Be You @ BU Magazine Fall 2021

Dear International Gaiters, My name is Wilton Burgos. I was born Aruba, and I’m the International Stud OLNH WR ÀUVWO\ FRPPHQG \RX DOO IRU \R Inter n t a iz BU

and raised on the beautiful Island of ents representative within the SRC. I’d

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XU FRXUDJH $V DQ ,QWHUQDWLRQDO VWXGH QW myself, I know the struggles that inte rnational students go through when m ov- LQJ WR D QHZ FRXQWU\ VWDUWLQJ D QHZ V FKRRO DQG KDYLQJ WR PDNH QHZ IULHQGV , UHPHPEHU WKDW WKH VL[ PRQWKV EHIRUH P RYLQJ WR &DQDGD ZDV ÀOOHG ZLWK VR PD Q\ different emotions, but I also remembe r having Bishop’s support every step of WKH ZD\ $QG RYHU WKHVH ODVW IRXU \HDUV , FDQ VHH KRZ WKDW QHWZRUN RI VXSSRUW IRU ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 6WXGHQWV KDV EURDGH QHG HYHQ PRUH ,·P WKH ÀUVW ,QWHUQDWLRQ DO Students Representative at Bishop’s, m y job is to ensure that all Internationa l 6WXGHQWV DUH EHLQJ ZHOO UHSUHVHQWHG DQ G DGYRFDWHG IRU , DOVR ZRUN FORVHO\ ZLW K WKH ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 3HHU $FDGHPLF 0HQWR U ZKLFK HQVXUHV WKDW DOO ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 6WXGHQWV· DFDGHPLF QHHGV DUH PHW DQG ZLWK WKH ,QWHUQDWLRQDO RIÀFH ZKLFK DLG V International students with their paper work and any other Inquiries. 7KLV $FDGHPLF \HDU KDV EHHQ D FKDOOHQ JH IRU D ORW RI VWXGHQWV EHLQJ LQ D JORE DO SDQGHPLF :H NQRZ KRZ FUXFLDO KDYLQ J VXSSRUW LV GXULQJ WKHVH WLPHV :LWK W KDW LQ PLQG , WRJHWKHU ZLWK WKH ,QWHUQDWLRQ DO SHHU DFDGHPLF PHQWRU DQG WKH 3UHVLG HQW RI WKH %LVKRS·V 8QLYHUVLW\ ,QWHUQDWLRQ DO 6WXGHQWV $VVRFLDWLRQ HVWDEOLVKHG 7K H ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 6WXGHQWV FDIH $ VDIH VS DFH IRU ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 6WXGHQWV WR PHHW HDFK RWKHU DQG VKDUH DQ\ FRQFHUQV WKH\ PD \ KDYH :H KDYH DOVR FUHDWHG DQ ,QVWDJ UDP DFFRXQW IRU ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 6WXGHQWV WR VWD\ PRUH HDVLO\ XS WR GDWH ZLWK QHZ LQ IRU - PDWLRQ DQG WR UHDFK RXW ZLWK DQ\ TXHV WLRQV RU FRQFHUQV EXBLQWVWXGHQWV $V ,·P FXUUHQWO\ LQ P\ ODVW VHPHVWHU DW %LVKRS·V , ZDQW WR LPSDUW VRPH ÀQDO ZRUGV WR DOO ,QWHUQDWLRQDO *DLWHU V , UHÁHFW RQ WKH VWXGHQW , ZDV ZKHQ , VWDUWHG %LVKRS·V DQG , FDQQRW HP SKDVL]H HQRXJK KRZ PXFK ,·YH grown over these last four years as an International Student. Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t easy but remem ber as an International 6WXGHQW \RX KDYH VR PXFK WR RIIHU VR J HW LQYROYHG VWHS RXW RI \RXU FRPIRUW ]RQH HQMR\ WKH JRRG DQG WKH E DG DQG LI \RX QHHG KHOS UHDFK RXW FDXVH \RX·UH QRW WKH RQO\ RQH , DOZD\V OLNH WR WKLQN RI %LVKRS·V OLNH D VPDOO VFKRRO ZLWK LQÀQ LWH SRVVLELOLWLHV

LEARNING COMMUNITIES LIVING International Connections Floor This community fosters intercultural connections between incoming international students coming to Bishop’s University for an entire degree of studies or for a shorter-term student exchange from a partner uni- versity, and domestic students with an interest in learning about other cultures and countries. 'RPHVWLF VWXGHQWV OLYLQJ RQ WKLV ̭RRU ZLOO EH DFWLYHO\ LQYROYHG LQ PDNLQJ incoming international students feel at home in Canada, and learn about Bishop’s University together. Developing intercultural and linguistic competencies, building international bridges of solidarity, and sharing GL̫HUHQW ZD\V RI NQRZLQJ DQG EHLQJ DUH SDUW RI WKH WUHPHQGRXV OHDUQLQJ RSSRUWXQLWLHV R̫HUHG RQ WKLV ̭RRU )RU %8 VWXGHQWV ZLVKLQJ WR SDUWLFL - pate in an international exchange program at a partner university during WKHLU VWXGLHV OLYLQJ RQ WKLV ̭RRU LV DQ H[FHOOHQW ZD\ WR SUHSDUH This past year, the International Connections Floor hosted a virtual cultur- al exchange with high school students from Sagano High School in Kyoto, Japan. Students also participated in organized trips to the Marché 5ème 6DLVRQ D ORFDO PDUNHW R̫HULQJ SURGXFWV DQG ̭DYRUV IURP DURXQG WKH ZRUG

Wilton Burgos

Hometown: Oranjestad, Aruba Program: Bachelor of Arts - Psychology

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