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UW is a good university!!!

本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛I'm a UW math student and I have studied here for 2 terms.
I don't think UW is so bad as you described!
Although it is not so funny and comfortable to stay here comparing to China, I did learned quite a lot of things here including my study skills and my independent life.
It is a feeling of reborn! I never study so hard and concentrated before I came to Canada!
The tuition and living fees are very expensive indeed but everyone konws the importance to immigrate to Canada.
Also, the strong points of UW are
1) well-known in the World( looking at the ranking of universities in the world, UW is ranking more previous than QingHua,BeiDa
2) excellent professors and outstanding students( I don't think the students are so stupid as you described, in fact they are smart and they can apply the knowledge to real life,lab, jobs much better chinese students. They are also well-done on term-work, and doing well on Co-op program. I know the Math,CS, engineering students well.
3) lots of decent Co-op program and jobs -- that is one of the biggest advantage in Canada. Only UW has so many good Co-ops.
Finally, I want to say something! It is worth to study in University in Canada if you want to really learn sth, get closer to the West advanced world and culture. Learn english better and life style here. It is a long and hard road in front of you, but don't give up, it is your dream and it can come true, let's encourage each other to walk through this road successfully!更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
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  • 工作学习 / 求学深造 / 北大学生在waterloo(出国经验及感想)
    本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛来Waterloo半年有余了,从来就一直想写一写这里的学习啊生活啊,可是一直不知道怎下手。嗯,现在在这里混了2个term了,马上就要放假回家了,写点东西吧。hoho.(一)学校University of Waterloo位于Ontario,距离Toronto一个多小时的高速车程,旁边一个城市叫Kitchener,一般来说Waterloo合kitchener合成K-W地区,其实算是一个学校,是加拿大第九大城市,人口20多万吧,我也不太清楚了:((U of Waterloo是加拿大近几年排名第一的学校,学校声誉连续十几年加拿大最好。这个学校一共有六个学院,science, engineering, math, arts, environmental sciences, applied healthy science。

      Waterloo这几年火爆的原因就是因为其math,cs以及engineering的地位。Waterloo这三个专业在北美地区都是不错的,尤其在业界是比较有地位的。据说Bill Gates对waterloo的学生还是青睐有加的。health学院也不错,有几个牛老师,在北美排名能到第三。剩下的学院就是可以用一个烂字来形容了。

      Waterloo历史很短,只有50多年吧,校园面积很小,建筑很新,给人的第一印象是一个暴发户的感觉。不过Waterloo在加拿大的学校确实也可以算暴发户了,一般学校在短短50年就发展成全国排名第一确实可以称为暴发户了。

      由于Waterloo在加拿大的声誉,排名,许多高中生及家长都将能进入Waterloo读cs或者math或者工程作为奋斗目标,所以可以说这三个系聚集了加拿大最优秀的一部分学生。

      学校有三个图书馆,一个是理工科学生的,一个是文科学生的,还有一个里面都是地图还有建筑类啊什么的。我只去过文科图书馆,藏书量多少不清楚,但是我们这个专业的书很多,比国图的都要多很多。我是学旅游的。

      学校有两个体育馆,有篮球馆,可以打篮球排球羽毛球,有冰场、有游泳馆、壁球馆,还有一些健身器械,这些都是凭学生证free的。

      总的来说,这个学校在学术上一个不错的学校,但是仅限于理工科,文科还是很差的,说实话比北大要差很多。学校环境,嗯,不知道怎么说,因为有人说还不错,不过我相信只要是国内牛校来的都会觉得Waterloo是一个环境很差的学校,每一个建筑都盖在一个莫名其妙的地方,长得也莫名其妙的,建筑内部的结构更是只能用莫名其妙来形容了,我来了半年有余,许多楼去了很多次,可是每次去还是迷路!!!!

      哦,对了,还要补充一点,我刚来的时候很不适应的一点就是学校很没有学校的气氛,刚开始想可能因为学生都不住在里面吧,可是我去了别的学校后发现,没有学校气氛这一点是Waterloo的一大特色。

      (二)申请现在由于出国的人数剧增,加拿大也逐渐成为一个热点。申请加拿大的学校需要考托福(或者雅思也可以吧),如果只是要admission的话GRE不是很需要,但是如果需要奖学金的话GRE是必须的。Waterloo对英语成绩要求不算很低,托福需要600分以上,否则来了以后导师很可能会要求再读一个term的预科,就是上一些语言课,这个term是没有钱的,但是要交学费。

      Waterloo的申请费比较贵,75加元,合50美刀。我当时申请的时候是因为在北大的导师推荐,所以没费什么周折,申请费也没有交,什么都是凑凑合合的,所以经验不是很丰富。就不胡抡了。

      (三)签证这句话本来打算放在最后再说的,不过现在忍不住先说一句:加拿大人可以用两个字形容:愚蠢。

      这一点充分体现在签证过程中,加拿大的签证不管你什么时候送签,都要在快离开祖国前才能拿到。我当你是5月底送签,跟我4月底送签的同学几乎同时拿到的,还有6月中旬送签的也跟我同时拿到的。

      还有就是签证需要的那些莫名其妙的材料,最e的就是需要高中成绩,简直就是白痴加变态嘛!!!

      书归正传,说正经的,好多人问过加拿大的签证情况,我现在写的是2002年的情况,如果现在情况改变了不负责哦。

      1、关于时间问题。谣传的四个月不算夸张,但是学生签证不必担心。使馆的工作人员虽然比较白痴了一点,但是还是会尽量保证让大家按时入学的。所以只要在6月中旬之前送签,一般可以保证9月份的入学。

      2、材料问题。使馆主页上可以下载一些表格,还有checklist,按照那个checklist上面的材料准备就可以了,一般不用再想美国签证那样自己搜肠刮肚的再想需要什么材料了。

      3、offer letter。这是个很大的问题,因为checklist上要求unconditonal offer letter但学校在没有收到你的大四成绩单的时候或者没有毕业证的时候不会发这种letter,一般都是conditonal offer letter。我当时是给导师写信,我们导师在学校有点地位,就走后门给我开了unconditional letter,但如果不能酱紫做的话,可以写一个什么东西声明一下,说还没有毕业,什么的。一般签证官不会为难的。

      4、毕业证。这个可以用在读证明来替代。

      5、财产证明。一般签证对学生签证比较松,如果除去学费一年剩下10000的话就不用开财产证明了。

      6、高中成绩单。如果能开导就开,弄不到就算了,没用。

      7、公证。必须的是出生、无犯罪记录。其余的都不是必须的,我多办了一个亲属关系,因为据说酱紫父母可以来探亲,但是后来知道不可以的还是,只有配偶可以来。

      8、补充一个关于offerletter上时间的问题,我记得当时在这个上面纠缠过,可是忘记具体为什么纠缠了,反挣纠缠的结果就是不用理他。因为当时我的offerletter上写错好多东西,比如奖学金年限,居然写了一个2002年5-8月,那个时候我还没有入学呢,还有我的offerletter和录取通知书上写的就读年份不一样,一个写了一年,一个写了两年。事实证明这些都不用管。

      嗯,我想关于visa我是说清楚了。

      (四)移民移民的事情我基本不太清楚,但是因为有很多人来留学加拿大最终目的是为了移民,所以还是谈谈吧。

      由于移民加拿大的人越来越多所以现在政策改了,没有工作经验的可以说移民无望。至少要有2、3年才有可能移民,而且考虑到加拿大人的愚蠢,移民大概需要1-2年的时间,是一项长久而艰苦的工作!!

