International Gateway offers a unique opportunity for students to explore and enjoy rural and ‘Western’ life on a variety of ranches and farms in the Thompson/Okanagan area of British Columbia. This semi-desert environment has open rangeland for cattle, little rainfall and bright blue skies! Opportunities for fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing, swimming, horseback riding and just ‘kicking back’ are numerous. Students are placed on a farm or ranch of their choice for 1 to 6 weeks. This program can be taken by itself or combined with Practical ESL classes at IGK before or after the farmstay. It is recommended that low-level English students enroll in ESL programs at IGK prior to the farm stay in order to get the maximum benefit out of their experience.
The Okanagan Valley is blessed with one of Canada's most temperate climates and receives over 310 days of sunshine per year. As a result, it is a popular destination for both Canadians and International visitors.
Highlights of the region include:
- azure blue lake waters
- internationally acclaimed vineyards
- championship golf courses
- lush orchards and a healthy
- semi-desert lifestyle
With a population of over 100,000, Kelowna is the largest city in the Okanagan Valley and one of the fastest growing in Canada. Kelowna is nestled on picturesque Okanagan Lake and a visit would not be complete without trying to sight the legendary lake monster, the Ogopogo! Kelowna offers unique shops, restaurants, resorts, spas, health services and entertainment venues. Prospera Place Stadium, the cities largest entertainment venue, hosts a wide variety of cultural and musical performances and is home to the Kelowna Rockets ice hockey team of the Western Hockey Recent events include: Il Divo, Nelly Furtado, Avril Levigne, Cher, Lord of the Dance, Elton John, Motley Crue, Diana Krall, Snoop Dogg and the World Jr. Ice Hockey Tournament. Best of all, Kelowna provides a fun, safe, relaxing and friendly environment in which to study.
Air Canada, West Jet and Horizon Airlines frequently service Kelowna from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Seattle, Victoria, Toronto and Las Vegas. Kelowna International Airport is Canada’s 9th busiest with new routes and flights added on a regular basis.
Greyhound Bus also serves Kelowna from all major centres.
10 Reasons to Study in Kelowna at IGK:
1. Kelowna’s weather is mainly sunny and mild with average temperatures of 31C in August, 17C in October, 2C in January and 20C in April. Canada’s only desert is located in the Okanagan Valley.
2. The majority of Kelowna residents speak English as their first language. Statistics Canada documents that 93% of Kelowna citizens speak English as their first language compared with 63% in Toronto and 61% in Vancouver.
3. Local people are very friendly, open and easy to converse with and this will improve your English faster than in larger cities.
4. Surrounded by Nature, Kelowna is a very safe city with a strong community spirit and easygoing lifestyle.
5. Entertainment, transportation and living costs are 10-50% lower in Kelowna than in many other Canadian cities so you will save money while living and studying here. For example, a monthly transit pass is $39-47 in Kelowna and $69-130 in Vancouver.
6. Kelowna is easily accessible by air or by bus through the gateway cities of Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Seattle or Las Vegas.
7. IGK offers small class sizes (average 6), fast paced, dynamic lessons and personalized attention.
8. IGK home stays are closely monitored and frequently inspected to guarantee the highest quality for your stay.
9. IGK organizes a variety of evening and weekend activities and learning adventures.
10. IGK’s warm and professional staff makes you feel like you are part of their family so you won’t want to leave……
Programs:
The main emphases of our programs are on communication and on functional English for daily life. We also offer Cambridge, TOEFL-iBT and TOEIC exam preparation. Practical ESL programs begin weekly for Ages 12 and up (8 and up June-September).
- Full time: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 2:55 p.m. - 25 hours per week
- Part time: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon - 15 hours per week
AM: In the morning we offer 5 levels of Practical English from Beginner to Advanced that focus on the combined skills of reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, listening and speaking using Headway and Canadian Concepts as the main textbooks.
PM: In the afternoon we offer a selection of electives including: Conversation, Media, Pronunciation, Business English, Canadian History and Culture, TOEFL-iBT, TOEIC and Cambridge (PET, FCE, CAE, CPE) exam preparation.
Faculty Information:
Practical ESL is taught by fully qualified and professional teachers.
Other Activities:
At the farmstays students can enjoy:
- horseback riding
- hiking
- fishing
- cross-country skiing
- snowshoeing
- country crafts and learm western skills
Facility Information:
Students, ages 19 and up are placed on a variety of farms or ranches in the Okanagan area for 1 to 6 weeks. Students must volunteer on the farm or ranch at least 15 hours per week to offset the cost of their stay.
Notes:
$270 represents the weekly farmstay rate if booked in conjunction with ESL programs. $300 represents the weekly farmstay rate without ESL. In addition, there is a one time farmstay placement fee of $200. Full or part time ESL and homestay are in addition to the farmstay program.
Also see Vacation Schools in:
Canada
British Columbia
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