When Teacher Debbie was informed about a new contest for international students living in BC, she felt the responsibility to get her students involved. Luckily, one of our Kelowna Campus students decided to participate. The contest was organized by Study in BC, an organization administrated by the BC Council for International Education. International students studying in British Columbia were encouraged to post up to 100 pictures with comments on their Instagram profile. At the end of the period specified, the winner would receive an iPad.
We are glad to acknowledge that Jini was the winner! She came all the way from Korea to study English at VanWest College Kelowna.
Check out part of our conversation with her:
Debbie: How did you participate in the contest? Were there any special requirements?
Jini: If you were studying in BC, you could enter and submit up to 100 pictures. It was optional to make a comment but I wrote a comment with each picture to practice my written English.
Debbie: What were the reasons for you wanting to enter the contest?
Jini: I just wanted to share with others the special moments I had photographed.
Debbie: Once you started, what encouraged you to keep going?
Jini: Frankly, I wasn’t interested in getting an iPad. At the time, I was eager to complete the assignment. Learning English will be a continuous process until I die!
Debbie: You won the contest—congratulations! How did it improve your English?
Jini: I practiced whenever I submitted a photo. I needed to continually think in English. The structure is totally different from Korean. After getting the prize, I realized the importance of carrying out an action once you have committed to it.
In an interview for the Study In BC website Jini explains why she loves BC.
Let me talk about what I love about being a student in BC. First of all, BC is renown for beautiful scenery all year round. Especially, Kelowna where I live has the huge Okanagan Lake. Moreover, I was able to enjoy signs of fall everywhere, and now I am overwhelmed by the snow world. For those reasons, I can’t wait for the coming spring and summer. Second is about wine. One of my pleasures in BC is absolutely local wine! BC makes gorgeous wine. Time permitting, you should visit a couple of winery in BC. You will admire a peaceful view with perfect wine. Lastly, I’d like to mention the friendly people who are my teachers and neighbours. There are no words to describe my appreciation for their sincere help. To make a long story short, you can study what you want while having fun when you choose to study in BC.Jini
