Daniela Buzatu never expected to be going back to college. Working, raising her family, and starting a new life in Canada kept her busy enough.
“I never had any intentions to continue my own studies. I just wanted to work, for my son to finish university, and to be happy,” she said.
Originally from Romania, she came to New Brunswick in 2013 with her husband and son. After settling in Woodstock for a few years, she later moved to Fredericton with her family when her son began his studies at university. After suffering an injury that required surgery and extensive physiotherapy, Buzatu initially returned to the hospitality job that she loved after a couple of months of recovery. But she could no longer handle the physical demands that it required and decided to pursue her education and change careers.
Buzatu is graduating from NBCC with an Administrative Professional: French Second Language Training diploma.
From the start, Buzatu faced more challenges than the average learner. She had never used a computer, English was not her first language, and on top of this, she was learning a new language (French). Buzatu recalls being overwhelmed and, for a brief moment, she considered dropping out. The encouragement and support of her instructors convinced her to stay.
“I call my instructors angels,” she said. “I received so much encouragement from my instructors, I would never have done this without them. They gave me the force to continue all the time.”
Buzatu prioritized her education, spending up to 10 hours a day in classes or studying. These efforts paid off and she successfully completed the provincial government’s French Language Proficiency Evaluation and feels confident in her administrative skills as she prepares to enter the workforce.
Amanda Banks, an instructor in the Administrative Professional diploma program, saw Buzatu’s dedication and was inspired by her perseverance.
“While others may have become discouraged, Daniela became more focused. I am in awe of the amount of extra time and effort she puts into her studies,” she said.
As Buzatu reflects on her time at NBCC, she is grateful for the experience and for everything it has given her.
“I didn’t just accumulate information and skills during my time in college, I adjusted my mentality and attitude, I changed everything. I am absolutely a different person after my time at NBCC.”
