@elp magazine, Issue 4, December 2015

@elp MAGAZINE

Issue 4 December 2015

A summary of the academics, activities and accomplishments at the English Language Program

Algonquin Park Breathtaking Views

Teaching Successes ELP Excellence in Teaching Award

Embrace Winter!

Holiday Activity Ideas

CONTENTS

@elp MAGAZINE

EDITOR & DESIGN Dan Pinese

STAFF CONTRIBUTORS Sara Bolourchian Heather Bryans Francesca Campos Fadia Cocco Chris Chipman Brenda Colley Erik Dean Emma De Leeuw Rosa Leo Jingjing Li Jessica Lim Lingnan Meng Asumi Matsumoto Christopher Penaranda Mustafa Sarier Junko Takahashi

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

4 6 8

Mariam Cisse

Just the Beginning

Pengfei Ai

An Open Mind

Teaching Successes Dorothy Garfinkel

ACADEMICS

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Education Is Still The Way

9 11 12 13 13 14 15

Meeting Our University Go to a Theatre The Christmas Market Niagara Falls Requiem The Benefits of Exercise Toronto’s Chinatown

15 16 17 17 18 19 20 20 21 21 22 23 23 23

Dealing with Stress Step by Step Kensington Market Ramen in Canada Toronto and its Beaches Cavalcade of Lights Alpaca’s Journey Black Friday High Park Cozy Ideas Visiting Casa Loma Fall Colours in Toronto Japanese Culture Poutine

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Cover Photograph by Mustafa Ersin Sarier

ACTIVITIES

26 Volunteering 28 Volunteer Profile 30 Algonquin Park 31 Conversation Café 32 Best Memories 34 Halloween @elp Deliciousness in 38 Toronto 39 Ice Skating 40 ELP on Instagram 42 Embrace Winter!

@elp MAGAZINE

accomplishments

Mariam Cisse

of Guinea

Just the Beginning

By: Brenda Colley, Program Administrator, Academic Support

Mariam Cisse is a former ELP student from Guinea who took Academic English level 50 (St. George) and level 60 (UTSC). She now studies at UTSC in the International Development Studies undergraduate program. Below, Mariam discusses her experience at the ELP and her goals for the future.

F

rom the moment Mariam arrived in Canada, she made an effort to learn as much as she possibly could about English, academic success, and her field of interest. While studying in the English Language Program, Mariam began to acquire, “everything that would be needed for [her] success during the [undergraduate] academic year.” For example, in level 60, Mariam became acquainted with the resources available around UTSC and how to access them. She also discovered how at the ELP, she could ask questions and there would always be someone to guide her. Given that it is uncommon to ask questions in her home country, Mariam found this aspect of studying at U of T

“You are here and it’s far from your country. It’s a lot of pressure, so you need passion in order to relax and enjoy the learning process.”

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“After my degree, I want to go back in my country and then try to work there, try to improve there.

Coming from a socalled developing country with many things to do, I think my skills and my knowledge will help those people more than here.” from Guinea who are also studying international development in Canada. She hopes to strategize with these other students about what needs to be done in order to improve development in Guinea.

She acknowledges how fortunate she is to have been given the opportunity to travel and learn abroad because, “not many people get the chance to come here and study.” She understands the challenges of studying abroad but believes that if you are passionate about what you are doing, you will enjoy the experience: “You are here and it’s far from your country. It’s a lot of pressure, so you need passion in order to relax and enjoy the learning process.”

Mariam has big goals for the future: “After my degree, I want to go back in my country and then try to work there, try to improve there. Coming from a so-called developing country with many things to do, I think my skills and my knowledge will help those people more than here”. This summer she plans to return to Africa and speak to the authorities for international development. She “really want[s] to go back and try to help make a change”.

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accomplishments @elp

to be very valuable. She especially found asking questions to be helpful when working on her university application. Mariam made use of the University and College Application Support service: “For me I had too many questions … I didn’t know how to apply because I didn’t know the system. So we had a session on how to apply to university and what [was] needed.”

This propensity to ask questions and utilize resources paid off as she was soon accepted to University of Toronto Scarborough. Once accepted to UTSC, Mariam began to prepare for undergraduate studies. She understood that she would have to learn how to translate the terms she already knew from French to English. With this in mind, Mariam spent much of her time looking at blogs, videos, and academic texts about her field of study.

“Before I even started, I wanted to know all the terms. I went online on Google, because we had to choose our courses based on our interest and our major. So I had to go online and, oh okay, this is international development and then I “Googled” it and [did] Youtube video courses.”

This past September, Mariam began her program in International Development Studies at UTSC. She is currently taking a number of courses including International Development, International Relations, Political Issues, and Macroeconomics. When prompted to state the most interesting or exciting thing she’s learned so far, she responded with an emphatic,“EVERYTHING.” Mariam continues her self-learning practices such as reviewing terms outside of class and studying related videos and texts. She also makes the most of tutorial time as she claims, “The tutorials are the best to ask questions, because we get the chance to introduce ourselves and there are 20 [students] or less than that.” Mariam also enjoys the opportunities to learn from guest lecturers and other international students who offer different perspectives about current events.

Mariam continues to use the skills and connections she gained while studying at the ELP. She especially believes that Project Day prepared her for her undergraduate studies.

“I had a chance to see other presentations. I emailed a girl and she sent me her presentation [which] helped me in my [undergraduate] courses.

I thought that was really nice. You never know.

They have so many people that have so different ideas within the course. The courses allow them to express themselves with the presentation. I think that is really valuable.”

What is perhaps most apparent when speaking to Mariam is her love of learning and her passion for international development. Even though she is very far from home, she continues to read about current events in Guinea and is constantly thinking about how she can apply the theories and case studies she is learning about to her home country and the rest of Africa: “It’s like my brain is automatically translating how I can apply it to my country.” Since there are no courses in international development where she is from, she has now started networking with students

accomplishments

Pengfei Ai

of China

An Open Mind

By: Emma De Leeuw, University and College Application Support Program Assistant

Pengfei Ai, is a current student at the English Language Program (ELP) and has been accepted to the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) Social Justice Education Master’s program. Below she shares her experience about her home country China, ELP courses, and the university application process.

P

engfei grew up in a small city in the North-East of China. For most of her life, Pengfei studied the traditional Chinese instrument the Erhu. “I have studied and learned Erhu since I was nine years old. Each student is required to choose music or sport in the first year.

I chose music and the Erhu which is a traditional Chinese instrument. And I thought, ‘I quite like this.’”

Her early musical studies in school led Pengfei to continue to train as a musician during university, but while at university Pengfei’s professor sparked her interest in education. “During this time I liked teaching. My professor gave me lots of opportunity to teach the younger

“I liked teaching. My professor gave me lots of opportunity to teach the younger children. I thought that it was quite an exciting experience and that teaching is a good way to make a living.”

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children. I thought that it was quite an exciting experience and that teaching is a good way to make a living.”

This new founded interest motivated Pengfei to look abroad for new opportunities; eventually leading her to the English Language Program at the University of Toronto. She has completed the Academic English levels 50 and 60, and is currently enrolled in the Advanced Academic Skills course.

“I think the most interesting thing is the teaching skills from each instructor. They are so positive and happy that you don’t feel the pressure and that you want to learn something.”

During her time here, Pengfei has been an active participant with the ELP Volunteering and has even joined volunteer opportunities in Toronto by herself.

“The first time I volunteered at the Doors Open Toronto in the new city hall and I helped translate, and I also volunteered at the World Pride Parade; so it gave me lots of experience and was very interesting.”

