“This challenged me in the way that I needed”: GSO funding helps student accomplish dreams of global travel
Faith Bergman applied for Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) funds to support her exchange program last winter. GSO is a federal funding initiative for students who are typically underrepresented in global mobility programs, including students from low-income backgrounds, students with disabilities, students who are visible minorities or practice minority faiths, 2SLGBTQ+ students, and Indigenous students! Bergman applied for GSO as a Métis student. She describes how the experience inspired her academically, led to new friendships, and helped her grow as an individual. When asked what she wants prospective GSO recipients to know about experiences like hers, she says “Just emphasise how fun it is!”
Bergman used GSO funds to make the most of her Winter 2024 term at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia! “The GSO definitely assisted in allowing me to take this experience to the fullest and do everything I wanted to do,” she explains. Not only did Bergman study in Adelaide, but, like many exchange students, she used the opportunity to experience a variety of other locations including Perth, Sydney, and Brisbane in Australia, and Vietnam and Bali in Asia! GSO funds can cover from 30–80% of costs associated with the outbound program students are embarking on. For example, Bergman was able to use GSO funds to cover a significant portion of her rent costs.
At the University of Manitoba, Bergman studies Advanced Psychology and is considering a career in the field of social work. She explains how studying abroad brought her a renewed appreciation for her studies. “Academic-wise, it was really good to go to a different university and see how their education is there … it made me feel more confident in my degree; it’s just a different perspective out there.” She also contemplates how her new experience interacting with a variety of cultures might help her in her future career in social work. “You’re gonna have to work with clients who have various different perspectives – like cultural perspectives that affect their lenses on different topics – and so I think that going to some countries that are very different than Canada … I can understand where they’re coming from a bit more.” Those cross-cultural experiences had personal value for Bergman, too. “It made me just feel more exited to connect with my culture, because I hear people talking about their cultures and practices and how excited they are about them.”
Another great benefit of Bergman’s overseas experience is the friendships she forged. She paints a beautiful picture of what her day-to-day looked like through the term: “Often my weeks would look like going to work and maybe meeting up for dinner, meeting up for drinks at a patio – because everything’s walking distance – just to connect and meet new people. But on other days it was often schoolwork, getting coffee, and going a walk down the river with my roommates. We did that a lot, actually. It’s a really nice river!” In addition to her roommates, Bergman made new friends from working at a café near her apartment. She came to describe these new connections as her community out in Australia. Reflecting on the overseas friendships she has maintained since coming home, she calls it “a different type of friendship that’s definitely lifelong.”
Of course, there were also challenges to overcome during her term abroad, but Bergman used them as learning opportunities. When she experienced a bout of homesickness, she reached out to the counselling centre at Flinders University and was met with a surprise. “The counselling was randomly paired, but she actually lived in Winnipeg for like 5 years. It was really funny; we were laughing about it!” In the end, Bergman found that her homesickness was short-lived and grew to appreciate it. “With the whole homesickness thing, it’s like a necessity, I would almost say … I’ve always been an independent person, but this challenged me in the way that I needed, she reflects.”
The UM International Centre (IC) was another invaluable support for Bergman. In the initial stages of planning for her student exchange, she recalls how the IC’S Mobility Team made preparation easier and less stressful by breaking up tasks into “bite-sized” pieces. “You are given so much time to prep and work,” explains Bergman, “…I found with the time given, almost a year of knowing… it’s actually very achievable.”
For Bergman, this exchange was something she wanted to do at the right point in her education. She describes wanting to travel more but not delay her degree and having countries she wanted to visit in her twenties. “It’s honestly a perfect time to chip away at your education but also enjoy things other than Canada.” With the GSO, she was able to accomplish her goals at the time that felt right for her instead of waiting until she could afford everything she wanted to do with this experience. “You can’t just bank on doing it one day,” she advises.
If you are seeking a challenging, skill-building, and friendship-forging experience like Bergman’s, what are you waiting for? The GSO can help you on your way, so don’t be afraid to apply! At the International Centre homepage, you can find information on all kinds of global mobility programs for students. A student exchange is only one of many possibilities! Don’t hesitate to reach out to the International Centre directly to ask questions and discuss your options at international[at]umanitoba[dot]ca. If you find a program that piques your interest, and you belong to one of the eligible categories for GSO funding, be sure to contact GSO[at]umanitoba[dot]ca for an application form!
For Indigenous students interested in learning more about the Global Skills Opportunity and its opportunities abroad, there is an information session on December 6 at 12:30 p.m. at Migizii Agamik in the Circle Room.