From Groenekan to Burlington: A Year of Growth with the HDSB International Student Program

When Mica Cabrera Zwager left the small village of Groenekan, near Utrecht in the Netherlands, he was 17 years old and stepping into the unknown. Nearly a year later, the 18-year-old reflects on his exchange year with the Halton District School Board as one of the best decisions he has ever made, an experience that reshaped his confidence, his outlook and his sense of who he is.

Through the HDSB International Student Program, students from around the world come to study at Halton schools, immersing themselves in Canadian culture while bringing their own perspectives to our classrooms and hallways. For Mica, who attended Burlington Central High School, the year became a story of friendship, independence and personal growth that he says he will carry with him for the rest of his life.

A Small-Town Upbringing with a Love of the Game

Back home, Mica comes from Groenekan, a quiet village surrounded by nature but only about 15 minutes from the city of Utrecht. It is the kind of place, he says, where there is usually not a lot going on, which makes it a peaceful place to grow up while still offering the best of both worlds. He speaks of his hometown with obvious pride, even extending an open invitation to anyone who might find themselves passing through to stop by the local restaurant.

Like many young people in the Netherlands, Mica grew up with a deep love of football, or soccer, as he quickly learned Canadians would call it. Much of his free time revolves around the sport, whether he is playing himself, watching matches or playing football video games with friends. It is a passion that would follow him across the ocean, and one that shaped both his expectations of the year ahead and a few of its surprises.

Choosing Canada

Mica had always been drawn to travel and meeting new people, and as he finished high school in the Netherlands, he felt a pull to do something different before continuing his studies. Rather than following the traditional path right away, he wanted to challenge himself, experience a new culture and improve his English. As he puts it, it was not just something he wanted to do, but something he felt he needed to do.

What ultimately drew him to the Halton District School Board was the people. Mica had the chance to meet and speak with HDSB staff, and the conversation immediately felt warm and welcoming. "They were genuinely interested in students and their experiences, which gave me confidence that I would be supported throughout my exchange year," he said. Moving across the world at 17 was a challenge, but for Mica that was exactly what made it so appealing.

First Impressions at Burlington Central

Mica's first impression of Burlington Central was how genuinely welcoming people were. "There were many students who went out of their way to help me, introduce themselves and make me feel included," he said. "For that, I will always be grateful." He is especially thankful to the students in his International Business and Computer Science classes who welcomed him when everything was still new and unfamiliar.

The school itself looked exactly how he had imagined a North American high school. "It had that classic high school feel that I had only really seen in movies before coming here," he said. Academically, the differences took some adjustment. The semester system with only four courses at a time was new, as was the grading culture. "Back home, students are usually happy with much lower grades, whereas here it felt like people only started celebrating once they earned a 90 or above," he said.

Not every moment was easy at the start. "One memory that stands out is walking up to a group of boys my age on the first day and feeling ignored," he said. "At the time, I was really disappointed and started questioning whether I belonged here. Looking back, it was simply a misunderstanding. Over the course of the year, I became great friends with many of those same guys, and some of them ended up being a very important part of my exchange experience."

A School That Felt Like a Community

One of the things that stood out most to Mica was the amount of school spirit at Burlington Central, and the fact that so many activities were organized by students themselves. "Seeing students take that much initiative and create opportunities for their peers was something I really admired," he said. He also appreciated the flexibility and individual teaching styles of his teachers. "I especially have to give a shoutout to Mr. Radway, whose famous phrase, 'Life is good!', always brought positive energy into the classroom," he said.

The club culture was another major difference from home. "Back home, very few students participate in school clubs, but here there seemed to be something for everyone," he said. During his exchange he joined Model UN, Chess Club, Tennis Club and DECA. "There was never any pressure to participate; it was always about having fun, learning something new and meeting people. Those clubs helped me make friendships and become more involved in school life."

