Jingxuan Liu, Gr.10
Home Country: China
School: Forest Hill C.I.
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When I first came from China to Toronto, I felt that high school students here have high academic freedom, because they can choose what courses they would like to take. I also noticed the importance of planning your post-secondary pathway ahead. Three weeks after I came here, I joined the summer school program. I liked it a lot, because everyone there is an international student. It was easy to share common experiences and feel comfortable. I am also grateful to all the helpful teachers there. I received advice from them that is especially helpful for international students. In September, I officially became a high school student and received my timetable. I have Civics/Careers and Math in the morning and English As a Second Language (ESL) and French in the afternoon. These courses helped me learn vocabulary in different subject areas. It was in my ESL classroom that I first felt the sense of belonging at my home school. We sat around a big table and had conversations with each other. We got to know each other better. The sense of belonging was even stronger when I started my own organization and started helping others to improve their English.
If I only have one sentence to describe my experience in Toronto, I would say: “Everyone is a leader, but everyone is united.” This is because everyone here is unique and has his own leadership capability. However, we are not arguing about who is right or wrong. We are leading the group forward together. Everyone contributes his own skills and experiences to the group. Together, we are making the big family better.
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Ludovica Savi, Gr.12 Home Country: Italy
School: Forest Hill C.I.
Accepted: York University, Glendon Campus International Studies & Business Administration
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Studying in Toronto is a one-of-a-kind experience and has completely influenced the kind of person I am now. I came to Canada as an exchange student, and of course the first goal I had was to improve my English. The development in communication and understanding of the English language was just one of the positive effects of this experience. In fact, I became a completely independent person and learned to adapt to a completely new environment. The Toronto environment has allowed me to meet many new people who now have, and will always have, a special role in my life. All the results I have achieved have made me realize that I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to study in Toronto, and I would recommend a similar experience to anyone who has the opportunity. |
Ryan Le, Gr.11 Home Country: Vietnam
School: Jarvis C.I.
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Studying in Toronto is an amazing experience! No matter where you're from, you'll feel completely at home in this lively, diverse city that is home to people from all over the world. Toronto is a center for innovative research and technology, and its universities and colleges provide excellent education with various programs. Additionally, there are always events and activities on campus, such as student clubs, enjoyable gatherings, and activities that foster a sense of community and friendship. You can have the best of both worlds in Toronto, the ideal blend of vibrant city life and serene parks. If you choose to study here, you will be able to experience the rich and lively culture and receive an incredible education; that's what makes Toronto so unique! |
Muhammad Shafique, Gr.12 Home Country: Pakistan
School: Jarvis C.I.
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Joining Jarvis Cl and the TDSB International student office has been a great experience for me. From the start, I felt welcomed by the supportive teachers. Jarvis is a school where students from many different backgrounds come together, making it easy to make friends and feel included. The school offers great classes and fun activities that helped me to learn and grow. The Guidance Counsellor for International Students has been so helpful throughout and supportive and Jarvis CI was wonderful and has given me many new opportunities like joining clubs and many more activities , and I am thankful for everything I’ve learned so far. It has been an amazing journey so far. |
Hierra Trang, Gr.12 Home Country: Vietnam
School: Newtonbrook SS
Offers: University of Toronto, York University Accepted: University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce
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“Coming here in grade 11, starting with ESL D, I thought I couldn’t have a chance to get into my desired university. But, it’s not too late if we can plan our pathway. With the support from not only guidance counsellor from my home school Newtonbrook Secondary School, but also my international guidance counsellor, I’m able to visualize how could I achieve the requirements to graduate and to get accepted to my desired university. TDSB and international student programs here provided me the opportunities to attend field trips that familiarize me with Canadian culture and inform me about university, participate in volunteer events to learn more about the community and networking, and to be one of the competitive applicants to university applications. Two years was enough for me to gain notable achievements and leadership either within or outside of school such as a head of Outreach sub-team of Newtonbrook Robotics Team that won a second place of motivated team during global FIRST competition, executives of multiple clubs within school, a student ambassador, a peer tutor, a volunteer for multiple events either international or within community, and so on.” |
Hanna Govaerts, Gr.12 Home Country: Norway & Belgium
School: Monarch Park C.I.
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Hi! My name is Hanna and I’m an international student from both Norway and Belgium living in Toronto. I’ve been extremely lucky to go to a school that has a lot of clubs and activities to offer, which for me is a really important thing to have; I’m on the girls’ soccer team and have met a few of my friends because of this. Most of the friends I’ve made are from my classes, where we often do group projects. This helps a lot to get to know new people, and most of the teachers at my school also are very nice and interested in getting to know me and help me if needed. Sometimes, it can be a bit difficult to meet new people, so most of my friends are international students as well. This is why Toronto is such a great city to do my exchange year in; it has many people from all over the world, and I’ve been extremely lucky to make friends from everywhere, who I can go visit and explore their culture.
When I go back home this summer, I have another year of high school left to finish. After that, I have been thinking of going to university in the Netherlands, and I think my experience here in Canada has taught me a lot of things that will be helpful for when I move out. It’s been a great experience, where I’ve learned much more about myself, other cultures and people, and about life in general.
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Student: Diana Su Ye
School: Dr Norman Bethune
Home Country: Peru
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Have you ever felt like you were starting over in a brand-new world? That is exactly how I felt when I moved to Toronto.
Hello! I’m Diana, a Grade 10 international student from Peru. Improving my English has always been one of my main goals. Studying in Toronto is helping me achieve that goal by expanding my vocabulary, building my confidence in speaking, and learning new things every day.
Only a week after I arrived, I joined the Newcomer Orientation Week (NOW), and I loved it. I made my first friends there. Since we were all new to the school, I felt more comfortable and welcomed.
My English as a Second Language (ESL) class was very diverse. I met people from all over the world with different backgrounds and cultures. Connecting with people who shared similar goals made me feel truly at home in this new environment.
I realized that learning isn’t always boring, it can be fun if you’re open to it. Studying here has helped me discover that I have more potential than I thought!
One of my biggest challenges was understanding everything in English at the beginning. I was afraid to make mistakes when speaking. But little by little, my friends gave me the confidence to keep trying.
In my first semester, I met wonderful people who supported and advised me. My school provided amazing teachers who were empathetic and always tried to find solutions to my concerns. And my international guidance counsellor has always been there to support me.
Something else that I truly admire is how students here take charge of school clubs and events. I love how independent they are and how they’re developing leadership and creativity. I joined my school’s environmental club where I made posters to inspire other students to care more about the environment. It was so much fun creating them!
Something I especially appreciate is having a Civics/Careers class. Before I arrived in Canada, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to study Science or Business I didn’t know. This class helped me explore my interests and plan my future pathway.
I highly recommend studying with the TDSB. If you have the opportunity to be part of it, don’t miss it and let it become part of your life!
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