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Musing on my experiences in BC as a French exchange student

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Image courtesy of Pixabay

By: Noé Baudouin, SFU Student

“Good morning passengers, we’re now 24,000 feet above ground on our way to Denver,” exclaims the pilot through the microphone. It is 11:35 a.m. and I am on my way to France to celebrate Christmas with my family. It’s funny to see Vancouver shrinking through the window of the airplane. What has been my playground for the past four months gradually fades away: Burnaby Mountain, Surrey, downtown Vancouver’s skyscrapers. Eventually, the whole of British Columbia vanishes as we enter the clouds. 

It is on this plane that I am writing these words. Seeing Vancouver from above makes me reflect upon the discoveries and experiences of my journey at Simon Fraser University. I am Noé, and I am an exchange student from France. I arrived in Vancouver in August, driven by a personal quest of identity. I was born in Québec City, but I grew up mainly in the French Alps. 

I believe that being French and Canadian has given me a unique perspective on my journey here. A French ‘eye’ allows me to observe Canada as an outsider. A Canadian ‘eye’ allows me to go deeper in my reflection, beyond common Canadian clichés. 

One thing that never gets out of my head when I explore differences and compare Canada and Europe is the difference in scale. Let me explain: here in BC, the plates, glasses, dishes, plastic bottles, and a lot more everyday items are bigger and thicker than they would be in Europe. But it is also true for nature! Walking around on Burnaby Mountain made me realize that even the average Canadian tree is impressive compared to those in Europe, and that goes for the mountains as well even though I come from the Alps.  

The distances are also different: commuting for an hour to get somewhere in Vancouver seems to be normal. In France, only people in Paris would have to commute for an hour to get somewhere else in the city. 

But what I love most is how wide the sky seems. Whether you believe me or not, the sky here is different. The shades of blue, pink, orange, and yellow that the sky takes daily (when you can see it, of course) are astounding — it seems like the sky stretches beyond the limits that the European sky is bound to. 

SFU’s Burnaby campus has been an experience in itself. Is it just me, or does it feel like the whole campus is just a giant starship that landed on the mountain? There are massive buildings with concrete alleys, secret doors, and multiple levels. Convocation Mall looks like it is covered in an iron and glass canopy. I am not saying that the Burnaby campus is beautiful, far from it. But evolving at SFU on a daily basis makes me feel like I am part of a space fleet standing on top of Vancouver, and my ultimate goal is academic pleasure and success. 

I also came to love what seems to be the Holy Trinity of style in SFU students: the red athletic SFU Nike backpack, slippers, and Mira refillable bottle hanging on the side. The SFU style is intensely debated amongst the international student community: for example, some believe that slippers are inappropriate in a study environment. I personally like how it mixes modernity, sportswear, and comfort in a way that would not be seen in France or Europe. 

Another delightful observation during my time in Vancouver so far has been the public transportation strikes. I might sound weird, but being French, I’ve experienced loads of public strikes! In France, a strike goes on for ages; they are recurrent and often long. While I am writing these words, France is breaking its own record in history with more than 30 days of striking against the government changing pension plans. French people, therefore, learned to live with strikes, to be resilient, and to cancel events at the last minute. For example, I am supposed to go to Paris at the end of December to celebrate Christmas at my grandparents’ home. But with the massive strike going on right now, we’ll only know on D-Day whether we can join our family or not. 

You can imagine my surprise when the TransLink bus strike that was supposed to occur between the 27th to the 29th of November was cancelled November 27th at midnight! Announcements were made saying that an agreement had been found between Unifor and the Coast Mountain Bus Company. I loved the way everyone got crazy about the potential strike on social networks. Do you remember that one SFU student who said that he would hire a private charter bus to go up and down the mountain? For a French person, a population getting really worried about a strike and managing to find a solution before the strike feels like fiction! I think that this says a lot about the great ability of everyday citizens to discuss and find cooperative solutions. This is something that French society should envy.

