Norha Villegas

What made your ELC program special?

The wonderful people I met.

What's it like living in Victoria?

Victoria is like a painting: every street you see is full of colors and beautiful gardens. It is the perfect combination between urban and nature life. Victoria is a warm city for students and the perfect place to learn English and learn about many different cultures.

What is your best advice for new students?

Start living Victoria from the very first moment you arrive. Buy a map, get the bus schedule and start enjoying the city. Do not feel homesick, take advantage of such a great international experience in of the most beautiful cities on Earth.

If you could travel back in time, what part of your ELC experience would you re-visit? Why?

I would have taken better advantage of all the extra events offered by the program.

What is the most memorable thing that happened to you as an ELC student?

I made new friends from different cultures. Our friendship continues today.

Do you have any favourite memories of Canadian culture?

Eating fish and chips at Victoria's harbour.

How did learning with other students from other cultures change how you see the world?

The multicultural experience I lived during my English program with UVic's ELC was remarkable. This was my first international experience. I learned how diverse our world is.

Did studying English with us open any new opportunities for you? What are you doing now?

I could start my PhD in Computer Science. Now I'm a professor in Colombia and an adjunct professor at University of Victoria, Department of Computer Science.