When I was asked to talk about VISA (Victoria International Students Association), I couldn’t choose one story in particular that would encompass the multifaceted community-building exercises we’ve done. But just as I’ve mentioned community in my last sentence, I’ve realized that the story I need to tell is one that really reflects the common denominator of every VISA story—community.
As a student studying abroad for the first time, Toronto was a lonely city at times. It was often difficult being an outsider in a city you don’t truly understand, and so, during my first year at Vic, it was tough to meet friends and get to know people. But as it turns out, nobody’s truly alone—especially not at Vic. I remember meeting Faye Yifei Pu (VISA’s co-president that year) during my international student orientation, as she was one of my mentors. During my second year, when COVID hit, Faye told me all about VISA and their work with the Dean’s Office in providing opportunities for international students to get to know each other. So, I applied to become the events director. I specifically remember the night before our flagship event, when I was panicking and told Faye over Zoom that I was worried about my performance as a director and that I didn’t feel like I was ready. She told me that whatever happens, the team would be there together to support each other—and it was at that moment that I felt I truly belonged at Vic.
I grew up in an intimate high school community in Hong Kong, which meant competition and friendship often went hand in hand. As a result, I was accustomed to having “work-hard-play-hard” friends. At UofT, you meet all kinds of people. While this diversity in students and personalities can create communities that may not always suit you, once you’ve found your people, you needn’t look any further. I’ve found my people at Vic through VISA, and I cannot tell you how much I’ve missed having this sense of community.
Community within this wild, wide world is difficult to find, but VISA has helped me build strong relationships between me, my friends, and the larger Vic community. This year, we’re expanding our operations and hiring sub-teams as part of a new membership experience in order to give back the feeling of community to students at Vic. As I serve as VISA’s co-president, Faye’s words are what drive me to bring the feeling of home to international students. So, to the international students reading this: welcome home.
To learn more about VISA, interested students can contact [email protected] or [email protected]. VISA is also currently recruiting for their executive team and you can apply for exec positions through this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScLcn5JtRuPeRqvY_R0XzjDcY46yvfzZgNB001X9ttjPgQYXg/viewform