But my time in Vancouver has also been shaped by less exciting, unpleasant and yet major discoveries. On my way to Pholicious, my favourite lunch place in front of SFU’s Vancouver campus, I left my bag in the library. I bet you can guess what happened . . . Once my bag got stolen with the most precious electronic devices and official documents, I had to discover the process of going to the Vancouver Police Department and the Canadian administration. You can guess that I’d rather have not learnt that! But it is part of the experience, I guess . . .

As I look upon the clouds from the window of the airplane, one last thought comes to me. I am thankful for the SFU community for welcoming us exchange students from everywhere. Being an exchange student also means leaving your family and your friends from your hometown. It can sometimes be difficult. But here in BC, I never felt abandoned, never felt out of place. 

Now I can’t wait for when I come back this semester for the ski season!

Six tips to make the most out of your next art gallery experience

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Arts
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Illustration: Maple Sukontasukkul / The Peak
Illustration: Maple Sukontasukkul / The Peak

by Kim Regala, Staff Writer

With the abundance of art galleries scattered all across Vancouver — and on each SFU campus — there are plenty of places to check out. So whether you’re looking to visit one for the first time, or are already an avid goer eager to attend the next, here are some tips I’ve learned from my own art gallery adventures that will hopefully help you make the most out of yours.

 

  • Brochures and maps are your best friend. 

 

While it’s most important to create your own interpretations of art, it definitely helps to have a framework that guides the process. Thankfully, galleries provide plenty of resources both in person and online that offer information about the artists, as well as themes addressed in the exhibition. Brochures are commonly found near the entrances, while titles and short descriptions typically accompany each piece. On some occasions, galleries even have numbered maps, giving you a clear direction as to how to navigate around the space.

 

  • Bring a friend.

 

Visiting an art gallery by yourself is no foreign concept, but being somewhat shy, my biggest challenge was overcoming this fear of attending a public event on my own. If this sounds like you, then I definitely recommend having someone to keep you company. Taking a friend to an art gallery is a great way to relieve some of this anxiety and even create a cute bonding moment for the two of you. At the same time, a lot of value can come from a second perspective when viewing art. By having someone to converse and bounce back ideas with, your experience of the event becomes more engaging and insightful.

 

  • Take as little or as much time as you need per piece of art.

 

Whenever I visit a new exhibition, I always feel insecure that I’m not spending enough time looking at a specific piece. However, I’ve learned over time that there really is no right or wrong amount of time needed to admire art. I’ve seen someone take merely five seconds to glance over a painting while another patron stood still, staring at it for nearly 15 minutes. Some artwork will catch your eye more than others, so feel free to take as little or as much time as you need for all of it to sink in.

 

  • That being said, don’t feel pressured to LOVE each artwork.

 

It’s crucial to appreciate and have an open mind about every piece that you see. But, coming into an exhibition with a fixed mindset that you have to love every single one only blurs your judgement. Furthermore, it makes you less critical of what is really striking to you. It goes without saying that art is subjective, so naturally, not everything in an art gallery will be your cup of tea. Instead of forcing yourself to have a deeper connection to every work, spend more time admiring the ones that effortlessly gravitate towards you.

 

  • Focus on the bigger picture instead of nitpicking over tiny details.

 

One of the biggest misconceptions, especially when trying to understand modern art, is feeling as if every detail of a piece has a deeper and more complex meaning. But sometimes, it really can be just as simple as a banana duct-taped to a wall. Instead of placing all of your attention on the physical material itself, consider why the piece exists in this particular setting (instead of somewhere else), how it communicates with its framed environment, and how it engages with the other pieces surrounding it.

 

  • Talk to artists or curators if they’re around.

 

This advice would have been especially helpful when I frequently attended opening nights of art galleries, which artists and curators also attend most of the time. Keep in mind that as the creators of the exhibit, they are probably the most excited in the room to discuss what you’re seeing and expand on their ideas and inspirations. One of my favourite gallery experiences was a conversation with Minahil Bukhari, at the Audain Gallery’s previous exhibition Currents. She openly shared her sentiments with me about the injustices she saw in her own family lineage, as the stories of women were frequently missing. It’s personal stories such as these that offer us new perspectives that move beyond written descriptions.

