Hello, I am Youngjin Kim, a student at Concordia International University and Vancouver Cloud Nine. I registered in April 2020 and was going to study in Vancouver, but unfortunately, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, classes were held online, and I was able to fill in the gaps.
It is true that the first month was really difficult to adjust to. It is true that the homestay life was not comfortable, and it was really difficult to adapt after coming to another country. I just wanted to return to Korea as soon as possible. The scenery of Vancouver that I was able to see made me very happy to be able to study in such a good environment, and that is still the case even now.
Also, classes on campus are so much more fun than online classes so far, and it is a great help to my English skills. I was able to focus more on English by changing to ESL/IELTS classes in November. All of the students there are Japanese friends, except for me, but they are really nice and passionate about studying, so we take classes and study together during the week and enjoy life together in Vancouver on the weekends.
I am so happy every day and learn a lot in this environment where I can get along. I can always experience new things when I play with my friends in Vancouver on the weekends. Especially, the Grouse Mountain Ski Resort I went to with my friends was an unforgettable and valuable experience. When I first came to McDonald’s, I had a difficult time understanding what the crew was saying, and I stuttered when I was ordering, but when I think about that time, I think I have improved a lot.
However, if I study hard like I do now, play with my friends in Vancouver, and talk in English, I will naturally develop further.