These volunteer experiences provided Pengfei with an opportunity to practice her English outside of the classroom. It also provided her with a wide variety of experiences to write about when applying to university.

The University and College Application Support (UCAS) provided Pengfei with advice on how to plan and organize her application. She attended multiple workshops that were held before her classes, and also booked numerous one-on-one appointments.

“I think the most important [thing is that] UCAS gave me a lot of confidence.”

All this hard work paid off, because Pengfei was accepted to a Master’s program in Social Justice Education at the University of Toronto. In particular, Pengfei is interested in studying gender inequality, aboriginal studies and more generally restorative justice, but admits that she still has a lot of researching to do.

In the future, Pengfei hopes to complete a Ph.D in the field of social justice education and increase the awareness and research of this field that is not very prevalent in China. Although she admits that this will take a lot of hard work, Pengfei is encouraged by her proud parents.

“Yes I am quite lucky, my parents are so supportive of me, whatever I choose they will support me. Before I choose something they tell me that I have to think about the good parts and the bad parts.”

Overall, Pengfei is excited to start her program in January and feels confident that the ELP has provided her with not only the English language proficiency but also with plenty of positive memories and experiences. One message Pengfei hopes to convey to people with her education is the importance of being open to everything.

“At first you have to open your mind, to accept different opinions. Then you have to read a lot to enrich yourself. And then combine your thoughts with others. Then you will know different perspectives of the world.”

“At first you have to open your mind, to accept different opinions. Then you have to read a lot to enrich yourself.

And then combine your thoughts with others. Then you will know different perspectives of the world.”

One-on-one Application Support Students who wish to have a one-on-one appointment with an Application Support team member should send an email to Brenda with the following information: ELP Course, Level, and the university/ college program of interest.

Contact Brenda: brenda.colley@utoronto.ca

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accomplishments

Teaching Successes

Dorothy Garfinkel, ELP Instructor By: Dan Pinese, ELP Program Administrator, Student Services

A

fter almost 18 years as an instructor at the English Language Program (ELP), Dorothy Garfinkel still enjoys the sense of fulfillment that comes with teaching English. For her, success as an educator and student is not only on-going but is based on the student experience inside and outside the classroom.

So, when asked about being given the ELP Excellence in Teaching Award, an annual honour presented to an instructor based on student feedback and comments, the Award is simply part of a career-long learning experience and feeling of accomplishment rooted in the student-instructor relationship.

“In a way, I always feel that I have been awarded by [my students’] comments and by their reactions to me. [The Award] is just a nice recognition really of their appreciation,” she said.

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“I am very honoured. It is a nice feeling.”

But what is success? There are multiple examples and definitions in addition to formal recognition, according to Dorothy. In the class, from an instructor perspective, success is based on encouraging student engagement. Creating an environment where a student is comfortable and overcomes shyness or a perceived lack of confidence is essential.

“I especially feel those moments [of success] when students who have perhaps been uninvolved or seem uninvolved in the class or are quiet, when they suddenly become involved and participate. When I see the confidence in the students I feel really that I have achieved something,” she said.

And these moments of accomplishment as an instructor are also rooted in the willingness of the student to use their acquired skills from the classroom in real-world applications. If students want to maximize their learning, they can also help themselves by using their classroom-acquired knowledge in real-world situations, advises Dorothy.

“Students should get out of the classroom and practice what they know. They should get involved in volunteerism or any activities where they can practice the language or where they can be comfortable using the language in a natural setting.”

Learning is self-reinforcing: confidence inside and outside the classroom leads to the acquisition of skills which leads to more confidence. Combine this process with learning a language in a city like Toronto and at a school like the ELP and the result is, according to Dorothy, not just the acquisition of language but other skills that can benefit the student after their studies at the ELP. Being able to converse in real-life situations as well as being exposed to the multiple cultures and backgrounds that are often represented in the ELP classroom add another level to learning and success but also part of the enjoyment.

“The other thing that I have found that gives me a sense of achievement is to see how students interact in ways they have not probably interacted at home,” she said.

“I really enjoy the job. Every session there are new challenges and new senses of fulfillment.”

Due to our diverse student population, we receive many opinion-based articles relating to global and current affairs. The views expressed in this magazine are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the English Language Program. The English Language Program does not endorse, represent or warrant the quality of products or companies mentioned within.

Meeting Our New University By: Jonathan Eduardo Vazquez Banuelos of Mexico, English PLUS, Intermediate

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am Jonathan Vazquez from Guadalajara, Mexico and I along with a group of students came to Canada thanks to a scholarship from our university in Mexico (Universidad de Guadalajara). We are blessed, because it’s an unforgettable experience. We were nervous when we arrived to Canada, but as the days go by we are more and more excited.

Canada has treated us in the best way we could imagine, and we don’t want to leave. Everyone here is so polite, that they always help you when you have a problem. It’s my first time here and I have never gotten lost thanks to all the help that I have received. Canada has been the safest country that I have been to. My classmates and I visited our new university which is the University of Toronto, where we would study in the English Language Program (ELP).

The tour was given by some of the cultural assistants at the ELP, and they took us to the best places that U of T has. One of the greatest things you can do in U of T is stroll down Philosopher’s Walk that is a wonderful spot, where people go and think about life; it’s a magical place surrounded by trees, and amazing views that you wouldn’t see in another university. Another place that they took us was the top floor of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education which is called The OISE Nexus Lounge and it is located on the 12th floor of this building. It was unbelievable because you can see a lot of places from there, like Varsity Centre, CN Tower, University of St. Michael’s College and the Royal Ontario Museum. This is just one of the greatest things I have done since I arrived but I know that this is just the beginning and I am excited for all the things to come.

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academics @elp

Disclaimer:

academics

Education Is Still The Way By: Nathalia Cristina de Melo Corrêa da Silva, Former Academic English Student

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n my life, nothing came to me easily. My name is Nathalia Cristina, and I am a second-year Civil Engineering student from Brazil. I was never the best student at school, but I was always the most persistent one. I did not have a rich family; however, my parents, Jorge and Ana, and my brother, Arthur, gave me everything that they could to help me study as hard as possible. As a result of family’s support and my hard work, I was accepted in one of the best Brazilian Civil Engineering programs. After that, I started to work at an incredible research program at my university. And all this experience led me to being accepted to the biggest Brazilian exchange program, Science Without Borders.

Through a scholarship given by Brazil, I was accepted to study at one of the top five universities in the world, the University of Toronto. However, I had to accept a certain condition in order to start my studies abroad. The only barrier between me and this upgrade in my career was that I needed to learn academic English between September and July of that year. This given condition scared me at first, but I know by experience that the key is to not give up.

In September of 2013 when I moved to Toronto, I was totally afraid of speaking English, but in my third week here, I started my Academic English course at the University of Toronto English Language Program (ELP).

In the end, I took three consecutive English courses (Academic English levels 40, 50 and 60). A few weeks after I first started this program, I already 10

felt more comfortable with English, and now I feel confident in my second language thanks to all the learning that I did at the ELP. Different from other English programs, at the University of Toronto English Language Program is that it is possible to practice what you learn outside the classroom. For example, while I was an ELP student, I attended weekly workshops, volunteer sessions, and many of the social activity events organized by the ELP staff. In addition, I sent many articles to ELP’s student magazine World of Words (now, @elp) as was suggested by my teacher, Shauna.