      关于移民这回事我个人是跟不赞同的,说句不好听的话,我觉得想移民加拿大的人都是大脑进水小脑抽筋有毛病的。这个地方实在不适合人类居住,这一点在后来我会提到。

      当然,甚么事情都不能一棒子打死,移民也是有一些好处的,比如说international学生的学费是一个term4800,现在涨价到5000多了,但是移民就只有不到2000,还有移民的健康保险好像是免费的,还有移民不需要办工作许可就可以打工,而国际学生只能在学校打工,就是做ta ra什么的。还有就是移民去米国玩签证比较容易。

      嗯,放上移民这一条,似乎有凑字数的嫌疑。

      (五)加拿大vs美国这个也算凑字数。还有一些人来加拿大是想曲线救国,从加拿大到美国。

      现在的情况是酱紫的,原来呢从加拿大去美国确实粉容易,但是911之后就难了,因为美国不允许第三国签证,所以学生签证还是要回国签。美伊战争之前visitor的签证是65美刀,半年,现在是100美刀,4个月,原来可以不用面签,现在必须面签。

      还有就是,在加拿大办理去美国的visitor签证,中国人依然狂被拒。

      所以不要因为去美国visa未遂而把加拿大作为跳板,没有什么太大的作用。

      (六)学习留学生活还是挺辛苦的,我之前在国内看到在国外的人总觉得出了国的人很闲的样子,尤其经常在beauty混,觉得到了北美简直就是天堂嘛,总可以买到非常非常非常便宜的skincare啊makeup啊什么的,所以很憧憬。来了以后发现比在国内还是要辛苦很多的。

      因为我读的是文科(偶在国内可是正牌理学学士,结果现在成了文学硕士了),需要大量的阅读,而且没有考试,所有的课都是写paper,一个学期两篇20页左右的paper,刚开始写的时候很不适应,事实上到现在也都没有适应,我的论文中基本上没有几句话是我的原创,基本上都是把别人的话拿来改一改,几个人的话拼一起酱紫,我估计在未来三年我的水平都将会是酱紫,当然,我预计今年年底就离开这个倒霉的鬼地方。

      理工科学生的学习也很辛苦,每天都在实验室泡着,熬夜什么的是很正常的。

      虽然比较辛苦,但是以我的感觉,这里的学习比在北大压力要小,稍微努力一些就可以学的不错,毕竟这是个烂校,竞争比在北大要差很多,所以学习上基本没有什么问题。

      学校可以提供的学习资源还是比较丰富的,图书馆是三校联合(Wilfrid Laurier, Guelgh)的,所以可以跨校借书,网上有journal article的电子版,即使不在学校通过学生证号也可以search,如果查到的article Waterloo没有而在其他两个学校,可以要求复印,学校还有一些film的资料,就是那种缩拍的dd,可以打印,这些都是free的。

      至于老板的情况,北美的老板似乎跟国内的不一样,国内的老板一般都是抓着学生干活写paper,这边老板不怎么管学生,尤其是如果要是不做ta的话,找老板讨论学术问题老板都不一定会理你的,我的老板就是酱紫,我每次去找他的时候他都告诉我他忙,或者懒洋洋的跟我说5分钟就懒得理我了,很ft。

      同学间的交流要看课程,有的课是有group work,就需要交流,但是我们系的课都是论文,所以不存在这个问题。而且,这边中国人很多,所以即使是做team work也是中国人大家一组。

      这边学期设置跟美国和国内的学校不一样,一年三个学期,fall, winter, spring。fall和winter之间有一个大概20天的圣诞假,是一年最长的假期,winter和spring之间两周左右的假。fall从9月到12月,winter从1月到4月中下旬,spring从5月到8月底。

      加拿大学校一般不给免学费,别的省对留学生没有特殊待遇,只有安大略省,留学生的学费是本国学生,包括移民学费的三倍。

      (七)工作留学生的工作只能在校内,其实就是ta或者ra了。

      ra也是因老板而异,因系而异。理工科的可能比文科相对严一些,任务重一些。白老头(就是那种在业界地位已经巩固的老头)比年轻的外籍老师要送一些。

      ta的工作主要有判作业啊,答疑啊,带lab啊,监考啊,好像就这些,这个工作任务Waterloo没有什么特色的说:))如果一定要说,就是我觉得这边学生真是傻啊真是傻。我带答疑的时候,一个很简单的运用game theory选址问题很多人都不明白,这类问题放在国内初中生就会做。还有就是数学真的是很差!!基本上不会列方程解题,就是那种很简单的一员一次方程都不会。当然,我说的是文科生:))打工机会不多,也就是在参观做waiter,Waterloo学校外面有一个小小的plaza,好多好多餐馆,因为这边华人多,有很多中餐馆,会招一些人打工,但是因为学生没有work permit,只能打黑工,工资也就很低,6-7刀一个小时的样子。放假的时候还不能打工,因为Waterloo一到放假就成了空城一座,学生一放假,所有参观几乎都没有生意所以就关门!!

      (八)生活据说加拿大被评为最适合人类居住的地方。不知道这个称号是不是加拿大人自己封的,反正我是对此不屑一顾。

      我觉得加拿大比较适合35岁以上女性,40岁以上的男性居住。因为这个地方太安静太死气沉沉太boring了,在这里呆久了,人都会变得跟local的人一样愚蠢,没有斗志的。

      而且,在加拿大如果想要过一份比较decent的生活是不可能的。我的decent的定义就是国内月薪3000以上的人过的那种生活,穿比较好的衣服;时不时在外面吃顿饭;几个好朋友经常聚聚喝点小酒;逛逛街……总之就是比较小资比较gentleman/lady的那种生活。

      (8.0)钱对于在加拿大的留学生来说,经济是一个很大的问题。加拿大的学校给钱比起美国来是粉少粉少的。因为加拿大的学校不给免学费,而且安省还极其变态地对留学生多收n多学费,学费几乎每个term都在涨价。一般在米国理工科的学生一年之内可以买车笔记本什么的,而且生活不是那么拮据。但是在加拿大,文科生的奖学金仅能满足最最基本的温饱问题,就是除了吃饭和住宿以外什么什么钱都不够,理工科的学生凭着交学费剩下的奖学金可以维持一份不是很拮据的日常生活。我是文科生,毫不夸张的说,我在这里从来没有吃过排骨,因为排骨比较贵,555555555555想起来就伤心欲绝啊。

