GALA: International Orientation is an award-winning orientation program that supports international students’ transition to UBC and Canada. It addresses the practical aspects of studying in Canada (study permits, entry visas, health insurance and employment), fosters the development of peer communities through social programming, and encourages leadership development through an exploration of the services and resources offered at UBC Vancouver.
GALA volunteers play a key role in welcoming UBC’s newest international students to our campus and to Canada.Additionally, these positions offer opportunities for leadership development and are a great experience for anyone looking to get more involved with UBC Orientations (UBC Jump Start, Imagine UBC).
Winter GALA Team is looking for students who will dedicate themselves to delivering a supportive, informative and inspiring orientation and transition program for new-to-UBC international students. To apply to volunteer with Winter GALA 2012 click here.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Tanja Bergen, the Winter GALA coordinator, via email (tanja.bergen@ubc.ca) or by phone at 604-822-4904.
More information about Winter GALA and the online registration can be found here
Clinton Global Initiative University Info Session: What is it and Why YOU should go!
Are you a young leader searching for likeminded individuals to discuss solutions and make concrete steps towards improving pressing global issues?
Where: Global Lounge
When: November 17, 2011, 5 to 6pm
Take this opportunity to get inside tips from four of last year’s successful applicants about what it takes to create a successful application to the Clinton Global Initiative University.
Each year, CGI U hosts a meeting where students, national youth organizations, topic experts, and celebrities discuss solution to critical global issues. CGI U 2012 will be held at George Washington University, Washington DC from March 30-April 1, 2012. At this meeting, nearly 1,200 attendees will come together to make a difference in CGI U’s five focus areas: Education, Environment & Climate Change, Peace & Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health. It is an amazing opportunity to learn from and connect with other young leaders and to make connections that will help you to execute your plan of action.
Join us at the Global Lounge for a discussion on the social movement that has swept the world…
Date: November 15, 4:30pm-6:00pm
Location: Global Lounge
The Occupy Wall Street movement that began in mid September was widely criticized for having no goals and formal demands. By October 15 the movement had spread to over 950 cities in 82 different countries. Is this about corporate greed and economic inequality? Are you with the 99% or 1%? Come share your opinion and hear what the UBC community has to say. Everybody welcome!
For more information, check out our blog or contact us at : global.lounge@ubc.ca
Global Leadership for Social Change Professional Development Series
Date: Saturday, November 12, 2011
Time: 10AM – 4PM
Location: Simon KY Lee Global Lounge (map)
Are you part of a club or organization on or off campus? OR Are you interested in how you can learn practical skills to become an agent of change? If yes, then join us at the Global Lounge on November 12, 2011 for the right tools, ideas and inspiration: Global Leadership for Social Change Professional Development Series.
- Lunch and refreshments are provided throughout the day!
- Students attending the entire day of workshops will receive a Global Leadership for Social Change certificate of completion
- You do not have to attend the all the workshops, if there is one or two of greater interest, you can just attend those (registration is for the entire day however).
- If you are presenting, you still have to register.
Space is limited, so please register here: http://www.eventbrite.com/org/1557279178
For more information and detailed schedule of the day, check out Gloubal Lounge Blog or if you have any questions, please email: global.lounge@ubc.ca
Hello IPP!
Canadian Thanksgiving was a few weeks ago, and American Thanksgiving is yet to come. At this juncture, IPP would like to invite you to its very own International Thanksgiving, called the IPP Celebration of Thanks!
In late October and early November, it is really easy to get lost in the waves of schoolwork and other commitments. We think this is the perfect time to pause and consider what we have already accomplished, and who has given their time to help us achieve our goals. We believe this is also a great time to think about to whom and for what we want to show our deepest gratitude. Having a support system like the International Peer Program fosters a sense of community among its participants. We can practically call the IPP community a second family!
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To celebrate the relationship between our International Peers, Senior Peers, and Group Leaders, we warmly invite IPP participants to International House for some group activities.
Afterward, we will leave International House for a volunteer project. Because what better way to show gratitude than to give back?