By July of 2014, I concluded my last ELP course, level 60, and in the same month I received a letter of acceptance from the Civil Engineering Program at the University of Toronto. At this moment, I could see my dreams coming true, and I felt that hard work will always be an important value in my life. Therefore, in the of Summer of 2014, I started the first of two terms at a university abroad.

“But what is life without love?”. By the time that I had everything that I had always wanted, I still had a blank space. An important part of the story of my life was unwritten, and this all changed when I first met my future husband, Sean. When I fell in love with him, my whole perspective on life changed. I noticed that if I did not have love, I was nothing. He brought colour to my existence, and gave me more reasons to keep moving forward in my journey. In May of 2015, I saw another dream coming true: we got married.

At university though, I have successfully finished

all the subjects that I studied.

Also, I have concluded my MBA in Leadership in which I am the first person to whom the University of Toronto gave this designation to.

Now, after the end of my Brazilian scholarship, I am looking for another award to help me to go back to school since financial matters is the only thing that is stopping me. My goal is to become a Civil Engineer specialized in Canadian green construction, and I will not stop working hard until I get that degree.

It is quite clear that education changed my life, and I want to thank here all my ELP teachers Maryam, Daniel, Doug, Marianne, Carol Anne, Shauna, and Grace for all the help they gave me. I can say that most of the confidence that I have now is related to the moment that I finally could feel that I overcame the challenge of speaking English, proving that education is still the best way to achieve your dreams.

Go to a Theatre in Toronto!

By: Chiho Takayama of Japan, English PLUS, Intermediate

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n Toronto, there are many theaters. One day I went to a theatre that had a very good rating.

I usually check out this site: cinemaclock.com/ Toronto.html. This site tells you about the film information, review, ranking and place. The movie ticket price on an ordinary day is about $8 and on weekends about $12. But most theatres have a special price on Tuesday. When I went on Tuesday, I was able to watch a movie for $5. I was very surprised because I have never watched a movie in

the theatre at this price.

Next, I’ll introduce one of theatres. The name is Rainbow Cinemas and they have locations downtown and in the suburbs of Toronto. There is a special day when we can watch $5 on every Tuesday. And there are English movies with subtitles, so the person who studies English can enjoy watching movies, which is very good.

If you go to the theatre you might be have a great time!

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Christmas Market in Toronto By: Wei-Li Lin, Taiwan, English PLUS Program, Intermediate

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ven though the weather was very cold, the activity was exciting. We went to the Christmas Market on the weekend, so we had to buy tickets.

But if you go on a weekday, it is free. In the photo, we put on a red nose; do you think it is cute? We wanted to be like a reindeer.

In the Christmas Market, you could see colourful snowmen, drink hot chocolate, eat cheese bread and buy a lot of presents. If you want to go the Christmas Market, remember to take a photo with Santa. Maybe Santa will ask you: “What do you want for X-mas?”

Social Media

By: Aline Suzin Silveira of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

T

he rise of social media has accompanied the development of egocentrism in our society.

These sites provide us with a sort of virtual stage on which we can perform an improved version of our own lives. We focus our efforts on creating our perfect virtual image: we share our best selfies, our best meals and our best travels. We can also share our most unsolicited opinions and the public will be there to read them. It makes us feel like suddenly we have an importance that we did not have before; suddenly, there are people interested in our own boring lives. Furthermore, talking about ourselves is as pleasurable as addictive; the action releases 12

dopamine in the pleasure centre of our brain – the same substance released by eating chocolate or smoking a cigarette. It may not cause a physical addiction like drugs do, but a psychological one is very likely. In this scenario, we have addicted people compulsively sharing information about their lives until something goes wrong – for instance, some forgotten picture falls into the wrong hands – and then not just our virtual, but also our real image may be endangered. We know that social media can make us more egocentric and we know why; all that is left to understand is how badly this might affect our society.

Memories of Niagara Falls By: Ayaka Urakawa of Japan, English PLUS, Intermediate level

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went to Niagara Falls last month. I used the tour from ISX because this tour includes the option of drinking ice wine.

So I was able to drink ice wine, peach wine, white wine and red wine. It was the first time to drink wine in my life. It was delicious. After drinking, we went to Niagara Falls. I was able to make friends with the bus driver. He spoke to me in a friendly way, so I talked with him and I saw his cell phone pictures. Finally, we took a picture together. It was so exciting for me because I wanted to go there once in my life. I was able to feel the powerful energy when we rode on the cruise by Niagara Falls. We enjoyed riding on the cruise. We got wet, but we wanted to ride it again! So we are going to go to Niagara Falls again. However, we are going to go there by train because we saw some advertisements in Japan and we wanted to try it. It was the best memory in Canada. I had a great time! So, I recommend you to go Niagara Falls. I think you should go to Niagara Falls at least one time in your life. It is a famous place and you will be impressed like me.

Requiem

By: Riza Bengi of Turkey, Academic Foundations

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e are now in painful times: terror, war and migration rate. The Paris attack is a terrible act of terrorism which targeted innocent people on a Friday evening in the heart of Europe. One hundred and thirty innocent people lost their lives as a result of this attack. The terrorist organization attacked Paris as they attacked Ankara just a month ago in my country. The same terrorist organization attacked Lebanon a couple of weeks ago.

Today, we are all French as a couple of weeks ago we were all Lebanese and a month ago we were all Turkish. We have to say it more strongly today. Our responsibility is being together with the French, who shout freedom and are not afraid in Republic Square.

Today, we tell our French friends; your pain is my pain.

My heart aches from sadness and pain. We are moving away from peace every day because these attacks are pitiless.

Where is the world going? Is our world too old for all this pain? We are like orphan children looking for their families in war ruins. All these atrocities, injustices and inequalities in the world are only one result. This is a deterioration. This is an era when we

lost all hope of peace.

The world needs a new age of enlightenment and a renaissance. We need geniuses like Galileo, Newton, Michelangelo, Da Vinci and others.

After the Paris attack a journalist with Charlie Hebdo sent a message on Twitter. He said: “ …We do not need more religion. Our faith is music, kisses, life..” I agree with him. We do not need more religion.

We need more studies, science, and art because the target of terrorists is our civilization.

Pain does not have religion, language, race or color. We cannot contrast our pain. I cannot contrast it. I am deeply sorry if there has been pain anywhere.

Palestinian children who died from bombs or people who killed civilians in Paris, and people who have died in Syria all hurt my heart deeply.

The ancient Greek writer Aeschylus (BC 526-456) said: “The truth is the first casualty of the war.”

Humanity is forgetting rapidly that there is only one world to live. Our exhausted world needs to take a rest, of course humanity does too.

Someone should start the peace just as they started the war.

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The Benefits of Exercise By: Barbora Doubravska of the Czech Republic, Academic English Level 60

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n “The Psychological Benefits of Exercise,” J. Ogeden discusses the issue of exercise in relieving depression.

This can be important in rehabilitation, but there is another aspect to consider. Technologies now, such as artificial limbs or robotic aids, can help disabled people return to a normal life.

For example, soldiers who have been wounded in the past or in recent conflicts and lost parts of their body in addition to those who cannot move could find support in today’s technologies. However, the first months after the injury, these patients have to find their own balance and with a psychologist’s help try to specify the new goals in their lives to prevent and decrease their depression, which is the first and the most significant step in their recovery. Support from their family and friends is most important for them, but they also need to find a new perspective and new goals in life, such as what they want to achieve. This is necessary to to win the fight over the depression and health issues, which they have to face at the same time. It is also highly necessary to be motivated by others, such as doctors, other patients from rehabilitation centres, or foundations.

