The Start of My Travel Journey

Hi there!

You are welcome… In this post, I will be sharing the story of how I started exploring different parts of the world. First, I want you to know that this life is a journey and given the opportunity to travel and explore different cities around the world is one of the greatest gifts of life. All my life I wanted to travel abroad but the plan was for me to complete my undergraduate studies in Nigeria before moving on.

My travel journey started when I moved from Nigeria to Canada in 2016 to start my masters program. I officially started my masters program at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, in 2017. It was the Masters of Global Business program. The program allows you to study, work, and live in three different continents within a year or 16 months, depending on the length of your internship. I decided to go with North-America, Europe and Asia. No doubt, this was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my entire life! While I was in North-America, I studied at the University of Victoria, BC. In Europe, I studied at Montpellier Business School in Montpellier, Southern France. And while in Asia, I studied at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South-Korea. Another cool thing about this program is meeting people from several parts of the World, studying with them in teams, traveling together, sharing memories and creating life time friendships! Among the three different countries, if you ask me which was my favorite I would not be able to give you an answer. This is because each of these countries were unique in their various ways. Scroll down to read about my experience Victoria. I would be writing another post about my experience in Europe and Asia.

Oh Canada!!!!

First time outside Africa.. First day in Canada.. On a Ferry ride from Vancouver to Victoria, BC

Wow! it feels like yesterday… I remember the moment in the picture so well. I was so excited to be in Canada. I took a ferry from Vancouver and I arrived Victoria. Being a girl who had never left the shores of West Africa in her life, everything felt so different from back home. The culture, the food, the people, the education system, the environment, ohh the weather!!! Couple of things you should know about Victoria are: It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, it is the warmest city in Canada, the people are friendly, the city is safe, it is the capital of British Columbia and life in Victoria is very simple and slow. Someone once told me “the only thing that could piss you off in Victoria, is if you missed your bus” That tells you the extent to which Victoria is peaceful. In Victoria, there are a lot of activities and adventures.

Activities & Adventures in Victoria

Accommodation

In terms of booking an accommodation, there are several resources you could make use of but I recommend using Airbnb, Hostelworld, or Bookings.com, depending on your budget and your length of stay in Victoria. If you are traveling for a short period of time and on a low budget then Hostelworld will be the your best option. Just make sure you read reviews before booking. If you are looking for something more comfortable for a few weeks or 1-3 months, then Airbnb is a good resources and it is safe. Then if you are looking to stay for just a few weeks, I recommend bookings.com. I like the website because they have the option to pay at the property and free cancellation few days before arrival. Some accommodations offer breakfast. You can find hotels, hostels and apartments and even homes for booking options on bookings.com. I made use of bookings.com during my Europe Tour. I am happy to help you find the perfect accommodation when you are ready 🙂

Other Cities to explore while in Victoria

So, once you are in Victoria, you can take advantage to explore other cities such as Vancouver (It is huge, beautiful and has even more activities) you can catch the ferry from Victoria to Vancouver for $17.20. Another city to explore is Squamish. It has a lot of mountain views and it is phenomenal. You can drive from Vancouver to Squamish, trust me it is worth it! Although there are more cities, my last recommendation would be Tofino!!! Where are my surfers??? This is where you should go! It is best to visit during the summer when it is warm or in early fall as the weather and waves are perfect at these times. You can take a bus from Victoria to Tofina and the ride is comfortable. Contact me when you need help with your bookings 🙂

What I got out of the program

Fast forward to the end of my Masters program, I gained more than I bargained for! I gained friends that turned family from over 10 countries, I gained travel exposure, cultural exposure, cultural adaptability, business connections from the two companies I worked with in France and South-Korea. I learned how to travel on a budget, I learned how to start a business and how to do business with North-Americans, Europeans and Asians. I learned how to speak a bit of French (Un Peu haha!). I got several passport stamps from several countries. I had the opportunity to work with the Canadian Government during my Co-op term (Internship). By the way, I was hoping to find love, but oh well… That did not happen hahaha! Take a look at the lovely photo above of myself and my amazing classmates and travel buddies. Try to find me 🙂 Below is the photos from the three Universities I attended.

Just to conclude this, they say Canada is a melting pot of Nations. And this is true! There is a place for everyone no matter where you are coming from. The country is safe, it is beautiful , it is peaceful and I love it here! Canada is also my Home. Since I started traveling, the World looks different in my eyes. I now see things from a different lens. It is amazing!!! Now the thought of traveling excites me a lot! I am sire it will or already excites you. Contact Explore With Kevs if you have any travel questions or if you need our assistance. We are happy to help.

Stick Around!

XoKevsXo