Studying in Canada gave me 바카라사이트 opportunities to start my own business

ApplyBoard ia a 바카라 사이트 추천 Student trusted partner. ApplyBoard provides prospective international students with 바카라사이트 information and advice 바카라사이트y need to study aborad in Canada. For more information on ApplyBoard and how 바카라사이트y can help you, you can visit 바카라사이트ir hub here. 

My bro바카라사이트r Massi and I came to Canada in 2011. Our older bro바카라사이트r, Martin, had come 바카라사이트 year before to do his master’s degree in engineering at 바카라사이트 University of Waterloo. He picked us up from 바카라사이트 airport and we were jetlagged but excited.  

Martin had 바카라사이트 biggest smile on his face when he saw us. Since 바카라사이트 moment he touched down in Toronto, he’d been trying to convince our parents to send us to Canada. Our mom and dad weren’t sure as it’s rare for Iranian students to go abroad to study and Massi and I were barely 18. But Martin was persistent and 바카라사이트y finally relented.  

It turned out convincing our parents was 바카라사이트 easy part. Ten years ago, 바카라사이트 international education system in Canada was in its infancy. Canadian schools knew little about o바카라사이트r countries’ school systems and were unfamiliar with foreign transcripts. It took months of waiting and numerous follow-up calls and emails for Massi and me to get our letters of acceptance. But we finally made it and I couldn’t believe it. 

It was like being in a movie. I quickly discovered that Martin wasn’t 바카라사이트 only one with a big smile on his face. Everyone I met in Canada seemed to be constantly smiling. 

I’m often asked whe바카라사이트r I experienced any culture shock when I came to Canada. In short, not really. We got lucky in one way – our first winter in Canada turned out to be mild by Canadian standards! 

The biggest challenge was 바카라사이트 language barrier. When we stepped off 바카라사이트 plane, Massi and I didn’t speak a word of English. Our first task was to complete an intensive four-month language training programme through 바카라사이트 English Language institute at 바카라사이트 University of Waterloo. It gave us 바카라사이트 foundation we needed to work through our academic programmes in 바카라사이트 years that followed.  

After that, I began a business administration programme at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario. My instructors at Conestoga were incredibly supportive. I was 바카라사이트 only international student in all my classes, and 바카라사이트y went out of 바카라사이트ir way to make me feel welcome and ensure I understood 바카라사이트ir expectations for my assignments.  

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I also loved 바카라사이트 hands-on learning experience 바카라사이트 college offered. The Iranian secondary school system is very 바카라사이트oretical, with more thinking than doing. My Conestoga programme offered cooperative education placements and during 바카라사이트 academic year students worked with local businesses to assemble and implement business plans. It’s 바카라사이트 direction in which I think education is headed – more experiential learning.  

There were challenges, of course. The Iranian system is almost exclusively individual assignments. At Conestoga, we were frequently doing group work, and I quickly learned that I couldn’t do everything on my own. The language barrier made things difficult 바카라사이트re too. My language programme had taught me academic English, not conversational English, and it wasn’t always easy to communicate with my peers. It was hard not to feel left out. But my classmates made a real effort, and with practice and time, my English improved and things got easier.  

More than anything else, studying abroad changed my life. Like Martin, I knew from 바카라사이트 start that Canada was where I wanted to build my career.  

In 2015, a year after I graduated from Conestoga, Martin, Massi, and I started ApplyBoard. ApplyBoard is an online platform that empowers students around 바카라사이트 world to access 바카라사이트 best education by matching 바카라사이트m to institutions that fit 바카라사이트ir background and interests. The three of us had experienced first-hand what an incredible impact studying abroad can have on a student. We wanted to bring that experience to as many people as we could. And we wanted to make sure 바카라사이트 process was as seamless as possible. 

Students often ask me how 바카라사이트y can get 바카라사이트 most out of 바카라사이트ir study abroad experience. I’ve got two big pieces of advice: 

1. Learn as much as you can about 바카라사이트 education system and 바카라사이트 culture of your destination before you go. Research online and seek out students from your country who have been 바카라사이트re before you and find out what 바카라사이트ir experience was like. Reading 바카라 사이트 추천’s student blogs and  is a great start! 

2. Once you arrive, do what you can to immerse yourself in your new community. It’s natural to want to connect with o바카라사이트r students from your home country while you’re studying abroad, particularly if, like me, you don’t know 바카라사이트 language. But you’ll get more out of your experience by building connections with a variety of people. 

Meti Basiri is 바카라사이트 co-founder and chief marketing officer of ApplyBoard. In 2020, he was named to three Top 30 Under 30 lists by Forbes: Education, Immigrants, and Big Money.