Totem poles, different angle

Developing Those Intercultural Skills, Pt. 2: An Outing to the ROM

As I had mentioned in a previous blog post, I'm participating in something called the Intercultural Learning Program (ILP) this year. Apart from the introductory workshop which I talked about in that post, I was definitely looking forward to the experiential outings part of…

The “Study” in Study Abroad

Study abroad has been a life changing international experience where I have learned to live independently, experience a new culture, and study in a different academic environment. Most of my posts have been about the fun parts of traveling and living “abroad” part of studying abroad and now I am going to focus on the main reason for my exchange which is to “study” abroad.

Identity bubble map. Some branches include "third culture kid" and "hobbies/passions"

Developing Those Intercultural Skills: An Introduction

I’d like to think of myself as pretty “internationally-minded” (whatever that means) and I suspect a lot of Torontonians would too, seeing as we live in such a diverse and multicultural city. Apart from that, I lived in a few countries growing up and am still sometimes in conflict with my own cultural identity and what or how I choose to identify myself to others. For me, the question of “Where are you from?” can evoke different responses depending on the situation (and how interested I think the other person is in hearing my entire life story). Since I chose not to pursue a major that deals directly with issues of multiculturalism I’m always looking for ways to learn about intercultural topics in more formal settings, especially as I’m equally fascinated by the theory part of all this as well. Canadian passport

Hanami

This time of year ushers in several new beginnings in Tokyo. It marks the beginning of the University of Tokyo's school year, Japan's fiscal year, and spring, represented in the cherry blossoms (sakura) decorating the city. Friends, families, and co-workers congregate in parks all…