An illustration of the latter help is a foundation called “REGI BASE”, which was created by three friends of one a soldier named Jiri Schams (nicknamed “REGI”) who was badly wounded in Afghanistan in March 2008. When his friends found him in his flat in Prague, he was in very poor condition in a bed; in fact, he could not move or even eat without assistance. In addition to this, he was in such a depression that he wanted to kill himself. His friends realised that they had to do as much as they could to help him to survive. Regi became the face of the foundation and has shown to others who deal with a disability that everything is possible. After the injury it took him six years of hard work, exercises and a great deal of pain to start walking and eating still with some assistance.

However, he has done it, because he overcame his dark shadow of depression.

After an injury, disabled people have to face an unbelievable number of issues, such as depression, which comes from a total life change and the needs for assistance. But fortunately, these days they have a variety of possibilities to return to a normal life. Technology can help to replace a missing part of the body, and rehabilitation can help to bring a better condition to the body. But the most important element is patient’s own perspective. For 14

this reason, it is very important to have examples such as Regi who were helped to find new goals, strength and faith that everything in life is possible.

Note from the author: I would like to thank my instructor, Shauna, who convinced me to publish this article. I truly appreciate the confidence she had in me.

Toronto’s Chinatown By: Monserrat de Jesus Briones Serrano of Mexico, English PLUS, Intermediate

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isiting Chinatown in Toronto for the first time, it’s an exciting experience in life. There are many shops, restaurants, historic monuments and many activities to do. You can feel the scents of other culture, without the need of going to other countries; that is wonderful, isn’t it? But it is not enough to read my article, you need to visit Chinatown yourself and enjoy everything that there is to offer with your family, friends or alone, why not?

Whatever you choose, you can enjoy its restaurants with its different flavours. Also you can visit some gift shops and buy some souvenirs, paying less than you will imagine. Moreover, you can walk all around the amazing town and just look at everything because every shop is colourful and has a special Chinese scent. Chinatown is a place that can you find at the corner of Spadina and Dundas St. West, enjoy!

Dealing with Stress By: Aline Suzin Silveira of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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n the article “Psychological Benefits of Exercise”, psychology professor Jane Ogden (2012) discusses the effects of aerobic activities on our mood, citing various studies showing that it can decrease levels of depression and anxiety, help us cope with stress and improve self-esteem and self-confidence. While aerobic exercise is a very efficient way to improve our psychological well-being, two other strategies are also very helpful for stressed-out people: practicing yoga and sharing our worries. Yoga, being a physical activity itself, has the same physiological effects of aerobic exercise that the author shows in the article: an increase in the levels of endorphin and a decrease in the levels of norepinephrine, both leading to a less depressed mood. Apart from that, Yoga is based on mindfulness – a mental exercise

consisting of awareness of the actual moment - which is a practice well-known for its results in decreasing depression and anxiety, as well as contributing to a better lifestyle. Another point is that sharing our thoughts is also extremely helpful when dealing with stress. Confiding our worries to another person – it can be a friend, a loved one or even a mental health professional – may present us with a comforting sensation of relief. We can, moreover, sometimes be “blinded” by our own stress, and, in that case, an external view of the issue might be revealing and essential to reaching a solution.

Therefore, there are various effective ways to deal with our stressed lives; picking one or more may make our troubles less of a burden.

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Step By Step

By: Miryam Hernández Castellanos of Mexico, English PLUS, High Intermediate

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learned how to walk when I was one year old, and I never forgot how to do it. Ever since that I’ve spent countless hours moving one leg after the other, whether it was to go home after school or just to feel that temporary connection to the ground beneath my feet which can be compared to life itself.

The thing is that walking has taken me to all the places I’ve been to, and it wasn’t until very recently that I realized that. See, I’ve lived most of my life in Jalisco, a state of Mexico (my home country), until last year I decided to go further and spend one and a half months living in a different city, the well-known tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta, to be part of a summer research program where I met people from other states and even from other countries while I had the chance to work on a project about sustainable tourism.

That time my two legs took me to a couple of turtle sanctuaries, to some insanely beautiful waterfalls, to undiscovered beaches through the jungle, to a natural area called “Las Islas Marietas” and to a lot of other amazing places.

After my stay in Puerto Vallarta, I got a great tan but I also got bitten by the travel bug and I couldn’t help but repeating the experience. So this year I applied to a summer research program again but I went to the city of San Cristobal de las Casas in the state of Chiapas (still in Mexico) and worked on a project about wetlands conservation. During those seven weeks my legs took me to climb pyramids in wonderful archaeological sites like Palenque and Tonina, I got the chance to see greenish landscapes and swam through a couple of… guess what? Bluish waterfalls again! And I also walked a part of the Lacandon Jungle and got bitten again, but this time by super-sized mosquitoes!

That time in Chiapas I met fantastic people that I’m proud to call friends, like A., a nice Canadian girl who told me I should come to Canada. But none of us thought it would happen so soon.

After that, on October 28th I read of an English Language Program to be held in Canada and I immediately applied to it. Less than a month later here I am, living with a lovely Canadian family and walking in the city of Toronto, a multicultural city par excellence thanks to the University of Guadalajara, in which I’m about to earn the Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Management .

Looking back, it all seems like I’ve been unblocking levels in a videogame; first I took the baby steps and spent six weeks in a different city but I stood in the same state speaking the same language, then I lived seven weeks in a different state but I stood in the same country speaking the same language, and now I’ll be for 4 weeks in a different country speaking a different language.

Who knows where my feet will take me next time?

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Kensington Market By: Benjamin Eduardo Vega Galvan of Mexico, English PLUS, Intermediate

D

o you know that there exists a multicultural place from all nationalities of the world in Toronto? Well this place is called Kensington Market and you don’t need to travel to other countries to find it. You can find this area very interesting with so many restaurants, stores and people from different parts of the world. I recommend visiting the restaurant Pancho y Emiliano, because this is a place with traditional Mexican food and its flavour is the same like in México.

Ramen in Canada By: Kayo Horio of Japan, English PLUS, Intermediate

T

oronto has many Japanese restaurants. One of the restaurants is named ‘’Sansoutei’’.

It is a ramen restaurant. The taste is very similar to the ones in Japan.

I usually go there. I recommend eating the taste of tonkotsu. I think the restaurant is the best in Toronto. Thank you.

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academics

My Experiences in Toronto and its Beaches By: Jose Armando Hernández Díaz of México, English PLUS, Intermediate

T

oronto is famously known to be the most important metropolis in Canada and around the world. This city is not only important and famous for its tall buildings and huge shopping malls, but it could also be that the multicultural society is the most important and beautiful thing that Toronto has to offer. Additionally, everybody thinks Toronto has beautiful beaches where you can do whatever you want, from practicing a sport to walking with your dog.

My experience in the Woodbine Beach of Toronto was very nice, even though I came in the winter and there were not many activities to do, it was still an unforgettable experience.

One Sunday, my friends and I were thinking about where we could go, and the beach was the first option. It was very easy to travel there by subway because the beach is relatively close to downtown. At the beginning, we did not know what the Toronto beach would be like, especially because we knew that it was not a sea beach, but when we arrived there it was amazing. Lake Ontario is a majestic lake, and it actually looked like a sea. As everybody does, when they are in the sea the first thing they do is touch the water and we did exactly that to check how cold it was. Then we just walked around the place, taking pictures and enjoying the scenery. For us the weather was very cold but for Canadian people it was normal. They were doing exercises with their dogs. I liked that the beach was very clean and well maintained and I was very excited to be there because it is difficult to find a lake with waves and clear water.

