Over Spring Break, 19 students from 11 countries traveled north to explore Vancouver and Victoria, Canada. Facilitator Kevin Sander wrote this blog post about his experience connecting with and learning from all the participants as they enjoyed this adventure together.

It was dark. Everyone had gotten their things out of the cars, but even though it was late and we were all exhausted after our adventure, nobody wanted to leave. We just stood together, laughing, embracing one another, putting off for as long as possible the inevitable goodbyes. It’s that bittersweet moment at the end of every FIUTS Global Getaway that just refuses to get any easier. Many of us were strangers when we had started our spring break in Canada together, but we came back laden with inside jokes, affectionate nicknames, and stories to share. These are a few of mine:

The drive to Vancouver was a long one, but we appreciated the time for the chance to talk and get to know one another. In my car, Bader AlFarhan navigated whilst simultaneously stirring up all sorts of interesting conversation. We talked about the joys and tribulations of students studying abroad, sharing our own experiences and lessons learned. Bader was even able to pull up insights from a book he was reading called What Do International Students Think and Feel? in-between giving me directions. Bader may not have been facilitating this event, but his presence was reassuring for he was always quick to pitch in and help solve problems. I feel like I learned a lot from his experience as well as his insights. With Bader’s excellent navigation, we successfully made it to Fairhaven for lunch. It’s a quaint area south of Bellingham with a lovely waterfront and a town center that feels like it belongs to a century past. We split up to explore the town and stretch our legs. A few of us found ourselves at Fairhaven Fish & Chips for its namesake dish. While sampling fried cod and salmon, Kamal Ahmed diverted me with tales of his homeland, Kurdistan, and his hopes for his country’s future. We discussed the political complexity of the region and the U.S. role there, good and bad. Having never met a Kurd before, I was genuinely excited to hear his unique perspective. I left Fairhaven not only excited to see Vancouver, but to learn from and enjoy more of Kamal’s good company.

We got to Vancouver late, but that didn’t deter us from immediately going out for some sightseeing. We wandered downtown and eventually found ourselves on Granville Island for dinner and shopping. However, it wasn’t until the next morning that we accomplished our first big plan for the trip. Our first full day in Vancouver was to be spent in its still wild periphery. We split into two groups, one to go up Grouse Mountain and another to hike down to the Capilano River.

*Bader, Ning, Yunzhou, and Kamal on Grouse Mountain*

I chose to join the river group while Sascha Krause led Grouse Mountain group. I should mention now that I was very happy when I learned that Sascha would be facilitating this event with me. His calm demeanor helps keep me cool under pressure, but still he is very good about pointing out the flaws in my plans and making sure that I don’t overlook important details. With him along, I was always confident that we could split the group between us and ensure successful activities for everyone. When he and the others took the gondola to the “Peak of Vancouver” I had no question that they would find an excellent time at the top. As they were slowly drawn up the mountain, they looked down on towering douglas firs and enjoyed spectacular vistas of Vancouver far below. At the peak, Sascha and the bunch explored a number of trails and warmed up in a visitor center complete with museum and dining hall. I remember him telling me about his first encounter with Canadian cuisine: poutine. The combination of french-fries, gravy, and cheese curds were, in his own words, “so delicious and exactly the kind of calories you need on such a cold and rainy day.”

*Han, Kevin, Henry, and Heesu at the Capilano River*

In the valley below, Henry Milander and I led a small group to explore the trails around the Capilano River. We were delighted to have the trails almost all to ourselves. We followed them wherever they led, letting our conversation flow as carelessly as the river. As we rested for lunch, Henry and I remarked on how amazing it was that it could feel so quiet and isolated less than ten minutes from downtown Vancouver. I learned a lot about Henry on the banks of the Capilano; everything from his studies in Arabic to his training in barefoot running. As a Bainbridge Islander, he is the embodiment of Northwestern spirit – his local knowledge and positive attitude contributing to every aspect of our trip. It’s his first year at the UW and this was his first time facilitating a Global Getaway. I can’t help but feel that the future of FIUTS facilitating is in good hands with Henry.

