July 14, 2000
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THE UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA July 14, 2000 |
 After completing her first year of economics studies, Nosa Ero couldn’t face the prospect of second-year classes. Her home country of Nigeria was in turmoil. Her mother, a teacher and environmental activist, had fled to Europe and for six months, communications between Nigeria and the outside world were non-existent.“It was too much,” says Ero, who graduated from UVic last month. “Because of the expense and the stress of not hearing anything from home I couldn’t go on.” A graduate of Pearson College, Ero re-connected with her host family and sought further support from UVic’s International Students Association. A temporary work permit made it possible to work on campus. A year later she resumed her studies part-time and continued efforts to reunite her family. She completed a citizenship application for herself and her family and, in 1996, they joined her in Canada. Bursaries from the alumni affairs office and the co-op fund paid her travel to a co-op work term in Malawi. Still, her life was “always chaotic. When I look back now I never thought I’d ever graduate. There was no light at the end of the tunnel.” While still adapting to Canadian life herself, Ero was cast in the role of substitute parent, helping her family adjust to a new country. She generally held down two jobs in addition to her co-op work terms to support herself and her family. Yet, remembering the disorientation, confusion and loneliness she experienced as an international student, Ero began volunteering with the World University Service of Canada, which sponsors exchange and refugee students at UVic and Pearson College. “I see myself in the students. You are given the tools to learn but the support services are not there. You feel huge pressure to do something with your life.” Ero also credits her work on campus with the Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group with “opening up my eyes to things we can do for students. I’ve made so many friends. I’m really grateful for that.” |