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Cavalcade of Lights By: Jesus Manuel Rodriguez Hernandez of Mexico, English PLUS, Intermediate

H

ello everyone, my name is Jesus Rodriguez, I am a 22-year-old student from Mexico, and I study Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Guadalajara. I came to Toronto to take the English PLUS course and I arrived just a week ago. Toronto is very different than I thought, because there were a lot of people from different nationalities coexisting with each other in a very friendly way.

Last Saturday was the 49th Cavalcade of Lights, which marked the official start of the holiday season.

This is Toronto’s tradition in a very important square called Nathan Phillips that shows the first illumination on the official Christmas tree. In the middle of the square is an ice rink, in which people have skating parties, and at the same time, there are a lot of performances by some of Canada’s top musical talent, and it finishes with a great fireworks show illuminating the sky.

For me the holiday season is very familiar, when everyone can spend time together. I’m not a child anymore but I still enjoy talking and joking with my family. When I saw the families singing and skating together on the ice rink, I got a little homesick because I wished my brothers were here with me. I will go back to Mexico in two weeks, so I’ll be in my house before Christmas starts, to tell my family how great Toronto is, and talk about my experiences in school and the city travels.

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academics

Alpaca’s Journey By: Shiho Kadoya of Japan, English PLUS, Intermediate

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lpaca is my stuffed animal and it is also my fortune charm. I keep it with me everywhere I go; it is a great conversation starter and when other people see her, they approach me and ask me about her. She has gone with me to travel to all the places in Toronto. You can see her in the photos that I took of her. I have also crocheted a hat, scarf, cape, etc. for her to have different outfits in the photos.

When I arrived in Canada, I was a little anxious, because it was my first experience going to a foreign country for a long time. But it was great! ELP Cultural Assistants welcomed my university group at the airport and made me laugh.

I spent four months in Toronto. It’s an important memory for me. I tried to challenge myself a lot and visit many places here. If I’m walking in the city, I can meet people from various countries in Toronto. And they are very kind.

When I went to Toronto Islands with friends, we

met a person. He lived on Toronto Islands, and he showed me around the islands. I think he was a reliable person. I also joined the Volunteer Club.

This club gave me a chance to talk to local people (Canadians), event participants and other volunteers.

I practiced English too. I made a lot of new friends here. And many people had a goal or plan for the future. I’m thinking about studying hard like them.

ELP has a good learning environment, because they have large buildings as part of the university, enthusiastic teachers and reliable Cultural Assistants. I appreciate this wonderful encounter and I will continue to study hard and make use of this experience. My dream is to be a teacher in a developing country. I will teach Japanese language and culture and I will help with foreign exchange students and children. This experience of studying abroad has been the best memories of my life.

Black Friday By: Nanae Onuki of Japan, English PLUS, Intermediate Level

D

o you know about Black Friday? It’s a Friday that happens after Thanksgiving Day in the United States.

Canada’s Thanksgiving Day is the second Monday in October. Clothes, home electronics appliances, furniture, etc, have big reductions on that day.

I had never experienced this day, so I went to Eaton Centre for shopping with my friends. It was 20

very crowded there, in spite of it being a weekday.

Almost all products had a discount of 20%-50% off the regular price, so I was very surprised. I was able to get what I wanted to buy and we enjoyed Black Friday.

But, I heard that Boxing Day is more amazing than Black Friday.

So I want to try shopping on Boxing Day!

High Park By: Claudia Celina Guerra Gomez of Mexico, English PLUS, Intermediate

H

igh Park is a beautiful park in Toronto. High Park measures 161 hectares (400 acres) and is the largest in Toronto within the limits of the city green space. The area opened with the name of High Park in 1876. Here, there are the forests, swamps and prairies. Admire the black oak savannah, a protected ecosystem that was almost lost and that once covered most of southern Ontario piece.

My friends and I visited on the first day we were in town. We took the subway to the west and got off at the station High Park. Once we arrived, we started taking photographs and walking around this beautiful place. We were walking through the park for about three hours. The scenery was so nice that you do not realize that you spend so much time there.

During the tour, we were able to appreciate the flora and fauna of the park. We gave food to the ducks and we saw how squirrels were eating in the cherry tree. It is a great place to relax and enjoy nature. You have to visit it.

Cozy Ideas By: Cecilia Chiappori of Peru, Academic English Level 60

I

am a Peruvian/Italian girl, who lives in Toronto and loves to be creative by doing crafts, home decorations and events of all kinds, that’s why I decided to create my blog “CozyIdeas.” For me, the blog was a pending project after my master degree and through the Certificate of Digital Marketing Management at the School of Continuing Studies of U of T I was able to achieve it.

I consider myself observant, curious, and highly detail oriented. I love to walk on the street to get new creative ideas to pamper my family and friends.

Since I was a child, I have taken different art courses to learn new things, from ceramics to decoration of stores to painting. Art and creativity are important aspects in my life, which give me energy and passion in my day to day.

In September 2015 I moved to Toronto, because I got married with a wonderful guy after a seven-year relationship. He constantly motivates me to reach my personal and professional goals. The year before coming to Canada I was studying a master’s degree in Marketing and Sales in the wonderful city of Madrid – Spain. Being there gave me the opportunity to meet new people and discover a new city, which inspired me to come up with new ideas to express myself.

Through my blog I want to share with you the “CozyIdeas” that are part of my daily life and motivate yourselves to be part of them. WELCOME and feel free to create with me!

“CozyIdeas” is committed to posting updates each week with creativity and news. Find out more at www.cozyideasdotcom.wordpress.com.

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academics

Visiting Casa Loma By: Ivan Fernando Galaviz Mendoza & Diana Isabel Vazquez Enriquez of Mexico, English PLUS, Intermediate

I

n Toronto, there’s a big older house. This house belonged to Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. This house is known as Casa Loma and it has a really interesting history, from being a castle, to becoming one of the most visited museums in Canada. Everything starts with the Great Hall, which is a big room that has several flags from different places of the world in it. Here, you can go to the Gardens or to Sir Henry Pellat’s Study. From there, you can go downstairs to admire the wine cellar, which has nearly 1800 bottles of wine and champagne. When you finish that, you should go to the highest point of Casa Loma, which are the Towers. From here, you can have a really nice view of the city, and put your name on one of the walls that are there, so you could remember your trip when you return later. Definitely you should go to the conservatory, because there’s a room where Sir Henry’s wife planted flowers, and it is very beautiful! It’s currently decorated with poinsettias for Christmas; it looks wonderful. In this museum several movies had been filmed. Before you leave, be sure to purchase something from the gift shop! Also, you can get a souvenir by imprinting your penny for a dollar!

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Fall Colours in Toronto By: Sung Min Yook of South Korea, English PLUS, Intermediate

I

n Canada, I was able to see some beautiful fall leaves in many places. When I went to High Park, it had very beautiful and colourful fall leaves.

Many other parks and streets were the same. It was the most beautiful scene I’ve ever seen in Canada.

Japanese Culture in Toronto By: Karin Munakata of Japan, English PLUS, Intermediate

L

ast weekend, I volunteered to teach Hyakunin Isshu for other people in Toronto. This is a kind of Karuta, which is a Japanese traditional card game. In the past, the emperor Fujiwara no sadeie chose one hundred poems from a poet. These poems he chose became Hyakunin Isshu.