I hope that this list encourages you to check out some of the future art exhibitions that are sure to come your way. Regardless, you can definitely see me at one of the many SFU galleries opening this semester.

An Inside Look At The Media and Makers Commons

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Multimedia
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The Graduate Student Society welcomes four new directors after high voter turnout

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News
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The GSS held a winter 2019 election to fill several positions

By: Paige Riding, News Writer

Following the Graduate Student Society’s (GSS) election in the fall of 2019, the GSS welcomed four new members to their board of directors. 

The Director of Student Life’s seat on the board was filled by Lulu Li with 241 total votes. The position had two other candidates. Li is an international master’s student in political science whose online introduction notes that she “strongly believe in giving back to the community and [is] an active volunteer in community organizations on and off campus.” Li hopes to hold events on campus to build “long-lasting and deeper connection within our diverse student society.” Li’s elected position involves making the grad student experience as good as it can possibly be, through planning events, overseeing community development, and working to engage graduate students through “non-academic resources.” 

The Director of Finance position found itself in the hands of Farina Fassihi with 168 votes. Fassihi, who ran against three other candidates, is pursuing a master’s degree in Urban Studies. Fassihi’s profile notes that they have “been involved with several non-profit organizations and groups, working on a range of issues related to health and social services. These endeavours have helped [Fassihi] to hone [their] leadership and team building skills.” The Director of Finance oversees the creation of the GSS’ budget and annual audit, among other investment goals. 

Finally, Rahil Adeli, running unopposed, was elected to the Director of Academic Relations position with 383 votes. A master’s student in Urban Studies, Adeli’s platform mentioned how they believe that “the university should play a more decisive and active role in professional development for all graduate students.” The Director of Academic Relations, previously called the Director of University Relations, is the arm that connects the GSS to other parts of SFU’s community including SFU administration and the SFSS.

Matt McDonald, Director of External Relations for the GSS, who spoke to The Peak via email, stated that a fourth director was appointed to their position for the Spring term. Mona Mehdizadeh became the Director of Graduate Services for January through the end of April. This position was appointed to a shortened term, rather than elected, because of the board “[moving] around the terms of two director positions,” wrote McDonald. The four new directors began their terms at the start of the new year.

McDonald noted that the amount of candidates running were “historically quite high,” as was the voter turnout of 565 voters. McDonald wrote that such a turnout “shows [how] the advocacy campaigns and events held by the GSS are becoming increasingly visible to students in the last year or so, leading more of us to realize we can have a positive impact on the university community and graduate student issues if we get involved.”

These three candidates will work their term until the final day of 2020. During the Spring semester, another three Directors will be elected for the Society: Director of External Relations, Director of Internal Relations, and Director of Graduate Services. Election information will become available as the term progresses on the GSS website later this month. 

Full vote counts for all positions and opposing candidates can be found on the GSS website. 

 

Trudeau’s new beard “full of secrets,” sources said last Wednesday

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Humour
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Written by Zach Siddiqui, Humour Editor

As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dons a scruffy new look for the new year, sources close to him have suggested that his new facial hair may have an ulterior motive. 

“He’s totally rich because his dad Pierre was also Prime Minister,” explained Damian Lee, a former close family friend of the Trudeaus. “But really the thing about Justin Trudeau is that he has everybody’s business. He knows everything about everyone. That’s why his stubble’s so cute — it’s full of secrets.”

According to Lee, Trudeau’s choice to grow out the beard was actually a recommendation from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). After the SNC-Lavalin scandal and especially Trudeau’s past with blackface was leaked to the public, the Prime Minister’s entire baby face was termed a security risk to the confidentiality of national intelligence. 

Ultimately, facial hair was the security solution offered by CSIS director David Vigneault. The director had recently spent his Christmas holidays marathoning Mean Girls and even Mean Girls 2 at home with his family.

“The next thing to change would be his hairdo,” Vigneualt told The Peak. “Not because of national security, but just because his hair looks sexy pushed back. Peak, will you please report that his hair looks sexy pushed back?”