      现在的学费是一个term5000多,三个term将近16000,一个月的基本花费是房租、吃饭、打电话,再加上一些乱七八糟的不可预见的花费,一个月最低最低花费是600,600仅能维持一个最基本的生活,并且必须自己开火。酱紫算下来,一年的奖学金要24000才够最基本的生活,并且任何一项特殊消费都不能满足。

      具体每一项的花费下面会提到。

      (8.1)吃客观的讲,Waterloo这里吃的还是不错的,因为华人比较多,K-W地区有两家中国店,一个华联,一个新城,都在Kitchener,但是离着Waterloo很近的。在中国店可以买到各种各样的调料,当然大多数调料还是广东口味的,蔬菜种类也不算少,10种总是有的。而且中国餐馆也有很多,大概4、5家的样子,甚至还有火锅店,当然,也是广东火锅,极其难吃(广东人不要打我:P)。

      我因为经济的原因,还有怕长胖,来了这里以后吃洋人垃圾食品的次数屈指可数。每顿饭都是自己做,吃的很不错:P出国之前从来不下厨房,现在厨艺大长,做一桌菜木有问题,我想啊想,这个是我来这里读书唯一的收获~~~~>-<~~~~自己开火做饭除了保证营养以为最大的优势就是省钱,女生如果会过的话,一个月伙食费120足够,而且可以吃的很好,很有营养了,男生200刀估计也应该够了。

      学校周围那些餐馆的饭都还是比较贵的,偶尔吃一次应急还是可以的,如果顿顿是不仅会长胖,也会破产:p一般来说一周买菜一次,女生一个人的话可以两周买一次。

      (8.2)住在国外留学都是要自己租房子的。U of Waterloo自己有学生宿舍去,但是要申请,不是每个人都能申请到的。据我所知,学校的宿舍包括eby hall, beck hall, uwp, minot hagay, village。好像就这些。这些房子里除了uwp以外都是狂贵。

      房租每个term行情都不一样,一般来说fall term最贵,spring最便宜,因为Waterloo实行co-op制度,就是说每年的springterm学生都出去实习,所以房价就降低。一般fall term的房租350-400,winter term的300-350,spring的大概就是200-275的样子了。

      房子里一般有冰箱、微波炉,有的可能有电视,可以天天洗澡啦(这是废话)。

      这里的房子主要有三种,house,apartment还有就是town house。我个人推荐住apartment。理由如下。

      1、干净。

      2、安静。

      3、房间面积相对较大。

      找房子主要注意一下几点:1、location。这个最重要,因为Waterloo一年半年的冬天,冬天在雪地里步行20分钟就会出人命的:-P关于location千万不要听信房东的谗言,一般来说,如果广告说这个房子距离学校15分钟,那就要将近半个小时的样子,所以一定要问清楚具体地址,然后看地图。

      2、lease。这里有些房子很变态的要求签1年的lease,对于这种房子,要毫不犹豫的据掉!!

      3、做饭问题。如果跟中国人合组自然没有问题,如果跟洋人合组一定搞清楚能不能做饭。

      4、roommate。我个人觉得还是跟中国人住比较好,因为大家生活习惯累死,而且洋人一到周末喜欢狂欢,非常吵。还有就是尽量避免跟family或者couple合组,因为加拿大的房子不隔音。会粉郁闷的。

      5、价格。房子价格我上面写了参考价。在找房子的时候还要看房租是否包括utilities。因为一到冬天,就是winter那个term,如果房租不包括utilities是粉恐怖的,尤其是住house的。

      6、家具。这边房子一般是没有家具的,但是可以试着要求房东提供床垫和桌子。

      (九)出国前准备说说如果来这里读书需要带的东西吧。适用范围:安省及vancouver。因为安省是加拿大最富有的省,安省和vancouver是加拿大华人最多的地方,所以很多dd可以再这里买到。别的地方别说鸟不生蛋,估计鸟连看都不愿意看一眼的说。

      1、吃:民以食为天,所以先说这个。

      1.1餐具筷子,勺子,碗,盘子。微波炉的饭盒不用带,这里跟国内价格差不多。

      1.2炊事用具锅(一定要带,这里锅的价格加元标价是国内的三倍,也就是说价格是国内的15倍),铲子、汤勺、菜刀、案板等所有妈妈可以想到的日常做饭需要的东西1.3调味品基本上不用带,因为中国店都可以买到,但是味道不好就是了,讲究的人可以带一些,我当初带了n多n多干辣椒。这边辣椒不辣的说。我带了姜粉、花椒粉、胡椒粉等。姜粉用的比较多。

      1.4零食这里可以买到恰恰瓜子!!价格是国内2倍。还有虾条,价格不详。除此之外就没什么零食了,我下次来打算带几斤话梅什么的。

      2、穿2.1大衣必带!!要带你能买到的最厚的羽绒服,一定要长的,不过膝盖的都不合格!!!

      2.2牛仔库必带!!不要买好的,这边下雪撒盐,对裤子腐蚀很大2.3鞋不用买雪靴,超市里有,这个rmb也就100多。

      2.4内衣事实上传闻中所说的要带n打underware事不必须的如果你足够勤快的,不过男生最好还是带上两打吧2.5袜子多带,一定多带2.6正装不是很必须,但是最好还是带一套正式一点的服装还有皮鞋以防万一。

      2.7其他衣服不要带太好的,一定要带很皮实的那种,因为这里洗衣服万要用drier,很毁衣服,新衣服带来之前最好先洗一遍,看看是不是调色啊会不会缩水啊什么的。

      3其他3.1药带一些常用药就可以了,这边看病有保险,学校可以报晓一部分,不过具体多少久不知道了。

      3.2五金电话线、电话机、活动硬盘,如果系里不给陪电脑药带laptop,这边手提跟国内价格差不多,但是种类少狠狠狠狠狠多,还有就是电源板啊,等等,一下子想不起来了,就是这一类的东西,这里狂贵。

      3.3学习用品文具、架子、书包、本啊什么的3.4床上用品被子、枕头、床单、被罩等等都要带3.5毛巾3.6游泳衣……

      就这些了吧,想不起来了。

      (十)感想及建议从到Waterloo来,我就想写一些东西给来加拿大的热潮泼泼冷水,因为我从一到这里就开始打心眼里厌恶这个地方。最初的一个学期我想可能是因为不适应的原因,所以想过一段时间再说,现在两个term过去了,我发现我更加讨厌这里,想要离开这里的念头越来越强烈。我在写上面的文字的时候总是在力图从比较客观的角度来评论Waterloo,评论我再这里的生活,希望能给即将来或者打算来这里的飞友一点帮助。

      1、先说说我自己吧。我从小到大一直都很顺利,重点高中重点大学一路走上来,我考大学选专业都是自己做主,虽然进了一个非主流很不好找工作的专业,但是我从来没有后悔过。出国是唯一一个让我后悔的决策。我在出国之前找到两份很好的工作,一个是kpmg(毕马危会计师事务所),还有一个是国旅,工资都还满意,以我的水平能找到这样的工作我很满足,但是我放弃了这两份工作,最初是想学一点东西,回去看能不能找到更好的工作。但是现在我每天都越来越强烈地感觉这个来加拿大读书简直就是大脑进水小脑抽筋的我这辈子最最最最愚蠢的决策。

      2、Waterloo虽然在加拿大排名很好,看上去是个不错的学校,但是其实很差,我再一次打算用烂校来形容这个学校。我在这里的朋友,只要是国内一流大学毕业的都认为这是个不折不扣的烂校,所以,国内一流大学(前20的学校吧)的学生一定要慎重再慎重!!

