Reflecting on a semester in Canada, from Killam fellow Amanda Kang

Amanda Kang (senior, Cinema and Media Studies) spent fall semester as a Killam Fellow at Queen’s University.

Unsurprisingly, I think one of the most valuable things I’ve gained is more independence. It’s true that I probably could have gotten this anywhere. Some people think I should have gone further away and immersed myself in a more dramatic cultural change. I don’t think it’s very productive to wonder whether or not I would have had a more enriching experience somewhere else. I’m here now, I lucked out insanely hard with my roommates (after a very stressful few months of searching for housing by myself), and I’ve built a few habits I’d like to keep. I haven’t had to start from scratch like this in a very long time, so it did feel like a sort of reinvention. Nobody from my high school (though I did miraculously end up in a group project with a fellow Seattleite!), no familiarity with the area, and worst of all: no Trader Joe’s!!! I now see this as a gift that allowed me another chance at some of the things I wished I’d done freshman year at UW-going out, working out with friends, taking advantage of the local independent theater, having more meaningful conversations, and yes, going to regular degular grocery stores so I could cook for myself.

Photo credit: Amanda Kang.

In terms of my coursework, even though most of my classes won’t count towards my degree, it was worth it to get hands-on music and film production experience I felt I was missing at UW. Of course, part of that is my lack of involvement with campus production clubs, but it certainly is different to be in an academic setting that actively requires formal equipment knowledge. As it tends to do, the experience also eliminated a few potential career paths. I often get caught up in a romanticized idea of a job and then once I actually get up close to it, I realize how much I would dislike doing it for a living. The longer I live, the more I understand that figuring out what to do with my life will likely be less about finding a dream position and more about narrowing it down to anything remotely fulfilling that I don’t completely detest-which is, of course, an immense privilege.

UW Killam Fellows in Quebec. Photo credit: Amanda Kang.

Speaking of privilege, the Canadian Studies Center, Fulbright Canada, and the Killam Fellowships Program have been great to work with. Marion, Maddy, and everyone else involved made it a smooth and enjoyable experience. The financial and logistical support have truly allowed me to make the most of my time here-playing hockey at fall orientation in Ottawa, meeting cool new friends and mentors in our cohort (including two fellow Huskies who joined me in Quebec for a reading break fantastique), receiving a travel grant to catch the tail end of TIFF 2024… all of this makes me extra excited to reconvene at the spring seminar in D.C.! I hope I have done justice to the spirit of the fellowship and would definitely encourage others to apply.

And Canada did turn out to be an interesting destination. My Canadian art history class was the perfect accompaniment as it gave me deeper context on the Arctic Indigenous and other Canadian geopolitical issues that first led me to this program. Naturally, getting to travel outside of Ontario was wonderful (and I did learn a bit of French… that is, if the days of the week count. C’est mardi! Also, arrêt means stop!). For all my complaints about how small and boring it is, Kingston, too, has a unique charm. After walking through the massive University of Toronto campus, I was grateful for the chance to get a taste of small East Coast campus/college town life (though Kingstonians may come for me as it is technically a city). I didn’t believe people when they hyped up how much Queen’s prides itself on community, but the difference was noticeable from the day I arrived. I was so preoccupied with finding a place to live that I didn’t leave much room to worry about how my social life here would pan out… and as it turns out, I didn’t have to. I will never be able to shout out my roommates enough, and the random party invites from classmates and (pleasant) strangers I met downtown meant more than they knew, even when I didn’t go. People really make all the difference. And I want to work on being a kind one.

I can’t believe that soon I’ll be looking back on my college exchange. It’s pretty wild coming to terms with how much life can change if I put it in my calendar and let it happen. I now know I am capable of traveling solo, and that has made the world feel like a bigger (or smaller, depending on how you look at it) place. I am tremendously thankful to all the stars and bananas that got in a big fat conga line for me.

Other things of note: bagged milk, no Venmo, no news on social media, more land acknowledgements, “zed,” “washroom,” M&Ms = Smarties, Smarties = Rockets, elephant ears = beaver tails, post-election was business as usual on campus while I bawled my eyes out, it really does get a lot colder up here, and the exchange rate is very much in my favour!