Working Through the Challenges

Adjusting to life in a new country was not always easy, and Mica is candid that the first two or three months were the most challenging. "One of the biggest struggles was feeling like I did not fully fit in," he said. "I sometimes felt different because of the way I dressed, acted or spoke. Even though I could communicate in English, I was often not confident in my language skills and worried about making mistakes." There were evenings when he felt lonely, made harder by the time difference that made it difficult to talk with family and friends back home.

Over time, he came to an important realization. "Not everything gets better overnight," he said. "Sometimes you simply have to be patient and trust the process." His two host families were a bright point throughout. "I was lucky enough to stay with two very different host families, and both experiences were fantastic. They each taught me different things and gave me a unique perspective on Canadian life."

His advice to anyone facing a similar experience is simple. "Keep being kind and keep smiling, even when things feel difficult," he said. "Eventually, that positivity comes back to you. The challenges I faced ended up helping me grow the most, and I am a much more confident person because of them."

Exploring a New Country

Beyond the walls of Burlington Central, Mica threw himself into experiencing as much of Canada as he could. Coming from a small village, he found visiting a city the size of Toronto endlessly exciting, with every trip downtown feeling like an adventure. One of the experiences he is most proud of was taking a solo trip to Montreal, which pushed him outside his comfort zone and showed him another side of the country, with its own distinct atmosphere, history and bilingual character.

Some of the most memorable moments, though, were the simplest ones. School dances like semi-formal and prom were unlike anything he had experienced back home, and he describes the atmosphere and energy surrounding those events as something special. Yet when he reflects on his favourite memory, he does not point to a single trip or event. Instead it is the combination of everyday moments, hanging out after school, going to the gym with friends and spending weekends together, that turned Canada from a place he was visiting into a place that felt like home.

Canadian culture itself held a few surprises. Mica was struck by how common Tim Hortons seemed to be, with one always appearing to be just around the corner, and by how friendly and polite people were in everyday situations, often asking how you are doing rather than offering a simple hello. What stood out most, though, was how multicultural Canada is. Meeting people from so many different backgrounds made the environment feel open and interesting, and he says he learned a great deal from those different perspectives. He even caught himself picking up a few Canadian habits along the way, including the occasional "eh," something he never expected before arriving.

Coming Home a Different Person

Looking back on the year, Mica believes he has changed in many ways. "I have gone from being more of an introverted person to becoming much more outgoing," he said. "At the beginning, starting conversations and meeting new people did not always come naturally to me, but over time I learned that kindness is often the key. The more I put myself out there, the more opportunities and friendships came my way."

The experience also pushed him to become far more independent. "Moving to another country at 17 years old meant that I had to solve problems on my own, adapt to unfamiliar situations and step outside of my comfort zone on a regular basis," he said. "Looking back, that challenge has paid off tremendously and has helped me grow as a person."

Above all, he gained confidence and perspective. "I truly believe I will be returning to the Netherlands as a different person than the one who arrived in Canada nearly a year ago," he said. "I am excited to see how everything I have learned and experienced will shape the next chapter of my life."

When asked what advice he would give to other students considering an exchange program, his answer is direct. "My biggest piece of advice would simply be: do it," he said. "I genuinely believe an exchange program can benefit anyone, regardless of what kind of person you are. If you fully embrace the experience, there is a good chance it will be one of the best decisions you ever make."

A Second Home

As his exchange year comes to a close, what Mica says he will miss most is the life he built for himself in Canada, and above all, the people. From friends he would greet every day in the hallways to those who became some of his closest companions, and from his host families to his teachers, he leaves Halton with relationships he says he will carry with him for the rest of his life.

"I will always be grateful to HDSB, Burlington Central, my host families and everyone who helped make this exchange year such an unforgettable experience," he said.

Mica’s story is one of many that unfold each year through the HDSB International Student Program, which welcomes students from around the world to experience life and learning in Halton. His year reflects the heart of what the program offers: the chance to grow, to connect and to discover, as Mica did, that a place once thousands of kilometres away can quickly come to feel like a second home.