QES

All Dreams Are Possible

My name is Avryl Brophy and I grew up on Vancouver Island (Gabriola) and consider myself to be an Island girl. I have always loved the outdoors and being surrounded by nature.

I am passionate about community, public outreach and travel, however until recently, travelling abroad has always been more of a dream of mine than a reality, as a student and mother of two teenage boys ... I didn’t think I would have the chance. 

LiDAR: A Technology for Building Climate Resiliency in Belize

The QE scholarship and the journey it took me on was more than a journey. It was a life-altering experience.I graduated on June 4 with a Masters in Community Planning from the Vancouver Island University.

I was born to a future of little possibility and no money, yet here I am a professional Planner. The passage of this scholarship took me to several Canadian cities and most excitingly, the opportunity to have met the Governor General and Prime Minister of Canada.

Good morning Nasara!

My name is Lainy and I am a planner. I plan activities, I plan my future, and I plan blogs (apparently). My most recent plan is to become a professional Planner and plan cities! This dream has recently brought me back to school to achieve a Master of Community Planning degree at Vancouver Island University. Soon, I will be able to say I am a Planner by trade - but for now, I consider myself a planner by virtue.

The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship remains one of the most significant accomplishments of my academic career. The objective of the scholarship is described on its website as:

“to create lasting impacts both at home and abroad through cross-cultural exchanges encompassing international education, discovery and inquiry, and professional experiences.”

It has been an amazing year in Canada! Reflecting on my many new relationships, experiences and adventures, I feel grateful for the opportunities that studying abroad has provided to me. A major accomplishment this semester was working on the VIU Intercultural Week project. I had the opportunity to plan the Cultural Couch Series on Belize with fellow Belizean scholars. I also partook in the first ever Story Slam at VIU hosted by Education Abroad and was chosen to be an M.C. at an event to promote indigenous hip-hop.

“One percent. Two percent. Three percent milk?!” This is the first thought engraved in my memory about Canada.