Stories of Diversity in the Grebel Residence

Regional Diversity

Simon Frew | 1st Year | Nanotechnology Engineering   

At Grebel I have been immersed in a community with students from across the globe.

I arrived at Grebel from Abbotsford, BC, a smaller city in the Lower Mainland, just outside of Vancouver. I am lucky to have four fellow residents, now friends, in my program who also came from different places across Canada, with different backgrounds and experiences. Two are from Ontario, one from Alberta, and one from British Columbia. While students at Grebel all come from different parts from the world with different experiences, Grebel unifies us.

Amelia Baker | 4th Year | Honours Arts - Religious Studies, Jewish Studies, French   

During one of my first weeks at Grebel, I looked up how far it was from Grebel to my parents’ house; the answer is 1.4 km. I remember laughing to myself, thinking about all of the people I would meet who are actually from other cities.

I realized in preparation for this article that perhaps one of the best examples of regional diversity at Grebel is the Fall 2017 Student Council. There are ten of us on council, but only half are from Ontario. There are two students from British Columbia, one from Alberta, one from the States, and one from Indonesia. This makes every Wednesday night meeting so much fun, as we all bring different perspectives to the table. Whether international or local, Grebel gives us the chance to get to know others better—and for that I am thankful.

Gender Diversity

Matthew Comeau | 2nd Year | Peace and Conflict Studies

As a co-leader for Grebel’s LGBTQ club, Queer, Allied and Questioning (QuAQ), I have had the pleasure of overseeing the development of a space where students of any background and identity can participate in events and interact with each other, free from judgement. Most recently, QuAQ has collaborated with members of other groups, such as the Peace Society and the Environment Representatives, to co-host an event: High Tea for Social Justice. We invited members of the Grebel community to enjoy tea and snacks, engaging in a discussion of topics centered around the theme of Social Justice. These topics ranged from gender diversity in our community and on campus, to environmental issues, such as the bleaching of coral and the lack of green bins at the university. As personal identity is fast becoming a prominent topic in today’s society, Grebel’s efforts to create an accepting community for everyone are refreshing

Hannah James | 3rd Year | Knowledge Integration

“Wait a minute, you need HOW many bottles of shampoo…?” The boys, confused, whispered as they examined the bottles of conditioner that I had deposited in our shared shower. The first few weeks of living in our Grebel apartment involved many humorous moments like the shampoo anecdote. Living in a mixed gender apartment was a learning curve for the four of us, even if we grew up with mixed-gender siblings. However, a couple of months into term and we have settled into a rhythm. We take turns cooking for each other and we sit down for ‘family’ dinners. Wednesdays, of course, we hop over to community supper in the residence—a welcome break from the dishes! Impromptu dance parties and games nights have become the tradition of our apartment. Shampoo quantity aside—living in a gender diverse apartment with some of my closest friends has been a highlight of my Grebel experience!

Cultural Diversity

Kritnoor Singh | 1st Year | Mathematics

An Indian guy walks into a Mennonite residence. It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but back in September, that was my reality. It was an intimidating experience to say the least; however, my nervousness did not last long. The people that greeted me were amazing. Everyone was so nice and helpful; it was kind of creepy. What really shocked me was that this niceness was no façade. One day in particular proved to me just how deep-rooted this hospitality was.

While mostly unheard of in North America, the festival of Diwali is a big deal back in India. Sweets are shared between family members and firecrackers are set off. It really is a magical time. Needless to say, I was overjoyed when I discovered that the kitchen at Grebel had cooked a meal just for Diwali.
Like most at Grebel, this meal did not fail to satisfy. The food was fantastic, from the spicy samosas to the licorice-covered fennel seeds. This, combined with the educational cards on the table, delving into detail about what Diwali is, gave me an odd feeling. I remembered home, and all my family members. Despite the FaceTime sessions, I still missed them. When I was joined at the dinner table by all the wonderful friends I’ve made, this feeling began to pass. I realized that I had been adopted into another family, one that has 200 kids. To round out the day, in traditional Diwali fashion, I handed out sweets to all my new family members. I was, and still am, grateful to be a part of the Grebel family.

Staci Weber | 5th Year | Accounting and Financial Management

I grew up in an area that did not have what most people would consider cultural diversity. Despite the fact that it is only half an hour from Waterloo, most of the diversity that existed around me was the various groups of Mennonites. Over the five years that I have lived at Grebel I have seen the level of cultural diversity grow. There have always been refugee students at Grebel who have come through the World University Service of Canada, but the increase goes beyond that. The broader recruitment base means that our residents are not solely coming from Ontario and connected Mennonite churches which, in turn, introduces different perspectives to the community and allows for greater discussion and learning.

