Jiaqian (March) Ren is an international student from China studying Media
Convergence at St. Clair College. Ren came to Windsor in September 2017 and
will return home in April 2018. She shared her thoughts on her experience with
The Hub.
I
am an international student at St. Clair College and I have come here from China. I have
been living in Windsor for four months now.
“Very nervous and scared,” I wrote in my diary on the first morning of school. I am
scared, just like the kid who left his family for the first time in kindergarten. Except a child in
kindergarten can cry out loud. I cannot.
If you asked me how I feel about Windsor in those first few months, I would say Windsor
is like a sour candy. When I hold the Windsor “candy” in my hand, I felt it should taste very
sour … and I am right - in the beginning.
I cannot understand what my teachers say in class, because English is not my first
language. I am afraid to talk to people, because I am worried that people cannot understand
what I am saying or that I will not understand them.
I do not know so many things.
I do not know I need to prepare food to bring to school in advance. We have a long lunch
break in China, long enough to have a noon nap. I do not know I have to buy more food when
I go to the supermarket. I can go to the supermarket for food in China every day.
I do not know in western countries and cities like Windsor, a car is essential. Cheap and
convenient public transportation is easily available in China, so there I was never worried
about getting around.
I do not know the price of everything is much higher than I thought. Every time I see a
price tag I am shocked when I convert the Canadian dollar into Chinese currency.
New people.
New school.
A new language.
Coming here meant a new way of thinking and a new lifestyle.
It’s almost a whole new world.
All these new things … when I was still getting over my jet lag.
It took a few weeks, but I started getting used to it. I tried my best to do everything at
school. I overcame my shyness to talk to my teachers and my classmates.
“I am the best,” I told myself every day.
I could still taste sour, especially in the dark of night as I wrapped myself in a quilt and
quietly wiped my tears away. I tried to get past the sour taste of Windsor. Every time I
thought this candy was turning sweet, the sour came back.