Fernanda @Brookfield High School
“At first I was nervous about coming to study in Canada, but now I feel confident and stronger from the experience.”
- Fernanda, international student from Chile
One of several students from Chile in the OCDSB, Fernanda won a scholarship to study in Canada. This has been her first time out of Chile and away from her close-knit family for an extended period. She is glad that she was placed in Ottawa, and especially happy to be at Brookfield High School where she has made friends from over the world. She enjoyed the opportunity to participate in all of the excursions that OCENET offers to its international students, such as the trip to visit Toronto and Niagara Falls and another trip to Montreal. She is in Grade 11 and enjoys all her subjects, but especially biology as she aims to be a doctor in the future. A major goal in coming to Canada was to improve her English language skills; now Fernanda no longer needs her translation dictionary and even dreams in English!
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Alex @Bell High School
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“One of my best experiences in Ottawa has been making many new friends from Canada and lots of other countries.”
- Alex, international student from Mexico
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From Mexico City, Alex is enjoying being in his second year as an international student at Bell High School. He is now in Grade 12 and feels his whole educational experience in Ottawa has been extremely positive. With the support of his parents, Alex chose Canada as the place to study as an international student in order to improve his English skills and to live in a different part of the world. His spoken English has improved immensely and he has become proficient in essay writing. Alex notes that the teachers at Bell HS are very supportive. He thinks Ottawa is “very beautiful” even when it’s cold in winter. Alex finds Canadians to be friendly and he also appreciates how all of the international students help each other while they are studying here. He might continue post-secondary education in Canada and intends to pursue a career in architecture.
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Nina @Merivale High School
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“...Ottawa is such a great city because it’s not too big, the people are super friendly, and it’s very multicultural.”
- Nina, international student from Germany
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Nina is from Hamburg, Germany, and has spent the past semester at Merivale High School. At first she was nervous about attending her new school because she thought she would be lonely and have few friends, but she was pleasantly surprised, as she has made lots of new Canadian friends. She likes that Merivale has lots of sports teams and clubs, and thinks these extra-curricular activities add a positive spirit to the whole school. Nina knows that her experience has helped her to significantly improve her English language skills and made her more independent and confident. Her advice to other students considering an international student exchange: “Expect the unexpected” and “Don’t bring too many clothes!” She will soon be returning home but will miss her new Canadian friends at Merivale High School.
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