Exchange Report The University of , , Canada Sauder School of Business

Jong, Stefanie Pik Ai BBA Accounting and Finance, Year 3 Spring 2017 Table of Content

CONTENT PAGE

PART I : MONTHLY ACTIVITY LOG 1-2

PART II : GENERAL EXCHANGE INFORMATION 3-5

PART III : ITEMS TO BRING 6

PART IV : USEFUL LINKS AND CONTACTS 7 Part I: Monthly Activity Log January 2017 The first month in UBC was an eye opening experience as I managed to join several interesting activities including skiing, watching real life hockey game and joining the Chinese New Year Parade which was attended by the Prime Minister of Canada. I felt really overwhelmed as there were too many things to do and see during a short period of time. Besides, I love spending time in UBC as the learning environment is really conducive along with its breathtaking night view.

February 2017 During the second month, I had adapted to the environment and made some close friends from the orientation activities in the past month. In a group of 9, we travelled to Victoria for a two days one night trip and also had a memorable 5 days road trip around Vancouver Island. The sceneries along the way was beautiful and throughout the journey, our friendship strengthens and we all got a lot closer.

1 March 2017 During the third month, I spent more nights staying up late and joined more impromptu activities as midterms were just over and I wanted to spend my time to the fullest before the final exams. I remember this one night where my friends and I spontaneously decided to go on a late night drive-in movie which is 1 hour away from us and on the same night, we had supper at where “Riverdale” was filmed. Towards the end of the month, we spent more time in campus studying together and I had also improved my cooking skills during that period as my friend and I will try making new dishes together when we were bored of outside food.

April 2017 The last month was filled with mixed feelings of excitement and sadness. I am excited for our very last road trip to Okanagan whereas the sadness was due to the fact that the exchange journey was coming to an end where everyone I met in UBC will go back to their respective home universities. Goodbyes are the hardest but I know through the friendship we built during the short and meaning journey in Canada, we will stay in contact and see each other sometime in the near future.

2 Part II: General Exchange Information Visa Procedure If you are in Hong Kong while applying for the visa for exchange program in Canada, please visit VFS Global in Hong Kong as they provide services for the application. Documents needed are listed on their website and you are advised to submit your application at least one month before leaving for Canada. Orientation Activities UBC will arrange one orientation briefing during the first week of class. The attendance for the briefing is compulsory as the organizing committee will brief students on matters concerning exchange student in UBC and also things to note in Canada. Besides, exchange students can also opt in for the exchange program organized by the UBC Student Exchange Club at a cost. They organized interesting orientation activities during the first two weeks of the semester and also other activities throughout the year. The orientation activities I had attended in the past semester include ice breaking night, pub crawl and also outings to Vancouver aquarium. International Service and Activities During the application stage, please contact [email protected] if you face any issue concerning your exchange in UBC. When you arrived in UBC, you can meet people from diverse background by joining different societies according to your liking. You can also join the “UBC Exchange Student Club” if you wish to join their activities and meet other exchange students. Accommodation Exchange student can either stay on or off campus depending on their preferences. Application for in campus housing need to be done approximately 4 months before arriving at UBC, therefore, exchange student should take note of the due date and apply as soon as possible to secure a place for in campus housing. As for off campus housing, there are some available units near campus, however, the price varies according to its location and proximity to the campus. Course Registration UBC will send instructions and links to students on how to register for a course. Before registration, the student needs to make sure that the pre-requirement for that particular course is met. They have different procedures and restrictions for graduate level courses, so please take note before applying for those courses.

3 Teaching and Assessment Method The teaching environment in UBC is more interactive and students are required to note down important points that are presented during class. Assessments will be based on the nature of the course, it might include presentations, midterms, final exam, assignments and etc. Attendance might be taken in some classes too. One thing to take note is that some course might require student to pass both the midterm exam and final exam in order to gain a passing grade in the course. Grades are given based on absolute grading for most of the courses. Sport and Recreation Facilities Student can join the gym in UBC by applying for the membership (fees varies). Besides, there are various recreation facilities in UBC including ice skating rink and swimming pool. Students can also join other weekly activities such as yoga and Zumba organized by independent society. Finance and Banking The expense during the entire exchange will depends on students’ activities and how will they budget their spending. For the whole semester, I spent a total of 8000CAD on accommodation, transportation, food, 3 road trips, groceries and other miscellaneous expenses. I recommend opening a bank account in Canada as they do not charge any fees for student account and the process is fast and easy. Besides, opening a bank account there facilitates your daily transaction as you can pay for almost everything using the debit function. Social Clubs and Networking Opportunities There are many societies in UBC which are organized by students from diverse background. Students can join club that they are interested in and meet people with similar hobby. Further information could be obtained during the orientation week. Health and Safety There is a hospital in campus but student needs to take note of the operation hours as they do not open 24 hours a day. Students have to bring their iMed card (a compulsory insurance) with them along with their identity card and student ID. Medicine can be obtained from the pharmacies near campus and also dispensary in campus. Food I usually cook my own meal, order delivery or eat at a nearby restaurant during weekdays. As for the ingredients, you can get it at a nearby grocery store or the small stores within campus. I would recommend Safeway or Save-on-Food as they offer a variety of products with reasonable price.

4 Transportation Students are required to pay an amount for their U-Pass before arriving in UBC. Student can use the U-Pass within Vancouver for metros and buses. If students are going to places which are not accessible by public transports, taking taxi or renting a car will be recommended. Climate As I am there during winter, the weather is very cold during the first two months. Therefore, I would recommend bringing innerwear for winter and also thick clothing. If it snows, a pair of waterproof shoes and jacket will be needed. It is also recommended to bring an umbrella with you as it rains a lot in Vancouver. Communication There are Wi-Fi available in campus but it is only limited to certain area. Therefore, if you need internet data, you can buy an internet based mobile package. There are different plans depending on you usage on internet data, phone calls and messaging. Cautionary Measures As it may snow during winter, it is recommended that you bring some waterproof jackets with you. Other Notes Students should be aware that there is a tipping culture in Canada. The amount of tips given will be based on individual and the service received. The usual range is around 10% to 15% of the total bill.

5 Part III: Items to Bring  Sweater (Winter)  Waterproof clothing (If it is during winter or you plan to go skiing)  Boots (Winter)  Blanket  Chargers (Phone, Laptop, Ipad, Tabs etc)  Plug adapter (120V, Type A)  Skin care (body lotion, hand cream)  Bedsheet  Internet cable/ Router (some accommodation might not have Wi-Fi)  Medicine  Enough cash before opening a bank account  *Driver’s license (if you are planning to drive in Canada)  Stationaries

*Need to be issued/translated to English.

6 Part IV: Useful Links Campus Security http://security.ubc.ca/ (Contact: 604.822.2222) Student Service Log in https://ssc.adm.ubc.ca/sscportal/ Transportation in Canada https://www.translink.ca/ (“Transit” can be downloaded on mobile devices) UBC Calendar https://senate.ubc.ca/vancouver/termdates UBC Course Schedule https://courses.students.ubc.ca/cs/main?newSession=true UBC Exchange Application Information https://students.ubc.ca/about-student-services/go-global/coming-ubc-study-abroad/coming-ubc- exchange

*“UBC” can be downloaded on mobile devices to access various functions including campus map and student services. **Reading blogs is recommended when you are planning for a road trip or looking for places of interest in Canada.

7