Adriana Rosacolocho, an international student in the Digital Marketing Communications program at Algonquin College, shares why she chose to study in Ottawa and how the city’s multicultural community, opportunities for growth, and balanced lifestyle have helped her feel at home in Canada.
Moving to another country can be both exciting and nerve-racking as it comes with many questions. Where should I go? Would I be able to manage the cost of living? Where would I feel comfortable? Am I going to build a community and have better opportunities for my future career?
When I began looking where I wanted to live in Canada, I came across many cities, that each had something good to offer, but Ottawa was the city that stood out the most to me as it had a balance of things that I was looking for, a strong education environment, a multiculture city where I was most likely to find people from back home or just little parts of back home and potentially build a community, career opportunities, and a comfortable place for a new life.
Learning through new experiences
As an international student, I wanted my new life to be more than just going to class and back to my house, I wanted to explore and earn qualifications that would help me with the future. I hoped to study in a city where I could grow personally, meet people from different backgrounds, and have a better understanding of the Canadian culture.
Ottawa felt like the right place to go as it is the capital of Canada; it had the atmosphere that I was looking for. Ottawa, Canada’s Capital City is also connected to governments, technology, business, culture, and international organizations, that could potentially create the opportunity for me to learn outside of the classroom and think about how my studies could connect to the real world.
I also appreciated that Ottawa has the energy from a big city without it being overwhelming, it offers plenty of opportunities to explore the city, services, markets, etc. Where you could go and explore and learn new things about different cultures, it also has quiet neighborhoods, parks, and places where I can go and slow down or take a break from everything that is going on and feel at home, for example for me being from El Salvador, I could go to LaVillaLatinaRestaurant, a Salvadoran restaurant, where I could go and take a break and eat some of the national food and just feel at home for a second.
A welcoming and multicultural community
One thing I was worried about when leaving my home country was whether I would feel isolated or alone, as starting a new life far from what you knew your whole life, your family, your friends, can be challenging, especially during the first year as you are getting adapted to a new language, a new culture, a new country.
Ottawa’s multicultural community helped me make the transition a little easier, as I have met people with different cultural backgrounds, language, and experiences but one thing that we all had in common is that we all came here to have a better life, we were all going through similar experiences where we could lean on each other. These interactions have helped me become more open-minded and confident.
I have also learned that building a community can take time. It means joining any student activity that Algonquin College that the college provides, going out of your comfort zone to talk to your classmates, asking questions, and being willing to try new things. Ottawa gives students many opportunities to make new friends such as campus events, community activities, volunteering, or exploring the city with friends. The Algonquin College International Student Service Handbook provides a lot of information of the services available to international students like me.
A city that offers balance
The main reason why I chose Ottawa was the balance between education, career development, and quality of life. I wanted to live somewhere that would support my goals but also give me the time to enjoy my student experience.
Ottawa has many places to explore, such as museums and galleries, walking along the rideau canal, spending time in one of the national parks and seeing animals around me, for example one time I saw a deer and her little baby. The location of the city also makes it possible to explore other cities such as Gatineau.
The four seasons were also part of the experience that I wanted, I wanted to be able to discover what each season had to give, such as winter with all their winter activities, such as skiing, the first snow fall, as from where I come from it does not snow, spring, with their tulip festival where the whole city is full of tulips, Summers, with their music festival, car shows, food festivals, picnic, lantern festivals, or Fall with the apple picking, haunted house for Halloween, thanksgiving activities, pumpkin patches, etc. The cold weather was an adjustment, but it taught me to prepare, be patient and appreciate the changes in the environment.
Figure 1. where you are able to write your wishes, and release them in the water.
Figure 2. One of the tulips that were display during the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa.
Figure 3. The sunset is during winter.
Thinking about my future
Choosing a study destination is also a decision about my future. I wanted to study in a city where I could build something meaningful, where I could build skills, and learn about possible career paths.
Ottawa’s connection to public service, technology, education, and tourism is what makes it interesting for students with different goals. The city has helped think and focus on my goals, and why I am here, the skills I need to develop, and the kind of work I want to do.
I am learning that career preparation does not happen all at once. It involves different steps such as improving my resume, communicating with confidence, meeting people to make connections, gaining practical experience, and being open to feedback, I find is the most important. Ottawa has given me these opportunities gradually instead of just waiting till graduation.
What Ottawa has Taught me
Ottawa has been more than just selecting a city on a map. It has been about choosing a place where I can challenge myself while still finding support and a sense of belonging.
Living here has taught me how to become more independent, how to manage time, adapt to new environments, budgets, and make decisions on my own that will benefit my future. I have also learn that not everything goes in a straight line, that there’s ups and downs and how to navigate them, that is also normal to feel nervous when starting something new, and that those feeling become easier when asking for help and staying connected with the people around me.
Ottawa has given me the opportunity to grow in ways that I did not know it was possible. I am developing academically, but I am also becoming more confident, and comfortable outside of my comfort zone or my familiar surroundings.
Advice to Future International Students
If you are choosing Ottawa as your study destination, or your next adventure, take your time to research your program of study, living cost, transportation, housing, and the support system for international students. Think about what matters most to you, not just as a student but also as a person.
When you first arrive, you might feel overwhelmed, full of uncertainty. Believe me, I felt that way too. But choosing Ottawa was giving me more opportunities than I could count.
For me, Ottawa was the right choice because it offers a welcoming community, opportunities to learn and grow, and a balanced student lifestyle. I came here to study, but I am also learning to build confidence, friendships, and my future.
I believe that choosing Ottawa was one of the first important steps forward towards the life I want to create in Canada.