Even Lee could not say which national secrets exactly were producing the rugged “daddy” look that BBC, Global News, and CBC among others have been obsessing over. 

“But just imagine if we did,” he gushed. “I bet Justin could tell the world which cast romances on The CW’s shows are real and which ones are just for PR.”

The revelation comes only a few weeks after Trudeau was branded the “Regina George of NATO” by credible news sources. Now that he’s also taken after Gretchen Wieners, Trudeau’s devotion to plastics is as clear and potentially environmentally destructive as his stance on the Kinder Morgan pipeline.

SEE MORE: “Liberals hide Kinder Morgan pipeline under pile of gathered autumn leaves”

Trudeau declined to comment on Lee’s allegations. He was too busy standing in the rain, bouncing his pecs and announcing that there was a 30% chance that it was, in fact, already raining.

DEAR PEAKIE: SFU’s latest and greatest advice column

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Humour
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Chris Ho

Written by Zach Siddiqui, Humour Editor

All questions submitted by SFU students!

—

Dear Peakie,

Despite feeling lonely, I have an independent streak that drives me away from most relationships. But it sounds nice to be in one, and I feel like this is the time in my life to experiment with these things, so how do I get out of my comfort zone?

Thanks,

(Not) Hopelessly in Love.

Hi (Not) Hopelessly in Love,

I think you’re trying to join a cult. They love people who have been driven away from all their other relationships; they sound nice to be in; and they might experiment on you a little once you’ve spent enough time with them, if you’re feeling a little adventurous. You will certainly be out of your comfort zone once you’ve been cut off from all your previous friends and family and been manipulated into donating away your savings. 

However, I would really strongly urge you against this course of action, (Not) Hopelessly in Love. “Clingy” is just not you want out of a first relationship. I think you need to do some soul-searching to make sure that you are not, in fact, pining after a cult, and then you can come back for love advice next week, when you have healthier priorities. 

Love, Peakie

—

Dear Peakie,

How do I stop eating every donut I see on sight even though I’m totally allergic to gluten and know I will suffer later?

Sincerely, 

MC.

Hi MC,

Simply gouge your own eyes out. You can’t eat every doughnut you see if you can’t actually see. You won’t suffer later because the suffering will happen now. And your gluten-allergic self will never look at you judgingly through a mirror again. It’s your destiny: Oedipus Rex walked so that you could run. 

Love, Peakie

—

Dear Peakie,

Like most university students, I’m a $9 wine bottle kind of gal. Ask the regular closing manager of the Cornerstone liquor store — he knows. However I got kind of trashed at a New Year’s Eve party and accidentally drank wine from a pretty boy’s $12 wine bottle. It was basically the nectar of the gods, undeniably out-of-this-world delicious . . . but instead of burning through my mortal flesh, I’m afraid that this high-priced wine is going to burn through my wallet. That being said, I can’t stop thinking about it. How do I curtail this new thirst that is out of my budget?

Sincerely,

Already Busted My Semester Budget

Hi, Already Busted My Semester Budget,

I know exactly why this happened: when you live in Vancouver, you don’t talk to pretty boys until you make at least $80,000 a year. You just don’t. But, thoughtless and penniless, you did. Now, like a tragic Greek hero, you’re paying up on your hubris. 

Normally I would ask if you had considered just not being poor. But if you’re choosing to ask for advice from an underfunded and affectionately incompetent student newspaper, then clearly the proletarian psychology is too deeply bred into your bones for you to express any form of self-worth. 

So, my advice to you is to bring your next $12 wine bottle to a party for a game of Truth or Dare. Inevitably you’ll be asked to do something disgusting, like drink your alcohol through the fabric of your crush’s dirty Nike sock. Then you’ll be too grossed out by wine and boys to spend any money on them. It’s what they, and you, deserve.

Love, Peakie

Got any life questions you think Peakie might be able to solve for you? Send your conundrums to [email protected].

SFU PARODY POEMS: “Shall I Compare Thee to a Cloudy Day?”

