Jocelyne Morin-Nurse
When librarian Halina de Maurivez agreed to take on the Spanish collection at the Morisset Library, she ended up not only with a new job, but also in Granada, Spain.
Her desire to perform her tasks efficiently and her interest in Hispanic culture led de Maurivez to take a refresher leave that allowed her to participate in a student exchange program while still receiving a portion of her regular salary.
Regular support staff can also take advantage of a similar refresher leave program.
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De Maurivez registered as a full-time student once her leave was approved and contacted the International Office to apply for the University’s National and International Exchange Program. Soon after, she was on her way to the Universidad de Granada, where she studied literature and history for six months.
“Such an experience changes us a lot,” says de Maurivez. “We learn about our true self and, when we come back, we see things differently. For instance, as an employee who is always working with students, I understand their needs better and what they are going through. As well, having studied Spanish literature at a university recognized for the excellence of its program in that field, I can make informed decisions as to which authors we should carry in our Spanish collection and assess the quality of the works being presented to me.”
Multilingual in Russian, German, French, English and Spanish, de Maurivez had no trouble adapting to her new environment. “The more languages you know, the easier it is to learn new ones,” says de Maurivez. However, the shock came when she returned.
“Over there, there is very little green space,” says de Maurivez. “And it seemed as though there was always something happening on the street, always someone around. When I came back to Ottawa, I felt like I was out in the country: a lot of green space, almost no one on the streets. And, out of habit, I often answered in Spanish when someone spoke to me in French.”
Now that she is back in her position, de Maurivez is applying her new knowledge and skills. As well, to giving something back to the student community, de Maurivez mentors two exchange students, one from Barcelona and the other from Mexico City.
“I really enjoyed my experience and I would love to do this kind of student exchange again,” says de Maurivez. “However, I shouldn’t have talked about it so enthusiastically with my colleagues. Now there’s a waiting list of people in my department who want to participate in the program!”
