Annabelle Trobak
September 20, 2023
Photo: Pearson students posing for a photo at Metchosin Day, 2023
Pearson College, situated in a small inlet of Vancouver Island, offers an environment that naturally fosters deep connections among its diverse student body. However, this seclusion sometimes creates a divide between the college and the broader Metchosin community, a small town near the college. In this remote location, Pearson College's challenge has been to bridge the gap between individual connections and those that encompass a wider community. During COVID-19, some of the only connections between the school and the community was the school's extensive host family program, however due to the difficulties of hosting students in their homes during the pandemic, the school lost many host families. This has further disconnected the two communities but the beginning of this school year brought a perfect chance for community members and Pearson students to reunite. The important process of connecting the two communities was resumed on Saturday, September 9th which marked the first Metchosin Day since COVID-19 prohibited the celebration. Pearson College students were part of this community celebration for the first time in years, showing the special connection between the event and the college.
Metchosin Day unfolded with a kaleidoscope of stalls, local food vendors, the clucking of chickens, and much more. Violaine Mitchell is a local Metchosin farmer who organized Metchosin Day this year. She believes that Metchosin Day is "a chance to celebrate everything that's unique about Metchosin" while "trying to preserve what's great about this place." Metchosin Day is an important celebration for the small community, as it honours and celebrates the great people and connections within the town. Not only is Metchosin Day important for the members of the Metchosin community, it is also an important opportunity for connections to form between Metchosin and Pearson.
One of the most significant things Metchosin Day accomplished was bringing awareness to the residents of Metchosin about Pearson. There were performances by Pearson students, as well as a booth recruiting host families to showcase Pearson College's presence within the community. As the afternoon unfolded, Pearson students took to the stage to share beautiful and energetic performances with the community. When the performers were on the stage sharing their talents, the air became charged with spirit and joy. Performances included the Fisherman's Dance led by Mai Nishikawa, SOCA by Rézi Imre-Millei and Jeremiah Kalejyezi, a beautiful rendition of Frank Sinatra's Why Try to Change Me Now sung by Santiago Gil Sarmiento, and Combo Dance led by Lina Solh, Apphia Lugunda, and Ama-e Witbooi.
Photo: Fisherman's Dance
Photo: Combo dance
Looking over the audience, all you could see was a sea of Pearson students. The students cheered loudly, showing their unconditional support for their classmates and illustrating to the community of Metchosin the beautiful culture at Pearson.
Photo: Pearson students cheering on their fellow performers
Ama-e Witbooi, one leader for the Combo Dance, shared the profound significance of these shared moments, saying "it means a lot to me to be able to share my culture…it's a beautiful thing to be able to do that with people who are learning it, people who are watching it, and people who are part of it. It's just very beautiful to bring those three groups of people together."
As Violaine Mitchell puts it, the woman who organized the even this year, Metchosin day was an important opportunity for the community of Metchosin to experience the "perspectives and diversity" of Pearson. She reflects that "while we all live in a beautiful part of the world, this isn't the most diverse part of the world. Violaine believes that being connected to Pearson is important for the Metchosin community because it brings youthful energy, different perspectives, and a hopeful outlook. Ama-e makes the point that sharing culture also helps the Metchosin community understand Pearson College's mission.
"I think it's really important for Metchosin to see this aspect of Pearson because a lot of people might just think 'Pearson College is a school and they have all these diverse cultures,' but they don't really see how much we do love sharing where we come from. And I think bringing that to the Metchosin community just makes them have a deeper understanding of what the mission is of the school. I think that's why it's really important for Metchosin to see this aspect of the college, because when you think of Pearson college, you think about school; and there's so much more to it than that." -Ama-e Witbooi, 2023
Phoebe Mason is the host family coordinator for Pearson College, and she reiterates the importance of events such as Metchosin Day. "We are part of the community," she said, "and we want to share what we have to share."
This connection isn't one-sided; it's a vibrant exchange of culture and ideas. The small community of Metchosin has a multitude of things to offer Pearson students who are willing to learn. Pearson students found themselves engaged in meaningful conversations with Metchosin residents during Metchosin Day, an opportunity to unearth the hidden treasures of this seemingly quiet town. Pearson students possess a remarkable inclination for initiating interesting conversations with strangers and Metchosin Day gave them the perfect opportunity. Violaine's advice for Pearson students was to talk to as many people as they could because "the more Pearson kids get to know people, they might be quite surprised who does live here." Creating a space for Pearson to engage with the Metchosin community was the initial step in building a strong personal connection with the members of the community. Reflecting on her conversations throughout the day, Ama-e determined that "it definitely did make my UWC experience deeper because when I come back, I'll be able to connect to this place beyond the walls of the school."
One of the most significant relationships that allows students to connect with the community beyond the confines of school are the host families. A student mentioned that they did get to know community members by attending events like Metchosin day, however, they found that the most significant way to connect with the community was through host families. These families serve as ambassadors, introducing Pearson students to the heart of the community. Phoebe Mason, the host family coordinator noted, "A lot of people know about Pearson, but don't know about the host family program." Phoebe's goal throughout the day was to "jumpstart the recruitment of new families" at the host family booth. She spent the day highlighting to local families the beauty of taking a student into their home to exchange culture and love.
Photo: Students helping out at the host family recruitment table
The host family program's aim is to nurture lifelong friendships, transcend borders, and span generations. One of the most touching stories gathered was the story of a Metchosin resident named Christopher Pratt. Violaine explained: "Chris Pratt is well over 95 now," she said, "and he's travelled all over the world visiting Pearson kids, whether it be Pakistan, Brazil, or Mozambique." This perfectly highlights the importance of the host family program. Host families serve as a vital connection between Pearson College and the Metchosin community. For Pearson College, these host families provide students with "a home away from home, away from home," jokes Phoebe Mason. Simultaneously, for the Metchosin community, hosting Pearson students opens doors to diverse perspectives and global friendships, enriching the fabric of their tight-knit town. These relationships go beyond simply providing a place to stay. They represent the unity and understanding between two communities, where each community helps the other to grow and improve.
One Pearson student remarked, "This is one of the first events that the school took us to that made us have a stronger connection with the community, and I really appreciate it for that." Metchosin Day brought life to a connection that was eager to grow. Now, the bond between Pearson College and Metchosin is ready to become even stronger. In the coming years, it promises to be a story of unity, understanding, and the celebration of diverse connections.
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