Student-made TARDIS connects international students and Canadians

By Aly Winks, Internal Communication Specialist

In Enrique Chacon’s experience, the most common complaint from international students is not about their educational experience, or the cold Canadian weather, it’s about getting a chance to meet and become friends with Canadians. At VIU, he is an Educational Advisor in International Student Services.

No matter the post-secondary institution, this is what he has heard. He has tried a variety of ways to bridge the gap. It was in the spring of 2016 that he noticed the BBC television series Dr. Who was gaining traction with a new generation. His daughter and friends were loyal followers of the new series, which was faithful to the original 1960s series in its charm and quirkiness and Chacon had grown up on himself.

Suddenly, the TARDIS was everywhere – from socks to mugs to social media references. It seemed a great trend to capitalize on. The TARDIS, which stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space, is the time traveling device Dr. Who uses to get around in the show. It’s an old police call box that used to be a common sight on the streets of London and other British cities and has become an iconic symbol of the series.

Chacon realized it would be quite easy to use modern technology – an iPad and an app like Skype – to connect a person inside the TARDIS with someone somewhere else for a chat. He approached the carpentry program to see if it was a decent project for students.

“I was so thrilled they were really excited to take it on. I guess it made a great project for some of the more advanced students,” Chacon explained. And they could have it done in time for a big unveiling as part of WorldVIU Days, which take place each fall (in fact, they are going on right now).

Chacon found a Youtube video about how to build one, which he provided and the students got to work.

When it was complete, Chacon was amazed at the quality and detail of the work. The students, along with their instructors, had taken great care and really gotten into the project.

“When I walked into the room, I expected to be adding the sign across the top that says ‘Police public call box’, but that was there in perfect lettering. I couldn’t wait to start using it,” he says.

One of the tricks of the design was it had to be easily taken down and reassembled so it could be moved around campus.

“One of the iconic aspects of the show is how the TARDIS ends up in odd locations and we wanted to do that. The idea was each day during WorldVIU Days, which students arrived on campus, it would be in a different location,” Chacon says. “And we did do that the first year, but it didn’t last. Even though the design was great, it was just still too heavy to be moving all the time.”

The acronym TARDIS was kept and the meaning was changed to Telecommunication And Relevant Discussions with International Students.

So, what happened when a person went inside?

“They would use an iPad with Skype and start a video chat with a person (aka a student) from a different country and they could have a conversation,” he says. “The idea was for international students to get to meet typical Canadians and they could learn from each other and make a connection.”

It turned out to be a better success than Chacon could have hoped for.

“The students really had a chance to learn and it worked out great. So many strong moments of connection have been created. I know, in some instances, students have met face-to-face after their chats.”

They don’t fly blind. Chacon provides each student with a list of questions to get the conversation going if needed, and the list is crafted to stay away from areas that could become heated.

“It’s things like ‘what do people in your country typically have for breakfast?’; ‘what holidays do you celebrate in the winter?’; ‘how old are you when you start school?’. But usually they only need one or two and the conversation just takes on a life of its own, which is what we’d hoped for.”

The program has evolved over the years. Now Chacon sets up times with classes and his international students, which has made for better time management and even richer conversations.

“Everyone is prepped beforehand it flows really well. That said, in all the years we have done this, all the feedback has been really positive. At most, we have heard that it has taken a little bit to get the conversation really going,” he says. “In some ways, it seems like a small thing, but it has a big impact. And now it is an integral part of WorldVIU Days and Global Citizens Week.”

Look for the TARDIS in the Main Cafeteria (B300) on the Nanaimo Campus each year during WorldVIU Days (now until Friday, November 5, 2022) and Global Citizens Week (dates not yet finalized, but usually in February).