Coming to school in Toronto was definitely a big decision, as I was born and grew up in California. Being a dual citizen definitely has its perks (hello domestic tuition fees!,) but it can be challenging at times, especially during the winter! Jaimi is originally from Arizona, so she can understand the American struggle when it comes to going to school in a different country! I asked her a bit about her experience being from the US and living in Canada, as well as her thoughts on the election right now.
Name: Jaimi Foster
Year of Study: 2nd
Programs: International Relations and History
College: St. Mike’s
1. When you were considering universities to attend, what were some of the things you were looking for? What was it that ultimately drew you to come to U of T?
The main factors affecting my decision were location, diversity, the prestige of the university and price. I was incredibly interested in researching Universities- I had pamphlets from over 120 Universities from around the globe and toured over 10 schools within the US and Canada. My initial goal was to find an environment similar to Europe (I really wanted to go to school there, but because they require a 13th year of school before university, I wasn’t able to); and the places that kept popping up on google were Quebec, Toronto, Boston and San Francisco. The schools in Boston and Sanfran were going to be too expensive so I ended up only applying to Canadian schools, and after touring UofT and Mcgill, I decided on Toronto. Not only was it the number one school in Canada, but I instantly fell in love with the city and the fact that its population is over 50% international.
2. I know that where I’m from, people have some huge misconceptions about Canada. When you tell people back home that you go to school here, what do they usually say? What are some of the misconceptions that Americans have about Canada?
I have heard the most entertaining misconceptions about Canada in the States. My favorite ever was when some kid- someone my age who I had previously considered quite intelligent- was confused when I said I lived in a dorm because he thought they only had igloos in Canada. Other misconceptions I’ve heard are: the Queen travels back and forth from England to run both Britain and Canada, that every person has a huge accent and says “eh” every other sentence, and that its snows 11/12 months of the year.
3. Canada and the US are very similar in a lot of respects. However, there are definitely some differences between the two! Are there any similarities between your hometown and Toronto? What are some of the differences you’ve observed between them, or just the U.S and Canada in general?
I’m from a suburb in Southern Arizona, called Chandler, and I wouldn’t say there are significant similarities between there and Toronto- its not metropolitan whatsoever: its a desert and the temperatures are vastly different; the closest thing I could make to a comparison is that compared to where I grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, Chandler is much more laid back (and I’ve found Canada to be more laid back than America in general). I think its much easier to list similarities between Canada and America because they aren’t as different as people think. The culture is very similar- they watch the same shows, listen to the same music, follow the same celebrities, have the same shops and fast food chains, etc. The diversity of the population is very similar in the sense that there are people of all ethnicities and backgrounds. Even the values are the same to some extent: family, peace and freedom.
4. Many people often experience homesickness and sometimes doubt their decision about the university they chose. Do you ever question your decision to come to Canada, and to attend U of T? If so, how do you deal with these kinds of doubts?
To be honest, I consider transferring schools at least once a month. I miss my parents, I miss my friends and it’s especially tough on American holidays when I see everyone I know celebrating on social media-but for me, it’s just another day of class. But what I have to remind myself is that so many people regret never taking a chance to move away and experience living on their own. And even though it has its negatives, I took that chance. I did go away to become more independent, have new experiences and meet people all over the world; and the University of Toronto is one of the top schools in the world. I can always move back home and see my family and friends, but this is a chance of a lifetime and if I didn’t do it in college, I don’t think it ever would’ve happened. So because of that, I feel grateful that I’m here and I try to stay as optimistic as I can whenever I do have those moments of doubt.
5. There are positives and negatives to any school, and country for that matter! So far, what would you say has been your favorite thing about going to school in a different country?
My favorite thing about going to school in Toronto is all the different kinds of people I meet. With a few exceptions, just about anywhere you go to school is going to have a population of international students and offer diversity. But Toronto is exceptional in this aspect- not only does the school have over a 30% international student population, but the city is over 50% international-every single day I meet people who come from all over the world, it’s absolutely amazing. I have never experienced so much varying culture in my life and the opportunities I now have to travel and stay with friends from around the globe, and to partake in festivities of other cultures is incredible.
6. University itself presents many challenges, but going to school in a different country has it’s own set of difficulties! What are some of the challenges you’ve faced going to school here?
I’ve found the academics in Canada to be much more difficult than they are in the states; the other students I’ve met here (and this may just be because I go to UofT) are all so incredibly smart and ambitious, and it’s hard to excel in such a competitive environment.
7. The U.S. and Canada definitely deal with politics in unique ways! There has been so much media attention given to the current election happening in the U.S. What are some of your thoughts on the election right now?
It is so entertaining to be in Canada during the U.S. election right now. As a liberal, I find my views are much more widely appreciated in Canada compared to the U.S. To be in a light hearted environment where people think there’s an obvious choice, as opposed to experiencing all the tension in the U.S. right now and being in the middle of all the political debates is very nice. The Canadians of course think the election is a big joke, and I don’t blame them; I’m embarrased to come from a country where someone like Donald Trump can be a forerunner for one of our major parties, but I’m grateful to be able to be here and show them not everyone from the states has that kind of mindset, instead of being back home and grouped in with the people who are supporting someone like him.
8. Certain biases and stereotypes exist about both Canadians and Americans. What kind of response do you get when you tell people you are from the U.S., especially now with all the attention on the U.S. election?
First and foremost, they ask if I’m voting for Donald Trump (which I quickly reply, absolutely not). Second, they assume I’m religious (which I’m also not); and lastly, they assume I think every country is beyond inferior to the United States, which is also not true. I am grateful for growing up in the United States and having the opportunities that I did, but I also love, appreciate, and respect a plethora of other countries around the world, and I certainly do not think their culture, values and traditions are inferior the U.S.
9. You created the American Culture Club, and are currently the president! Could you talk a bit about the club and what you do?
Of course! So my friend Charlie (from Ohio) and I started the club in our first year after going to the clubs fair and seeing the vast representations so many other countries and ethnic groups had at this school, but no American representations whatsoever. We knew Canadians can sometimes have quite negatives view of Americans, so we weren’t surprised there wasn’t an American club, but we thought it was a shame that there wasn’t, because not every American fits the negative stereotypes people have of us. So we started the club and since then have been trying to create an open, accepting environment where people from all nationalities can get together and socialize, and have fun and learn about each other’s backgrounds. We do all sorts of events from celebrating American holidays (like Thanksgiving), to exploring places around the city, to hosting major sporting events (like the Super Bowl and March Madness). It’s been a lot of fun so far and we can’t wait to keep coming up with new events for our members!
10. If you could offer any kind of advice to fellow Americans at U of T, or to international students in general, what would you say?
I would say definitely put major efforts into forming social roots in your new environment. I did not make the effort I wish I had during my first semester, and my happiness definitely wavered because of it. Getting homesick is the hardest part of going to school somewhere else, and even if you’re shy and worried about being able to find a new friend group, you cannot give up on pursuing those friendships and opportunities to socialize. Join clubs, go to school events, go to club nights or pub nights (if that’s what you’re interested in), but definitely do something. When I came back to school this year, I made it my goal to commit to not just my academics and extracurriculars but also to my social life. I have reached out to friends I made last year, found time in my schedule to go to sporting events and accepted offers to hang out with people (as opposed to just face timing my family or watching netflix and sulking) like I did last year. And I am so much happier. Of course I still miss my family, but now I’m constantly surrounded by friends and people I love, and it affects every aspect of my life in a positive way.