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Humour
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Written by Ben McGuinness, Peak Associate

Shall I compare thee to a cloudy day?

Thou art more dreary and more concrete:

Rough weather does slow the bus to the bay,

And its capacity is short of seats;

Sometime too long the staircases are to climb,

And often the long readings we do skim;

And every career fair seems to decline,

The chance, for students taking courses, slim;

But thy operating costs shall be paid,

Nor lose possession of the debts we ow’st;

Co-ops and TA-ships art available in spades,

When steady employment we need’st most:

     So long as they can read, or pay their fees,

     So long lives this, the student’s reality.

 

Adapted from “Sonnet 18,” William Shakespeare

Look beyond the memes and revel in Marriage Story’s vulnerability, craft, and fragmented joy

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Arts
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Photo: Wilson Webb / Netflix

By Kate Olivares, Peak Associate

Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story is joining the ranks of Roma and Mudbound as Netflix’s newest awards contender. The premise is simple: Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) and Charlie (Adam Driver) have fallen out of love and have decided to separate. Both characters navigate this process while living in different cities, caring after their son, and trying to keep their family together. As the movie progresses, the realities of a divorce’s legal process and the intimacies of their relationships begin to unravel.

This movie’s magic comes from the relationship between Baumbach and his actors. He often writes roles with specific actors in mind, and Baumbach has shared that Adam Driver was the screenplay’s muse. Also, the supporting cast, including Laura Dern and Ray Liotta, is superb. But of course, the crown jewels are the film’s two leads. Seeing Charlie desperately try to keep his relationship with his son and his professional life afloat allows Driver to show a blinding vulnerability I haven’t seen in his previous work. Johansson as Nicole is fun-loving yet overwhelmed with her situation, a limbo allowing her to breathe life into the story. They spend most of the movie apart, and the audience really gets a chance to understand what Charlie and Nicole are going through, and what leads them to do what they do. 

Since we watch these characters spend so much time apart, the performances are incredibly subtle. The emotion lingers in empty space — the words unsaid, the tears held back. This restraint allows the one fight scene — yes, that fight scene — to maximize its emotional significance. This is a splashy fight scene where everything explodes, which you might recognize from the many memes that have surfaced online. But really it is there to illuminate Driver and Johansson’s gravitas. There is yelling, wall-punching, crying — all the ingredients needed for the internet’s mocking classification as a transparent, grade-A Oscar clip. However. When this scene is properly placed in the context of the understated film, it’s truly powerful and heartbreaking. When you look beyond the (very funny) memes, this scene is one hundred percent earned. 

The first two acts of the movie play the tightrope act of showing both characters compassionately and evenly. The movie doesn’t take sides. You understand each character deeply, which makes watching the divorce all the more painful. However, this compassion for both characters fades away near the end of the narrative. As the movie wraps up, the story slowly but surely becomes Charlie’s story. About Charlie’s loss, his pain, his slow acceptance of his fate. The last act spends most of its time following his character, and gives him two scenes of heart-wrenching emotional catharsis. This was a disappointment. Since the movie really made me fall in love with both characters, it was a shame to see Nicole somewhat fade to the background. 

As a whole, I really recommend this film. Even if you have to emotionally prepare to watch helplessly as a loving marriage unravels before you, it will be worth it.

SFU students host employability skills workshop series

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News
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By: Gurpreet Kambo, News Editor

“I believe education is a basic human right and should be free for everyone,” said Samad Raza, founder and director of Emerge SFU. Emerge SFU is a new group of students at SFU who are looking to give back to the community by holding a series of free workshops on employability skills for SFU students.

“Emerge strives to instill valuable industry skills in SFU students through a series of workshops over the course of four weeks, starting in January. These workshops will be open to SFU students from any faculty, giving them the opportunity to learn skills they might not typically be exposed to in their program,” explained Raza.

The first series will be an introduction to the field of digital design skills, in particular User Interface (UI/UX) design. 

