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 By: Ishita Ghelani, Marketing Management student at Humber College

 This article originally appeared on i-studentglobal on May 19, 2015.

Ishita has left her home in India to study for a Postgraduate Certificate in Marketing Management at the Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Canada.

It was almost two years back when I decided to come to this beautiful country to pursue my higher education. After seeing the beautiful Lakeshore campus at Humber College, I needed no time to decide to study here. Ever since, I have enjoyed coming to college – yes, even when it was crazy cold in winter!

These two years have been a priceless experience and journey for me. From making the first international trip to learning how to cook to working, the journey has taught me a lot. I was a bit of a pampered spoilt brat when back home. I am no more proud of it as my respect towards people who make their own living at such a young age has increased tremendously.

At Humber, I not only met people from all walks of life and different countries, but also made great friends with whom I will continue to stay in touch after the school ends. They have quickly become an integral part of my life. The time spent working on school assignments was thoroughly enjoyable and less stressful only because it was with my friends.

I will definitely miss coming to school and seeing their faces every day.  As a class, we have decided to meet up at least once a month and I will be communicating with my immediate close friends every second day and we shall try to meet as often as possible.

 
Before coming to Canada, I had dreamed of travelling and exploring new places as much as possible. Like every international student, I too took some time to get used to the transit system and the lifestyle here. But, Humber made my dream of travelling and exploring new places come true, in my very first week as I was able to go to Niagara Falls with them. The International Centre at Humber College plans a lot of trips each month for students like me. The list of places I have travelled with them and with my friends has continued to grow ever since.

I wasn't very confident about studying two postgrad programs from the same school as I was afraid of getting a very similar experience and not learning anything new. However, I don't regret my decision of continuing to study at Humber as both my experiences have been very rich and different in its own way. One thing that was common to both the programs was the great professors, who always made it worthwhile for us to get up and attend class every day at 8 AM. They are not the typical professors, who would come in with a set schedule and teach their matter as quickly as possible. Instead, they are just like us – normal human beings, who would pretty much adjust to our mood swings. Yes, you read it right – if we are too sleepy to do something serious, they would quickly make our sessions fun and teach us something we would enjoy that day. 

Watching the Lakeshore Campus of Humber College through various seasons is just blissful! Even the days when it used to snow heavily, it would just look heavenly. I remember throwing tiny snowballs at my friends after class just for fun! I don’t know how, but we would always land up doing assignments until the last minute. Fortunately, the campus support services are amazing at Humber. It would never have been possible if the library and common spaces weren’t open for students like us till the wee hours of the night! 

 

I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to gain some "Canadian" experience in my field of interest – marketing! Canadian experience is highly valued here and is always given more preference as compared to the work experience you may have from back home. I am hoping that this experience will come in handy and will act as an asset in getting a job in Canada. 

The working culture here is pretty different from in India. In India, it is very difficult to have a work-life balance, as we work longer hours compared to Canada. Also, Canada’s system is well structured and everyone’s role is well defined here. I have definitely learnt that it is okay to have other priorities after work hours. Everyone's personal career goals and interests are equally respected here.

I have decided to stay in Canada and make it my home in the near future. Only the future can tell if I will continue to stay in Toronto or continue my journey in some other city in Canada. Without being too rigid I would like to go with the flow and concentrate on looking primarily for a job in marketing. So, until I find a job or until I do anything interesting worth sharing, I am bidding adieu to my readers as well!