Aliya Francis' Story

 

This isn't a goodbye, it’s a see you later.” Those were the words I kept hearing as I left the doors of NSCC and Canada at the end of my two-and-a-half-month stay. It perfectly captured how at home I truly felt.

I was a recipient of the ELAP Scholarship 2025, and it was one of the most amazing opportunities of my life. During the fall semester, I studied Business Tourism at Akerley Campus, where I expanded my knowledge both in and out of the classroom. My experience made me recognize Dominica’s potential in the tourism industry.

Among the many things that made my experience unforgettable was the hospitality of not just the staff and students at NSCC but of Halifax, Dartmouth, and Nova Scotia as a whole. As an indigenous person, I was especially intrigued by learning about the Mi’kmaq people and gained a deep respect for their culture. I had the honour of attending the TIANS conference with my class, which strengthened my networking abilities and reinforced the values of community, authenticity, and creativity in tourism which ran through all my courses.

I even got to experience a little of the winter and never knew what “cold” meant until I felt it for myself. The friendships I built and the people I met from different parts of the world made this experience even more meaningful. I left with a new perspective that opportunities like this are not just academic exchanges, but life-changing in more ways than one.