Foreigners in Canada - Journal of an international student

Including my home country of Pakistan, Canada is the fourth country in which I was educated. After gaining some college credit at home, I started off my journey as an international student follows an undergraduate degree in business in the United States and Dubai.

Although, I faced enormous challenges on several levels.

These challenges ranged from culture shock and adjustment to the new environment of racial discrimination. At one point I found myself laughing out loud when I heard a Canadian comedian Russell Peters said that the Middle East are today black people for what they had to go through since 9/11.

One thing is certain, though: I was extremely relieved when Osama bin Laden was killed. I was relieved, because I had no idea what I am when I was - often - "Where's Bin Laden" asked people in the American South

Today, people travel for many reasons, and more often than in any other time in our history. The spread of globalization has made traveling very important, but how you travel for educational purposes looks? Are international students today see a stranger or strangers taking advantage of the 'system of public education in our country,' as some say?

We are, of course, welcomed by the government, as we have seen as a source of income for them; and most educational institutions, as well as international students typically pay a premium rate of tuition.

If a country is well organized at the reception of foreign students, such as Australia, international education can be a major export. Research shows that education is Australia's third largest export, with international students who generate revenues of up to $ 20 billion a year to Australia. Such statistics can change the perception of people about these "foreigners".

There are several types of institutionally-sponsored education programs that include a trip to another country.

They range from the exchange - where students from faculties of universities in different countries have the opportunity to attend a partner university in another country - for study-abroad programs, in which students are encouraged to travel to other countries for their education.

These programs can last academic term or academic year. They are pre-arranged, clearly arranged and usually take place in groups, with the main objective was to gain experience in another country as part of a movement of globalization.

Then there are the independent international students, who are mostly listed on their journey on their own. This is a traditional form of education, and includes foreign students, like me, carefully selecting a university in another country to pursue higher education.