      3、一定要对自己将来的道路有一个很明确的打算。出国现在不想过去一样对自己的前途那么有用了。不要把出国作为权宜之策,因为最终仍然是要找工作的,而phd这个学位读下来其实把自己将来的道路就限制住很多了。国外phd毕业的学生基本上都是去做faculty,因为公司一般不愿意雇佣phd学生。其实国内也是酱紫的情况。

      4、加拿大的master学制很短,文科生4-6个term就可以毕业,就是16-24个月,段段的两年时间里,前两个term忙着适应环境还有上课,等课上完了,还美明白怎么回事就要开题了,感觉很匆匆。理工科要求6-8个term,基本上也是上完课就要忙着做thesis了,而且在加拿大master其实算是个honor学位,就是学校对master学生要求比较低,其实学不到什么的东西。

      5、有人认为即使没有学到什么专业的东西,好歹把外语练练也可以。但是现在在加拿大,华人太多,周围都是中国人,毫不夸张的说,如果不用上课的话,我可以从来不听不说英语。安省还有温哥华是留学生比较青睐的地方,这两个地方华人也是加拿大最多的。就说我们Waterloo把,我们这个专业有三分之二的中国人,上课做presentation的时候中国人问中国人问题有时候急了就直接用中文问,很是搞笑。roommate什么的也都是中国人,因为洋人嫌中国人做饭有油烟。

      6、我可以很负责任毫不夸张的说,加拿大是个荒凉的地方。K-W作为加拿大第九大城市,跟中国的农村基本没有区别,如果一定要找出区别来,就是机动车多了那么一点点。

      7、如果非要来这里读书的话,比较好的学校有UBC(BC),Waterloo(ON),U of Toronto(ON), McMaster(ON), Western Ontario(ON), McGill(Quebec)。大概就是这些了,选择学校的时候最好看看学校的location,因为Waterloo已经是加拿大最南部了,快相当于海南了hoho,但是还是粉冷,一年半年的冬天,我都不敢想象再北的地方得冷成什么样。

      我上面写的dd虽然没说这里一句好话,可我已经是力图从一个比较客观的角度来描述这里了。我在这里的朋友,有奖学金比较多的,依然对这里恨之入骨咬牙切齿。事实上,一般情况下国内牛校毕业的学生是absolutely讨厌这里,男生40岁一下的也讨厌这里。我认识的女同学很多都是30多的了,这些人会比较喜欢这里。

      还有就是移民的问题,前面忘记说了,中国人移民来这里能找到工作的极少极少,我认识很多人,在国内大学老师,现在在这里做labor工,就是临时工了,比如在豆腐长啊什么的,或者去参观做waiter,或者剁鸡腿的也有。

      ***最后的话***现在我主观的说几句话,我坚定的认为来加拿大不是一个很明智的选择,尤其对北大清华这样的学校的学生来说。这里学生水平比我们在北大的同学要差一些。我觉得一个好的学校不是牛牛在有多好多好的导师,因为国外好的导师就是会找钱的导师,其实对学学生的指导很少,我的导师在业界是一个很有名的人,他每天忙于在世界各个地方做讲座开会,申请资金,然后就是管理系里的事务(他是副院长),我们去找他说research10次有8次会以没有时间而挡回来。好的学校也不是牛在学校有多少多少设施什么的,图书馆的藏书量固然可以作为一个评判标准,但是我想那么多书谁也看不完,每个field经典的书,常用的书有九够了,谁也不会去看一些犄角旮旯的书。

      好的学校在于一个氛围,就是周围的环境,周围的同学,在北大,其实大家也都有骂老师水平不够的经历,逃课也是司空见惯的事情,但是没有一个北大毕业的学生会说北大是烂校,因为我们周围的同学都可以说是中国最优秀的人才了,在这样的环境中,自身的潜力可以得到挖掘,即使没有人引导,也一样可以学到很多很多东西。

      我承认Waterloo的图书馆比北大的要好,起码我们的专业书比北大不知道要多多少辈我也承认Waterloo的硬件设施比北大要强,北大没有可以free的游泳馆篮球馆,但是我觉得我来了这里除了写了几片paper,英语协作能力大涨,听说能力也有进步以外,没有学到什么东西。可能会有人说我身上有北大学生的狂妄,可我不这样认为,我一直觉得认得潜力是无穷的,周围的人牛的话,九会挖掘出自己看不到的能力,如果周围的人水平不是很牛的话,就会逐渐消沉下去的。

      我很看不惯有一些人削尖了脑袋要出国,现在北美经济不景气,毕业了根本找不到工作,我的roommate,ee的博士,毕业快一年了,都没有找到工作。还有很多公司每个月都在layoff人。学校找工作的网站上很多工作都是什么bus driver啊,做sales啊这一类的,当然,在加拿大做这样的工作年薪比一个硕士毕业的cs学生拿的工资都可能高,可是,至少在我看来,这是一种堕落。

      相比之下,如果在国内的话,至少可以找到一份比较decent的工作,可能公司不是很有名气,起薪可能不高,但是是一份decent的工作。更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
    • The writer of this article is too naive to understand what life means!
    • 这种水平,北大来的? 不太相信
      • 北大的水平应该什么样?咱中国的大学有哪个能在世界上排到前面?
      • 北大现在也出这样的学生呀,真是世道变了!
    • 国内牛校竟牛过waterloo? waterloo真这么差? 太夸张, 就我所知, UT可不差, 或许系别不同. 另, 留学生移民现在须回国办理。
    • 年轻人啊,感想真多。
    • 看了一半,实在看不下去了。只能讲是太年轻,或者太无知。
      • 你们很多人简直倚老卖老嘛,你们的生活都很好吗?》
        • 是否要显摆一下?三年前移民时年薪过十万(RBM),现在过六万(canadian$)
          • That is so called rich?
            • I don't think so. But it's much better than RMB3000/M, your dream.
              • Be modest if you don't know many people out there are making much more than you do. How about USD 200K/Y before but now CND 100K/Y?
              • You really got lost. It seems like you may never find your way!
        • 牛牛,我支持你!可能你的话伤了某些人的虚荣心了!^_^!
      • Yes!
      • 年轻跟无知根本就是两回事情,您不用客气,就直截了当的说她——无知好了。
    • 这篇文章不少漏洞。只说最基本的吧,查查waterloo这些faculty的名字都对吗?别的俺也不好再说,省得说俺自吹自擂。
      • 冲这个标题,就没打开看。还以为是转的,没想到是个原创,不过。。。呵呵
      • Official site of University of Waterloo
        • I search this web site almost everyday. thanks. pls. check it carefully to see whether I'm wrong or not.
    • 典型的独生子女综合症。
      • 一语中的,以前在别处(可能是51.ca)就看到过这个贴,今天是作者自己上来 :-)
    • some thoughts
      1. thanks for sharing, would be nicer if you wrote in English.

