Inside UBC experiences: Travel and research

From New Zealand to Spain to the local community.

Inside UBC experiences: Travel and research
CategoryStudent
NameEmmy Chahal
FromBurnaby, BC
ProgramCultural Studies, minor in Gender and Women's Studies

Fifth-year Bachelor of Arts student Emmy Chahal shares two of her favourite and most formative experiences at UBC

After being accepted into three other Canadian universities, Burnaby, BC native Emmy Chahal chose UBC’s Okanagan campus. “Because of its smaller size, beautiful location, world-class reputation, and friendly recruitment department,” she says. After touring the campus, she left feeling inspired, and the genuine nature of its staff and students made a significant impression on her.

Now a fifth-year student, Emmy is wrapping up her Bachelor of Arts degree, with plans to work in local communities as an educator, doing mental health advocacy, or in the health and wellness field. “Initially I was planning to major in International Relations, but after a trip to New Zealand with Go Global, I switched to Cultural Studies,” she says. “Cultural Studies is all about questioning why things are the way they are and examining systems of power. I realize now that nothing is neutral and everything is embedded in the social fabric within which it exists.”

Emmy reflects on her time at UBC and shares two of her favourite and most formative experiences – studying abroad with Go Global, and completing directed-studies projects.


Tell us about your directed-studies research projects.

I worked on two directed studies. One was about global social justice education, with Dr. David Jefferess and the Central Okanagan Teachers’ Association. Over the course of approximately six months, I developed a gender-based workshop for Grade 5 students in the Okanagan. I based the workshop on research in the field of gender education and social justice pedagogy.

 

“My extracurricular activities provided a great avenue to explore skills outside the classroom, meet new people, and have diverse experiences.” – Emmy Chahal, 5th year, Cultural Studies

 

In February of 2015 I presented the workshop to over 100 participants in the community. Community-based research initiatives are so important because they provide tangible outcomes within the places where we live, impacting a greater community than just academics.

Secondly, last Fall, I worked with Dr. Ilya Parkins on a directed study entitled “Embodied Pedagogies: Yoga in the University Classroom,” where I taught 15 minutes of yoga in each 80-minute class of Perspectives on Gendered Bodies.

This was a fascinating project and made clear links between learning and embodiment (being in our bodies). I am also a registered yoga instructor, and I felt honoured that Ilya presented the opportunity for me to teach yoga and mindfulness in her class. Ilya and I recently presented at a conference on learning about our findings.


Tell us about your experiences with the Go Global study abroad program.

I participated in two study abroad trips. One to New Zealand for six months, and the other to Spain for one month over the summer. They were both incredibly eye opening and life changing.

In New Zealand I took an Ethnicity and History course about indigenous histories and people in Oceania, and it inspired an interest in studying Cultural Studies. I also took an outdoor education class that fostered a reverence for nature, and in my spare time did lots of hiking, skydiving, swimming with dolphins in the wild, and more. New Zealand is a beautiful country with spectacular landscapes.

In Spain I learned Spanish, which was a humbling and beautiful experience, too. I fell in love with Santiago de Compostela and hope to walk the Camino some day in the future. I even got a tattoo in Spain, the word fluir, which means “to flow.” To me, this represents the feeling of flow that I had while living in Spain.


What has your UBC experience helped you achieve so far, and how?

I believe that my degree has made me a more critical thinker and a better, more well-rounded, and compassionate person. For that, I am immensely thankful.

Latest Stories

Previous

Blending Visual Arts with Computer Science in UBC Okanagan's Bachelor of Media Studies

Having started his university experience during COVID with online classes, Kai now values being able to work in group settings within his smaller program.
student

Blending Visual Arts with Computer Science in UBC Okanagan's Bachelor of Media Studies

“[UBC Okanagan's Bachelor of Media Studies program is] a very interesting degree because it takes a lot of practices from visual arts and computer science and blends them together... it exposes you to so many different things and later it allows you to narrow things down and specialize in a certain digital field.” - Kai H., Bachelor of Media Studies

Student mentee to alumni mentor

A graduate from UBC's Faculty of Land and Food Systems, Bruno is using his experience to help mentor new students.
alumni

Student mentee to alumni mentor

“Everyone's path is different; however, it is the people that you meet along the way that make the journey special. To me, being part of someone's journey and being able to help in any way that I can is something that I value. ” - Bruno T., BSc, Major in Food, Nutrition, and Health
Zahra F at Stanford

UBC International Scholar to Stanford Medical School

An aspiring Epidemiologist, Zahra advocates for first-generation and low-income students
alumni

UBC International Scholar to Stanford Medical School

“[The International Scholar] awards are so impactful in changing the realities of students who come from backgrounds in which higher education is not the traditional pathway to success.” - Zahra F., BSc in Global Resource Systems

From Brazil to the Okanagan

How a volleyball player from Brazil found her place at UBCO
student

From Brazil to the Okanagan

“I feel the instructors at UBC Okanagan are actual mentors if you give them the opportunity to help you and give you advice based on their own experiences.” – Hellen L., Civil Engineering

Experiential learning in Applied Animal Biology

By choosing a degree program that prioritizes hands-on learning Afnan is prepared to take on any challenge
alumni

Experiential learning in Applied Animal Biology

“In my third year I was a field research assistant in northern BC. We lived in camper vans, caught sapsuckers, took DNA samples and released them back into the wild. It was an incredible experience.” Afnan A., Applied Animal Biology

From Applied Science to engineer at Tesla

How UBC gave Andrew the skills he needed to become an engineer
alumni

From Applied Science to engineer at Tesla

"UBC allowed me to have conversations with a large variety of people from different backgrounds and with widely differing perspectives. I made sure to engage in these conversations as often as I could." - Andrew K., Bachelor of Applied Science
Andre G, Commerce Student

Building a strong foundation

As a UBC Commerce student from Slovakia, Andrej is confident about his future
student

Building a strong foundation

"The high quality of education, strong support network, and a myriad of opportunities to get involved in at UBC makes me very confident about my future." - Andrej G., Bachelor of Commerce

A passion for international justice

By getting involved in human rights projects Danilo made UBC is own experience
alumni

A passion for international justice

"UBC’s motto is Tuum Est, which means: It’s Yours, and It’s Up to You. Throughout my time at UBC I have strived to become the best version of myself, to grow, and to make university my own experience." – Danilo A-M., Honours Political Science with International Relations
next