Exploring and moving to a new country is tough—I know because I just moved to Canada last September—but there are many things to explore while adjusting to a new home. My personal favorite way to relax is to go out exploring new places and taking photos. Stopping to smell the fresh air and observe what Canadians are doing gives me a glimpse into their culture. Discovering some tasty local food also soothes my mind.
I asked some international students what activities they liked to do when they first arrived in Canada. Perhaps you can pick some of these activities and explore Canadian culture in more depth!
Hiking: There are many hiking trails in Vancouver. I still remember my first hike: Deep Cove, North Vancouver. During the hike, I met many Canadians, and when we reached the peak and rested, I saw them sitting together in a group and having a picnic. Even though I don’t know them personally, I feel part of their community and do not feel indifferent to them. I enjoy learning about people’s cultures through local activities.
—Opal Mugda (Thailand)
Sports: Basketball and soccer are my choices. I gain many local friends by playing sports with them and you know it is the best way to learn local culture directly from local people.
—Mark Kuwan (Thailand)
Shopping at Grocery Stores: When I just arrived here, I always stayed inside my residence. I slowly adjusted myself to Canadian culture with daily life activities such as shopping at grocery stores. I love to discover local products.
—Selene Chen (China)
Outdoor Activities: Snowboarding, skiing, hiking with snowshoes, ice climbing, or ice skating on a frozen lake! Coming from a tropical country like Thailand, we do not have winter activities, so I love trying all of these out. Oh, and I also make road trips every season since there is so many beautiful sights to see in Canada.
—Kwan Chayapon (Thailand)
Parks: I arrived in Winnipeg in the fall. I just love going to the park enjoying the fall scenery and the nice leaves. I’ve never experienced autumn in another country and the scene is peaceful and comforts my mind.
—Josh Mendoza (Philippines)
Watch TV and Hang Out: I watched a lot of tv so I could learn English faster. I arrived here when I was 6 and made friends very quickly with my classmates. Contrary to my cousin who came here when she was 16 years old; she had a very hard time adjusting to high school and new culture, how kids here interact. All of that is super hard while trying to learn a new language! So she tried to get a job at a nail salon and surrounded herself with more people in the Vietnamese community living here. She now has many friends!
—Linda Ho (Vietnam)
Eating Ethnic Food: As a family, we moved to Canada with the understanding that Canada had a very diverse culture with different backgrounds, and so, during the first few weeks, we visited ethnic restaurants to try foods from other countries. Furthermore, I lived in downtown Montreal for a while and there were many different events on the street, such as Christmas events. I explored and ended up experiencing a whole lot of great things that were happening there.
—Ilia Kamari (Iran)
Moving to a new place is never easy, especially if you move by yourself and only know a few people. It takes time; however, time helps, and you should allow time to do its work. Appreciate every small adjustment and embrace the entire process.