      2. You have been staying in Waterloo for 8 months, as time goes by, you will have different perspectives about everything in life, so don't draw conclusion too fast.

      3. I don't think you have too much 北大学生的狂妄, we all had done the same 10 years ago, again time will reduce stupidity from each of us.

      4. Good luck with everything, enjoy life in Canada.
      • "we all had done the same 10 years ago, again time will reduce stupidity from each of us. " 有道理..呵呵
    • "K-W作为加拿大第九大城市,跟中国的农村基本没有区别", 呵呵. 比较幽默嘛.
      • 他不知道国内农村长啥样,以为都和北京上海一样呢。
        • 基本上从城市来的都会喜欢加拿大的安静,从小地方来的就会嫌加拿大不够繁华
      • KW is NOT ranked as #9 in term of its size in Canada.
    • 每个人对待生活的看法和态度都会有所不同,任何一个地方也都会有好与不好,不管是高官还是这里的LABOUR,如果是自己想要的,自己选择的都会是开心的。其实对这里你有这么多的不满,你可以马上回中国,不必浪费时间在这样的“烂”校上。
      • 自己选择的都会是开心的----未必吧,移民都是自己选择移民的,但开不开心大家心理有数,回不回国又是一件复杂的事。
    • 心态很年轻,也有很多思考,很不错。每个人经历不同,难免有偏颇,保持年轻的心态却很可贵
    • 不错不错,看着感觉很亲切。半年就想了这么多,我头半年还找不到北呢。写了这么多,对后来的学生有借鉴作用。有些事情是需要时间体会的,在这里安家乐业的不要太苛求新来的学生,这篇文章估计是写给国内准备出国的学生看的。
    • 写的挺好的,很真实.不明白为何引来批评无数.是不是伤了某些人的虚荣心了? 时间就象魔术师,同样一件事,10年前你觉得正确,现在你可能觉得很可笑,但十年后说不定你又觉得很合理.
      所以说永远不要嘲笑别人真实的想法..
      • 你认识他?何以见得真实?
        • Toured UW three years ago. Her depiction about the the school and campus is perfectly true. This may hurt those who bet on getting a good job by attending UW.
      • 我觉得他说得很好, 是他自己的想法. 只是他的想法不一定是人家的想法, ..
        • 典型的伪劣。
      • 和她同样的愚蠢。
    • 赫赫,跟我见过的几个小朋友一样,认为读了cs/ee之类的master就应该再读个phd然后找个公司享受干脑力的快乐这样才算是体面的正道才是成功的人生,而视我等准备从college中寻找简单生活的人为落后愚昧蛮荒。。。
      • 9494,Waterloo CS 的 “白痴类”当年火爆的时候是微软、IBM随便玩,Master可就没人感冒.这不,认识一个该校2年级的Co,刚刚到摩根丹利上班了,“钱”程无量啊。407上的计费系统
        也是该校一“白痴类”的杰作,还有当今世界闻名的XX牛B导弹上所用的实时操作系统,“白痴类”干的;加拿大交警在十字路口设计的电子照相号码识别系统,“白痴类”!
        • Full-time, intern or co-op?
    • too simple, sometimes naive.
    • 好看,好多描写挺传神的,比如那些莫名其妙的建筑莫名其妙的地点以及莫名其妙的内部。北大的文科生在WATERLOO可能感觉是会有点怪。你应该考虑转到多大去,体会一下城市生活。还有就是不要以为WATERLOO就是加拿大了。年轻真好。
    • 冒昧一句,国内3000月薪有何DECENT? 真不懂。 本人不才,三年前月薪1万五时真不如现在的6万加币经花。 国内的收入税真是很高。 3000块在国内不算房租,车费等等,就是DECENT的餐厅能去两次都不够,我这还是3年前的老皇历。
      • Are you kidding? One visit to a decent restaurant costs RMB 1500? Then most Chinese can never dine out. Do you know how much is the average monthly income for a worker, say in a factory, in China?
        • Just means you never have decent life before, both in China and Canada
          • What a decent life are you having now? Exaggerating doesn't make you special than others. Which school did you go to? How many countries have you been? How much money have you made? Give me a break!
            • In big cities, you can never lead a decent life for 3k RMB. you should know that, no need to argue about this.
              • My rent was 5000/M when I was in Beijing. I even went to a few dinning occasions that cost more than 50K for 5 people. But you never say for an ordinary meal in a normal decent restaurant cost RMB1500 for one.
                • eh, you are very straight forward person. The definition of "decent" vary much in differnet people's eye.
                  For me 30RMB is acceptable price for a lunch in a western-style restraunt. If in Donghai, 1500RMB is just for ordinary foods. If I have 3000RMB, after deducting house, transportation, clothes i dont think there are much left.
                  • You are right. In a studnet eyes, RMB3000 might mean the actual disposable money after rent etc. In any case, don't fool around with exceptional cases which do not represent the whole picture.
          • Playing on line at 10:00 AM indicates two things - either you are not working at all or you don't have any discipline at your work place. Learn how to respect others first before you do anything else.
          • Except China and Canada, where else have you been? Really feel pity for you.
          • Probably not the one you meant. I travelled around in all provinces except one when I was in China and have visited 1/3 of the world since then. But I don't have the money for a RMB 1500 meal.
            • eh, some people like enjoying delicious food, some people like traveling. So you spend money in traveling while others are enjoying seafoods, it's not the point, buddy.
              • Exactly. Dinning out is the first step of having a so called decent life.
      • 各打50大板。
        3000RMB月薪在中国绝对不能是decent的生活,本人月薪也超万五,而且还逃税,也没觉得生活怎么样,中国就那个样子。不过吃饭没那么贵。上海最贵的饭店不是没有吃过。

