#13 From León to Vancouver: Jorge’s Journey of Hustle, Growth, and Starting Over

Canada Student Network Podcast
Jun 23
2 min read

Moving to a new country isn’t easy — especially when you leave almost everything behind. For Jorge, an international student from León, Mexico, starting over in Vancouver meant long nights, new challenges, and a whole lot of hustle.

Today, he’s balancing his Business Management studies at Accenda, working in a warehouse, DJing on weekends, and running his own small business — all while adapting to life in Canada. Here’s how he’s doing it.

Young man in sunglasses, red shirt on blue backdrop with microphone. Text: "Vida de Estudiante y de DJ" and school info. Energetic vibe.

Leaving It All Behind to Build a New Life

Jorge moved to Vancouver with just his mom and a big dream.

He hadn’t started a degree back home — Canada was his shot to grow, study, and build a new path. He enrolled in Business Management at Accenda in downtown Vancouver and quickly discovered how expensive and demanding life could be.

“You’re in one of the most expensive cities in Canada — you have to hustle.”

Between commuting, classes, warehouse shifts, and DJ gigs, Jorge had to learn fast how to manage time, energy, and expectations.

Sometimes with only 2–3 hours of sleep between everything.

Sliding Into DMs to Land His DJ Job 🎧

One of Jorge’s coolest stories? He found his DJ job just by being proactive on Instagram.

“I made a list of clubs, spent hours on Instagram, and just started sending DMs. That’s how I connected with Banzu.”

In a new country, networking looks different. Sometimes it’s about taking initiative — sending that message, showing up, and staying consistent.

That attitude landed Jorge gigs and friendships — and continues to open doors today.

Juggling School, Work, and a Business

On top of it all, Jorge launched his own chilaquiles business in Vancouver.

The concept is simple: 3 sauces, 3 proteins, one dessert — fast, delicious comfort food.

Through orders, catering, and delivery apps, Jorge has learned first-hand what it means to run a small business in Canada. And what he’s studying in class? He applies it in real life — every day.

“School should be like that — you study something and apply it as you go.”

The reality? It’s exhausting. Some nights he sleeps just a few hours. But the pride of building something from scratch keeps him moving forward.

Jorge’s Advice for New Students in Canada

Before wrapping up the conversation, Jorge shared some advice for anyone thinking of coming to study in Canada:

Don’t come with fixed ideas — your experience will be different from what you see online.
Come with clear goals — even if you’re only 80% sure.
Be ready to adapt — your interests, your priorities, even your personality will grow and change here.