Written by Carlos Rojas

Learning beyond the classroom

When an international student arrives in Canada, they become the recipient of incredible learning opportunities and these will present themselves throughout their career within the university or college, as well as far beyond the classroom. This is a reality experienced by many members of Immiland's Education Department, who were also international students in the past and now aim to guide international students who want to make the most of the Canadian dream. 

That's why we prepared a Adventure and Learning Guide so that you know where to go when you are out of the classroom and continue to enrich your knowledge as university students, but in a different way, super entertaining and that will be filed in your life log forever.

Canada: a country for writing stories

International students who have already managed to land on Canadian soil will have realized that the country offers a wide range of activities that can complement their formal education and generate unique moments together with new people who are also eager to walk and visit emblematic and cultural sites of a cosmopolitan nation with one of the most beautiful and functional architectural presence in the world, and then tell their own stories and anecdotes as part of their learning experience in Canada. Here is a guide that will serve you well.

Learning and adventure guide for international students

This first guide consists of five delightful options designed to help you make the most of your out-of-school time in an exciting way while learning. Let's get started!

Option 1- The Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto (Royal Ontario Museum, ROM)

Amazing adventures and findings

This museum is the largest in Canada and is located in the city of Toronto, near the University of Toronto. Students of history, anthropology, natural sciences and art, and everyone in general, can visit it for a day of leisure and entertainment wearing comfortable clothes and ready to learn while observing mummies, extravagant dinosaur skeletons, elements of ancient Egypt and much more.

Visiting this museum is more entertaining and memorable if you focus on what you are most interested in, so it is necessary to put these tips into practice:

1. Before you go, do a little research on the exhibitions or the works that will be on display. Knowing what to expect will help you focus on what interests you most. Also, the ROM offers guided tours and special activities, so you are more likely to have a great experience. Remember that there may be French-speaking guides, so a student who already speaks French may be able to help if you go together.
2. Build a shared experience. Therefore, we also recommend that, if possible, you visit the ROM with classmates and friends to discuss impressions and discoveries, so that it will be more enjoyable.
3. Go with your mind in entertainment mode and without rigid expectations. The ROM allows photos and videos to be taken without flash, making the tour more memorable as you view the artwork and encounter unexpected elements.

Students who go as a couple or with friends usually meet at the entrance of the Weston Queen's Park, which is the meeting point to enter the ROM. At the end of the visit, they can stay a while getting to know the natural beauties of the Queen's Park; undoubtedly, another way of learning and getting to know outside the classroom.

Option 2 - TELUS Spark Science Centre

Science and more science

Join this scientific adventure at this interesting center in the province of Alberta, Canada. Many may see it as a museum just for kids, but that's not the case. The exhibits they often present are also designed for adults, although it's not a bad idea to let your inner child get carried away and explore the activities they have, which range from electricity experiments to earthquake simulations and the like. It also has the Dome Theater, the largest in Western Canada.

At Telus Spark, you can relax and immerse yourself in immersive projections that will take you on a journey through the cosmos, exploring planets, stars and galaxies. This center hosts a host of special events, a visually stunning and super interactive experience. From the moment you enter the Telus, an interesting and entertaining process of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics begins.

Option 3 - The Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa

Wanderings between the past and the present

If you are an international student who wants to feel part of the Canadian culture and for this to take hold over time, then visit this iconic library every chance you get, as its mission is precisely to help Canadians better understand who they are, what they are like, where they come from and where they are going. You, as future professionals and, even more so, as temporary residents, have a golden opportunity by gathering as much information as possible about Canadian society from the Library and Archives CanadaAn invaluable resource for students in general, and especially for students of history, political science, Canadian literature and cultural studies.

This iconic building of Canadian knowledge and culture houses more than 20 million books, nearly 3 million maps, 30 million photographs, more than 90,000 hours of audiovisual material and billions of electronic and digital records. 

Entering this facility is an out-of-classroom activity 100% necessary to learn about the Canadian country in general; leaving it after going through its organized arrangement of material is a task increasingly in demand among young people who come to prepare academically for higher studies and see in this library a means of connection between the past and the present, through the reading of correspondence, diaries, minutes of meetings, operational records of federal government departments, maps, plans, photographs, drawings, works of art, films and other audiovisual records, even military service records.