        这里70K CAD的年薪也这样,只是开开好点的车,生活嘛,钟点工是不能请的,还时不时要自己动动手。dine out倒是经常的事,当然就是一些小餐馆。开销也就20刀一个人。
        • 再说一句,有一点是对的
          如果合法交税,中国的个人收入税绝对不比这里低,本人深有体会,才会把收入转成灰色的。只是大多数人没那么高的绝对收入,而且中国的基本物价比较低
          • Not necessary. 公司可以和税务部门进行税务包干的谈判.
        • 各位月万,本人不才,也就月半碗,但生活确实很爽,而且有过国外生活经历,要说加拿大比中国强,只能是很片面的一部分(对你我而言)。现在有车补(1000人民币/月),好车每年降价,两年换一次车。
          ,也就月半碗,但生活确实很爽,而且有过国外生活经历,要说加拿大比中国强,只能是很片面的一部分(对你我而言)。现在有车补(1000人民币/月),好车每年降价,两年换一次车。一个字,爽!至于中国比加拿大的优点,就不多说了,相信每位在大城市呆过的都有体会。不要告诉我,你从没享受过上海的夜生活!
      • 真搞笑,月薪1万5,还去加拿大,脑袋进水了???
    • 这是从国内BBS上转来的文章,我1-2个星期前就看过。虽然有些信息不准确,但个人感受还挺真实的。
      再者说,本文的写作对象根本不是针对我们这些移民的。对更年轻的人说,在加拿大留学确实不如在美国爽,就说奖学金吧,加国总体上可是比美国少的,连香港和新加坡都比不上。
      • 但美国大部分学校不提供奖学金, 比如美国最大的University of Phonix. 还有很多只提供半奖.
        • 不对吧?应该说不是所有人都能有幸得到奖学金,加拿大不也是这样吗?
    • 乱点几句:(原来又想打笔仗的,边看边写,最后写不下去了,尊重历史吧,还贴在正文里。私下觉得,能酱紫平实地写出那么多dd是粉不容易地。)
      U of Waterloo是加拿大近几年排名第一的学校……多大要跳楼了;
      一般学校在短短50年就发展成全国排名第一确实可以称为暴发户了……忘了北大清华之类的有多少年历史了,得好几百年吧;
      我是学旅游的。……嘿嘿,原来是北大学旅游的;
      只要是国内牛校来的都会觉得Waterloo是一个环境很差的学校……什么是牛校?这里好象还没有在动物园里泼硫酸的大学生吧;
      许多楼去了很多次,可是每次去还是迷路!……北大的就是这种智商,这绝对是智力低下啊!(您是赞助生吧)
      学校很没有学校的气氛……动不动就贴大字报、扯大旗就是学校气氛?
      加拿大人可以用两个字形容:愚蠢。……还有比加拿大人更愚蠢的呢,那就是吵着闹着要来学习愚蠢的人;
      我觉得想移民加拿大的人都是大脑进水小脑抽筋有毛病的。……来读书的也一样,是大脑进水多少和小脑有没有筋的区别;
      我的decent的定义就是国内月薪3000以上的人过的那种生活……你在国内赚过钱吗?做小姐陪酒赚来的不算。

      不评了,一个女子能在异乡写出酱紫的dd,还是粉令人佩服的。
    • 我的decent的定义就是国内月薪3000以上的人过的那种生活,穿比较好的衣服…… 那你还来干什么?今年我认识的一个中大女生毕业进了四大,工资起薪是4800,真搞不懂你,3000块少了个零吧。
    • 文科去什么Waterloo,学费又贵,还不如去斜对面的威尔弗瑞德。劳瑞尔大学
      • 就是,到化铁炉学文科,不是万不可以谁去呀。:-)
    • "我来了半年有余,许多楼去了很多次,可是每次去还是迷路", 真是北大高柴生啊!
      我在旧金山开车迷路, 那一定是老美公路造得莫名其妙, 怎么可以承认我比别人笨呢?

      到滑铁庐去学旅游, 和想到MIT去学医没有差别, 因为哈佛医学院进不了嘛. 只是不知道这算是烂校进了个聪明人还是好学校进了个烂人.
      • 每个人的时间都是宝贵的, 不论学校或学生,都是为了学和交些有用的东西,我看老师也都是很敬业,最好不要有“烂” 这类评语。 相互尊重较好。
    • could not finish reading it: doubt all material is proved. ":((U of Waterloo是加拿大近几年排名第一的学校,学校声誉连续十几年加拿大最好。" ? is that true?
      • 好象不对。 顺便问一下, 滑铁卢大学若在美国能排第几, 北大能排第几?
      • #757266
        • 卖烤林的排名被大家反复贴来贴去,有意义吗? j加拿大的这种排法,什么博士一血泪,综合类等等,多无聊,最后各种排法排下来,只要不是太太烂的学校,都能排进来。看着都觉得讽刺。
          • 补充,之所以卖烤林有这么多排法,据说也是为了平衡全加的大学,不得罪人,因为我以前看过一篇文章,很多年前某大学被残酷挤出20大,结果人家大学纠集其他一些落榜大学,宣布从此不参加这种排名。后经卖烤林多方地下工作,
            几年之后该大学才同意在参加这种排名,条件是不能挤出20大。具体学校寄不清了。想象,搞这种名堂怎么跟在中国干事情差不多。
          • 有一个说法是, 加拿大所有大学并列排名第一
    • nice try.
    • 写得很好啊,看得出来,年轻啊!虽然里面很多东西偶并不认同,但也要鼓励一下。
    • My opinion and question
      本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛I never rate Waterloo as a top school. The reason is very simple:

      A top university can not be famous for its co-op program.

      As for the CS program in Watreloo, it is over-valued. A good CS program
      should not be proud for producing the followers of Bill Gates. How
      many alumini in Bill's BBQ party is a funny index either. What really matter are that how many competitors of Bill Gates are from this program,
      how many turing award winners in the dept..

      What its engineering programs cater is the co-op programs, which job market more accessible to its students. However, emphasis on the co-op degrade Waterloo to the same rank as Seneca and George Brown.

      Though Waterloo is not a top university, it is still a decent one. It came to its stardom in less than 50 years which Beida has not been achieve in
      100 years.

      If Waterloo is so bad compared with Beida, why, as I overserved, there is
      one way traffic from Beida to Waterloo? I have not heard any one rushing from Waterloo to Beida, from countryside in Canada to Metro Beijing?更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
    • kao! 北大毕业的去读Waterloo,还是个文科.....还跑这儿来现眼,丢人啊丢人...
      • 你对waterloo的所有文科都了解吗?有什么丢人的?看学什么了,waterloo的建筑系还世界排名前50位呢。
        • Are you a UW enrolled student? Architecture is a combination of art and science. It is not humanity or social science.
    • 他只说对了一句话: waterloo是暴发户.
      对他大学不靠名教授, 图书馆不重要之类的实在不敢苟同, 看来此位本来就不爱读书, 在北大估计也是混. 他说waterloo文科差, 北大的文科就好? 以他的水平, 让他在UT, waterloo读理科, 可能会被kick off.

      如果说水平, 还是UT,McGill最好
    • 由此文引发的对论坛的一些想法
      1-论坛每个人都可以发表自己的看法和建议.
      2-由于作者的看法基于个人的观点,不同意者实属正常。对此,我们可以谈自己的看法,如看法具有建设性,不光有利于对此话题进行更好的探讨,而且有利于论坛的发展。否则,一些情绪性的东西,只是一种宣泄,于事无补,反而不利于论坛良好风气的形成。
      3-论坛由各种类型人组成的。各有所长。但我们在为一些弱势群体的奋斗精神感动的同时,是否也可以欣赏一些强者的风彩。做到后者并不容易。这也是一些论坛人气趋淡的的原因。

      感谢作者的分享,也希望各位网友和我一样能从网络中汲取到生活的乐趣。
      • Wise and constructive.
    • 典型的北大学生, 大事做不了, 小事不愿意做, 什么都看不在眼里, 可惜自己有肤浅的可笑. 庆幸现在国家领导人清华多些的, 如果都是北大的, 那还不完蛋?
      • You probably overstated here. The reason why more Qinghua graduates become politicians in high rank positions is far more complicated than you think.
        • true!
    • 我印象中好象以前有人贴过,一查
      内容一样,不过有一点我当时就不明白。好象发贴子的和那个版的版主是一个人,不过有一句话 “斑竹评价:非常好的文章,对留学加拿大的看法很客观,还有很多签证,生活细节,虽然文章常了点,希望大家努力看完,绝对有帮助的。!!! ”,是不是我理解有误,自己夸自己:<,我不能理解。

      我也在waterloo,不过是移到这里的“大脑进水小脑抽筋有毛病的”,连想当白痴学生都不成,只好在IT公司挨踢,也不是什么名校的,怎么办?还能活吗?

