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"The community here has helped me in more ways than I expected"
Storyteller: Gagan (he/ him) My name is Gagan, and I was born in Ambala, Haryana, India. Ambala is a city with a rich cultural history and a close-knit community, known for its lively streets and vibrant traditions. Growing up in such a place shaped my values and gave me a strong sense of community, which I’ve carried with me throughout my life. In 2019, I made the decision to move to Canada on a study visa to pursue higher education, seeking new opportunities that would help
X Helping Hands
Mar 2, 20253 min read


"I found the Antigonish community to be welcoming and supportive"
Storyteller: Yathil Srinivas (he/ him) My name is Yathil and I’m originally from Bangalore, India. Back home, I come from a lively and vibrant city with a rich mix of cultures, languages, and traditions. In India, I completed my education and started working as a hairdresser, which eventually led me to explore opportunities abroad. I moved to Antigonish in 2021 on a work permit. I currently live in Stellarton but work in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. I recently received my permane
X Helping Hands
Mar 2, 20252 min read


"I would recommend StFX because of their culture and welcoming community"
Amarinder (he/ him) Interviewer: Bhavpreet Singh Arneja Interviewee: Amarinder Singh Sandhu In this interview, Amarinder, a final-year MSc Computer Science student at StFX, shares his journey since moving from Ferozpur, Punjab, India to Antigonish in August 2023. Currently on a study permit, Amarinder talks about the challenges he faced, especially finding accommodation and securing a job during the summer of 2024. His younger brother, who is also in Canada, helped him find a
X Helping Hands
Mar 2, 20251 min read


"This town has changed a lot for the better"
Norah Quirk Interviewer: Tavneet Kaur Interviewee: Norah Quirk In this interview, Norah Quirk, a young community member who grew up in New Glasgow and moved to Antigonish for university, shares her experiences. Norah is a final-year student at StFX, majoring in History and minoring in Fine Arts. Norah enjoys photography and filmmaking, which fuel their creativity. Accompanied by a special guest, Norah's therapy cat Tiki, Norah reflects on how the town has changed for the bett
X Helping Hands
Feb 15, 20251 min read


"I knew few people from my community who helped me in Antigonish"
Pavithra (she/ her) Interviewer: Bhavpreet Singh Arneja Participant: Pavithra In this interview, Pavithra, an MSc Computer Science student from Chennai, India, shares her experience as an international student at StFX. She moved to Antigonish on August 28, 2023, on a study permit and initially knew little about the town. Through research, she discovered that Antigonish is a peaceful place. However, Pavithra faced challenges, including the lack of public transportation and exp
X Helping Hands
Jan 28, 20251 min read


"Newcomers should reach out to the community for support and resources"
Neeti Bhatnagar (she/ her) Interviewer: Tavneet Kaur Participant: Neeti Bhatnagar In this interview, Neeti Bhatnagar, a community member originally from India, shares her journey to Antigonish. Neeti moved to Canada in 2023 to join her husband, who had arrived in 2021 to work at NSCC in Port Hawkesbury. After spending a year there, they decided to settle in Antigonish. Neeti, a chef by profession, had a catering business in India and did some catering work in Port Hawkesbury
X Helping Hands
Jan 28, 20251 min read


"We have really supportive neighbours in Antigonish"
Nadeeka (she/ her) Interviewer: Tavneet Kaur Participant: Nadeeka In this interview, Nadeeka, a 45-year-old permanent resident of Canada, originally from Sri Lanka, shares her journey to Antigonish. She moved to Canada in April 2022 with her husband and two young kids, following a recommendation from her husband’s Canadian friend, who lives in Antigonish and introduced them to the town. Nadeeka graduated with a Bachelor of Education from StFX in May 2024. She recounts that sh
X Helping Hands
Jan 28, 20251 min read


"Main factor was finding friends over here"
Asad Ali (he/ him) Interviewer: Bhavpreet Singh Arneja Participant: Asid In this interview, Asad Ali, a 25-year-old international student from Pakistan, shares his journey from Dubai to Antigonish. After spending 19 years in Pakistan and five years in Dubai for his bachelor's degree, Asad moved to Canada on August 23, directly settling in Antigonish. He met the StFX recruitment director at a conference in Dubai, where they discussed Asad’s plans to move to Canada, and the dir
X Helping Hands
Jan 28, 20251 min read


"Everyone in the StFX community was super friendly, and the former student advisor helped too"
Patrick (he/ him) Interviewer: Bhavpreet Singh Arneja Particpant: Patrick Patrick, a final-year student at St. Francis Xavier University, shares his journey from Nigeria to Antigonish. He moved to Canada in stages, first arriving in Vancouver on August 30, then Halifax, and finally settling in Antigonish on September 1. Growing up in the southern part of Nigeria, in a small but capital city where the community was tightly knit, Patrick draws parallels between his hometown and
X Helping Hands
Jan 17, 20251 min read