Option 4 - Banff National Park, Alberta

Knowledge at the height of the "Rocky Mountain Castle".

Learning in a park is one of the most popular extracurricular adventures for international students in Canada, whatever their age. Rocky Mountain peaks, glacial lakes, everyone in a group learning new things and beautiful to look at is what makes Banff such a great adventure.

The Banff National Park is Canada's first national park and the flagship of the country's park system. It is part of the Rocky Mountain Parks, which have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Taking note of what you did in each green space of this park, with whom you went the first time, if you met tourists from other countries, among many other things, is what makes this visit your learning beyond the classroom, because every action and moment lived will be archived in your memory as part of your experience as a university student.

This park is undoubtedly a natural laboratory of the most suitable for those studying geology, biology, ecology and environmental sciences. Coming to this natural laboratory is a direct pass to the construction of unique experiences for the study of wildlife, geology and alpine ecosystems. This is a must-visit for learning together with your classmates. If you want to go with family and friends, it is perfect, you will still be learning because it is an iconic space very crowded and full of vegetation, super suitable for taking pictures and videos in group and immortalize the walk.

We recommend you discover what a truly panoramic view looks like from Canada's highest hotel, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Fairmont Banff Springs HotelNicknamed the "Castle of the Rockies", this would be a great learning adventure during your time in Canada as a student.

Option 5 - The John H. Chapman Space Centre in Quebec City

Learning from the arm of Canada (Canadarm)

This is the perfect place for students of aerospace engineering, physics and astronomy, as the Canadian Space Agency Centre offers exhibits on space exploration and satellite technology. This agency played a crucial role in the development of the famous Canadarmthe first Canadian robotic arm used on the space shuttle missions of the space shuttle Columbia. Today, the Canadarm is dismantled and on display as a museum piece in Ottawa, and succeeded by the Canadarm2 and the Canadarm3both of which are used for docking parts on the International Space Station.

Learning outside the classroom at this renowned space center, located in the charming province of Quebec, is a unique experience that can easily be measured by a visit with your classmates or friends and family to NASA or ESA (European Space Agency). In the end, all the spaces that we visit again and again when we are students will leave us with a lesson that will accompany us as part of our university life, as well as in our professional phase, once we have completed our academic program.

Immiland Education's recommendations to get the most out of this Learning and Adventure Guide 

Whenever you can, organize group or couple visits to see Canada's emblematic places, everything will be more pleasant if you follow these final recommendations:

1. Plan ahead for events and exhibitions in the city and discuss your interest so that you can organize an agenda together.
2. Participate in conferences or lectures, be curious and ask questions in order to gain knowledge. 
3. Create a learning journal, it may sound a bit puerile and archaic, but believe me it helps a lot. Writing down your reflections and new knowledge after each ride will help you process and retain the information more easily. 
4. Look for groups or clubs at your university or college, they usually organize outings for adventure and learning at the same time. Immiland Education has good agreements with universities and colleges in Canada. Learn about the benefits of registering with us.
5. Take advantage of student discounts. This is a fact of life: don't forget to bring your student ID, because if you go together to museums and events you will have access to reduced prices for international students. 
6. Relate what you have learned to your curriculum. It is true that sometimes it can be complex, but try to find connections between these activities and your university courses. 
7. Practice the language a lot. Remember that English and French are spoken in Canada, if you are learning to speak either of these two languages, it will help you a lot to go out with friends and classmates for learning and adventure because that is how you start to speak the language. 

Learning is not limited to the classroom, on the contrary, it is in everything we see and feel on a daily basis, so take advantage of your time in Canada to discover its charm while growing both academically and personally.

For academic programs with Immiland, you can write to the Immiland Education Department; we can help you find the best program tailored to your needs. View educational options with Immiland Education.

If you liked this guide, please comment us through the digital platforms at the end of this blog. 

Planeta Immiland Education is the first immigration language school for Canada, learn more here.

With love,

Planeta Immiland Education