The two groups reunited at the Capilano Dam. From atop it, we gazed down at the manmade cascade and I got to practice a little Mandarin with Jessica Lu and Lisa Chen. However, I immediately found myself in trouble as deep as the reservoir we stood over. Without getting too much into the semantics, I managed to equate Taiwanese people with Chinese in a way that made sense in English, but in Mandarin is a subject of extreme sensitivity. I have many memories with Jessica and Lisa, but the look on their faces when I called them ‘Chinese’ will always stand out. It was a valuable lesson learned for me and I thank Jessica and Lisa for being such good sports about it. 不好意思！Sorry!

That night we went to explore Gastown, Vancouver’s historic heart. It was like being thrown back into the Victorian Era, complete with red-brick streets and steam powered clocks. We soaked in the aged atmosphere, inspected the architecture, and ogled over the plethora of fantastic dining options. We split up to eat wherever looked best and I ended up with a few others, including Sultan Alshehri, at Al Porto Ristorante for some Italian. Over seafood risotto and quattro fromaggio pizza, Sultan told us about his intensive English courses at IELP and about his transition into U.S. culture. Having only ever met a few IELP students in the past, I valued the chance to learn more about how it worked and what he did. Sultan’s perspective taught me things about the UW and Seattle that I might have never known otherwise. On the way back to the hostel, we walked through Vancouver’s bustling and ultra-modern downtown. As we walked, I got to talk to Wei Hongxian (or Bruce as most of us know him). He let me confess some of the difficulties I have run into while learning Mandarin, but Bruce, as always, was nothing but encouraging. He helped me as we spoke about numerous topics in mixed Mandarin and English. After talking with him, Jessica, and Lisa, and I am more convinced now that I need to visit Taipei sooner than later.

Our second full day in Vancouver started with a morning ride along Stanley Park’s seawall. Our flock of bikes soared through the salty Salish air, cruising leisurely as we soaked in surrounding landscape vistas and the Vancouver skyline. Everyone was enthralled with the activity, although things slowed down for a bit when Wu Ning’s bike got a flat. However, it wasn’t long before a friendly local stopped, called English Bay Bike Rentals for her, and made sure that they were able to come out and repair it quickly. Canadian kindness kept her going for the rest of the day. She was super relieved for, as she put it, she “is just a scholar and doesn’t know how to fix a bike!” I was impressed with her positivity throughout the entire endeavor and am glad that she got to experience firsthand just why Canada is known for being so nice.

After Stanley Park, we split up again to see either the Capilano Suspension Bridge or the University of British Columbia (UBC). I led the UBC group while Sascha took the rest to the suspension bridge. Those of us who went to explore the university found a beautiful campus sprawled over almost a thousand acres of endowed lands. We admired its setting, comparing it favorably with the UW. Still, much like the UW, some of the architectural choices on campus seemed questionable, and Li Yunzhou was among us when we joked about it. (I should mention that as a facilitator, it was great to see a participant so willing to interact and socialize across cultures as Yunzhou was). She was also witness to my complete failure to figure out how many provinces made up Canada. An amused UBC student helped us out when he overheard. Turns out there are ten provinces and three territories. I don’t think either Yunzhou or I will forget that now.

One of UBC’s treasures is its Museum of Anthropology (MOA). The few acres it occupies are stuffed to the brim with archeological wonders numbering - literally - in the hundreds of thousands. The crowning jewels are its collection of first nations totem poles, but it boasts items of significance from across the globe. We spent hours poring over MOA’s exhausting inventory of beautiful artifacts, yet still we lamented that there wasn’t nearly enough time to do so. I could feel Thilini Kahandawaarachchi’s pain as we perused the many isles of relics knowing that there was no way that we could possibly absorb it all. Still, she was like a kid in a candy store, filling up on all the sweet knowledge that she could get from the museum. Having her there proved especially valuable as the museum had a collection of masks from her homeland, Sri Lanka, and she was able to explain their history and significance in far greater depth than I would have ever been able to discern on my own. There are many moments with Thilini that I remember fondly, but this one made me rethink how I visit museums; from now on, I will always bring some local experts.

