Experience, experience, come and Canada through the eyes of International Student Prince Neecoie Perez Militante. Born and raised in Aruba, Prince is excited to drop some knowledge and share advice with others on what it’s like to be an international student in Canada.
He was born and raised in Aruba, with a Filipino background. Prince Militante speaks at least five languages: Spanish, Papiamento, Tagalog, English, and Dutch. After finishing his studies in Aruba, Prince chose to come to Canada to further his academic career. Since then, he has found his way and is living the #internationalstudentlife. But Prince, like many others, has been studying from home in Canada during the pandemic. You guessed it! It has been a fascinating year trying to figure out this new norm with school and work. Nevertheless, Prince has a lot of hope for the future and sees himself continuing to build his life here in Canada.
Academic Career
“I’m actually studying at Niagara College, here in Niagara on the lake.” Niagara College has a lot of diversity, especially in its programs. Check out the Niagara College Programs: Program Listing
Prince is currently enrolled in the Honors Bachelors of Business Administration in International Commerce and Global Development, or ICOM for short. For students looking to study this program, it is mostly a research-based program that enables students to explore global pandemics and economic problems. “You can learn more about marketing and business entrepreneurship in this program. I still have a lot more to go through, and I still have a lot to experience.”
“I love Niagra college because when I attended almost two years ago, everyone was so friendly, it’s not difficult to make friends here. The academic team is accommodating in supporting our students. If you want to come to Niagra, don’t be afraid the seek help, don’t be afraid to ask.”
For Prince coming to Canada was a dream turned into reality. “I wanted to come to Canada ever since I was a small child.”
New Experiences and New Challenges
Coming from a small island meant that commuting was not an issue, but it became a challenge once Prince came to Canada. When we’re introduced to a new environment, it takes some time to learn about our new surroundings.” Commuting was a different experience and challenging. Because I started working, I had to make sure I got from point A to point B. Therefore, if you find a job, make sure you’re able to get to it.”
One word that describes our world right now is interesting, especially for an international student. Many things have changed, and we have had to adapt a lot. Studying isn’t the same, and life is different, but Prince has found ways to cope with all these changes. Developing good habits is crucial to staying productive during the pandemic. “I think it would be mainly routine, and your life will be based on a daily or weekly routine. Based on school and if your working or not, you have to be on point every single day.” Planning and keeping yourself organized are proven ways to decrease stress in your life. It may be tedious to stay on top of a routine, but routines help develop healthy habits and a healthy mindset with or without a pandemic.
Student From Home
In this pandemic, we have had to adapt to schooling methods, and it was not easy turning our home into or place “it was challenging, not hard, two different words with different meanings.”
Niagara Falls: The Best View
When you think about Canada, you will automatically picture Niagara Falls. Every year, pre-pandemic Niagara falls would bring in millions of visitors. According to Prince, Niagara Falls lives up to its expectation, and it one of the best hotspots for students. “Enjoy the scenery at night…there are stores and restaurants, you name it. Everything is there at Niagara Falls”. It is the most scenic spot in Niagara for international students, tourists, residents, etc.”
On a Student Budget: Food
“Honestly, if you are really trying to save up money, I would suggest that you cook at home. Try to make that you want to eat.” Let’s admit it, not all of us are chefs, but as an international student, we often live alone and usually support ourselves financially.” The advice here is to try to save money where you can. Be smart about your finances. Who knows, you might discover your talent for cooking.
Making Friends In An Unfamiliar Place
First of all, don’t be afraid to approach people. You never know who you might come across, and what friendship comes out of it. Be open-minded about meeting new people. “Honestly, you have to pick your friends. It’s something we do as a human beings. But pick your friends smartly.”
Student Housing
“Well, I have a friend who helped me find this place. I got lucky because my home is close to the school and it is just 10 minutes.” The best advice for international students looking for housing is to find somewhere to live that is close to your school. In this regard, you will also help yourself save on transportation costs.
Working Part-time
“Once I got comfortable with living here in Canada, it took at least 3-4 months in Canada to start working. Definitely settle in first, be comfortable with your environment, and then go seek a job.”
Why Should International Students Consider Studying in Canada
“Well, for me, it’s the end goal, so meaning it’s the fact that after the certificate, after the degree, it is the opportunities that you have here in Canada. It’s very diverse. Canada is big, so you don’t have to base yourself here in Niagara. You can go to Quebec, Toronto, or any place.” Canada is all about exploring your journey. If you choose to study in Canada, you will indeed have an array of opportunities ahead of you.
Most significant Difference Between Aruba and Canada
“Weather change. That’s it just weather change.”