Finding Love in Toronto

“Some of the students come to stay here for a few months and are still here after 15 years! They meet someone in the house and fall in love”, Jess mentioned as she led me through the doorway across the wooden floor and into the office of the coop residency. Just one of the many townhouses lined up rows, towering three stories tall. Once housed the wealthy and affluent of Toronto, now simple rooms for student accommodation. “No chance of that happening”  I quickly replied. Jess, old enough to be my mother, simply smiled wryly before handing over the eftpos machine. Beep, four Months of Monthly accommodation paid for.

Toronto – Canada’s largest city is home to Toronto Metropolitan University, my school for the next semester. Fun fact, Drake has a mansion here. Ryan Reynolds and Kenue Reeves called this place home. Even Colonel Sanders lived in Mississauga when he opened the Canadian branch of KFC.  A place where you could find a weed shop, next to a weed shop, across the road from another weed shop, or however the saying goes. And if it’s not that there is a ‘shroom’ shop (promising a good time), or a quaint Tim Hortons (Coffee shop), or a loaded Poutine¹ and pop² for $9.99+tax³ something shop. Where the popular car and SUV of choice is a Chevrolet.

As an aspiring filmmaker, I was eager to make the most of the maple leaf country and its thriving film industry. This was sure to be an adventure I thought as I dropped my bags on the grass, a warm late August summer breeze blowing the leaves of trees I could only assume were maples, birch, and evergreen pines…no eucalyptus here. Nearby, the fluttering red and white bands juxtaposed a bright crisp red maple leaf. I was on exchange in Canada, my first time ever in North America and in the northern hemisphere.  WOW. I could pinch myself.

I easily settled in, despite a debilitating cough, Later, I learned it was an ailment known as post-nasal drip. This is where I present my first tip. Health insurance is capital overseas. I ended up visiting the emergency department numerous times in downtown Toronto. I did not have to pay a cent, thanks to my university’s included travel insurance and the mandatory health insurance covered by my host university. Illness aside, I found myself surrounded by Canadians, and some Americans. Canadians from Vancouver, regional Ontario and the Torontonio’s suburbs. Then Americans from Chicago, Connecticut and New York State. It was a blast. I had already made a few friends during the hyped-over-the-top orientation week, won a little money and pocketed plenty of freebies, tote bags, pens and paraphernalia.

I found that I really didn’t see many of my orientation friends once ‘school’ began as many of them were from other disciplines. During orientation, I was able to take a city immersion tour where I did get introduced to an Australian and a couple of New Zealanders. 

I quickly decided that this trip was about meeting Canadians so I decided to go back and talk to one of the girls that seemed friendly, easy to talk to and knew a lot of the answers to my continuous questions and exclamations. I really didn’t think much of it. I got excited when she mentioned she had contacts that worked at TIFF⁴ (Toronto International Film Festival).  After connecting on Instagram, and running into each other a number of times during orientation, we ended up seeing much of each other outside of class as well, hanging out in the student lounges with her friends. It was one of her friends who suggested we try a vegan restaurant in Yorkville. One thing led to another so let’s just say we have shared many more meals since.

Global exchange experience is definitely life changing. I’m not saying this because I met a person (iykyk)⁵.  As a communications and production major, I got to produce shows in on-campus studios, make commercials, and short films, one of which won six in-class audience choice awards, including best cinematography. I got an amazing opportunity to travel, including a weekend trip to Niagara Falls and Buffalo NY, Christmas in New York City and so much more local travel. I’m not suggesting that if you have the chance to go on an exchange you expect to meet someone, it’s best not to plan and see.

In conclusion, this is my story of how an exchange from Sydney to Toronto was the most exciting, eye-opening, life-changing experience. I highly recommend it. Wherever you go, you won’t see the world the same way, forever becoming a global citizen with a wider global perspective. 

A cold blustery wind whipped snow flakes into my face as I dragged my suitcase down the steps of the cooperative.  I walked through the crunchy snow to the office to say my final goodbye. But it wasn’t cold.  Sure, I was wearing my warm winter coat from Decathlon rated to -40ºC but I was not alone. I was warm in my heart. And yes, I had to admit that Jess from the cooperative was right. I had only been in Toronto four months but it had felt like four years. Why? Because I found love in Toronto.

1. Poutine: Canadians national dish consisting of fries, gravy, and cheese curds. ↩︎
2. Pop: a can of soft drink; sodapop ↩︎
3. +tax: Tax in Canada is added to the purchase at checkout, something I was not able to get used to ↩︎
4. TIFF: Toronto Film Festival; a prestigious, world leading fil festival often attended by many Canadian and American celebrities, actors and filmmakers ↩︎
5. iykyk: If you know, you know ↩︎

Anonymous
Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Media Arts and Production)
Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.uts.edu.au/thinkglobal