What I really learned at a Canadian College: A Peruvian student’s story
Author: Jayanti Bachani, Camosun College Alumni
I finished the Community, Family and Child Studies program (CFCS) this winter semester and it feels so great. Finally, I could see assignments and exams coming to an end. These two years have been wonderful and so full of learning experiences, hard work, new people, and curiosity. These two years have also been intense and loaded with emotions. This program has opened my heart and eyes, undoubtedly.
My academic life already started some years ago with my bachelor’s degree. Then, in 2020, when the pandemic hit the world, I was trying to defend my master’s thesis. I remember saying, “I don’t want to study anymore. I am so done with this studying thing.” Little did I know that after some months I’d be looking for a new program to enroll in.
Behind every choice I’ve made in my scholarly life, there’s always been a particular connection. For instance, I studied education because I started teaching when I turned 17 and I was sure that was my vocation. Next, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in Performing Arts as a genuine attempt to integrate my love for classrooms with my passion for acting and dancing.
How does the CFCS program at Camosun fit in this puzzle? After working for some years with a large spectrum of families, children, youth, and adults, I realized I wanted to develop more tools to support individuals through arts and education. After some exhaustive research, I found this unique program that immediately clicked with what I wanted to achieve. I checked the curricula and right away I could see myself at Camosun. Would this be it? Is this what I really wanted? After some months, my family and I were packing our lives in four bags that traveled through four different planes all the way from Peru.
Now that I’ve just finished this adventure at Camosun, I’ve made a list of things the CFCS program brings into your life that no one tells you about.
Self-appreciation
First things first: get a mirror and make sure you look at your reflection every single day. That mirror will reflect a face full of happiness, excitement, and—I’m not trying to sell perfection—exhaustion. It’s responsible for reminding you what a great person you are and the steps you had to take to move forward. The CFCS program has a big reflective component that allows you to delve into your personal world, and you learn that you have to consciously acknowledge the positive within you.
Time is pure gold
This program doesn’t bring time into your life. However, it does help you develop a great awareness for this valuable resource. As you can tell, it’s no secret that I’m not a teen student anymore, so I’m somewhat experienced with time and due dates. Nevertheless, studying in a new country and being a mother were two unique challenges while being a full-time student. My time at Camosun taught me attention to detail while keeping in mind the big picture. In other words, planning time slots for assignments and projects while not losing perspective that you also have a life.
New friends, old friends
The connections I’ve built with my classmates are sui generis—all so diverse from many countries, speaking distinct languages, with each one of us going through different life stages and yet managing to find a special bond. It gives me that unique sensation of familiarity and affection, as if we had met during our childhood years. Teamwork projects, innumerable hours in class, our nonstop conversations on life and love, our internal jokes and nicknames, the many tears we shared, the support we gave to each other, and, of course, all the food we ate together. All those memories are in the past but hold an importance in my thoughts today.
New colours
As you can tell, one of the aspects I have enjoyed the most is the vast diversity Camosun holds. I’ve met people from all seven continents in these two years. Being able to talk and establish a connection with a wide variety of people is a singular sensation that could only be compared to a young person discovering Around the World in Eighty Days for the first time.
My time at Camosun opened a new set of nuances in the worldview I held about life and diversity. It went beyond what I’ve always experienced back in Peru, as I discovered that cultural diversity comes along with inclusion. My understanding of cultural diversity went beyond the identification of nationalities. I realized that what makes up a culture is not only your country, but your upbringing, your beliefs, the whole extent of your identity as a human. In this sense, I think that Camosun is doing visible work in promoting college activities and opportunities to integrate and respect our identities, preferences, and experiences: the annual Cultural Showcase, the celebration of Holi, the active participation at the Victoria Pride Parade, the social media awareness regarding fasting and Ramadan, and volunteering possibilities, among other options.
Lifelong learner
After working in the education field for over 15 years, I’ve heard the term “lifelong learner” quite a bit. Many international schools and first-world scholastic environments promote lifelong learning experiences as a way to ensure these students will always… learn? If you’re confused, as I once was, about this pompous expression, let me explain it to you through my first-hand experience at Camosun.
As I’ve previously mentioned, the way in which the CFCS program is designed is tailored to make you question what we see and to confront the biases we carry. The program made me notice that we all have some sort of bias or prejudice that interferes with our judgement and decisions—the systems around us while we grow in life, the education we receive, our daily interactions, our friends, everything and everyone contributes to the people we are today.