British and French, to Italian and Asian cuisine. Whatever you like, there are enough options for every taste! I have to admit that I am a Sushi lover - and I didn’t expect it but I was extremely impressed by the cheap and super delicious sushi restaurants! You can buy it nearly at every corner of the city - Yummie! Although life in Vancouver is expensive, there are some tips and tricks on how to eat tastily and, most importantly for students - cheap. There are so many markets where you can have a nibble of diverse flavors and sweets.

I decided to choose accommodation from Airbnb, which was around 20 minutes away from my office. The flat was completely renovated and I had my own room with a small bathroom. Although my contact person on-site was always eager to assist, I was still very independent and autonomous. Lucy and Frank, my landlords, were extremely friendly and helpful all the time. They tried to make my start abroad as comfortable as possible. For example, they showed me around, went to the city center with me, helped me to buy the right ticket for public transportation or the perfect contract for my mobile phone. It had been the first time ever using Airbnb for me - but I have become a big fan and would definitely use this platform again!

I took my first weekend to get settled in my new home and become familiar with my neighborhood. On Monday my first day as an intern started at the Community Center. The organisation is a Center, which supports seniors with their daily life, socialization and participation. Most of those seniors suffer from dementia or strokes.

I was really nervous on my first day, because I absolutely had no experience in this field. This “fear” however, vanished directly due to my very friendly colleagues. According to the motto “It’s always sunny!”. It only took one week until I felt like being a valued member of the team. Every second I’ve spent at the office, my teammates made me feel welcome and like I was doing a great job.

In my opinion, we only have very few alternatives in Germany similar to my internship organization in Canada. The seniors get the opportunity to continue living autonomously at home, but also the chance to be part of a community. The retirement homes I know from Germany, sadly, do not reflect this opportunity. The clients I supervised could not have been more different either. We had people incredibly thankful for our work while others were moodier and unrewarding. But that’s the thing that made my work so exciting!

Saying Goodbye was not easy at all because I had to say it to amazing people; my clients, the team and all the friends I made during my adventure in Vancouver. I knew the day to leave would come but when the time comes, it always sucks. I had my work, a cozy home, my friends, sports and knew where to get the best and cheapest food. Plain and simple, I’ve built a new life abroad that I had to leave behind.