Introduction
Studying abroad is something that I always wanted to do. During my first and second years of university, I spent hours on the York website browsing options across the globe. Unfortunately, fear stopped me from taking that leap of faith. I had never traveled without family and the thought of doing so felt like such a big risk to take. By my third year, I assumed that it was too late and too expensive to do without planning thoroughly. Everything changed in the winter of 2024, when I received an email from The Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Department about summer abroad courses for that year. I needed a few extra credits to graduate, and thought that it wouldn’t hurt to take a look. That’s when I laid eyes on Settler Colonialism to Multiculturalism: a four-week course where students spend two weeks at York learning about the ways that settler colonialism and multiculturalism intersect in Vancouver. For the other half, they spend two weeks in Vancouver city and apply what they have learned to site visits and participatory observation. Since Canadian history was a topic that I had recently gained an interest in, I decided to bite the bullet and finally apply. Throughout this process, I was able to obtain some funding from York and save my own money in anticipation of the trip. What came out of this action was an experience that I will never forget. For me, it was especially worthwhile because I gained the following:
1. New Experiences
My summer abroad experience allowed me to experience a multitude of new places and activities. One site visit that perfectly exemplifies this are my experiences at the Powell Street Festival. Located Downtown within the Hastings neighborhood, the Powell Street Festival celebrates Japanese culture, history and communities within Canada and beyond. For this site visit, my classmates and I volunteered for the festival. We helped community members and volunteers set up the day before the festival and participated in various activities on the opening day. In my case, I helped carry the Omikoshi (or mikoshi). Shown in the photo above, they are portable shrines for deities and spirits. At Japanese festivals, they are often carried by local volunteers throughout the crowd. Myself and two other classmates helped carry the smaller Omikoshi located on the right side of the image. Although it was a lighter version meant for women and children, I found it to be very heavy and the experience was not particularly enjoyable.
However, it was an honor to participate in such a significant part of Japanese culture. Doing this allowed me to step out of my comfort zone as carrying heavier objects is not something that I typically do. Additionally, it allowed me to connect with my fellow classmates and experience working together with them to get through a difficult task. Although I won’t be carrying another Omikoshi anytime soon, I’m glad that I did it. I now have new memories and a memorable story to share with others in the years to come.
2. A broadened understanding of canadian history
Due to the historical nature of the site visits, this trip fulfilled my urge to learn more about Canadian history and the experiences of marginalized people within the nation throughout the years. Throughout the two weeks in Vancouver, my classmates and I learned about the lives of Black, Japanese, Chinese, Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ people. I gained a comprehensive understanding of how their efforts led to the creation of Vancouver as the metropolitan that it is today. The image above contains the Millenium Gate. It marks the entrance of the legendary Vancouver Chinatown and was built in 2002 as a way to honor the new millennium. Most significantly however, it was built to honor the role of Chinese settlers in establishing the neighborhood and Vancouver as a whole. From the gold rush to the construction of the Pacific Railroad that joined East and West Canada, Chinese Canadian settlers contributed large amounts of labor to benefit the Canadian economy.
For this, however, they were repaid with little to no wages, discrimination and various barriers that prevented themselves and their families from obtaining full citizenship. Although I was vaguely aware of these facts before this visit, the majority of my Canadian historical knowledge centered around Ontario. By having the opportunity to walk around this neighborhood and speak to a community member from the Chinese Storytelling Centre, I was able to understand these experiences in a deeper manner and see the ways that history in British Columbia both differs and connects to the legacies of my province.
3. knowledge applicable to my studies
Despite being under the Anthropology Department, this course provided me with a substantial amount of knowledge that can be applied to my discipline (Communication and Media Studies). For instance, the photo above showcases a performance from the African Descent Festival, which was organized by the African Descent Society located in English Bay (or Joe Fortes Beach as they renamed it). Days before this festival occurred, a representative from the organization took the class on a walking tour of different parts of Vancouver where Black Canadians had a significant impact and showed us their headquarters. During this part of the tour, our guide opened up about the struggles of obtaining funding and permits for their events and other activities. Specifically within the realm of media production, this is incredibly difficult for them. Since media funding and who receives it is a significant part of many of my courses, this allows me to compare and contrast the support Black organizations in Ontario as opposed to British Columbia get by their municipal and provincial governments.
4. critical perspectives on multicultural practices
Through readings and observations, this course allowed me to analyze multiculturalism and its intersections with colonialism with a critical lens that I did not have before. I knew about the flaws of Multiculturalism in media due to my course studies. However, my experiences in Vancouver trained me to spot these limitations outside of academic settings and media studies. For example, upon arriving in Vancouver, I was incredibly impressed by the amount of Indigenous art and architecture. The photo above was taken at the Vancouver International Airport and was one of my first sights upon landing. This admiration was shattered during a field visit to the Musqueam nation, where our tour guide explained the challenges her community faces, and the fact that Indigenous art around Vancouver often lacks context, homogenizing the nations all over B.C. I realized that I had not asked myself which nations were represented in this art. Indigenous people continuing to face adversaries in Vancouver, as well as a homogenization of Indigeneity through art makes these practices seem to be a performance where visitors are to perceive Vancouver as progressive and tolerant rather than move towards tangible change. This taught me to look beyond the surface when examining visual inclusivity.
5. a new-found sense of independence
Finally, the fifth reason why this study abroad experience was worthwhile for me is due to the newfound sense of independence that I gained from the experience. As I mentioned before, traveling without having family members to look out for me was something that I had never done before this experience. Because of this, the idea of studying abroad was nerve-racking for me and it felt as though I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.
Fortunately however, this trip showed me that I can manage the planning that it takes to travel and learn to navigate a new place independently. I was able to find my way to field sites, commute to locations I wanted to visit and navigate an entirely new university campus during my time in Vancouver. Although the trip being organized by the Department of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies gave me a considerable safety net, this experience was a great first step in showing me that I can manage new places as an adult.
conclusion
Overall, I’m incredibly glad that I chose to embark on a summer abroad journey. I was able to step out of my comfort zone and familiarize myself with traveling as an adult, and I took away insightful experiences, knowledge and perspectives that will stay with me. I tried new things, gained a deeper historical perspective, connected the course to my studies and learned how to apply theory regarding multiculturalism/colonialism to my daily life and gained a new sense of independence. If you have the funds and resources to do so, I would wholeheartedly recommend taking Settler Colonialism to Multiculturalism or any other summer abroad course that piques your interest. I’m sure that you’ll make unforgettable memories too.