In Hyakunin Isshu, there is a poem written on each

card. This game has two parts to it. The first part is to read a card and to find the matching card on the table and take it. The second part is that we need to memorize all cards to better enjoy the game.

The game is played mostly on Japanese New Year’s holiday.

Poutine By: Ryota Hanaoka of Japan, English PLUS, Intermediate

W

hat’s Canadian food? There are many kinds of famous foods in Canada. As you may know, one of the most important ones is “poutine.” Poutine was born in Quebec. However, there are many theories about the origin, so I don’t know whether it is accurate. It is quite salty for Japanese people because we don’t really eat that much salt. In my case, I am getting used to the salty taste because I have eaten it many times. By the way, I found out

that there is kind of sweet poutine when I researched about Canadian food. It was the first time I had seen the information. It was called “poutine en sac.”

That food is really made by people who live in Nova Scotia and eastern state of Maine in U.S. This food is unfamiliar to people except people who live in that area. It is like pudding steamed in a cloth bag. If you travel to Maine or Nova Scotia, I recommend you to try “poutine en sac”!

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@elp

Photo by: Marco Flores

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Photo by: Marco Flores

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Volunteering

By: Erik Dean, Cultural Assistant, Graduate in Ecology and Evolution, University of Toronto

V

olunteering is the most attended extracurricular activity at the ELP, and for good reason!

Volunteering offers many great opportunities to gain experience, especially for speaking English, and offers a diverse range of activities to suit different interests.

The volunteer meeting is every Wednesday at 5:15 PM, so please come and learn more if you’re interested. To give you an idea of what kind of outings we go on, here are some highlights from the past season: September 20 - Island Girl Run The Island Girl Run is a Carribean themed, road race event held on Toronto Island. Our role as volunteers at this event was to set up water stations, and then later provide runners with water.

September 29 - Inside Out Project The inside Out Project is an international art project led by French photographer JR, which installs large portraits of people in public spaces. The aim of this project varies between locations, but generally encourages people to re-examine their communities.

We were able to help in the production of these large portraits for the Toronto art festival Nuit Blanche.

October 18 - Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon The Toronto Waterfront Marathon is one of Toronto’s larger road races, being a full marathon of roughly 42 kilometers in length. In order to maintain order, different groups of runners separated by their average speeds are set to begin the race at different times. As volunteers, we helped ensure that each group started the race properly, and then helped return the roads to their normal condition afterwards.

October 30 - Blake Street P.S. Halloween Dance On the day before Halloween, Blake Street Junior Public School held a Halloween Dance event for their students. Volunteers from the ELP helped out at this event by serving popcorn, painting faces, and encouraging dancing. All in their costumes of course!

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November 12 - Canadian Diabetes Association Expo The Canadian Diabetes Association Expo was a large public exhibition event held at the Ontario Science Centre, providing information, motivation, and opportunities to connect for people living with diabetes. Prior to this event, volunteers from the ELP had assisted in preparing for the expo by packing hundreds of kits for visitors. Later, on the evening of the expo, it was the role of volunteers to greet visitors and distribute these kits.

November 16 - Holly Jolly Fun Run The Holly Jolly Fun Run is a short, five-kilometer race which shares its date and course with the Santa Claus Parade. As a result, many runners often dress as Santa, snowmen, elves, or other things of the same theme.

Our role as volunteers was to help out at the finish line of the race, where runners can pick up their checked baggage. Runners have the option to drop off items before the race begins, which then get transported to the finish line where they are organized and returned by volunteers.

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ELP Volunteer Profile Mariya Li

of Kazakhstan

Interview By: Asumi Matsumoto, ELP Cultural Assistant Graduate of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto

How long have you been here at ELP now?

I came here July 7th 2014. So, one year and four months.

You mentioned you came here on the Bolashak scholarship, but why did you pick Toronto?

I have a friend who studied and we were studying at the same university and she said she’s going to Canada so….yeah.

Did you always want to study abroad?

Yes, for many reasons, but mainly because it’s always a good way to refresh yourself and gain new ideas.

How did you feel about coming to ELP? Were you nervous about coming abroad?

Maybe a little bit nervous, because it’s always something new, trying to fit into a new society, with new language and meeting new people. For me though, when travelling, you are always changing your environment and who you are.

How is your English-learning experience in Toronto?

My English has improved a lot since I first came here. Before I couldn’t speak more than 3 sentences.

[Studying English] is not just about being in class at ELP, but also the living environment. You have to speak to people outside of school in your daily life; it’s not just the four hours when you are in class.

Was it easy for you to adjust to the new environment, particularly the school?

School is great actually, I love it. This school is just high quality compared to other schools, like the teachers. Right now I am in Bill’s class and he makes us research in class and as we discuss it’s like “BOOM” the way he makes us think is quite mind-blowing. And the Cultural Assistants! When Christopher went to Europe, I was actually missing him!

The greatest part about ELP is that you meet all these incredible people from all over the world. I still keep in touch with many of the past students. I can’t quite describe it, but I feel like my mind might be more open now because I can see things not just from my perspective, but also from this culture or this other culture.

What was your first impression of ELP? I remember when I came here, I met Mario and he was speaking Spanish to people. When we came, it was our first day, and he was greeting us. He was very friendly. And then things got a little stressful because of placement tests. And then I met Visjna, my first teacher. She is amazing.

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Was it different from what you expected?

That’s the thing, I didn’t check anything about the school. I just checked the site and I didn’t create any expectations. I just heard from my friend that she enjoys living in Toronto. Personally, I feel like if you don’t create expectations, it’s good because you don’t get too excited or too frustrated.

Have you ever gotten homesick?

I did, and now that I look back, I think it’s because I had nothing to do. When you have a lot of free time, you tend to overthink. Having things to do really helps.

Outside of class, what do you do?

I do volunteering at the art gallery now.

How is it volunteering at the art gallery?

Interesting! Basically it’s a small art gallery, and we design catalogues and booklets now, sometimes we just frame the pieces to be presented at the gallery, and we change installations.

Before that, what did you do outside of class?

I volunteered at the St. James Town Community Centre.

What is the next step you want to take after ELP? I want to be enrolled in some Masters program in Architecture.

What do you like most about Toronto? What do you like least about Toronto?

I like Toronto, because it is a livable city. You can walk pretty much everywhere you want to and it’s not that busy. Wherever you go, you pretty much enjoy the view and yourself (in Toronto). And what don’t I like…It’s always so hard to come up with something I don’t like, because I don’t like thinking about negative things!

How did you get that volunteering position?

I went to volunteer there once for ELP volunteer.

There was a machine to make buttons , we started to draw things and then painted buttons. A lot of people like the ideas and joined in, and then I met the Manager of the program and he said maybe we can do something else later in the future so let’s exchange contact information.

Did you enjoy volunteering at the St. James Town Community Centre?

Yeah, it was one of my happiest moments. So this workshop, we just go to Dollarama, buy crafts supplies; it doesn’t cost you much. But, the children really enjoy drawing and decorating. You have to see their eyes; I just never experienced this before.

I didn’t even know that I liked to play with children!

Yes, it’s quite exhausting, but it makes you happy.

Were you always looking for volunteer experience?

No, because in my home country, the whole concept of volunteering doesn’t exist. People don’t understand why we should work for free; it’s really not common back there.

Did you want to volunteer specifically in the area of arts?

