King George International College (KGIC)
And Home-stay in Vancouver, B.C.
One-month program; all prices are in U.S. funds unless specially noted
KING George International
College #201 - 1400 Robson St. Vancouver, BC Canada V6G 1B9 Phone:
604-608-1135 Fax: 604-608-1132 kgic@kgic.ca
General info about the KGIC
The college has three campuses in Greater Vancouver and one in Toronto located in modern business-center buildings. The main campus on Robson Street in Vancouver has more than 20 auditoriums, lobby, computer room (22 computers with Internet access), cafeteria, kitchen with fridge, coffee-making machine, microwaves, basin, etc.
The central campus on Robson Street is in downtown area just within 12-15 minutes from the Sky-train station Burrard. You may take a bus to get to the campus if you wish. There is a beach at English Bay, the world-famous Stanley Park and all major downtown attractions. The Business Campus is just within 3-minute walk from the main campus, and it has 18 auditoriums. Hence, you can get to the Sky-train in just 8-10 minutes from it.
The Surrey Campus is designated for the children who are between 12 and 19. It is located within 7-8 minute walk from the nearest Sky-train station. There are 25 auditoriums there. One floor is designated for those who are 6-12 years of age. As a rule, if a kid is under 12-13, a host family would provide a lift in their car before and after classes.
Studies:
Studies (English, for instance) begin at 9 a.m. and finish at about
1:30 p.m. Basically, it’s a 24-hour week. Each class lasts 70 minutes,
and there are two breaks, 10 minutes each. For more details refer to
the web-site. There are several
instructors for the group you are assigned to, and levels of difficulty
are different. Yet, the basic level, which suits you, is determined
by results of the first day and is configured depending on your wish
and capabilities, and your preliminary knowledge of English. Home assignments
are the must, and are checked by instructor. The certificate is given
after the course termination. Besides English The KGIC specialises in
business, financing, marketing and other disciplines.
Leisure Activities provided by King George International College
The most interesting and exciting activity starts on the 28th of May
and lasts until June 3. It is a trip to Banff in RVs (recreation vehicles).
Banff is a well-know resort located on the elevation of 1.400 meters,
600 km from Vancouver: Banff.
About one hundred students participate in this tour and 30 RVs are rented.
That speaks for itself: the trip is quite a glamorous event. By the
end of each day there are parties with wine and beer at campgrounds,
so those students who are 18 and up are accepted. The cost is about
450 CAD.
Live-in (Home-stay)
You may stay alone in a room, or can share it with a mate. The host family provides a three-time meal.
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BREAKFAST |
LUNCH |
DINNER |
| 1 |
Cereal with milk |
Sandwich (not open) with bread: chicken, mayonnaise, ketchup, and pickles/relish |
Steak with stewed veggies; pork with French fries |
| 2 |
Fried eggs & bacon or an omelette |
Pita bread sandwich |
Grilled chicken with some garnish (veggies, potatoes, rice) |
| 3 |
Scrambled eggs |
Tacos/Nachos with salsa |
Grilled salmon with potatoes; green salad |
| 4 |
Cereal in fruit yogurt |
Sushi & California Rolls |
Stewed veggies with ham; pizza |
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In most cases you will be served with some kind of salad: lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and dressing (French/Italian) |
| Drinks |
Coffee, tea (black, green, herbal) |
Juice of your choice (apple, orange, cranberry) |
Pops (unhealthy drinks) |
* Menu can vary depending on your request. There is a chance to get into an ethnic family of Japanese, Indians, Arabs, Chinese, Latin Americans and others. So you will find yourself in a more favourable situation in terms of food. You’ll eat falafel, pasta, borsch, pirogi, Chinese & Korean stuff, noodles, sushi and much more. You will be treated with ethnic food. On weekends host families would take you to a restaurants or a cafe.
Studies + Family Live-in Package:
| Prices:(prices are subject to change) |
1 Month [one person in a room] |
1 Month [two persons in one room] |
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$ 1200 |
$ 1050 |
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You may also stay in the dormitory:
2/3 people rooms. There are five dorms in Vancouver and they are located
within 25-40 minutes from the central campus/business campus. Each dorm
can accept 10-14 people, and there are 2/3 guys per room. The dorm rates
are cheaper than a live-in, yet, you must prepare your own food or warm
it up in microwave. Also, you can stay in the dorm if you are on a month
or more programme. You are not allowed to make noisy parties, and the
minimum age is 19. Actually, the dormitory is a big three-storey
house split into several rooms with a cosy living room, a kitchen, and
a patio/balcony. Ladies live on one floor, and the guys on another. In
the living room there is a TV set, an oven, plates and dishes, a fridge,
and a microwave. There are also 2-3 computers with Internet Access. See
our photos.
Studies + Dormitory:
| Prices:(prices are subject to change) | 4 weeks minimum [2-3 guys in a room] |
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$ 950 |
* The dorm only for one month is $ 320 – 350 /month
Leisure Activities in Vancouver from YUMICA Adventures Co.
