We're sharing the contest entries from our Photos of Home grad student competition.

Today's photos are from Angus Chan, Education, who writes:

I chose this photo of a local Friendship Garden to represent the family and unconditional friendship that Canadians can offer to international students.

Although the City of Vancouver has long become my hometown after I was given my Canadian Citizenship in 1998, it was only a year and a half ago where I have come to learn what it means for international students to feel at home.

I was an international student boarding in Wales at age 9, later an immigrant in Canada at age 13, and then a Canadian citizen at age 16. However, at this point of my life I have come to know that the very people who represent my international home are my international friends, who live and share their lives with me in their home away from home.

Last Summer, at this Friendship Garden in a local farm house at Aldergrove, we rested at their barbecue spot after going on a full day field trip around Minter Gardens and Bridal Veil Falls. We had over 40 international students from over 6 countries, including China, Japan, Iran, The Netherlands, Korea, and Thailand.

It was the most fun that I had last year, and many of my international friends who went with me said it was their first experience in a Canadian home with a Canadian family. They loved their new Canadian home, and didn't want to leave.

The photo below shows how many pairs of shoes we had outside the door!