Part II - A beautiful campus on stolen land

Inside UBC's Student Nest. (photo: private)

Arriving in ‘Raincouver’

After Christmas, the first leg of my year abroad was over. My time in Toronto had come to an end and I packed my bag to move to the west coast of Canada. The first two things I realized upon arriving in Vancouver were the rain and the temperature difference of almost 25°C compared to Toronto, which had a constant -15°C over the past couple of weeks. I soon learned that I should get used to the mild temperature and the continuous rain, since both are typical for the winter season in Vancouver. So much so that people from here – also known as Vancouverites - often refer to their city as ‘Raincouver’. I can confirm that it rains almost all day, every day.

Vancouver is situated on the Pacific Ocean, and the university campus is a 30-minute drive from downtown. It sits right on the coast, surrounded by beautiful forests, with its own beaches and infrastructure. This stunning location was once inhabited by indigenous communities. But the land on which the University of British Columbia (UBC) stands today, was stolen from them. Therefore, as part of the university’s reconciliation effort, every conference, presentation, or course introduction starts with a land acknowledgment which reads as follows:

“We would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations.”

Over the last years, various totem poles were set up on campus to commemorate the indigenous communities that once owned the land. (photo: private)

Reconciliation efforts on stolen land

The former presence of those communities on what’s now the UBC campus has become more visible during the last couple of years. Various totem poles were set up on campus and signposts in different first nation languages were installed. The rich cultural heritage of the first nation communities from the Canadian west coast is also exhibited on campus in the Anthropology Museum of UBC. There are various centres providing information on indigenous culture and languages. Furthermore, the university offers clubs and services tailored to students of indigenous descent. However, these are only some small steps in what will be a long process: Canada is grappling with a complicated and often violent past in relation to its indigenous communities.

Now, back to the more beautiful sides of UBC’s campus! Given its size, it could be better described as a small town, since it takes more than an hour to get from one side to the other. During my first week here, it took me forever to get from one class to the next since the classrooms are spread all over the campus. The area is an exciting accumulation of various architectural styles. The first building dates back to 1910, when the University was founded. However, a construction boom started only after the second world war due to previous labour and funding shortage. Since then, new buildings have been added to the campus every year.

Graduate student privileges in Buchanan Tower. (photo: private)

Stunning architecture and free coffee on campus

One of the most important structures is the Student Nest, located at the heart of the campus. The Nest is a large building designed especially for students. It contains vast open spaces, restaurants, student clubs, grocery stores, hairdressers and study spaces. It is also home to the UBC student radio and the campus newspaper "Ubyssey". Next to the Nest is the Life Building, which hosts multiple student clubs like the photography club and the UBC film association, which offers free screenings every Thursday. There is also a student-run restaurant in the basement that provides affordable meals. In between the Life Building and the Nest there is an artificial turf field, called the MacInnes Field, where students meet to play all kinds of sports together.

Since I am in the history programme, my department is within a few minutes' walking distance from the Life Building on the 12^th and 13^th floor of the Buchanan Tower. From there, on a rare clear day, one has a stunning view of the whole campus and the ocean. Due to my status as a graduate student, I have access to the graduate room where I can store my books, study or just hang out with other history students and drink free drip coffee. Every Friday, all the history graduate students go to Koerner's pub, next to the Buchanan tower, to socialize at the end of the week.

A ten minute walk from the history department: Wreck Beach with a view of Vancouver Bay. (photo: private)

Rainforest, beaches and ice hockey

If one wants to take a break from studying, Wreck Beach is just ten minutes away from the history department. After walking through a rainforest area, the beach surprises you with a stunning view of Vancouver Bay and some surrounding islands. For those more into watching than partaking in sports, the university teams have public ice hockey, lacrosse, football, and rugby matches. I had the opportunity to watch a game of the women's ice hockey team, the UBC Thunderbirds, last Friday. Sometimes, hockey pucks and players moved so fast that it was challenging to understand who was attacking. The many activities the campus offers sometimes make it difficult to leave!

(Published 23 January 2023)