Reflections on Vancouver Spring 2014

Making the decision to study abroad in Vancouver was the best decision I have made in college thus far. I grew up fifteen minutes from Manhattan, feeling privileged, thinking I grew up next to the best city in the world. Moving to Oregon for college, was a big change—no more fast pace, tall buildings, or public transportation systems. In Eugene, my bike became my transportation, tall buildings were replaced with evergreen trees and everything I did took an extra ten minutes. I could never say if I liked the city life, or the “Oregonian life” better; but after living in Vancouver for three months, I don’t need to make that decision anymore. Vancouver is what I like best. It is where I felt most at home.

There is nothing about Vancouver I did not love; okay, except for the squawking seagulls that dwelled on our studio roof, but I could easy fix that with my headphones. I had my favorite market on Davie Street where I got all my fruit and vegetables. The man who worked at the Grainry, a place to buy snacks in bulk on Granville Island, expected me there every day because no matter the quantity of my purchase, I would eat it all during one day in studio. I even found a nail and hair salon I trusted. I have none of that in Eugene and only half of it in New Jersey.

While living in Vancouver, I also made it a point to go around Stanley Park at least once a week, sometimes biking, sometimes running. That eight mile trail along the water front was too beautiful to not want to be there all the time. The interior of the park is a forest with endless amounts of trails too. I think it’s my favorite part of Vancouver.

I was afraid of getting lost the first time I ran through the interior of Stanley Park, so Justin came with me. Justin and I ran Stanley Park a few times together. We got to know each other pretty well on our runs. I never kept track of how far we were running because I stayed so engaged in our conversations. I think he always knew how far we were though because he has an incredible sense of direction.

The group I lived with in Vancouver was very eclectic, but we did have one thing in common—a love for architecture. Exploring a new city with fellow architecture students undeniably influenced how great my experience was. When pointing out details or admiring a building, we all just get it. We toured the city on bike with one of Vancouver’s city planners. Every design decision made in the development of Vancouver just makes sense. My favorite part of the development is that pedestrians have the closest access to water, followed by bikers, then cars. The city planning of Vancouver definitely makes it a desirable city to live in.

My roommates, Nicki and Dianna, also had a positive effect on my stay in Vancouver. Although the hotel room we lived in was small for three, I loved every second of it. All the friendships I made while in Vancouver are indescribable. The experiences we had together will never be replaced and I am glad to have met everyone. Of course, last but not least, Stephen Duff was the reason for all of this. Stephen set up relationships with Emily Carr professors that I learned so much from. Thomas Groppi, who taught our media class was overly knowledgeable on the programs he taught us, SolidWorks and SoftImage. I am impressed with myself and the rest of the students for how much we learned in a short amount of time. I learned a lot from Stephen in studio as well. He pushed my limits and enhanced my design method. Stephen is such a cheerful professor too. He knew we were all dedicated students; therefore he always made sure we made time for fun. He planned outings for us like a Paella party, and kayaking that got us to stop worrying about school for a little and just enjoy life. That really is why studying abroad in Vancouver was a life changing experience for me—I learned that the best knowledge and creativity comes from enjoying each day and studying what you love.

-Jackie Stinson, Architecture in Vancouver