Study English in Vancouver: Ling’s Experience at VGC

Hi everyone. I’m Ling from Taiwan.  Since I’m about to graduate from college and still a bit uncertain about my future, I decided to spend my last summer vacation in Vancouver to experience a different lifestyle and culture, and also to improve my English.

我是陳翎，來自台灣。由於正值即將畢業之際，但對未來還有點迷惘，所以想在最後一個暑假嘗試不一樣的冒險，所以來到溫哥華，體驗不一樣的生活和文化，也希望能更精進自己的英文能力。

What attracted you to enroll in the English program at VGC?

What attracted me to enroll in the English program at VGC was that there is a staff who can speak Mandarin, which was very helpful at the beginning. Additionally, there are few students who can speak Mandarin, so I can challenge myself to express ideas in English and easily make friends from different countries. Moreover, the small class size allows me to be more engaged and fully participate in the lessons.

VGC有會說中文的職員，對於剛來到這個陌生環境、還不熟悉的學生非常有幫助。這裡會說中文的學生相對比較少，所以可以逼自己用英文表達，不僅對提升口語表達很有幫助，也比較容易交到來自不同國家的朋友。小班制的編班能讓每位學生都更投入課程，充分參與學習。

How would you rate the support you got from your teachers and staff?

I felt very supported by the teachers and staff at VGC. All the teachers and staff encouraged students to speak English. What impressed me the most was during the orientation on the first day. The teachers told us not to be afraid of speaking English or making mistakes, because we are here to learn and improve ourselves. The teacher said, “No one will judge you, so just try and enjoy the process.” 

Besides, I would like to thank Avery, the staff member at school who can speak Chinese. At the beginning, I felt quite frustrated since everything was unfamiliar, but Avery patiently listened to me and offered a lot of help. She also consistently showed care for students, and she has truly been a reassuring presence for me.

Moreover, Safreena also cheered me up a lot. When I found something hard to understand and felt lost, she gave me a warm hug and told me, “Don’t take it as a failure,” which really comforted me. After the test, she said, “You did a great job,” which gave me confidence.

Diba, my Global English teacher, has always been patient in answering my questions and encouraging me a lot. She also provided students with many study materials to help us fully understand the lessons.

我在 VGC 的期間受到老師和職員們的幫助。這裡的所有老師和職員們都鼓勵學生用英文表達。最讓我印象深刻的是第一天入學時。老師告訴我們不要害怕說英文或犯錯，因為我們來這裡就是為了學習和提升自己。那位老師說：「在這裡沒有人會批評你，所以就勇敢嘗試並享受這個過程吧。」

此外，我想感謝 Avery，她是學校裡會說中文的職員。剛來到這個陌生環境時，我感到相當挫折，但 Avery 很耐心地傾聽我，並提供了許多幫助。她也一直很關心學生，對我來說是一個令人安心的存在。Safreena 也給了我很多鼓勵。當我感到挫折時，她給了我一個溫暖的擁抱，並告訴我：「這不是失敗。」在雅思模擬考後，除了幫我分析弱點並提供建議外，也鼓勵我，給了我滿滿的信心。我的 Global English 老師 Diba 一直都很耐心地回答我各種天馬行空的問題，也給予我很多鼓勵。她是位很認真的老師，總是準備很多很詳細的講義，以確保我們充分地理解課程內容。

In what ways has the course enhanced your English skills and development?

Although I just took a few days in the IELTS program, the teacher provided me with many useful methods that helped me improve my English even in daily life, and also made me more familiar with the IELTS exam format.

In Global English, students can interact with classmates from different countries. Since everyone has different cultural backgrounds, we often come up with some very unique and interesting ideas, which is the best part. Also, this helped me improve my speaking. Through every discussion, I became more confident and clearer in expressing my ideas in English.

雖然我只上了幾堂 IELTS 課程，但也有所收穫，老師提供了許多實用的方法，不僅幫助我在日常生活中提升英文能力，也讓我對雅思考試的模式更加熟悉。在 Global English 課程中，可以與來自不同國家的同學互動。因為大家的文化背景都不同，所以經常會蹦出一些很有趣的想法，這是我覺得最棒的部分，因為能聽到同學們別具一格的觀點。同時，這也幫助我提升口語能力。透過每一次的討論練習，讓我能更有自信、更清楚地用英文表達自己的想法。

Are you happy with the classmates you have? Have you been able to create networks or connections through this program?

Yes, I’m very happy with my classmates. I made friends from different countries, which I really appreciate. I’ve learned a lot about different cultures from them. We also exchanged Instagram accounts so we can keep in touch in the future. We even made a promise that if we visit each other’s countries in the future, we’ll hang out together.

在這裡我交到了許多來自不同國家的朋友，學到了很多不一樣的文化。我們交換了 Instagram，以保持聯繫、分享生活；也約定，如果將來有機會去對方的國家，我們要一起出去玩、盡情地體驗不同的文化!

Would you recommend VGC to other students who want to study English in Vancouver?

The answer is yessss for sure. The people here are very friendly. When I don’t understand something, they usually speak more slowly and explain patiently. I felt very little discrimination, and almost everyone is willing to learn about and respect different cultures. One of the most memorable experiences was at Sunset Beach, where I met an elderly man who used to work at the UN. He told me he really likes Taiwan and warmly invited us to explore and experience the land where he grew up—Canada. It was really heartwarming and unforgettable.

答案當然是「一定會」！這裡的人們都很友善。當我聽不懂時，他們通常會說得慢一點並耐心地解釋。也沒怎麼感受到歧視，幾乎每個人都願意了解並尊重不同的文化。最令人難忘的經歷之一是在 Sunset Beach，我遇到一位曾在聯合國工作的伯伯。他說他非常喜歡台灣，並邀請我們盡情地探索、體驗這個他成長的地方——加拿大。這個特別的相遇，成為了一個既溫暖又難忘的回憶。