And finally, having worked up the appetite, every group will receive a gift card to a restaurant nearby their project placement. Enjoy an IPP Thanksgiving meal together!
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Please contact your Senior Peer to sign-up for this event by Tuesday, November 1st. Tuesday November 1st will be the last day we will count you in.
Any questions and (if you do not have a Senior Peer/interested in joining IPP) RSVPs can be sent to vincent.lok@ubc.ca.
The event will take place on Saturday, November 5th at International House at 1PM.
***We will leave International House before 3:00PM to get to our volunteer sites.
Volunteer Project Locations:
Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House – Mostly moving furniture and painting.
Vision, Mission & Mandate DTES NH Oct 2010
Aboriginal Front Door – Cleaning and organization, giving out cold weather items and candy on the corner of Main & Hastings
UBC Farm (weather permitting)
Chinatown – Educational tour and Litter Patrol (Plastic gloves and garbage bags will be provided)
Stanley Park
Jericho Beach
Kitsilano Beach
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Keep checking back for updates to the Celebration of Thanks!
No, we’re not telling you to go to your usual class. Well, you should be attending your usual classes regardless, but this is not just about your typical academic courses. This is about CLASS – the Conference for Learning and Academic Student Success!
CLASS was originally a one-day conference where students could attend several different workshops on improving their UBC experience at the academic, social, and professional levels. As the presence of midterms and assignments make October a very busy month, some people were skeptical that students would be interested in attending such an event. However, CLASS workshops are designed especially to help you power through this busy time of year, and so the demand for CLASS workshops was such that this year CLASS is a full week of engaging presentations designed to improve your learning and overall experience at UBC. Pretty cool, eh?
To make it even MORE cool, IPP is also presenting a learning lab during CLASS – Friends with Benefits: Support Networks for Academic Success. In this interactive workshop, students will learn successful strategies for coping with homesickness emotions that begin to creep in after the September excitement dies down. You will get a chance to interact with students who experienced very similar emotions, and also learn about resources available at UBC and in your community. But I won’t tell you much more, because I don’t want to accidentally give you too much information! You can find out more details under our October Learning Labs page, at [link]
Our fellow JumpStart colleagues are also presenting a workshop, Negotiating Language Barriers in the Classroom and Beyond. This workshop focuses on helping students who are new to the English language to learn strategies for better communication skills both inside and outside the classroom. As this might be a common concern of many international students, we highly recommend you to check it out! More information also under our October Learning Labs page, at [link]
Overall, check the CLASS website for more workshops and learning labs, and for a more accurate History of how CLASS was developed and who are the amazing people behind it [link]. You will definitely find something that interests you! If you still don’t believe me, just read their awesome description below:
“Title: GO TO CLASS
Struggling with the midterms? Trying to find ways to study effectively? Fear not, CLASS is here! The Conference for Learning and Academic Student Success is dedicated to helping first-year and transfer students from all faculties achieve academic excellence and personal wellness so you can bathe in roses and milk once again. CLASS aims to help you help yourself, empower you with the knowledge and resources needed to realize your academic goals while pursuing a balanced and healthy university lifestyle. Mark your calendars, the journey begins on Monday October 24th to Friday October 28th, where you will learn the keys to university success through our innovative workshops, inspiring speakers and mentors. Free registration is now open – www.class.ubc.ca: GO TO CLASS!!!”
So pack your lunch, wear those flashy sunglasses, and bring your favourite pen – We hope to see you in CLASS!
Hi everyone!
I hope you are all doing very well, and that midterms and papers are not taking up all of your time, because we have a lot of exciting learning labs and events happening in October! From yummy breakfasts and a thrilling Halloween party to interactive workshops all over campus, October is quickly becoming the busiest and most fun month yet! =)
To start off, we have Thrive Week (http://thrive.ubc.ca/) shaking things up this week with tons of fun and informative events to encourage the UBC community to invest in a healthier lifestyle, including our very own IPP Wellness Breakfast! Join us this Thursday, October 20th, between 9 – 11 AM at the Simon K. Lee Global Lounge (map) for a delicious, healthy, FREE breakfast. If you can’t stay for the whole thing, drop by to grab a muffin, to participate in a quick morning stretch, or just to say hi on your way to class! We’re also creating a personalized playlist with people’s favorite morning songs on Facebook, and a lot of people have already shared their top picks. I have to say, we are quite an eclectic crowd! Share YOUR favorite song with us by commenting below or visiting our Facebook event page. I’m curious to see what the end result of our morning playlist will be!