I want to gain experience in arts, just to meet people and do something. It’s so much better than to just sit at home, especially if it’s connected to you want to do in life. I also do volunteering in Dovercourt Public School.

What do you do there?

I am a part of playground concept project. For example, there is a trend now in school playgrounds, there are special benches that children go to, when they get bullied. Then, the instructors or staffs can go to them and help them.

How did you get that volunteer position?

I got it from Bill (my current instructor at ELP). In his course (Advanced Academic Skills), I am doing a research on the relation between education and architecture, and turns out he is part of an organization related to making changes at an educational setting. This project is a part of my research that was assigned in his class, and this will also be part of my portfolio for applying to Masters program in Canada.

How do you want to spend rest of your time at ELP? Studying! Actually not studying, but learning. A lot of thanks to Bill; he taught me the concept of language-knowledge intelligibility. In Level 40, it was tough for me because I felt like I was in a mental prison. I had ideas that I wanted to say, but I couldn’t because of the language barrier and when you try to communicate I sound like a child or I just sound unintelligible. But Bill taught me that you don’t have to behave and sound like native speaker, but just enough so that people understand you. Bill understands that everyone comes from different backgrounds; everyone is knowledgeable in some field. He allows our course with him to be related to what we want to do. In class though, when we present our ideas and discuss as a class, we realize how everything is so interconnected. For instance, I realized that my field (architecture) is related to education, specifically from the interactions with my classmates. Then we realized that this relates to linguistics (there is a student in my class who focuses on linguistics), and then we realize that the way we think about space (i.e. architecture), it’s somehow related to medicine and it goes on. I guess Academic English was more focused on language, and all the language-learning steps are essential to get to Advanced Academic English and to discuss research and things beyond just language itself (like what I do in Bill’s class). And also now I know that there is no other way to learn language than to try and make mistakes; and mistakes don’t really matter because everyone else around me is in the similar situation as me as a student and when you meet 1000 people who just come and go, you can’t care that much.

What kind of tips or advice would you give to incoming students?

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes! To the scholarship students specifically (coming from Kazakhstan), don’t waste time­: start preparing for your postsecondary applications early, and volunteer because it’s helpful. Firstly, it’s good for making connections. Secondly, it’s just good to get any experience, because you never know what happens in your life. So don’t waste your time just lying on your bed at home spending so much time thinking about what to do. Like I said before, it helps with fighting homesickness too.

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Algonquin Park Breathtaking Views

By: Mustafa Ersin Sarier, ELP Cultural Assistant Master’s of Applied Science Candidate, University of Toronto

A

lgonquin Provincial Park is located in south-central Ontario, and is 7,630 square kilometers of park lands. The park is 300 kilometers north of Toronto.

Canoeing was the first activity we conducted when we arrived Algonquin Park after approximately three hours on the bus. Small yellow canoes designed to accommodate maximum of three people were really fun to travel around a lake with friends after a short information session of how to canoe. There was a great chance to take nice photos of canoes, trees and the lake.

Second visiting point was Algonquin Visitor Centre which contains exhibits, a restaurant, bookstore and theatre. At this part of trip, we had a chance to have some free time to enjoy exhibitions of paintings, animals, and the Park’s natural and human history. There is also nice large balcony of the building where you can appreciate the great view of trees which are changing colors by using free binoculars. The Visitor Centre is a good place to have a small lunch after quite long bus ride before moving towards next location of trip.

After all, it was time to go Fall Colour Watching. There are different trails and access points at the park. Best locations to see fall colours of trees are the high hills of the park. You can recognize these locations from concentration of cars parked along the road.

When we reached to top of the hill after a nice hike, we faced towards breathtaking view of Canadian nature and trees. It is a moment to take the best photos of the trip.

If you would like to see fall colours of trees around Toronto, Algonquin Park is the place that I can suggest. Mid and late September are reported as the peak of colour change for most types of trees in the park. This is the activity that you should definitely try at least one time when you come to Toronto if you love the natural scenery.

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Conversation Café

By: Jessica Lim, ELP Cultural Assistant, MA Candidate, University of Toronto

What is Conversation Café?

C

onversation Café is an extracurricular activity designed for English Plus students who are interested in further improving their communication skills. The purpose of these weekly sessions is to offer students an opportunity to practice speaking with other students and with native speakers of English. It may also be difficult to find a way to interact with fellow students and native speakers outside of class time. Conversation Café is an excellent way to meet new friends and discuss a variety of interesting topics. Some of our discussion topics include entertainment, food, travel, relationships, superstitions, and personal experiences.

What happens in Conversation Café?

Every Thursday, we choose a different topic to discuss and engage in various activities. Oftentimes, we will begin by having a general discussion on the topic. For example, if the topic is travel, we may discuss where students have travelled to and where they would like to go next. We may even create hypothetical situations and talk about what each of us would do in that situation. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring three items with you, what would they be? When we discuss questions like this, we get to learn about other

students’ preferences and even personalities. Food is particularly interesting to talk about because food is very closely related to the culture of one’s country.

Students use English to share and boast about their country’s food and culture! What a wonderful way to learn English and to learn about various cultures at the same time!

Each week, we also incorporate fun activities into our discussions. If we are discussing music, we may learn the lyrics to a popular English song or create our own lyrics and present it to the rest of the group. If the topic is personal experiences, we may complete a personality test to determine what kind of person each student is. If we are discussing entertainment, we may watch a French movie trailer and compare it to an American movie trailer. Are they the same or are they different? What was similar and what was different? We may also play a game called “Hangman.” We would split up into teams and compete to see who can figure out the title of the movie or actor first before one team loses all of their lives!

Conversation Café is a fun, relaxing, and educational space for students who would like to practice speaking. These informal yet structured sessions are excellent additional learning opportunities. We welcome students of all levels of proficiency, so come on out and meet new friends!

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Conversation Café Best Memories

By: Francesca Campos, ELP Cultural Assistant, Studying Environmental Science, University of Toronto

I had the opportunity to sit down with some of ELP’s students and have a lovely chat with them about their time in Toronto. I asked the students questions about their favourite events, lessons they have learned so far, and advice that they would give other or new students.

“I love going to ELP activities because it’s a good chance to talk to other classmates outside of the classroom.

Also I love spending time with cultural assistants because we’re similar in age so I’m able to talk to them and seek for their advice. They’re also from University of Toronto so they are able to give me information about the school and the city that can be very useful.” ­—Chao Ling

“My favourite so far is probably when I went to Montreal. I loved Quebec because people were very kind to us and it was interesting hearing people speak French Canadian. Moreover, the food was also excellent. I tried crepes and it was very delicious. Another event that I loved was going to Canada’s Wonderland with ELP students for Halloween. We went at night so I got surprised when people in costumes were trying to scare us.”

—Natsuki Nakamura

“Toronto is an amazing city- ELP students should explore and have fun.

Take this opportunity to talk to your professors, to meet new people and to participate in ELP activities.” ­—Andreza Bacelar

The most important thing when coming to Canada is to be open minded. There are so many people here that’s different from you but it’s great because you can learn new things and get to know more about different cultures!

—Emilia Larrea 32

“I love learning about cultures different from my own. Coming here, I realized that my culture is very similar to others in so many ways and that’s something I didn’t expect. For instance, I found that a lot of words in Spanish is the same as in Arabic. I learned that there’s actually many words in the Spanish language that is Arabic influenced!”

—Samia Aljuwayed

“I have been here for almost six months.

I’ve been very grateful for the fact that I can learn and practice my English here.

