Students at the ALES International Experiences Symposium shared vivid snapshots of the wonders and worries of the world as they reflected on international study trips they took during the past year.
But one of the most profound insights was eloquent in its stark simplicity.
"Canada's way is not the only way," said Moni Holowach, explaining new perspectives she gained during her ALES Reading Week trip to Cuba in February.
Holowach, a fourth-year Nutrition student, toured various agricultural systems in Cuba, including a herbal medicine farm and an urban garden, and soaked up information on agronomy and ecology, sustainability and politics. With 20 other students from various departments of the faculty, she also provided community service by hand-weeding and spoke to Cuban students from the University of Cienfuegos about economic and cultural changes expected when the American travel ban to Cuba is fully implemented.
Other experiences that enhanced her formal studies included observing Cuba's culture of collectivism, which sees neighbours assisting each other frequently and an approach to sustainability that differs from the norm in Canada.
"They don't recycle first. They reuse first and then recycle," she said, sounding a bit chastened by how entrenched such behavior is.
Flashes of insight that popped up around the planned teaching moments are why the 15 students who presented short speeches at the Symposium praised the value of international learning, no matter where their travels took them.
Jennifer Yurkiw, a fourth year Human Ecology student who spent four months in Cuba at the University of Santiago while she lived with a local family, spoke about how significant it was to feel "displaced" almost the whole time, nervous even about navigating the transit system since she speaks little Spanish.
"Now I can relate on a much deeper level to how people adjust to a new community," she said. "It helped me understand how people (new to Edmonton) would struggle and how it does impact your ability to interact in a new society."
Students, alumni and donors who listened to the travel-experience summaries were also told about the breadth of choices and time periods for international study that are possible for ALES participants.
During an intensive three-week trip to Italy, third-year Nutrition students Anissa Armet and Joanne Alano explored health practices there by touring care centres and meeting such patients as a 107-year-old who'd just undergone a hip replacement.
Charlotte Dawe, a third-year Environmental and Conservation Sciences student majoring in conservation biology student, spent part of last summer volunteering with the Cambodia Reef Conservation and Community Immersion Program, cleaning up trash on an island shoreline, before moving on to help at an animal sanctuary that houses elephants saved from tortuous work in the logging industry.
During a more conventional exchange semester in Bangor, Wales, fifth-year Forestry Management student Britni Smith combined study of geological formations with other electives.
Not all the international study was organized by the Faculty of ALES, although many students who sought out programs outside of the faculty and university, or arranged international experiences for themselves, received ALES funding. For instance, fourth-year Nutrition student Daniel Neuman did his own research to set up a four-month dietetics internship southwest of Berlin where he job-shadowed a clinician, counselled youth and made many valuable contacts. The latter led to him presenting an international webinar that compared German and Canadian food, and diabetic food pathways.
Alternative Reading Week programs and the Mexico Agribusiness Study Tour are co-curricular and take place in early and late spring, respectively.
Multiple curricular Education Abroad programs are run by ALES or by other closely aligned faculties.
But one of the most profound insights was eloquent in its stark simplicity.
"Canada's way is not the only way," said Moni Holowach, explaining new perspectives she gained during her ALES Reading Week trip to Cuba in February.
Holowach, a fourth-year Nutrition student, toured various agricultural systems in Cuba, including a herbal medicine farm and an urban garden, and soaked up information on agronomy and ecology, sustainability and politics. With 20 other students from various departments of the faculty, she also provided community service by hand-weeding and spoke to Cuban students from the University of Cienfuegos about economic and cultural changes expected when the American travel ban to Cuba is fully implemented.
Other experiences that enhanced her formal studies included observing Cuba's culture of collectivism, which sees neighbours assisting each other frequently and an approach to sustainability that differs from the norm in Canada.
"They don't recycle first. They reuse first and then recycle," she said, sounding a bit chastened by how entrenched such behavior is.
Flashes of insight that popped up around the planned teaching moments are why the 15 students who presented short speeches at the Symposium praised the value of international learning, no matter where their travels took them.
Jennifer Yurkiw, a fourth year Human Ecology student who spent four months in Cuba at the University of Santiago while she lived with a local family, spoke about how significant it was to feel "displaced" almost the whole time, nervous even about navigating the transit system since she speaks little Spanish.
"Now I can relate on a much deeper level to how people adjust to a new community," she said. "It helped me understand how people (new to Edmonton) would struggle and how it does impact your ability to interact in a new society."
Students, alumni and donors who listened to the travel-experience summaries were also told about the breadth of choices and time periods for international study that are possible for ALES participants.
During an intensive three-week trip to Italy, third-year Nutrition students Anissa Armet and Joanne Alano explored health practices there by touring care centres and meeting such patients as a 107-year-old who'd just undergone a hip replacement.
Charlotte Dawe, a third-year Environmental and Conservation Sciences student majoring in conservation biology student, spent part of last summer volunteering with the Cambodia Reef Conservation and Community Immersion Program, cleaning up trash on an island shoreline, before moving on to help at an animal sanctuary that houses elephants saved from tortuous work in the logging industry.
During a more conventional exchange semester in Bangor, Wales, fifth-year Forestry Management student Britni Smith combined study of geological formations with other electives.
Not all the international study was organized by the Faculty of ALES, although many students who sought out programs outside of the faculty and university, or arranged international experiences for themselves, received ALES funding. For instance, fourth-year Nutrition student Daniel Neuman did his own research to set up a four-month dietetics internship southwest of Berlin where he job-shadowed a clinician, counselled youth and made many valuable contacts. The latter led to him presenting an international webinar that compared German and Canadian food, and diabetic food pathways.
Alternative Reading Week programs and the Mexico Agribusiness Study Tour are co-curricular and take place in early and late spring, respectively.
Multiple curricular Education Abroad programs are run by ALES or by other closely aligned faculties.