Mohammad Abu Salou
Which ELC program(s) did you attend?
I attended the Intensive English (ELPI) program and the University Admission Preparation (UAP) program.
What made your ELC program special?
What made the ELC program special was the diversity and warmth of the people I met. I attended five courses and met classmates from all over the world. Everyone shared a piece of their culture. The teachers were supportive and created an environment where learning English felt exciting, not stressful. Every class felt like a cultural exchange rather than just a lesson.
What is the most memorable thing that happened to you as an ELC student?
The most memorable moment for me was the Farewell Day at the end of each program session. It was always a mix of joy and sadness: celebrating our achievements while realizing we are saying goodbye to each other. We shared speeches, laughed at memories, and took countless photos together.
How did learning with students from other cultures change how you see the world?
Studying English with students from different backgrounds allowed me to know more about their cultures, way of thinking, and how they see good and bad. For example, a particular hand sign could be okay to Asians, but the same hand sign could hold inappropriate meaning. As a result, I got to be more careful of my words and actions when talking to foreigners, and I became more familiar with languages other than my mother tongue and English.
Did studying English with us open any new opportunities for you? What are you doing now?
Yes, Studying English at the ELC qualified and prepared me to take a Bachelor's degree at UVic.
What's it like living in Victoria?
Victoria is a city where you cannot get bored. There are always many new places to visit, restaurants from a variety of cuisines, cozy coffee shops, gorgeous beaches, green parks. I am not exaggerating, but really Victoria needs two lives to explore every corner!
Best advice for new students
Don't only make friends who speak your mother language. If you could not, try as much as you can to speak only English because this improves your speaking skill in a way that you feel you are improving only after long periods. Another advice, try to spend more time in the building and use the available free services such as the volunteering center upstairs, where you can practice writing, reading, listening and speaking all at once about topics you are interested in. My last advice for you, do as many activities as you can, so you can socialize with others in English.