We offer a variety of leisure activities – tours, trips, eco-tourism,
adventure, and much more. In winter you can practice skiing, snowboarding,
snow-showing, and cross-country skies. Here we provide some of the services
from YUMICA Adventures, the most popular ones among tourists
and students. Also we recommend to read our articles about activities
in Vancouver and British Columbia on
the site.
| Main field trips (weekends): |
How long? |
What is it? Prices are in Canadian Funds |
How much? |
| 1. Vancouver tour |
5 hours |
A Vancouver tour by bus/minivan. We’ll see China-town, Sun Yat-Sen
Memorial Garden, and go to Gastown – historical and the oldest part
of the city. Next: Canada place with modern hotels and quay. From
there you can see the beautiful panorama on downtown, North Vancouver,
and the bay. We’ll walk up to Stanley Park. Then we’ll head for
Yaletown – the newest par of central Vancouver, and Granville Island.
We’ll take a ride to the Queen Elisabeth Park. DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER |
$ 30 |
| 2. The 2010 Olympics: Whistler |
The whole day(8-10 hours) |
A trip to Whistler. Sightseeing of the village: ski resort. Then we’ll take a gondola and in 20 minutes reach the top of the Whistler Mnt. (about 2000 meters). Views and landscape are just breathtaking! In 11 km distance there is a park with the Brandywine Waterfalls (70 м), and we’ll see it, too. The rock is a fractured basalt structure, contrasting with the silvery purity of the falls. Mother nature in its full!
WHISTLER |
$ 80 (food provided) |
| 3. The Very First Settlement Near Vancouver: Fort Langley |
6 hours |
Fort Langley was founded in 1827 when the Bay Hudson Company built this first settlement near Vancouver. The well-known Bay Department Store is what became of the company later. The Fort was established on the Fraser river, east of Vancouver, so that the hunters could bring furs to the storage at the Fort, and fishermen would deliver salmon and pelts there. In 1858 gold was discovered on the Fraser river and strikers rushed into the area… All right, and here is the Fort – a pretty big compound, naturally preserved with its wooden fence and houses. It’s about 300 by 150 meters, and you will find the manager’s house, blacksmith & barrel shops, and lodgings for the Hudson Bay Company’s employees. And much more! FORT LANGLEY
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$ 40 (food provided) |
| 4. Shish Kebab at fresh air (!) |
6 hours (early departure) |
We’ll taste delicious Shish Kebab at the nature and taste some homemade wine. We’ll go to one of the picturesque parks – they are numerous in the Greater Vancouver area. We can choose between the ocean beach and the lakeside. If the weather permits you are welcome to take a swim. The water in lakes is pretty warm – more than 20 degrees. Some of you may do hiking on the trail. |
$ 20 |
| 5. Rafting on the mountain river |
4-5 hours |
Rafting route is located within 1.5 – 2 hour drive from Vancouver. The trip will take place on one of the rapid mountain river and cover the span of about 13-18 km. It is an extremely exciting tour, ‘cuz the raft may roll over. Yet it is so breathtaking and adventurous! |
$ 125 |
| 6. Kayaking (native peoples’ canoe) |
4-5 hours |
We’ll do kayaking for about two hours. This canoe of native people can take three guys. Then we’ll make shish kebabs at the lake in recreation area. The lake is located in one-hour drive from the city in extremely beautiful place: surrounded by impenetrable woods and tall, snowy mountain peaks. If the weather is hot enough, we may even take a swim.
KAYAKING or How I flipped over! |
$ 40 |
| 7. Hiking outside Vancouver |
4-5 hours |
There is an excellent trail of supreme difficulty on Mnt. Cypress, or at the Shannon Falls national park. Hiking itself will last about two hours and actually can be of different category: easy, moderate, and hard. Afterwards: a picnic at the nature. HIKING
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25 долл. |
| 8. Whale watching in the ocean |
3-5 hours |
We’ll board a big inflatable boat, and it’ll take us to the whales in the ocean. It is an exciting tour while our boat/raft is sliding amidst the waves, splashing you with water. That’s why you get a special water-resistant jacket. And here we go: there they are – the numerous whales! Start from the Steveston Fisherman Warf. |
$ 110 |
| Excursions/Visiting Museums |
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| 1. Here they say, the history of B.C. begins: inside Storeyeum – a new Vancouver attraction |
2 hours |
What is Storeyeum about? For starters, you may want to peek into their web-site www.storeyeum.com, yet I’m going to provide more details. The new attraction is located in Gastown on Water Street, just a block away to the East from the famous Steam Clock. Once you’ve entered the building you’ll find yourself in a huge lobby with old photos about B.C. Show-time may vary depending on the season. You proceed to the doors of a huge lift: there are only two of such kind in North America with capacity of 150 people. And the show begins. Wow! You’d better come and see! I worked there ... |
$ 23 |
| 2. A Cruise on the yacht inside the Vancouver Bay |
1.5 – 2 hours |
