Name: Caio Ferreira Class: UAP4

Extracurricular activities, the difference in education in the view of international students

Considered a retiree city, Victoria receives thousands of foreign students every year.

Each year, many students think in which country and city to study. Most of these students choose

the University of Victoria to study English and to go to college. Recently John Nicholson, a

jornalist at The Vancouver Sun newspaper, wrote the result of a research in his blog showing that

the University of Victoria receives 70% of foreign students that come to British Columbia to

study. The research also said that they chose to study at UVic because the quality in education,

climate and a surprise: extracurricular activities. Students said that they found at Uvic many

opportunities to help improve their skills and knowledge in different activities instead of only the

regular course.

Every term many international students enjoy a tour around Victoria’s Downtown. This

tour shows some important places around Downtown helping these students to know the culture

of Victoria. A good example of this exciting experience is the iconic Fairmont Empress. In this

hotel, international students can learn some aspects of British culture and also the history of

Victoria. The hotel played hostess to kings, queens, and important citizens from different places

and still doing this. As part of British culture, international students can try the Afertnoon Tea

that is served daily every summer. Another great example in the tour is the Royal BC Museum.

At the museum, the foreign students learn about the Natural History, because there are more than

750,000 specimen records in the gallery. In other hand, the museum shows a first people gallery,

where the international students can learn the characteristics of primitive populations. The

foreign students also have the opportunity learn about the Chinese immigrants when they meet

the Chinatown of Victoria. The Chinatown in Victoria is the oldest Chinatown in Canada and

preserves many Chinese traditions. As an example, the students know about Buddism and the

famous Tam Kung temple, installed in Victoria.

As part of the English program provided by the English Language Centre at UVic, the

Coffee Social is another opportunity for foreign students to communicate with each other to

exchange their experiences. Coffee social is a weekly event where international students from the

ELC can have a relaxing time and different activities, such as 5 min. Meetings, Bingo and Talent

Show. Over the event, students make friends from other countries and exchange knowledge. As

an example, 5 min. Meetings provide an experience to international students meet each other and

practice their English.“Coffee social taught me to open my mind to the world. I made friends

from Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Spanish, Mexico, all over the world! And, of course, I can practice my English there.”, says Nichola Camerino, an international student from Venezuela. Over the

Coffee Social, international students also exchange study techniques that may help