Program Diversity

Mykayla Turner | 2nd Year | Applied Health Studies & Music

Before coming to Grebel last year, I toured several universities to learn about the programs and degrees they offered. I was interested in both health and music and wanted to combine these disciplines in the form of a double major. However, nearly every school I visited discouraged me from pursuing my plans. I was either told that the workload would be insurmountable, or that majoring in subjects from two faculties was not permitted. When I toured Grebel, rather than discouraging me, the faculty members I met supported me and gave me a way to achieve my goals. Since then, I have become heavily involved in the faculties of both Applied Health Sciences and the Arts. Learning about two opposite disciplines has been challenging at times, but I have enjoyed drawing connections between them and meeting people who share one or both of my interests. My university experience has been very rewarding because of my unique combination of faculties, and I am grateful to the Grebel community for supporting me along the way!

Angela Krone | 4th Year | Nanotechnology Engineering

My entire undergraduate education has taken place in an environment where I am surrounded by people studying in areas that greatly differ from my own. The realization that most students do not share this experience had never fully occurred to me. How can you understand how the world works when you cannot see it from another person’s angle? If there’s one thing I have learned from my time at university and Grebel, it’s that people’s interests are not confined to their program of study. I know people studying kinesiology who enjoy debating philosophy, artists who love technology, and mathematicians who are passionate about music. The classes you take do not define who you are, but the people around you will shape your future. I have learned so much about myself and how I view the world by getting to know the diverse group of people that surrounds me; that is what makes Grebel such a great place to live.

Multi-Year Diversity

Joseph Tafese | 1st Year | Software Engineering

It’s an interesting story. I was planning my travel from Winnipeg to Waterloo, when I realized that if I took the earliest flight to Kitchener I would miss the 11 am move-in time at Grebel. So I called Grebel and explained my situation. We discovered that a flight would come into Toronto at 8:30am and if I could get from Toronto to Waterloo by 11 then I wouldn’t miss any part of move-in day. Moreover, we learned that the Lingertat family would be passing through Mississauga on their way to Grebel that morning. I was amazed to hear that they were willing to pick me up from the airport. But, it did not stop there! Paul’s family went the extra mile and gave me a tour of the campus, since I had never been there before, and helped me move into my room, just like my family would have. This is why the upper year-first year community is an integral part of Grebel life; you get people who have been down the same road that you’re on, and they’re willing to go that extra mile, since the same has been done for them.

Paul Lingertat | 2nd Year | Computer Science/Business Option

Joseph and I met in the pickup zone of the Toronto Pearson airport after a flurry of text messages to make sure we could find each other. Joseph was flying in from Winnipeg and wanted to be on time for Grebel’s first-year move-in. Given that I was moving back into Grebel at the same time and driving through Toronto, it was only natural that I pick Joseph up on the way. So we met, drove to Grebel, moved in, and participated in the orientation activities that culminated in the Grebel-wide retreat to Camp Trillium. To me, the connection Joseph and I made before classes even started exemplifies how the entire multi-year student body interacts. People may have never met, they may be in different programs or in different years, but through Grebel everyone is part of the same community. Overall, the multi-year diversity at Grebel enriches the university experience for each student and strengthens the community.

Faith Diversity

Boshrah Fanous | 2nd Year | Honours Arts

Prior to arriving at Grebel, I had not met anyone with a Mennonite background. Not knowing what to expect and having a little knowledge about the teachings and traditions of this faith, I questioned whether I would be accepted. At the time, I did not know that I would be the only one with a headscarf identifying me as a Muslim and differentiating me from others in the college in terms of faith. However, having lived in this community for more than a year now, I have never caught myself feeling different from anyone else. When I am sitting in the dining room having a conversation over lunchtime, it’s almost as if I forget that I am dressed differently and that I have a sense of belonging in a place with a completely different faith background. I have learned that what brings us together far exceeds what differentiates us. In this community, my faith was not only accepted and respected, but also loved as Grebel asked me to share an Islamic prayer alongside prayers from different faiths and beliefs at a University of Waterloo Remembrance Day service.

The community at Grebel helps me further connect with God by learning more about Him through the eyes of a Mennonite. Being able to both practice my Islamic prayers and participate with the Mennonite prayers has helped grow my love for God and for the diversity which I share with others.

Adam Neufeld | 1st Year | Physics

Living at Grebel has been a fascinating experience, learning about students’ faiths other than my own. My roommate is a Muslim from Kenya, who practices his faith in the open space that is Grebel. Though Grebel is rooted in the Mennonite faith tradition, it welcomes those with other beliefs. This opens possibilities for safe conversation about our faith. One evening when I should have been working on homework, I walked into my room and into a conversation between my roommate and another student about Christianity and Islam. We had a great conversation about the similarities and differences between our two faiths, and we found a lot in common. The conversation went on for a long time, talking about a range of topics in the Bible and Quran.

There is so much to learn about others’ faith, and your own, through this type of conversation. To listen with an open mind is the best way to relate to people of other faiths as you get to know them better.