It is a one and a half hour tour on board the yacht: you’ll see downtown, the Bay from all perspectives. The voyage is along parking spots of trade vessels, boats, and cruise ships so you can see them within close distance. This tour yacht can take aboard about 300 hundred persons. There is a bar there, but the prices are too expensive! |
$ 30 |
| 3. Sightseeing the Buddhist Temple in Richmond & visiting the Fisherman’s Warf Market at Steveston |
4 hours (two locations) |
The Temple was being erected from 1982 through 1984 by donations of well-off Buddhist monks. It is a truly immense and excellent sample of Buddhist sanctuary. And don’t be lazy and come and sightsee it once in a year at least, - hence you’ll purify your soul. I’m not kidding: after you’ve done with going around the property you’ll feel pacified in your humble heart as if you were introduced to something eternal, deep and great.In summer the Fisherman’s Warf Market is open every day, and from October till spring on Fridays and weekends. Here you are, and now go and check out the market, but do not rush to buy. You will see a number of boats there. What kind of fish can we find? First of all, it’s salmon and tuna, rockfish and trout. Ye, there are lots of shrimps, both fresh and frozen.THE TEMPLE
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$ 15 |
| 4. Capilano Suspension Bridge |
2-3 hours |
There are two suspension bridges in Vancouver: Capilano & Lynne. The first one however is longer and more gorgeous. Thus they take money to see it! And it’s really worth sightseeing. The view underneath is amazing: the rapid and swift river is splashing more than 100 meters beneath your feet. There is also an excellent trail so you can take a walk in rainy forest and enjoy nature in its full. |
$ 25 |
| 5. Hiking in Stanley Park |
2 – 2.5 ч |
You may want to walk around the Stanley park by its perimeter – it is only 9 kilometres, or a two-hour tour. Some of you can rent roller-blades or bikes. You’ll be able to see downtown, North Vancouver, bridges, boats & ships, and all of the Vancouver Bay while taking this wonderful hiking tour. STAINLY PARK |
$ 20 |
Insurance
Medical insurance is mandatory. Hopefully, it is not expensive and is
U.S. $ 40-45 per month only. You may want to buy it on
3/6 months basis, or daily.
Transportation (TransLink)
If you come by the beginning of month you’ll be lucky to buy a monthly pass. It costs from 55 to 80 dollars depending on zone. There are 1, 2, & 3 zone passes. In case you missed the 1st-2nd day of a month, we suggest that you buy 10-ticket booklets: they are cheaper than buying tickets every time you board Sky-train, sea-bus, bus, or trolley bus. In Greater Vancouver area you can use your ticket for 1 hour 30 minutes (there is time printed on the ticket so refer to it). This ticket you can use at all mentioned means of transportations (taxi, of course, excluded). If you use TransLink pretty often, you may still want to buy a monthly pass.
About liquor and cigarettes
By Canadian Law you cannot buy and use alcohol if you are under 19. They may also ask for your passport if you buy wine, beer, and hard liquor in the store. A bottle of wine in the store is about 10 dollars, and 6-pack beer may be about 10 dollars. A bottle of hard liquor costs 15-20 bucks per a bottle. A cigarette box is from 7 dollars and up. So, if you are coming from abroad, bring your own stuff to smoke, or just quit. Vancouver is an ecologically clean city! And you are not allowed to drink alcohol in public places: in town, on the street, in parks, sky-train, etc.
However, YUMICO Catering offers some homemade wine on shish-kebab occasions. We’ll have to hide red wine in coca-cola bottles, and white one in sprite or seven-up ones.
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Reception at Surrey Campus
Atmosphere at classes is very friendly!
This class is for kids aged 6-12
The Banff trip made in such an RV
Each campus has about 20 computers with Internet access
Living room at the dorm with TV
Kitchen at the dorm
2-3 person room
VANCOUVER
ATTRACTIONS
EVENTS
NATURE
MARINE LIFE
MARINE LIFE II
OUR WINTER
VITAL INFO:
WHAT to DO/HOW to APPLY
King George International College
Read Mitch's articles about British Columbia and Vancouver at:
Tourism,
Leisure Activities & Sightseeing in British Columbia from Mitch:
A Virtual
Tour in Downtown Vancouver
At
the Vancouver Aquarium
You
May Come across a Bear/Grizzly there!
Vancouver, B.C. Adventure, Mitch and His Role in this Precarious World
Here they say, the history of B.C. begins: inside the Storyeum - a new Vancouver
attraction
Native people were good at handling canoes, and what about us?
The Very First Settlement Near Vancouver: Fort Langley
In Victoria - the capital of Beautiful British Columbia
Visiting Vancouver Art Gallery
At the Harbour Centre Tour Lookout: the view at night is really gorgeous!
Halloween
Visiting Vancouver Zoo
Happy, Out & Proud" - Happy Pride Parade in Vancouver
Fisherman Markets in Vancouver - Steveston & Granville: which one is better?
That's where the 2010 Winter Olympics will be held!
Visiting Science World
Visiting the Mining Museum (close to North Vancouver)
Where to Roller-blade in Vancouver? (Part I)
Rogers Santa Claus Parade in Vancouver
The XXI Century Pioneers who were not afraid to make 2600 miles or 4200 kilometers
through the really Wild West to the Promised Land of Vancouver, British Columbia
Snow tubing in Vancouver - winter entertainment
Tobogganing & Snow Sledging in Vancouver, alas, with an ambulance..
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