"I received help from university and members of community to overcome my problems in different situations"
Anik Das (he/him) Interviewer: Tavneet Kaur Participant: Anik Das Anik Das moved from Bangladesh to Antigonish in September 2021 to pursue his Master’s in Computer Science at St. Francis Xavier University. In this interview, Anik shares his journey, reflecting on the challenges he faced and the support he received from professors during his program. Although he finds Antigonish to be a quiet town, he appreciated the academic environment and the opportunities it offered. Since
X Helping Hands
Jan 17, 20251 min read


"Through a weekly event in Antigonish, I was able to make many friends from different countries..."
Cohen Wang (he/him) Interviewer: Tavneet Kaur Participant: Cohen Wang In this interview, Cohen Wang, a first-year student at St. Francis Xavier University, shares his experience as a newcomer to Antigonish. Originally from the north of China and currently on a work permit, Cohen has been living in Antigonish for only a few months. He reflects on his transition to life in this small town, the challenges and opportunities he's encountered, and how he is adapting to both the aca
X Helping Hands
Jan 12, 20251 min read


However, I was excited to experience a new environment and learn about a different way of living
Anonymous A sunny day captured in the town, captured on September 17, 2021. Copyright @art_nouveau___ As a Canadian student from British Columbia, moving to the small town of Antigonish in the winter of 2022 was a big change for me. I had grown up in a city and was used to the busy, bustling lifestyle, so the quietness of Antigonish was a bit of a shock. However, I was excited to experience a new environment and learn about a different way of living. One of the main problems
X Helping Hands
Mar 15, 20231 min read


I also visited those places every once in a while to follow up on my application
Tejal (she/ her) Tis the season in Antigonish Captured on January 20, 2021. Copyright @art_nouveau___ Hi, I'm Tejal, an international student from India who came to StFX in March 2021 to pursue my Masters of Applied Computer Science program. However, after arriving in Antigonish, I did face problem in terms of finding part-time jobs. There weren’t many job openings, and I couldn't find any online job postings for the jobs I was looking for. This was a challenge for me as I n
X Helping Hands
Mar 15, 20231 min read


Be open to new experiences, seek help from your peers and university resources, and be patient...
Anonymous A frozen brook in the town of Antigonish. Captured on January 28, 2022. Copyright @art_nouveau___ As an international student from South Africa, I had always been fascinated by the beauty and culture of Canada. So, when I got accepted into StFX University, I was thrilled to embark on this new journey. However, little did I know that it would be a rollercoaster ride filled with challenges and opportunities. Upon my arrival in Antigonish during the winter of 2021, I e
X Helping Hands
Mar 15, 20231 min read


I found a roommate who shared my interests and was also in the same program as me...
Kesha Patel (she/ her) A busy day at the main street in Antigonish. Captured on January 3, 2022. Copyright @art_nouveau___ Hi, I'm Kesha Patel, an international student who joined the Masters of Applied Computer Science program at StFX in April 2021. While my experience at the university has been great so far, I faced a major challenge when it came to finding suitable housing. The limited options for housing and the high cost of rent made it difficult for me to find accommoda
X Helping Hands
Mar 15, 20231 min read


With time and effort, you can find your place in Antigonish and make it your home away from home
Anonymous One of the best ice cream spots in Antigonish, during the summers. Copyright @art_nouveau___ Moving from the busy city of Toronto to the charming town of Antigonish in the fall of 2020 was an exciting experience for me, eh. However, like any big change, it came with its own set of challenges. Here, I share my experience of the problems I faced and how I overcame them, eh. One of the biggest challenges for me was getting used to the slower pace of life in Antigonish.
X Helping Hands
Mar 15, 20232 min read


When I first arrived, I found it hard to understand the accent of the locals
Anonymous A beautiful sunset, clicked on February 12, 2022. Copyright @art_nouveau___ As an international student from Bangladesh, I came to Antigonish during the winters of 2022 with high hopes of pursuing my higher studies. However, my experience was not without its challenges, and the biggest of them was the language barrier. When I first arrived, I found it hard to understand the accent of the locals. Though I had studied English in school and had a good grasp of the lang
X Helping Hands
Mar 15, 20232 min read


Occasionally challenging to walk on the dangerous black ice, to make my way to school and work
Original author: Ravjot Singh (he/ him) Editor: X Helping hands An eye view of the Town of Antigonish from Xavier hall, clicked on...
X Helping Hands
Nov 11, 20222 min read


I experienced high cost of transportation, which included high rates of cab
Original author: Abhishek Walia (he/ him) Snowview of St. Ninian church clicked on January 15, 2022. Copyright @art_nouveau___ I am a...
X Helping Hands
Nov 11, 20221 min read


The high cost of staying each day at the hotel added to the expenses of coming to Canada
Original author: Venkatramana Ramadev Krishnamurthy (he/ him) Sunrise captured from the town on January 10, 2022. Copyright...
X Helping Hands
Nov 11, 20222 min read
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