Learning by living

Hello everyone!

Tonight's note is inspired by my sister, who just found out today that she will be working as a tour guide at Vimy Ridge in France over the summer. Way to go Rosalie! She has been super excited all day about leaving to go to France and working and living there over the summer, and it reminded me how much travelling means to me and how important I think it is.

Let's face it - for someone my age, I'm a pretty accomplished traveller. I've visited 24 countries (2 of which I've lived in - Canada and France), and will be moving for Peru for 8 months in September. I love travelling. I've looked for opportunities to travel, and taken every chance I could get. A lot of it comes down to priorities, in my opinion. For instance, I barely ever go to the restaurant or buy fast food items (I would rather pack a lunch from home). This allows me to save up money that I can put towards a trip instead of spending more on a daily basis. I have also managed to do quite a few trips on a tight budget, by staying in youth hostels (sometimes with up to 18 people in the same room!), buying groceries instead of eating out, and shopping for cheap travel options. Three of the trips I've taken (Arizona/Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador) have been to volunteer, and so for those ones I was able to fundraise to cover part of the costs, too. Travelling is important to me, and I will continue to do what I can so that I can continue to see the world!

I feel travelling is important for quite a few reasons. The biggest one is to learn: learning by experiencing a new language, a new culture, speaking with new people who may have different religious or educational backgrounds as you, living in a new climate, and enjoying the beauty that is around you. Even though I am currently completing my 4th year of university at a well-reputed institution, I feel I have learned much more through travelling than I ever will through formal education. I love the feeling of arriving in a new place, discovering a new currency and learning to barter with locals at a market in a foreign language, while trying to figure out your bearings in a new city. Visiting museums, finding remnants of the past, and exploring natural wonders have made each experience unique and enriching.

So as Rosalie prepares to fly off to France to work for the summer, and I continue my preparations (and plan fundraisers to help subsidize costs) for my trip to Peru next year, I am quite excited for all of the things I am going to learn. My main goal is to be fully trilingual by the time I graduate. I am already fluent in French and English, and would love to feel 100% confident in Spanish (as of right now, I can hold a conversation, but my vocabulary is lacking). I am sure I will make lasting connections and really get a feel for the way of life in Huacho, Peru. I am looking forward to live on the Pacific coast for 8 months (and I hope the weather will cooperate!). I wonder what traditional dishes will be like! And how punctual people are. Oh the things I will learn to live with and adapt to. Life is an adventure. Why not start now?

Have a great week!
Sheila

My post-grad plan

Until a few months ago, I had no intention of pursuing post-graduate studies. My plan was to complete my undergraduate degree and to go find a job somewhere, either for the government, a non-governmental organization, or... I was keeping my options open. As I was discussing my thoughts with some of my mentors and doing some more research, I realized that I would be employable after graduation, but that I would quickly hit a glass ceiling if I did not add some more letters to my name by completing a master's degree.

Around the same time, I found out about a series of joint master's programs that are offered by the European Commission. There is an extensive list of post-graduate programs on their website, and they all offer large scholarships to complete the programs. Essentially you complete your first semester at one university, and then move to a different city or country to complete your second, third, and fourth semesters. Yet another opportunity to travel and gain different insights!! I have spent quite a bit of time looking through the different programs and have narrowed it down to two.

After graduation, I plan to pursue a Master’s degree in either Flood Risk Management or Hydro-Informatics and Water Management. The Flood Risk Management takes place in Dresden, Germany (1st semester), Delft, the Netherlands (2nd semester), Barcelona, Spain (3rd semester), Ljubljana, Slovenia (2 months), and then you complete your thesis at one of the universities or complete a work placement within a company. The Hydro-Informatics and Water Management program takes place at universities in Germany, England, Spain, France, and Hungary, and you can select where you wish to spend each semester. The 4th semester you complete either an internship or a research paper. Both programs offer full scholarships of €48,000. I am planning on completing the majority of the application process this summer, so that I just have to make touch-ups and minor changes when I am in Peru.

If neither of those programs pan out, I am also planning on applying for a few programs in Switzerland (offered in French), and perhaps at different universities across Canada, including Université du Québec à Québec or Rimouski, Royal Military College, and the University of British Columbia.

My goals are to advance my knowledge and understanding and critical awareness of specialisations at the forefront of discipline in water management, decision support systems, water and society. I want to apply scientific principles in the development of environmental solutions to practical problems in the water environment and water infrastructure operation. In doing so, I hope to play a key role in ensuring the safe, environmentally sound and sustainable management of natural and domestic water resources. I am interested in managing projects of this nature, and so I would also like to develop skills in project management by attending seminars and workshops.

I have always had an interest in international affairs and I am now looking to apply this to my future career. After my studies, I want to apply the knowledge I have learned in international development and water management to monitor and develop mitigation plans for areas that are prone to natural disasters in other countries.

If you have any ideas, suggestions, or contacts that might be useful I would greatly appreciate your feedback! I know that the future holds many great things, and I am excited to continue along on this journey.

Have a great week!
Sheila

Clones?

Hi everyone,

Happy Saturday morning! I'm in the process of getting some work done (next week I have a midterm and 3 assignments to hand in) and decided to check out what's going on in Peruvian news. I had a quick read over the webpage for El Comercio, a large newspaper in Peru. Features include inflation of the Peruvian currency (the Nuevo Sol), a poll about people's thoughts towards Valentine's Day, many soccer updates, and Justin Bieber's new haircut.

