International students see a silver lining in an isolating year at Conestoga College

For many international students in Waterloo region, virtual learning and provincial pandemic restrictions have limited their interactions with the local community and Canadian culture. At the same time, two students say they're using this opportunity to focus on learning and career building.

Jennyfer Ahumada moved to Kitchener from Colombia in August 2021 to study strategic marketing communications at Conestoga College. Since then, most of her classes have been online and she's watched as the community has gone through a series of provincially-imposed closuresand social restrictions.

"I think the most difficult thing that I am struggling with [is] that I cannot interact well in person. As an international student, for me it's so important to interact with people because I need to learn more about the culture, embrace the culture and know more . people and improve my English skills," she told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo.

Ahumada said she had hoped COVID-19 restrictions would improve by the time she moved to theregion in 2021and that she would get to experience the perks that come with moving to a new city:parties, community gatherings andevents.

"I think international students who left their countries and come here at this time, it's not easy at all," said Ahumada. But, she took it in stride, and instead redirected her attention.

"I am focused only at the college and the work," she said.

Silver linings during pandemic

Tina Maputol moved to the region in September 2021 to study early childhood education at Conestoga College.

The former elementary school teacher from the Philippines was slated to teach in New Zealand before the pandemic hit. That led that country to close its borders, and for Maputol to lose that teaching opportunity.

So, she decided to move to Waterloo region tofurther her education, on advice from a friend.

"Overall, considering all of the restrictions and the precautions that we need to take, I feel like I am navigating my first year pretty OK," she said."I wouldn't [have] changed my mind about investing in myself because I really wanted to be productive this year and last year."

Maputol said she's even taken a liking to virtual learning.

"In the beginning, of course, as someone coming from outside Canada, I really was wanting to be in a Canadian classroom and experience how it is to bein an actual classroom with all of my classmates and see my teachers in person and all of that," she said.

"But I have grown to really enjoy online learning," she said. There's no commute, she can sleep in later and she can learn in the comfort of her home.

She said it was slowmaking friends at first, but she soon found an online community with classmates.

"We check up on each other via Microsoft Teams or we message each other, but we don't like talk about, 'Let's goto this cafe', for example," she said, noting social precautions.

More international students

Conestoga College welcomed 13,000 international students in fall 2021, an increase from pre-pandemic admissions in 2019 with 10,000 students.

Gary Hallam, vice president international for Conestoga College, said there are several reasons why more international students are choosing to enrol during the pandemic; For many, they are fufilling a lifelong dream.

"Students started their dream for international education prior to COVID-19," he said, "Some paused it for one semester, some paused it for a year. But students, we find, have been planning this for years and years it's part of a life goal for their families or for the actual student themselves."

Hallam said Canada and Waterloo region are attractive destinations for students, and Conestoga College offers more than 230 programs for international students.

He said the college is doing its best to financially support students. It froze tuition during the first year of the pandemic and last year it offered $1,000 bursaries to international students to help with travel costs.

He said the goal now is to bring more students back on campus as quickly as possible.

The majority of classes at the college are currently being taught virtuallywith essential learning, such as labs or co-ops, being taught in person. The college hopes most students can return to campus in February.