As a recent Haliburton School of Art + Design graduate, international student Erica Olavario said she wants to help pave the way for other overseas arrivals to the Highlands.
Olavario, who grew up in the Phillipines, completed the year-long integrated design course at the Haliburton campus in December. As a part of her program, she produced an 18-minute documentary highlighting her time in the Highlands, showcasing the highs and the lows of adapting to life in a rural community in a foreign country. The movie was featured at the San Diego Filipino Film Festival in October.
“I was having a hard time adapting to the new culture… I battled homesickness, anxiety and depression. My film tackles all those issues, while revolving around the four seasons in Haliburton and how they have been like a parallel to how my life has been changing,” Olavario said.
Titled Ugnayan, which translates to connection in Filipino, the movie begins with a backdrop of snow – winter in the Highlands. Growing up in a tropical country, this was Olavario’s first time living in, and adapting to, extreme cold. She talks about being away from home and having to adjust to a new way of living without any real support system.
After starting her studies, Olavario said her community began to grow. She made friends with classmates and connected with mentors such as Barr Gilmore, HSAD’s integrated design professor.
“I was learning to be OK, to be self-sufficient, to be more connected with myself. My time in Haliburton, although difficult, taught me to be brave. It showed me how strong I am, and how much I love making new experiences,” Olavario said.
The film features picturesque stills from around the HSAD campus, the space Olavario was renting, and various spots in Haliburton village. The idea, she said, was to show everything the Highlands had to offer.
“My aim was to extend a hand of understanding and validation to those who share similar experiences. Leaving home and adapting to a new culture is a profound journey, often marked by a range of emotions. The film captures that, offering a personal perspective on this transformative voyage… I wanted to show people that things do get better, they get easier,” she said.
She added, “this project has been an opportunity for growth, empathy and healing. By sharing, I hope to foster a sense of community and connection. Ugnayan is a testament to the power of storytelling to bridge gaps, create understanding, and validate the shared experiences of our lives.”
She hopes to continue showing the documentary to others, recently submitting it for consideration in several 2024 film festivals.
Olavario noted her biggest challenges, aside from acclimatization, was a lack of transit options and housing. Sometimes, she said, she would be waiting at the school for over an hour before finding a ride home. She said having a bus service connecting HSAD to Haliburton village would be a big deal for students. The County has recently supported a transit pilot, with a bus running from Haliburton to Minden and hitting key areas in both communities – with HSAD identified as a potential stop.
She also believes a new 47-unit student housing facility, which broke ground last month, will help students, particularly those from overseas, settle better.
By the time summer came around, Olavario said she was settled. She had found a rhythm between studying, exploring her new community, and maintaining contact with her family and friends.
She has relocated to Toronto as she attempts to pursue a career in the arts, though Olavario said she will always look back fondly on her time in Haliburton County.
“I call it my home now – I have friends there who have become almost like family. I love the community I had in Haliburton. People were very supportive and giving,” she said. “It was tough for me to start, but I’ll have very positive memories of Haliburton for the rest of my life.”