      不过真好玩,看完之后,笑了很长时间,比国内看小品还有趣。鼓励,写的不错。
      • 说是个看法倒可以,至于是否客观公正,自己评的能算数吗? :))
      • 大脑进水小脑抽筋有毛病的就不是人吗!?清华北大就牛到可以说这些?
        你没毛病你去哈佛,你到这个兔子不拉屎的地方做什么?最讨厌没完没了发牢骚的人
    • 年轻真好。
    • 加拿大需要这样的孩子。
      送点钱给加拿大,然后就回去了,多好!
      大量招收国际学生---- 是加拿大的长期国策!
    • 到底是台湾北大学生,还是中国北大学生.满篇的酱子, 令人做呕.
      • 什么北大学生,简直就是一傻逼!!
        • So rude, get out of here!
    • 文科生在加拿大:与Waterloo北大学生截然不同的出国感想(UBC版)
      本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛I came from Beijing last summer to study journalism at UBC. My Canadian experience takes a new shape every single day, newer than I can handle, so I’d like to storytell it for the old folks to critique.

      Politeness

      My first culture shock came from Canadian politeness. I played soccer in UBC’s league and couldn’t stand the fact that people were so nice to me. If I kept the ball to myself without passing, say, back in China, guys would call me a “ballhog” and names; when I do it here they say, “Do you need any support?”
      Sweet, the result is, as you can imagine, I always refuse to be supported.

      Friendliness

      I like the fact that strangers sometimes greet you with the warmth of a friend. It’s even nicer in Vancouver Island where people new to each other can engage themselves in a talk for no reason.
      Since I came I’ve made more friends than I expected. My Caucasian roommates are beautiful people and we had a good time playing “mafia”, sharing food and shouting “Go Canucks go!”
      Do we have any problem with each other? Yes we do. A roommate of mine makes a lot of noise when he makes love, and the wall between us is too thin to contain the moaning. But I am not too upset about that, as he does it only twice a day.

      My pushers, my best friends

      “Welcome to BC,” said my classmate Mike on my birthday party as he took out a pipe from his pocket.
      My jaw hit the ground when he laid some tea-like stuff in the pipe and said it was a birthday gift he bought me from Hasting.
      “I don’t even smoke cigarette, man, and you give me pot?” I turned him down.
      He was so upset that it’s not exaggerating to say that he was hurt.
      But he didn’t give up. He started to invite other guys to take inhales rotationally. I was surprised to find that half a dozen of my classmates, male or female, are so marijuana-friendly that they smoke it like a chimney.
      “Come on, man, this is BC,” they can’t wait to stone me.
      And I took my first inhale. It didn’t work on me though, probably because I never smoked cigarette and was unable to force the air into my lung.
      Mike was so happy about becoming my pusher.
      I have another pusher Geoff, my roommate who tries to make me a Christian. He bought me a bible, took me to church and all kinds of Christian parties.
      I like his earnestness in trying to “save” me, though I don’t like the idea of being saved by somebody whose existence is in question. I enjoy singing songs with lots of people in church – not when SARS is spreading – and listening to their discussion on life and death. It’s a big part of Canadian culture worth experiencing.
      Though neither of them has changed me successfully, my pushers have become my best Canadian friends. I spent thanksgiving and Christmas with their families on the Island. My first taste of turkey, first self-made Christmas tree and first talk with sexy country girls – everyday has been a new experience, thanks to my friends.

      Nasty times

      Did I have blue times in Canada? Yes. The first time I felt being discriminated was when I interviewed an immigration official on the government’s plan to disperse immigrant settlement.
      “Your questions are nonsense,” she tried to intimidate me, “They don’t make any sense.”
      “You are just a student,” she went on, “You are not professional enough.”
      What hurt me most was that she said “Do you understand the English that I am speaking?” as she knew that I was from China.
      It hurt me so much that I was even afraid of hearing her voice when I went over my tape, something I usually do before writing a news article.
      It has been my worst Canadian experience, but I take it as an individual behavior rather than society as a whole. I should say ninety nine times out of a hundred people I interview are nice to me; the percentage is much higher than what I experienced in China.
      In fact, some bizarre experience helps me learn more about Canadian culture.
      I was wanted by a cop last October. Assigned by a mad professor to find out the body condition of Wei Amanda Zhao, I phoned Vancouver’s coroner and made some guesswork which I asked her to confirm.
      This tight-lip lady turned out to be a nervous nanny. Not only did she refuse to tell me anything, but she told the Burnaby police that I had “hold-back” information which they withheld from the public. God knows, maybe my guesswork happened to be right.
      So an RCMP guy called “Tyson” started looking for me. He called the heads of my school for information on me and I was scared because I didn’t know if he wanted to arrest me.
      When he finally got me on the phone, he was condescending, if not threatening. In a humble way I answered all his questions and explained to him that I didn’t have any “hold-back” info. At last he was bored I guess and gave up questioning.
      But I regret being nice to him. I regret not exercising my rights guaranteed by the Constitution and I am probably not gonna have any more opportunity to exercise it! I should have teased him and got more information on the case as an exchange.
      Conclusion: You don’t have to be nice to a Canadian cop unless you’ve broken the law.

      Go out and talk to people

      Canadian culture is not carried by the Rocky Mountains, I believe, but the people they nurture.
      Informed and intelligent, hospitable and artless, this is largely what I find Canadians.
      Many of them have traveled around the world and I’ve learned a lot more about Europe and Africa by talking to them. Even about China, they sometimes know better than I do. For example, I didn’t know Google was banned in my country last September until they told me so.
      It’s always been an excitement for me to scoop up interesting people in this brand new culture.
      I’ve done a video documentary with two of my classmates on a girl who’s survived on the street without her family. An ex drug dealer and addict, she broke my stereotype of desperate people needling themselves on Hasting. I never knew they had human faces until I got to know her.
      She’s a good rapper who writes rhyme and performs with a passion for life. Her energy spins with her as she dances.
      “I got the skeletons in the closet
      But that don’t bother me
      I be the soldier from the jungle approximately
      My corrupt past didn’t take me
      Never beat me, never been locked up in society’s cage.”
      She writes and raps. She has a faith that keeps her strong, that has pulled her out of the quagmire and leads her towards a better tomorrow. She now starts fresh in a job training program and paints murals over the city’s graffiti.
      “I’m goin’ up in flames
      Never hold me down”
      I decide that the part of Canadian life she’s shown me is never to be learned at school.

