Ali Asgar Abdul was ready to attend college or university, and wanted to work and earn money at the same time. This is often a normal and welcome reality for many postsecondary students. But, Ali says, this was not possible in Dubai, where he was born and attended high school.
“Because of restrictions on students in Dubai not being allowed to work or earn money, they don’t get a lot of exposure to work,” he explains. “This means students don’t have the same hands-on experience they can get in other countries like Canada.”
He was drawn to Canada’s welcoming culture and diversity, which he believes is unmatched by any other country he’s visited. And he’s seen a lot of countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, France, and Thailand.
“At universities in Dubai, there's a lot of influence from America, Canada, and Britain. Even the curriculum is similar, although the Canadian education system offers a greater focus on assignments and exams. The Canadian lifestyle is similar to Dubai as well. For instance, people are very environmentally friendly here, and if someone threw garbage on the road, someone else would correct them. I appreciate that.”
Ali received acceptance offers to study at postsecondary institutions in Manitoba, Ontario, and British Columbia. In considering these, the weather was a key factor in his decision to accept a place at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, to study for a BA in economics.
He admits that the more extreme seasonal temperatures in Manitoba and Ontario influenced his decision to live in British Columbia, close to Vancouver, because of its humid climate, similar to Dubai.
After flying into Vancouver Airport in April 2020, Ali could easily collect his student visa in about twenty minutes. He arrived several months before his program started, which helped him adjust to Canada and get acquainted with living alone and away from his family for the first time.
He initially became a guard.me campus ambassador to overcome his social anxiety and meet people.
“I'm not that good at addressing a larger crowd, and I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and overcome this. I appreciate myself for doing this because being a guard.me campus ambassador changed me drastically in a positive manner.”
This volunteer opportunity quickly led to others, and Ali continues volunteering on campus with Simon Fraser University Campus Ambassador team in a student-focused role.
Ali, who speaks four languages—English, Hindi, Urdu, and Gujarati—has gained several achievements in the last two years. He was awarded a community engagement scholarship and was admitted to the Dean’s Honour Roll at Simon Fraser University.
It would also seem that gaining an international education has become a family affair. His elder sister subsequently followed Ali to Canada to pursue her master's degree in psychology at the Adler University campus in Vancouver.
Whatever career path Ali chooses upon graduation, he’s confident that having an academic background in economics will be a solid foundation.
“I just love playing around with numbers,” shared Ali, who works part-time as a recruitment ambassador and information assistant at Simon Fraser University. “After I graduate, I want to continue working in a Canadian environment and gain more work experience.”
