Date: 29th August 2008
Time: 1245 - 1445hrs
Venue: 1050 Joan Crescent (just off Fort Street), Victoria BC, Canada
Let me give you a short history to Craigharroch Castle!
It was built between 1887 - 1880 for Robert Dunsumir, a Scottish immigrant who made his fortunie from Vancouver Island Coal. It was valued at $15 - $20 Million U.S dollars in 1888.
The interior oak panelling were shipped from Chicago to Victoria in 5 railcars. It was built on 28 acre estate.
Date: 27th and 28th August 2008
Venue: David Strong Building
Time: 0900hrs
It was an orientation that is quite unlike in Singapore, more administrative stuff than fun. We were served with coffee, juice, muffins and fruits when we arrived and an opening speech by Assoc Dean of Business School. It was followed by a short ice-breaker, a session of getting to know other exchange students a bit better.
Afterwhich, we were split into groups classified according to our last names for a campus tour. Most of the time, I was talking to 2 guys: 1 from Korea, the other from Czech Republic. It was kind of enjoyable getting to know people from other nations. Me and the Czech was talking about the pension system, about political system in their home country, etc. What a great start! And definitely I did not expect things to be that way.
For lunch, we had salad, burgers and bbq meat. I enjoyed the chatting session that I had with the 2 smu girls, guy from czech republic, Korean guy and the Turkey Lady.
5 NTU, 1 SMU holding our name tags during the orientation for a photoshot
Flags of all the nations that have exchange representatives
Cake served during lunch
Had lunch out in the sun, experience that is unqiue to Singapore
Group Shots with exchange students from other nations.
Guy in red: Czech Republic, Lady in black: Turkey
Ladies from Thailand
International Office Rep
Exchange students from Thailand
The bus was parked at level 2 and we proceeded up to level 4 and the deck. The deck was big and the wind was strong. Seagulls were flying overhead and the view of the island, the cliffs, the water, the sun were spectacular. It was so different from Singapore.
The trip took us around one and half hour and we spent most of the time on the deck enjoying the breeze. Though it was chilly, it was very refreshing for me.
At Vancouver Airport, we had to buy a ticket to take a ferry to Vancouver Island and fortunately Pacific Coach has this service where we can take the coach all the way to the ferry point and the coach will be transported via British Columbia Cruise Ship.
It was kinda cool to have the whole bus transported by a ferry. A round trip would cost CAD 98.
Step outside of the Airport, the first difference was that it was chilly and there it begins my first encounter with the locals. They were bigger sized than us and spoke with a deep voice. I was not used to the way they speak and they way they do things. But then again, all these are part and parcel of exchange!
Finally, we are heading to Victoria!
The Air Controller
Arriving at the harbour
The ferry that the bus will be transported in
Vancouver Airport was nice, with flowing river, fresh flowers and artifacts. A refreshing look that is different from Singapore Airport.