      Education

      Now back to school, it took me quite a while to figure out why I had studied so hard here, like never before.
      It could be that my classmates are workaholics. Some of them work like masochists, and take inhuman pleasure out of it. I guess I am more or less pressured by the fact that they work like crazy, if they are not.
      But why do they do so? My answer is that they love what they’ve chosen – and they drop out if they don’t – which is a big thing about Canadian education, free choice and motivation.
      Few of my schoolmates have entered the program without being committed to journalism. Two students did come to “see how it goes” and they’ve dropped out because they don’t love it.
      Fortunately I love what I am taking. This I believe has been more important than pressure in keeping me going.
      In fact, I have made some contribution to Canada’s education, though by mistake. Looking for a TAship when I first came, I ran into a program called “humanities 101” sponsored by UBC. It offers free education to people aged from 20 to 70 who have not had opportunity to go to college.
      It was not because I had a good heart that I undertake this unpaid TAship; I said it was an accident. I didn’t know what “volunteer” meant when I saw the job posting, which could be deadly for a job hunter in Canada.
      When I found it out it was too late to withdraw, so I assumed that I had a good heart and moved on with it.
      It turned out to be a rewarding experience. I got to know underrepresented and disadvantaged people from different parts of society: an old fisherman hurt by fish farming, a jobless immigrant crippled by language problem and a girl who found “six bucks sucks…”
      The only pity in my one year study is that I dropped out from a minor course of Canadian history. I took it only because I wanted to know more about the country, but unfortunately it was too hard for me. The only thing I learned from that course: It’s nothing like Chinese history.

      Employment

      A job doesn’t come easily, especially for an international journalism student. I spent tons of time applying for a summer internship, which is a requisite for my degree, but failed to find one in Canada.
      While my schoolmates go to work for the Toronto Star, the CBC and the Vancouver Sun for $ 500--$1,000 Canadian a week, I can only struggle to get a job in SARS-hit Hong Kong, for as little as 6,000 HKD a month.
      But I know I shouldn’t complain. If there’s anything to blame, it’s my English. The one year education has helped me a lot; without it I wouldn’t even get a job in Hong Kong.
      Hopefully the internship will add to my resume and help me get into mainstream media next year when I graduate. To my encouragement, a second Chinese student who went to Hong Kong last summer has made it to the Toronto Star.
      If I couldn’t find a job here upon graduation, I wouldn’t blame Canada. Going back home is not a bad choice. The whole point of being in Canada to me is not to get a visa, but to learn as much as I can.

      I enjoyed reading the article by the Waterloo student from Peking University. I’ve written this only to provide a different perspective of a Chinese arts student in Canada.更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
      • I appreciate your article, which can enlighten me, a new Vancouver immigrant, a lot!
        Thanks a lot! I hope my english will keep up in one year as you!
    • 写得很好,这才是真正的国外,我出国十年了,早就 这样告诉国人,可国人偏有不撞南墙不回头的勇气, 可付出的代价却是自己的前途和生活。我也试图海归 ,但不容易。
    • That's all coz of economy resession....
      Before 2000, anybody come here will appreciate the lovely environment, but now, who can guarantee you something? You came here, not for study, work, or whatever; you are to live, to make livings.
      In China, everything could be done along with the pre-defined schedule which might be put down before your born, but who can say there won't be any ecnomoy or political resession in future? What you have done is just preparing to learn how to face it!
    • 用半年的时间的经历来对一个学校以及一个社会下一些negative的结论,对于一个出身名校的大学生来说是否有点太肤浅....否定自己学校的同时也是否定自己的选择......
      • 我认为,作为这样的年龄段,在一个相对封闭的学校小环境,寂寞,紧张,郁闷及失落的心情是完全可以理解的.只是相信在若干年后,他一定会庆幸自己当初的选择和磨练.其实,人应该对自己有信心,希望能够珍惜生活.
    • UW is a good university!!!
      本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛I'm a UW math student and I have studied here for 2 terms.
      I don't think UW is so bad as you described!
      Although it is not so funny and comfortable to stay here comparing to China, I did learned quite a lot of things here including my study skills and my independent life.
      It is a feeling of reborn! I never study so hard and concentrated before I came to Canada!
      The tuition and living fees are very expensive indeed but everyone konws the importance to immigrate to Canada.
      Also, the strong points of UW are
      1) well-known in the World( looking at the ranking of universities in the world, UW is ranking more previous than QingHua,BeiDa
      2) excellent professors and outstanding students( I don't think the students are so stupid as you described, in fact they are smart and they can apply the knowledge to real life,lab, jobs much better chinese students. They are also well-done on term-work, and doing well on Co-op program. I know the Math,CS, engineering students well.
      3) lots of decent Co-op program and jobs -- that is one of the biggest advantage in Canada. Only UW has so many good Co-ops.
      Finally, I want to say something! It is worth to study in University in Canada if you want to really learn sth, get closer to the West advanced world and culture. Learn english better and life style here. It is a long and hard road in front of you, but don't give up, it is your dream and it can come true, let's encourage each other to walk through this road successfully!更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
      • I strongly agree. =D I'm in UW too. I just found out it wasn't bad at all. I am in first year CS, coop.
    • 完全同意,加拿大这个地方真是..., 为什么没有早一点读到你的文章
      我的老家在松花江上,靠,也比这气候好。
      在北京混了n年,专业做到consultant级别了,这里打工真是堕落,总是听到overqualified, 靠
      说什么最适合居住的国家,不会是中介的套吧。没办法,这个地方最适合冬天的时候睡大觉,地铁公汽比北京还挤,靠。
      • 还真有人说你overqualified? 而且你还真信?太把自己当盘菜了吧?
        • 是不是over qualified就不说了,咱这坛子总的让人发发牢骚吧
    • 没看完。只是觉得在对一件事情缺乏了解之前就下结论是很幼稚的。文中不实之处很多。例如:
      “加拿大学校一般不给免学费,别的省对留学生没有特殊待遇,只有安大略省,留学生的学费是本国学生,包括移民学费的三倍”据我所知,几乎所有的学校对international student都会收高价学费,2-3倍不等。这样简单的问题,如果你申请过不同的大学一定会了解。大约你出国是北大导师或者父母包办的。万事有人包办当时感觉是挺幸运的,其实他们是剥夺了你成长的权利。
      你也很有意思:北大以文著称,你偏学理。Waterloo 理工科有名,你又改了学文。我对Waterloo大学印象很好。一个学校,校舍好坏是次要的,关键是她能为学生提供什么样的服务。Waterloo是加拿大最早开始做Co-op的学校,也是最成功的。我在的公司常有她的co-op学生。她的课程实用,出来的学生也感觉比较好用,很受欢迎。我这学期选了一门夜课,开一个多小时的车去上课,还觉得挺值的呢。
      • that's true feeling about canada, brave and honest young girl
        i can't agree with the auther any more. i read it before i came here and laughed at her at that time, one year later, i read it again, i appreciate the auther for her honesty.