While were lost deep inside of UBC’s MOA, Sascha and the rest of the gang were ascending through the rainforest canopy at the Capilano Suspension Bridge. As Sascha detailed, they traversed the 450 foot (137m) long suspension bridge while 230 feet (70m) above the Capilano River. Their treetop adventure wasn’t over there, however, as a series of seven smaller suspension bridges attached to eight 30 ton, 250 year old Douglas-firs, took them up to 110 feet above the forest floor. He said it was all quite thrilling. The other participants I talked to shared Sascha’s enthusiasm, although with fewer numbers. No matter how they described it, you could sense that they had shared a truly unique and wonderful experience. I don’t regret choosing to go to UBC – I found things there that I will keep with me forever – but the pictures and smiles that came back from the Capilano were enough to make me sure of what I’ll do on my next visit.

After returning downtown, the UBC crew ate dinner together at Banana Leaf, a Malaysian restaurant not far from the hostel. I had roti canai for the first time. Earlier at MOA, Bikrham Singh Ghura had told me an old Sikh story about Guru Nanak. In the story, Guru Nanak squeezes bread that was given to him by a rich man and blood trickles from it, but when he squeezes the bread given to him by a poor man, milk pours out. He says that this is because the wealthy man’s bread was paid for by the blood of the poor while the poor man’s bread was earned through his labor. Bikrham pointed out that the roti I was eating was a lot like the bread in the story. So I squeezed the roti too. Nothing came out. I’m still not sure what I am to make of this. What I am sure of is that my meal took on an entirely new dimension thanks to Bikrham and the culture he shared with me.

The next day we left Vancouver city and took the ferry over to Vancouver Island. When we got to Victoria, I think we were all pleasantly surprised to find a city so different from the one we had left on the mainland. I would describe Victoria as a utopian vision of a city – it’s just pleasant all around. I honestly can’t criticize it. Every walkway is clean and every garden perfectly manicured. Artwork is ubiquitous, yet almost always subtle and attractive. Even the alleyways are charming and often home to quiet little shops. The fresh environment reinvigorated everyone’s desire to explore, so we started a grand walking tour of the city that wouldn’t end until well after dark. From harbor seals at Fisherman’s Wharf, to the BC Parliamentary Buildings, to Craigdarroch Castle, we didn’t stop walking until we had seen everything. I was with Heesu Jo, as we explored the town. As we do, Heesu and I talked about anything and everything that came to mind, from politics to crumpets. Our banter can seem antagonizing at times, but it’s only because we have become fast friends over our last few trips together. I can always count on Heesu for his consistently good attitude towards life. His positive spirit lifted up everyone around him throughout the trip. Xiongdi, brother, I hope we have more adventures soon!

As nice as Victoria was, we decided to spend the next day exploring the natural wonders of Vancouver Island. We drove out to see Canada’s Pacific Rim National Park and discovered a wild coastline dotted with beaches. We started at Botanical Beach just as the tide was at its lowest, so we were quick to explore the tide pools before it would come in again. We were all enthralled with what we found there, but I don’t think anybody was more enchanted with the natural bounty before us than Xiao Jingwen. She works as an interpreter at the Seattle Aquarium, so she reveled in the opportunity to see northwest marine life in its natural setting. Pointing them out as she found them, she taught us about limpets, chiton, sculpin, sea anemone, sea urchins and more. We might have gone and seen these things without Jingwen, but because she was there we were able to see clearer and appreciate more completely the world we found in each little pool. I can’t say enough about how cool the tide pools were or how thankful I am that Jingwen was there to show them to us.

