As a tutor and the previous coordinator for the FHIS Learning Centre, and as a student in Latin American Studies, Joseph Bouchard reflects on his personal and professional development within the FHIS community.
Joseph Bouchard, Undergraduate Student and Learning Centre Coordinator
Work-Learn Experience
The Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies (FHIS) offered me a great deal of freedom and plenty of opportunities to get involved, most notably with the FHIS Learning Centre, where I had the privilege of working.
I initially got involved with the Learning Centre as a French tutor, where I volunteered for two hours each week since my first day at UBC. I then began tutoring in both French and Spanish during my second year, with the knowledge I gained from my Spanish classes and the help I received from Spanish tutors at the Learning Centre. I then had the privilege of being hired as the Learning Centre Coordinator this past summer.
Working at the Learning Centre with Brianne Orr-Álvarez, the Director, has been a wonderful learning experience. I have made countless new friends and learned useful skills in the process.
I absolutely love working with people, and I got to do plenty of that at the FHIS Learning Centre. As a tutor and Coordinator, I got to know students better on a personal and academic basis. This enabled me to learn new student perspectives, which allowed me to grow as a teacher. I have learned to teach, not only with passion, but with proper fundamental strategies and tools.
I have also learned how to lead in a significant manner. This is best illustrated within the context of working with other Learning Centre tutors as the Coordinator, as well as organizing events for the Cultural Club — an initiative I started with Brianne and others.
I have also had the chance to work with amazing staff and faculty, who have made me more passionate and rigorous about my work. These people have given me the privilege of calling FHIS my “home” and have made me happier to come to campus every day.
The biggest challenge for me was definitely not being able to do enough. There were plenty of projects and ideas I would have loved to spend more time on, but it was difficult to do within the context of studying full-time and working two jobs. The people at FHIS, however, have greatly helped me face this challenge and alleviate the pressure. I could never be grateful enough for their kindness and respect.
FHIS Cultural Club
The FHIS Cultural Club is an initiative I started that aims to bring students together and encourage them to stay connected with the Romance community at UBC and in Vancouver. Activities include language tables, which are guided conversations in the languages that you study in a relaxed environment. These informal gatherings are facilitated by native and near-native speakers, and aim to increase your confidence and ability to communicate in French, Spanish, Italian or Portuguese through cultural topics, games, discussions of current events.
The Cultural Club also organizes a series of cultural activities for students looking for more opportunities to learn about Romance cultures outside the classroom. These activities aim to connect you to the French-, Spanish-, Italian- and Portuguese-speaking communities on campus and in Vancouver. For more information, visit the website!
Student Experience
My experience in FHIS has been incredible.
FHIS classes have given me the opportunity to perfect my Spanish, to begin learning Portuguese, and to reconnect with my French roots. It has also allowed me to form lasting bonds and friendships with amazing students, faculty, and staff.
I am majoring in International Relations and minoring in Latin American Studies in the Faculty of Arts. I chose to minor in Latin American Studies in order to learn more about the languages, politics, history and cultures of Latin America, which would prepare me to serve my country in a Latin American context. I also knew that there were a lot of great professors teaching in the program.
Although I am keeping my options open, I aspire to land a career that allows me to build stronger diplomatic, economic and cultural relations between Latin America, Canada and Quebec. This could imply a career as a diplomat, journalist, analyst, or consultant, among other things, within the public service or private sector. My experience in the Latin American Studies program has strongly contributed to my ability to come to these conclusions.
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Learn more about the FHIS Learning Centre, the FHIS Cultural Club, and UBC’s Work Learn Program.
