Being born and raised in Venezuela, I’ve always wanted to see snow and the beauty of snowflakes. When one of my brothers was choosing a university, he chose the University of Calgary, so as a family we all came to see the city. I fell in llove with Calgary at once, even though there was no snow.

After I graduated from high school, I came here to study at SAIT and now at Ambrose University. Ambrose charges international students way less than other universities or colleges out there, including SAIT. Many Canadian students would probably be surprised, because they think Ambrose is expensive! But not for us international students.

Another thing that is unique about being international students, is that we have to go through the hassle of applying for a student visa. For me, with my Venezuelan passport, I had to apply for two visas, an entry visa and student visa. The process consumed a lot of time and money and at times complications also occurred. I was really grateful that the government gave me a four-year student visa for my bachelor’s degree. By contrast, my brother was only given a one-year student visa, so he had to renew his visa annually, which was quite a hassle. I guess I looked prettier than him in the application photo!

When I started my master’s degree, I became a Hong Kong passport holder and no longer needed an entry visa; I only needed to apply for a student visa. I was really grateful that I got a Hong Kong passport. Not having to apply for an entry visa saved me a lot of time, money, and complications! I was so thankful!

As an international student, I don’t feel settled in Canada and I’m sure other international students also share this sentiment. I’m always up for exploring new places, activities, or cultures Calgary. There’s always something new to look forward to.

But I must say, I don’t look forward to seeing snow anymore! When I first saw snow here in Calgary, I thought it was beautiful, but only when I was looking at it from inside a warm building. And I must admit that I always imagined snowflakes were as big as my palm. It broke my fantasy when I saw real snowflakes! (I guess that idea came from watching cartoons about winter!) However, I still think snowflakes are beautiful.

So that’s a bit about what it is like to be an international student. Have other international students out there had the same experiences as me?