As the tide moved back in, we moved over to neighboring Sombrio Beach for a seaside campfire. Earlier in the day, we had stopped at a grocery store so that everyone could pick up some things that they might like to roast over the fire. Maybe I should have expected it given the diversity of cultural backgrounds in our group, but I was still surprised by the variety and creativity displayed at our dinner. Some of us cooked chicken on hot stones, others roasted bread and potatoes, and others still managed to bake whole mini pizzas. Some of our cooking techniques required us to build whole new contraptions for getting food over the flame; I don’t think anyone will forget Sascha’s Roast Master 3000 or, most impressively, the ensemble of sticks and banana that allowed Lauren Young to roast an entire digestive biscuit s’more at once. I was satisfied with the standard sausages and marshmallows that I had brought, but seeing what everyone else came up with was truly inspiring. I will probably be more imaginative with the next campfire I am at thanks to those at Sombrio Beach. We continued to happily roast away until well after the sun had set and the stars began to show. I searched the heavens with Hanul Seo and together we found Venus and the Pleiades and admired the most vivid moon ring we’ve ever seen. Han and I both admitted that our knowledge of the heavens above was lacking – with so many lights, we could only name a few. That didn’t stop us from appreciating them, however, as we realized that what we were seeing represented literally thousands of years of stellar history as the light travelled to us from far away. By the time we returned to Victoria, I was determined to relearn that which our ancestors knew about the sky. Han and I agreed to spend more time looking up.

On our last day together, I joined a small group of early risers at 7:00AM so that we might squeeze in as much time wandering the city as possible before we left for Seattle. Alan Chang was among us. Alan and I had many conversations over the break, but I remember those we had over our breakfasts at John’s Place and the Blue Fox most fondly. This is probably due in part to the fact that both these establishments prove that Victorians know how to start the day right (you need a relaxed atmosphere, eggs, and coffee, in case you were wondering), but Alan’s easy-going style and pleasant demeanor definitely made the experience complete. Alan is one of the most amiable people I’ve ever met and I’m glad he was there for the revival of Team Sunrise, Canada edition.

Our journey back to Seattle from Victoria was a long one, but filled with many more moments I won’t soon forget. There was a picturesque ferry ride and a last minute, very necessary stop at Tim Hortons before we crossed the border. Once we had all successfully made it back into the U.S., we celebrated our successful trip and waved goodbye to Canada from Blaine Marina Park. Too soon, we were back in the cars and headed south again. The long car ride gave me a chance to talk at length with Lauren Young, a kiwi on exchange at the UW. Our conversation covered everything from her home in New Zealand, to Chinese culture, to issues surrounding multiple identities. Later we would discuss growing up as part of a military family with Madison Doser who, like me, grew up with parents serving in the armed forces. We talked about what it was like to move around constantly and how tough it can be to have family gone on deployment. Our conversation touched on subjects that I hadn’t spoken of in a long time, dredging up memories and feelings that I had let sink deep inside me for years. It was cathartic, and I can only thank Madison and Lauren for sharing so much with me on our journey.

It was dark. We were back at the Burke, trying to say goodbye. Before we parted ways, the participants presented the facilitators with a thank you card, signed by all of them and filled with inside jokes. It was sweet – the greatest souvenir we could have hoped for. Since that night, I have been asked many times where I went for Spring break, and I have many good things to say about Vancouver and Victoria. But as I reflect on it, it is clear to me that my spring break was less about where I went and more about who I was with. The stories I’ve shared here are only a small fraction those I cherish from this trip. If you were to ask any of them, I’m sure the eighteen others that shared in this adventure would tell you dozens more. Global Getaways are for making connections and the connections we forged on this one have made this spring break the best I’ve ever had.

Who I Was With On Spring Break

NOT REceiving OUR NEWSLETTERS?

ABOUT US

Action

land Acknowledgement