The International Student Experience

By interviewing both Yukon and International students, we found some interesting similarities and many differences in their experiences.

International Students

Calvin is an international student from a port city in India who came to Whitehorse Yukon in April 2021. He is currently taking the northern science program at Yukon University. He is currently working part time to support his student expenses. He is living on campus at Yukon University. His favourite thing so far about the Yukon is the summer especially the bees, flowers, and birds. Although he is here in Whitehorse with his sister and brother-in-law, he does miss the rest of his family, friends, and pets back in India. He came to the Yukon to experience a different way of life and gain a new perspective. “Every day is a new experience for me,” he says. He finds our curriculum different from education back home, but he enjoys the challenge. He is learning to find balance family, school, and work.

Anna Maria Johnson is from southern India and has been in Whitehorse for more than two years. In her early time living in Whitehorse she was taking a childcare program, but has more recently changed to the liberal arts. She is currently working as a childcare educator and she is employed at superstore on the side. Alongside her here in the Yukon is her sister and her sister’s husband, however she does still miss her family back home. She also misses her traditional food and the hot, humid weather. She came to the Yukon primarily because of the city size. The city she is from is rather small and similar to Whitehorse in that most people know each other. She found it hard at first to settle in to the Yukon, however after fighting the cold weather for a while, she is enjoying her time here and is happy.

Andrea is from the Philippines and has been in the Yukon for around three months. She is currently taking the Multimedia Communications course at Yukon University and is supporting her education by working at Starbucks as a shift supervisor. She is living here with her cousin, and visits her aunt sometimes who also lives in Whitehorse. She appreciates that people in the Yukon are kind and welcoming, however she does miss hot summers and traditional food from the Philippines. She came to the Yukon to become a permanent resident. Her initial experience settling in was not the most enjoyable. She showed up the Whitehorse to -40 degree weather and lost luggage that was some how left in Vancouver, and has still not been able to track it down. However after that whole ordeal she has found it exciting and fun to be in a place that is the opposite of back home.

Ben is from the Philippines. He moved here about three months ago and is currently taking the Multimedia Communications course at Yukon University. He does work at a local hotel in Whitehorse, which allows him to meet many new people who are locals and visitors. Ben has no family here in Whitehorse, however he does have a brother in Faro Yukon. He likes that Yukoners are warm and welcoming. He misses his home cooked food from the Philippines, and his family. Ben came to the Yukon to eventually become a permanent resident as he live and experience something different. He found settling in to be a bit tricky as he didn’t know anyone and he didn’t have any personal means of transportation. He has been relying on city transit.

GURJOUT moved to the Yukon from northwest India in early December 2021. She is currently taking the general studies course load at Yukon University. She is really enjoying the psychology, sociology, and English programs. She is working at the university and at Walmart to support herself financially. GURJOUT lives in Whitehorse with her sister. She says that the Yukon reminds her of where she is from through the richness of culture, the small size of the city, and he great people. She misses not being with her family to celebrate large festivals and events. She also misses the hot weather. GURJOUT came to the Yukon after her sister as she heard many great things about the territory from her. She has had the amazing opportunity to meet lots of new people and she has enjoyed learning about and from Yukon first nations elders.

Victoria moved from England to the Yukon in December 2021. She is taking northern first nations studies at Yukon University along side working at the campus bookstore. She does have family with her. She likes the space that the Yukon provides. Victoria also enjoys walks in nature, wildlife,  the midnight sun, and she enjoys the difference of the Yukon from England. However, she does miss the rest of her family and friends back home. She came to the Yukon to try something new and to experience a new environment. She has met lots of new people and has learned many things about the University.

Yukon Students

Morgan was born and raised in Whitehorse Yukon and is taking the Multimedia Communications course at Yukon University for fun. She currently works at a local sign shop that makes road signs for the Yukon government. Morgan decided not to leave the Yukon because it was cheaper for her to live in Whitehorse and she wanted to stay with her family. She likes working with international students because “they are the most hardworking people that [she has] ever worked with.”

Marshal has lived in Whitehorse Yukon his whole life. He is taking the Multimedia Communications course at Yukon University to try new things and to figure out what he wants to do with his life. He stayed in the Yukon for post secondary education because it was cheap and so he could stay close to home with his family and friends. He finds it neat that Yukon University gives education opportunities to students around the world. Marshal says that “It gives them a chance to gain a new perspective as well as giving Yukoners the opportunity to meet people from different places without needing to go to those places.” He believes it allows for great cultural diversity in the Yukon.

Conclusion

By interviewing these students, we got a little snapshot on the way they see school and the Yukon. Similarly, throughout the international students we found that most of them wanted to try something different to gain a new understanding of life. Also, though they do miss many things from their home, like food and family, they are excited to begin a new life here in the Yukon. As for the Yukon students, we found that they decided to stay in the Yukon to save money and to stay close with their families and friends.