The Canadian city of Windsor offers a different feeling from her hometown of Changchun, China, says Yue Gou.

“There is less pressure. I feel less stressful,” says Gou, who is studying at the Centre for English Language Development in preparation for pursuing a degree in medical biotechnology. “I like it here.”

She says classmates back home had suggested that Canada might be a better fit for her than a university in the United States or Europe. And so far, they have been proven right.

“I like to enjoy life. I feel happy that I didn’t choose someplace else,” Gou says.

She says she is looking forward to beginning classes in her chosen field of biotech, but the classes in the English Language Improvement Program are proving valuable, too.

“I am learning a lot, and not just about English,” says Gou. “Our instructors are also teaching us about Canadian culture.”

One thing she does not miss about Changchun — a city of more than 7 million people — is the traffic.

“In China, there are too many traffic jams,” she says. “People in Canada are more willing to make way for each other.”

The Centre for English Language Development will celebrate international language students and their contributions to campus and community on World Student Day, Friday July 20. UWindsor faculty, staff, and students are invited to join in free activities, entertainment, and a lunch on Turtle Island Walk from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.