I also came across this article that I thought you might like: http://elcomercio.pe/lima/712263/noticia-clonados-pepe-vasquez-randy-jackson The article is comparing AfroPeruvian singer Pepe Vásquez (left) with AfroAmerican singer Randy Jackson (right).

There's a striking resemblance between the two, don't you think? Many readers have commented on the story saying that the only similarity between the two is their physical appearance, and that it stops there. What are your thoughts?

Have a great weekend!

Sheila

How did I get here?

My life has taken a turn where I get much more joy from helping others than material things.  Since I left high school, I have had a complete change of career paths: I began studying in September 2007 in a double degree program in mathematics and business at the University of Waterloo, but quickly decided that was not for me.  Only a few months into my university career, I decided to transfer into an International Development Honours program, through the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo. Here is my story.

Since childhood, I have loved travelling, and decided that I always wanted that to be a part of my life. I loved many subjects in school, notably mathematics, biology, and history. Around grade 6 I remember wanting to be a civil engineer (probably because I loved playing Roller Coaster Tycoon). After that I was convinced I wanted to be an orthopaedic surgeon. In grade 11, my math teacher told me she thought I would make a great diplomat: I am already fluent in French and English, I can easily converse in Spanish, and I have well-developed negotiation skills.

When I was 'university shopping' in grade 12, I attended the fall open house day at the University of Waterloo. That day, Mark Kielburger gave the keynote address. His speech was incredibly motivational, talking about child labour and the inequalities that exist in this world, and empowering youth to stand up and make a change. I felt as though I was almost too old to start helping out (I was 17 at the time). The following summer, after graduating high school, I spent 2 weeks on the Arizona/Mexico border volunteering and learning about border issues that exist between the two countries. This sparked another passion of mine, humanitarian work.

In the fall of 2007, I began studying at the University of Waterloo (UW) in a combined Mathematics and Business program (jointly run with Wilfrid Laurier University). I love math, and figured that combining it with business would be quite useful. I thought that I might specialize in finance, to one day work with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) on my way to becoming a diplomat. I quickly decided business was not the right fit though. I transferred into International Development, a new program at UW that started in the fall of 2008. I am also completing a minor in Geography and Environmental Management as well as a Diploma in Environmental Assessment.

In February of 2008, I travelled to Guatemala to build a house with Habitat for Humanity, which was an incredible learning experience. A few months later, I decided that I wanted to lead my own trip. In February 2009, as a trip leader for Habitat for Humanity, I selected and led a team of 10 individuals to go to El Salvador during reading week to build two houses. Over 9 months, I spent an average of 15 hours/week organizing the details of the trip such as flights, accommodation, insurance and fundraising.

During the 2009-2010 school year, I completed a 9-month study term abroad in Lyon, France. Already fluent in French, I embraced the French culture and learned as much as I could about local customs and events, while improving my communication skills in a foreign environment.

I am currently back in Waterloo completing required courses and preparing for my internship. For my last year of university (2011-2012), I will be travelling to Huacho, Peru to complete an 8-month field placement with the local water and sanitation services provider, EMAPA Huacho. This will be an amazing opportunity to work in Spanish and experience the realities of a small water utility trying to expand and improve services to meet the needs of all while confronting watershed degradation and water source pollution. I will be working to improve corporate governance and educate users to reduce water consumption and waste. More information about the organization can be found under the 'EMAPA Huacho' tab.

I'd love to hear your feedback! Feel free to follow my blog and leave any comments you have. I'll be posting every Thursday afternoon, so tune in next week to find out a bit more about what my plans are after graduation!

Until next week,

Sheila

A little bit about me!

Hello! My name is Sheila Ball. I am currently in my 3rd year in the International Development Honours program at the University of Waterloo, completing a Minor in Geography and Environmental Management as well as a Diploma in Environmental Assessment.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario. I am half French-Canadian (on my mom's side) and half English-Canadian (on my dad's side), so I have spoken French and English my entire life. I love spending time outside, and for this reason I enjoy each of our seasons. Whether it is skating on the Rideau Canal or skiing during the winter, or swimming, playing ultimate frisbee or soccer during the summer, there is always something to do! At home I also enjoy playing my piano; I took classical music lessons for almost 11 years, and so my piano feels like an extension of my emotions, thoughts, and feelings.

At school in Waterloo, I like to keep myself pretty busy. On top of taking a full course load, I am also a member of the University of Waterloo lifeguard club. We attend many lifeguarding competitions each year, notably the Ontario University Lifeguarding Championships, to be held at Queen's University in March 2011. I also play ultimate frisbee regularly. I am a volunteer with the International Student Organization's SHADOW program. At the beginning of each semester, I get paired with a newly-arrived international student and show them around campus. I am also completing courses to get a Student Leadership Certificate through the Organizational & Human Development office on campus. On top of this, one weekend per month I teach a Standard First Aid & CPR-C class on campus. Needless to say, I am quite busy! Sometimes things can get overwhelming, but I love it!

That's all for now, but stay tuned as I reveal more information in the coming weeks about my field placement, why I am doing it, and what got me here!

Sheila