“Our main goal is to give students the opportunity to build high-demand skills that they may not typically be exposed to during their program. By providing a free, easy-to-access program on campus that provides engaging workshops to teach these skills, we hope to improve their toolbox of employable skills and guide them into a career path they are passionate about,” added Raza. 

On how this idea came about, Raza said that “Many of my friends in communications and arts were having difficulties landing co-op jobs due to lack of tech skills and they asked me to help them learn some graphic design and social media marketing skills. So I did some research and found that many students are facing similar problems. That’s why I decided to start a workshop series program to help all SFU students learn new skills and have a successful Career.”

The first workshop series takes place on Thursdays from 5:30 — 7 p.m. at SFU Surrey campus. Additionally, the first session is on January 16, and takes place over four weeks. No experience is necessary, and at the end of the series, participants will have a digital design portfolio of their own, and a foundation of digital design skills to build upon.

Raza added, “We certainly plan to expand our program and help even more students. I dream of opening this program to all students, not just those from SFU.”

Registration opens on January 4. Visit Emerge SFU’s Facebook page after January 4 for details on how to register. https://www.facebook.com/EmergeSFU/

 

SFSS Council condemns SFSS Board of Directors decision to not house Rotunda groups in SUB

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News
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The SFSS 2020 Elections debate was held on Wednesday March 18

By: Jess Dela Cruz, News Writer

On December 4, the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) Council passed a motion 26–6, condemning the SFSS Board of Directors’ decision to not house Rotunda groups in the new Student Union Building (SUB). 

SFSS Council, which consists of representatives from Departmental Student Union (DSU), released an open letter to the SFSS Board of Directors on December 11. This clarified their support of the Rotunda groups following the Board’s defeat of a motion to turn some bookable spaces into organizational suites for Rotunda groups. The motion, brought forth by HoSang, was defeated 7–5.

The letter states: “Council firmly believes that the Board is not accurately acting in the best interests of students by denying these groups space, and, by doing so, is directly violating their own constitution.

“The Board is using Student Unions and clubs as a wedge between the Rotunda groups and their secure, permanent space in the SUB [ . . . ] Council does not consent to being used as pawns by the Board in conversations regarding space in the SUB at the detriment of these organizations that are important parts of our community.” 

Concluding the letter, the SFSS Council states that “If [ . . . ] the Board does not respond to this letter by December 14, 2019 in a way that makes a clear effort to take Council’s concerns into consideration, then Council, at its next meeting, will consider putting the matter to referendum for Spring 2020.”

Two days later on December 13, SFSS President Giovanni HoSang addressed a letter to the Council stating that the Board had held “preliminary discussions” on the issue. HoSang explains in the letter that due to exam conflicts, many Board members were unavailable to attend these discussions. 

The letter promises that the Board will discuss the matter at the next Board meeting in early January and will send a complete response after. 

In response to the SFSS’s shared space model, where DSUs and clubs are allocated space in the SUB on a semesterly basis, students have started a Save Our Spaces campaign. Primarily active on Facebook, their page describes the campaign as “a coalition of SFU students and clubs to challenge the SFSS members’ vote that will displace the Rotunda groups — a tight knit community of change makers.” In the comment section of a Save Our Spaces Facebook post, HoSang, concerned students, and Environmental Representative Julian Loutsik discussed the decision. 

Gabe Liosis, Council Representative for the Political Science Student Union and Council Liaison to the Board, discussed his involvement with the Save Our Spaces campaign in an email interview with The Peak.

“I strongly believe that the Board is presently not representing the interests of the student-body. We needed a bold, radical, and united front to push back against this decision, and to amplify the voices that the Board is currently suppressing.”

Liosis continued, “Council is making it clear that DSUs no longer want the Board to use DSU/club space prioritization as justification for their decision, as DSUs do not want their space in the SUB to come at the expense of the Rotunda groups.”

 The SFU Disability and Neurodiversity Alliance and the World Literature Student Union have also released statements and open letters in solidarity of the condemnation. 

According to SFSS bylaws, the Council can bring forward a referendum question for the upcoming Spring 2020 SFSS elections with a majority vote of the council.  

 

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us:
[email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024