International Student Survival Guide

Picture this, you just obtained your Canadian Study Visa.
Your bag is packed, your passport and flight tickets handy and ready for take off to Canada.
Although you are full of excitement, you still couldn't help but think about the challenges that await you in your new environment.

At least, this was the case for me.
I couldn't help but think about the challenges that await me in Canada.

Who was going to cook for me? How do I cope with the weather especially coming from a tropical country? How do I connect with new people and make new friends?

Those were some of the questions I had in mind as I boarded my plane from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos to Toronto, Canada on September 18th, 2004.

Only if I knew someone I could speak to directly maybe most of my questions could be answered - I kept thinking to myself but of course that was not going to happen.

It is true that having a mentor or talking to an experienced person can really cut down your mistakes and set the expectation for you to be successful in a new environment.

So pay attention to the next few lines because it can really help you thrive in Canada as an international student.

I will be discussing below some of the key must-haves before coming into Canada. This list can be infinite but the few I have listed below is really based on my 13 years experience in Canada so far.

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1 - Employment

You can work with your study permit - off - campus or on - campus. This is well known by most people, but picture a scenario where you have some skills which you can use to make money. You can be self employed and be in command of your own time.

I will use hair stylists (male or female) for example.

A guy on campus knew how to cut his friend's hair for a $5 - $10 per person. With this skill he was able to schedule people on his free time and make money for himself and didn't have to work as much but devoted the rest of his time to study.
Female stylist even make more money especially when it comes to hair braiding where a typical session can cost up to $50 - $100.

Having a skill like hair dressing can really help you command your time and create employment for yourself. Different people possess different skills and hair styling is just one of them.

Perhaps you are good at sports? Some students do get scholarship from some Universities for playing on the University team.

Read my post on part time jobs here.

2 - Cooking

I really recommend learning how to make basic meals before you pack your bags otherwise you could be spending $100 a week on just eating out in restaurants.

$100 per week = $400 per month = $4,800 per year = Ouch!!!

Also watch out for snacks - chocolate bars and cookies because they add up easily. Buy actual food before you consider adding snacks to your budget.

Cooking your own meals is cheaper than buying food outside whether it is junk food or a major restaurant chain.

During my time in school I would spend about $40 week on food which was $160 a month ($1920 per year). That's quite a bit of savings.
The good thing about cooking at home is that I brought whatever I made at home as lunch to school so I didn't have to spend a dime at the food court.

Plus home cooked meals taste really better than restaurants - :))

You don't have to be a chef and it doesn't have to be a daunting task.

Tell your family to teach you how to make basic meals or look up how to make just about anything on youtube.

Some good sites include -

9jafoodie, All Nigerian Recipe

Chinese food 

Indian food

Pizza  -- Comes in handy during exams if you don't have time to cook.

Bottom line is you can learn how to make just about anything by typing " How to make [my country food] " either on youtube or google.

My number one tip is - cooking requires patience and the very first food you will make won't turn out good but it gets better as you practice.

Believe it or not, I have seen people who were willing to pay me to cook for them. True Story!

Bonne Appetite!

3 - Accommodation

There are two choices when it comes to Accommodation - a) On-Campus,  b) Off-Campus

I recommend going for the On-Campus option especially in your first year because you will be away from family for the first time and will need to connect with new friends and other students from around the world.

On-Campus residence also gives you access to students who just newly arrived and students who are in their senior years. e.g if you are in your first year and you share the same hostel with a 2nd or 3rd year student then that 2nd or 3rd year student might just be able to show you around campus.

On-Campus accommodation information is always available on your University website.

If you choose to take the Off-Campus route, then you might want to start out with www.kijiji.ca 

1 - Choose the city where your school is located
2- Select the "Real Estate" Option
3- Click "search"

Or on www.google.com type "Accommodation close to [my university name]" and you will get alot of leads.

Please choose accommodation that is as close to the university as much as possible. If possible a walk able distance. A walk able distance eliminates the use of transportation and perhaps you can save some money on bus pass or bus tickets.

Make sure you know what your accommodation covers, e.g internet, water, electricity, cable, heat, etc.
Make sure your landlord provides you a receipt for every transaction. Never give cash. Write them a cheque, a direct bank transfer or email money transfer.

Read your rental agreement very well before you sign and make sure you have no issues with the terms listed. If you don't understand what is on the agreement please see the international student center in your school or contact a lawyer.

Off-Campus accommodation also comes in handy after you have made friends in your first year. This is the time to pick a friend or friends you trust and rent an apartment or a house. This is the best way to save on bills and living expenses if you share a common space and household items.

4 - Pick up driving skills

Attending a driving school for beginners can cost quite a fortune especially if it is not in your budget. If you already have a few years of driving experience then all you would have to do is book a road test after minimal driving practice to obtain your driver's license.

If you don't know how to drive already, please enroll in a driver education program before you pack up for Canada.

See a typical driving school cost break down here.

A driver's license is needed to board local flights and it is the most widely accepted form of identification in Canada, so plan to get one.

5 - Language

If English is not your first language then you might want to consider enrolling in English as a Second Language (ESL) Program in your school.

In addition, plan to make friends who speak English as well so that your interaction with them will improve your English speaking skills.

Canada is also bilingual and some job postings indicate French speaking skills as an asset. It won't hurt to add French as another language to learn.

6 - Best Season to Arrive

The best season to arrive for school is the summer months, preferably August just in time before classes kick off in September. 

You will have enough time to slowly adapt to the weather as it transitions from the summer heat to winter temperatures. 

If you decide to begin your classes in January, make sure you have a winter coat, jacket, head warmer and gloves to keep you warm. 

A friend of mine showed up to Toronto Pearson from Africa in flipflops, in the first week of January - you could only imagine the horror!

Secondly, you will get the opportunity to learn about your new environment e.g learn how to take the bus and navigate your way around campus or perhaps go a little of site seeing if you have any attractions near you. 

It is easy to get around and enjoy the outdoors when the weather is warm. 

Look for deals on winter jackets in August.

7 - Arrange a ride from the Airport

Before you pack your bags make sure you have the address of your destination as well as a contact number handy.

If you are staying on-campus (residence, hostel) make sure you have your school address handy. Some schools do arrange shuttle service from the airport for international students - check with your school for this service (It may or may not be free)

If you are staying off campus - get your Landlord or your host to give you a ride from the airport.

Remember to use a pay phone or free phone in the Airport to let your contact know you just arrived Or email them your flight details before you arrive.

If none of the above works, then use a taxi service. You will need cash. If you don't have Canadian funds handy then use the bureau de change service in the airport to get some Canadian funds if you have a different currency.

I strongly recommend having someone to receive you at the Airport upon arrival. 

8 - Make a To-do List

Make a list of the things you will need to do upon arrival. You might get too overwhelmed with the journey and the experience that you forget to call your family back home to inform them of your arrival.

You will need to do the following after you arrive.

• Open a bank account - deposit your cash immediately in the bank account and do not walk around with large sums of money.
• Get a mobile phone(cell phone) - Your family will need to monitor your progress so stay in touch. 
• Get student identification from campus services
• Visit the international student center and ask lots of questions.
• Get health insurance - your school should already have one for you

9 - Read About Canada

Take time to read about your destination - Canada. 

Click on the following link - Canada History and Government of Canada History Publication

This will help you understand current events especially if you want to learn the culture quickly and integrate.