When Yifei Xie arrived in Halifax last August, she didn’t know a single person. She had never lived outside of China. Her English was mostly academic, and she was about to begin a Master of Finance program at Saint Mary’s University.

She was also alone, staying in residence while her husband and three children, ages 12, 10, and almost three, remained in China until the spring. “It was a totally new journey for me.”

Yifei had spent more than a decade working in government in China. She was experienced and educated but she and her husband had always imagined seeing more of the world, and giving their children the chance to do the same. 

“My husband is very supportive and he suggested I could try to achieve more goals in my life and to explore abroad.”

Once in Halifax, she quickly realized how difficult it would be to make meaningful connections as a full-time student enrolled in the Master of Finance program at Saint Mary’s University. The program is short but intensive, which meant there was little free time to explore. When Yifei heard about the BEST Conference hosted by EduNova, she signed up to volunteer. “I thought it would be a really good opportunity to integrate into the community,” she says.

Through that initial connection, Yifei learned about EduNova’s Study and Stay program that supports international students in their final year of study. “As an international student, there's so many things we don't know here,” Yifei says. “At first, I really didn't know what networking was and how to do it. In China, we don't ask people for a coffee chat. The culture is totally different.”

Through the Study and Stay program, Yifei was matched with two mentors, both of whom shared job opportunities, offered encouragement, and helped her feel more at home. “They kept an eye on me in the best way,” she says. 

In addition to volunteering at the BEST Conference, Yifei found other ways to give back. She volunteered with the Blue Nose Marathon and served on the board of Veith House, a Halifax non-profit that supports children and families. “In China, it’s a little different. We don’t have many volunteer organizations. But here it’s a wonderful thing to volunteer. There’s so many opportunities.”

It’s been a year of hard work and finding balance. Yifei’s children are now in Halifax with her but her husband had to return to China to fulfill a commitment there. As a mom on her own, balancing a demanding academic program and volunteering, she was also under pressure to find a job in her field. Now that her program is almost complete, Yifei has received a job offer in her field and the paperwork is underway.

For Yifei, the biggest challenge of the last year was not the work. It was the uncertainty. “All international students feel the pressure because if you want to stay here, you need to find a job, you need to settle down,” she says. “You can't be sure what will happen. You need to always tell yourself, I can do it. To believe in yourself. But still, there's uncertainty there.”

That’s where EduNova’s work is vital to a student’s successful transition into the workforce. Their guidance on academic and work culture, their support of networking, and their advice about how to integrate into the community can make all the difference. 

“We need to work hard ourselves,” says Yifei, acknowledging that the responsibility is on the student. “But sometimes I don't know how to do that. I don't know which way I need to put more effort. So it's very good to have EduNova provide the help, the support, and the information we need.” 

Today, Yifei and her children enjoy playing in the park and finding crabs at the beach. “We like to take off our shoes and walk in the sea and it's very relaxing,” says Yifei. “I have nothing to complain about. My studies are good. My GPA is at the top. And I have the opportunity to volunteer, to integrate into the community. I think I'm really lucky.”