If you can’t make it to our breakfast though, don’t worry – Check out the Thrive Week website for more activities! From workshops to movie sessions to morning breakfasts, you’ll definitely find something that will interest you and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle at UBC!
IPP Wellness Breakfast
Time: Thursday, October 20th, 2011, 9-11 am
Location: Global Lounge on Marine Drive (map)
What is your starting place for success? Every morning is a new day, how will you start yours?
Join the International Peer Program for a delicious, nutritious, and free breakfast, an opportunity to start your day off right by having breakfast with students from around the world. If you can’t stay for the whole thing, drop by for a little while before or after class. Hear each other’s favorite morning songs! Learn about healthy living habits and student-friendly nutritional options. Start your year off with success.
Check out our Facebook event page and post your favorite morning songs!
Hello everyone!
Vince here.
We’ve had a great start to the year so far with our September events! First was Meet-Your-Peer Day on Saturday September 10th. Although some International Peers attended various froshes, many International Peers, Senior Peers, and Group Leaders still got to meet for the first time and it was inspiring to watch those connections forming! Groups moved from station to station where they learned about developing their own academic action plan, how the International Peer Advisors can help with documents and paperwork, what the Wellness Peers have to offer with respect to leading a healthy and balanced life as a student, and making a cheer for their group. Everyone enjoyed a little time at the end of the day to mingle with their new friends and to plan future group events. Mad props to fellow Student Manager Jin and Program Assistants Jenny and Rebeca for all of their hard work and late nights. Thanks largely to them, MYP Day was a success!
The next event was an awesome and informative presentation about travelling in Canada and abroad. You can read a short blurb about it here: https://secure.students.ubc.ca/workshops/international.cfm#2331
Kam Johal from TravelCuts at the UBC branch gave a very inspiring presentation about travel and how TravelCuts can make it easier and cheaper for students to travel. It definitely re-ignited my passion for travel. People who attended got to ask Kam questions (she is a travel expert, I tell you) and received free swag! If you missed it, well darn! But you can get the details from me: vincent.lok@ubc.ca; or from Kam: KJohal@travelcuts.com.
Also, TravelCuts will also be hosting Campus Race – an Amazing Race-type competition in which you move from station to station on campus and complete activities. Winners will be announced later in the day at the Barbecue on MacInnes Field. You can compete by registering with a friend (teams of two). Just ask Kam about it at KJohal@travelcuts.com!
More info about it here:UBC Campus Race
Many groups are also getting ready for their first event of the term! Whether it be a dinner, a hike, a swim, or board games, we hope your group had something fun planned!
In all, I would say this is a very encouraging start to the school year. Go IPP!
Love,
Vince + the SMT
Team Chilliwack on Meet Your Peer Day
Hi all IPP Peers!
Thank you all for coming out to Meet Your Peer Day on the beautiful sunny day! I hope all of you had the chance to get to know your Group and some of great resources on Campus such as the Wellness Centre and International Peer Advisors (IPAs). Just as a reminder, if you want to get more information on your wellbeing and ANYTHING related to your health, you can visit the Wellness Centre in the Student Union Building. If you need help with Study Visas, Health insurance or Work Permits, find the IPA’s in I.House and Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. Add them on Facebook (UBC IPA)! Hope to see you soon at your Group Event or at one of our next upcoming events: Thrive Week Breakfast with Wellness (Oct. 20) and Halloween Party (Oct.28)!
Also check out the pictures on Meet Your Peer Day and many thanks to Nicole, our lovely group leader, for taking so many lovely pictures!
It’s almost that time.
Excitedly, we are gearing up for a new year with the International Peer Program.
Stay tuned and we’ll be back shortly with more information about what to expect for the following year.
