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ApplyBoard ia a THE Student trusted partner. ApplyBoard provides prospective international students with the information and advice they need toÌýstudy aboradÌýin Canada. For more information on ApplyBoard and how they can help you, you can visit their hub here.Ìý

My brotherÌýMassiÌýand I came to Canada in 2011. Our older brother, Martin, had come the year before to do his master’s degree in engineering at theÌýUniversity of Waterloo. He picked us up from the airport and we were jetlagged but excited.ÌýÌý

Martin had the biggest smile on his face when he saw us. Since the moment he touched down in Toronto,Ìýhe’dÌýbeen trying to convince our parents to send us to Canada. Our mom and dadÌýweren’tÌýsure as it’s rare for Iranian students to go abroad to study andÌýMassiÌýand I were barely 18. But Martin wasÌýpersistentÌýand they finally relented.ÌýÌý

It turned out convincing our parents was the easy part. Ten years ago, the international education system in Canada was in its infancy. Canadian schools knew little about other countries’ school systems and were unfamiliar with foreign transcripts. It took months of waiting and numerous follow-up calls and emails forÌýMassiÌýand me to get our letters of acceptance. But we finally made it and IÌýcouldn’tÌýbelieve it.Ìý

It was like being in a movie. I quickly discovered that MartinÌýwasn’tÌýthe only one with a big smile on his face. Everyone I met in Canada seemed to be constantly smiling.Ìý

I’mÌýoften asked whether I experienced any culture shock when I came to Canada. In short, not really. We got lucky in one wayÌý–Ìýour first winter in Canada turned out to be mild by Canadian standards!Ìý

The biggest challenge was the language barrier. When we stepped off the plane,ÌýMassiÌýand IÌýdidn’tÌýspeak a word of English. Our first task was to complete an intensive four-month language trainingÌýprogrammeÌýthrough the English Language institute at theÌýUniversity of Waterloo. It gave us the foundation we needed to work through our academicÌýprogrammesÌýin the years that followed.ÌýÌý

After that, I began a business administrationÌýprogrammeÌýat Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario. My instructors at Conestoga were incredibly supportive. I was the only international student inÌýallÌýmy classes, and they went out of their way to make me feel welcome and ensure I understood their expectations for my assignments.ÌýÌý

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I also loved the hands-on learning experienceÌýthe college offered. The Iranian secondary school system is very theoretical, with more thinking than doing. My ConestogaÌýprogrammeÌýoffered cooperative education placements and during the academic year students worked with local businesses to assemble and implement business plans.ÌýIt’sÌýthe direction in which I think education is headedÌý–Ìýmore experiential learning. Ìý

There were challenges, of course. The Iranian systemÌýisÌýalmost exclusively individual assignments. At Conestoga, we were frequently doing group work, and I quickly learned that IÌýcouldn’tÌýdo everything on my own. The language barrier made things difficult there too. My languageÌýprogrammeÌýhad taught me academic English, not conversational English, and itÌýwasn’tÌýalways easy to communicate with my peers. It was hard not to feel left out. But myÌýclassmates made a real effort, and with practice and time, my EnglishÌýimproved and things got easier.ÌýÌý

More than anything else, studying abroad changed my life. Like Martin, I knew from the start that Canada was where I wanted to build my career.ÌýÌý

In 2015, a year after I graduated from Conestoga, Martin,ÌýMassi, and I startedÌýApplyBoard.ÌýApplyBoardÌýis an online platform that empowers students around the world to access the best education by matching them to institutionsÌýthatÌýfit their background and interests. The three of us had experienced first-hand what an incredible impact studying abroad can have on a student. We wanted to bring that experience to as many people as we could. And we wanted to make sure the process was as seamless as possible.Ìý

Students often ask me how they can get the most out of their study abroad experience.ÌýI’veÌýgot two big pieces of advice:Ìý

1. Learn as much as you can about the education system and the culture of your destination before you go. Research online and seek out students from your country who haveÌýbeenÌýthere before you and find out what their experience was like. Reading THE’sÌýstudent blogs andÌýÌýis a great start!Ìý

2. Once you arrive, do what you can to immerse yourself in your new community.ÌýIt’sÌýnatural to want to connect with other students from your home country while you’re studying abroad, particularly if, like me, you don’t know the language. ButÌýyou’llÌýget more out of your experience by building connections with aÌývariety ofÌýpeople.Ìý

Meti Basiri is the co-founder and chief marketing officer of ApplyBoard. In 2020, he was named to three Top 30 Under 30 lists by Forbes: Education, Immigrants, and Big Money.Ìý

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