Before arriving here, I disliked learning English. I found that my English was terrible before coming here but over the past couple of months, it has gotten way better with practice. I’m nervous and excited because I’m planning to apply for University of Toronto’s music department. If I get in, I’m thinking about going back to Japan after graduating and maybe become a teacher. But it’s too far ahead so I’m not sure yet!”

—Saki Nishida “I find it very interesting to talk to other students with cultural backgrounds I’m unfamiliar with because I learn about their different memories and experiences in their countries. In Brazil, I heard and learned a bit about cultures and practices in other countries but I’ve never seen it for myself -so it’s always an experience learning about it firsthand!”

—Rodolfo Paixao De Sousa

“There are a lot of cultures that’s present here in Toronto so they should explore and try new things! For me, the best motivation to learning other cultures is by trying and eating different kinds of food. Also, they should attend activities outside of classes because there’s a lot of opportunities to speak English when you go to ELP events!”

—Naoko Kobayashi 33

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Halloween

@elp

By: Jingjing Li, ELP Cultural Assistant, Master’s of Education Candidate, University of Toronto

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“In western culture, Halloween is a meaningful and traditional festival, whereas, it’s rarely celebrated in Asia. This was my first time to wear the Halloween costume. I truly had a lot of fun, not to mention pumpkin craving. This activity was a good opportunity to let us know the difference between diverse cultures. On this day, don’t forget to celebrate with your friends and family and say ‘Trick or Treat’”!

—Alysia, Taiwan

“On the Halloween day, I enjoyed the activity of ELP very much. I had never experienced Halloween party because only party guts enjoy it in Japan. Everything was so exciting. I enjoyed carving a pumpkin and wearing a costume so much!!”

—Takuma Mitsuhashi, from Japan

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activities

“During my experience in ELP, I have engaged in different activities but the one that I most remember is the pumpkin activity. Most of the people would ask what the special thing in this event is. But if they can’t answer this question is a result of not being that day. For me, it was really interesting because in my country Halloween is not as typical as here in Canada. Moreover, not only was it the first time that I had made a Halloween pumpkin, but also it has been one in which most of the students have engaged. So we could meet more people and have fun together.”

36 —Hector Hms, from Spain

“We did pumpkin carving on October 30th. We carved large pumpkins and made Jack O’Lantern. It was a firsttime experience for me.

In Japanese traditional culture, we don’t have Halloween. But recently some people enjoy Halloween in party or parade with costumes.

In Canada it’s one of the most fun events. I had a good time!”

—Honoka Amano, from Japan

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Deliciousness in Toronto By: Lingnan Meng, ELP Cultural Assistant, Language and Literacy Education, University of Toronto

F

ood is an integral part of Toronto and there are multitudes of restaurants serving food from different cultures and regions in the world. With harsh winter approaching, exploring and enjoying the delicious in Toronto is one of the few amazing forms of entertainment we can do. So why don’t we stuff our stomach with nutritional and yummy food to debate the coldness? In this article, I interviewed four students from our program and they recommended a bunch of attractive restaurants.

Whether you are a fan of Western, Greek, African, Japanese, Saudi Arabian, Mid-eastern, or Italian food, we don’t let you down.

Mone recommended this “ Portland Varity” which is located in 587 King Street West. According to her, “Portland variety is the best restaurant for brunch on the weekend in Toronto.

Atmosphere, food, drinks, music...everything is perfect!

If you have an opportunity to come here, you should try pancake and you should come earlier, or you may have to wait for a long time because many people love this place”.

Mone also recommended “Pizza Libretto.” There are three locations in Toronto, which are located in 550 Danforth Ave, 155 University Ave, and 221 Ossington Ave. According to her, “In this restaurant, we can eat oven-baked Italian pizza! Not only pizza, side dishes are also amazing. We can share and enjoy some different tastes with our friends”.

Mohammad recommended this “ Al-mandi Restaurant,” which is located in 1328 Danforth Ave. He said, “ This restaurant serves the best Saudi cuisine since 2012, especially the Middle-Eastern and African cuisine. Their food made me fell back at home. I recommend to go there and to have Mendi Chicken, and the tender Goat meat”.

Mohammad also recommended this Mediterranean restaurant named “Jerusalem Restaurant,” which is located in 955 Eglington Ave West. According to him, “This restaurant serves the best Jerusalem food in Toronto since 1971, and also serves the authentic Middle Eastern dishes. I am impressed by their warm service and their hummus and falafel is worth dying for.”

Naoko recommended this Greek restaurant named “Ouzeri,” which is located in 500A Danforth Ave. According to her, “This restaurant is one of my favorite restaurants in Toronto because their food is delicious, staff are nice and the atmosphere is great. If you want to experience authentic Greek cuisine in Toronto, I highly recommend this restaurant.”

Zirui recommended this Japanese restaurant named “Tokyo Kitchen,” which is located in 20 Charles St East. He said, “I recommend Ten-Tonkatsu because if you order it, you can have three pieces of fried shrimps and one piece of fried pork. The quality is better than other Japanese restaurants in Toronto I have ever tried. Also they serve lunch and dinner special, you can have salad, soup, main dish and dessert at the same time with a cost around $15 (before tax). It is a great deal.”

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Skating in Toronto By: Fadia Cocco, ELP Cultural Assistant, Studying Art History & Political Science, University of Toronto

I

ce-skating is one of the most popular Canadian past times to participate in and is also a great way to stay active in the winter. Skating is a fundamental part to Canadian sport heritage and culture, while also being an iconic part to Canadian sports like ice hockey, speed skating and competitive figure skating.

Whether you are in a group of people or alone, Ice-skating can be for people of all ages and during the winter seasons adds for a memorable experience for everyone. Learning how to skate is simple and just takes practice - after a few slow and steady laps around the rink while holding onto someone’s hand trying not to fall, everyone is able to master the art of ice skating.

As much as the indoor ice rinks provide warmth and comfort throughout the long chilly months, outdoor ice-skating in Canada is something everyone should experience. Many Canadians build backyard rinks where they and their children can skate and play hockey in the safety of their yard. Others travel to a frozen ponds or lakes hours away. My personal favourite part of ice skating though is the hot chocolate with marshmallows afterwards, when we were too tired to continue.

Outdoor ice skating is an inexpensive activity.

Other than a pair of skates, the only other requirements are, proper winter clothing, such as: a scarf, pair of gloves, hat, sweater, and coat. Wear layers of clothes.

Toronto, has over 50 outdoor rinks for recreational skaters. The most famous being Nathan Philips Square located at Toronto City Hall. This is one of my favourite places to go skating. Not only are you able to rent skates if you do not own your own pair, but the atmosphere of being outside, in such a large ice rink, with the colourful lights hanging and music playing really gets everyone in the holiday spirit.

Other Ice skating rinks close the University of Toronto campus are: • University of Toronto Varsity Stadium • Harry R. Gairey Ice Rink • Trinity Bellwoods Park • Ramsden Park • Christie Pits • Jean Sibelius Square • Dovercourt Park •Wychwood Barns Park Some of the ice skating rinks listed will not have skate rental available and will also have different operational hours, so make sure to check rink schedules and available amenities online before your visit.

Canadian ice skating is an inexpensive way to spend a day your day with family or friends. Whether you live in Canada or are just here for a short visit is it definitely an experience to put on your bucket list!

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ELP on Instagram #UofTELP

mantonionip: Walking through UofT buildings in a rainy day!

UofTELP: Night vs Day from the top of the CN Tower.

UofTELP: #UofTELP students had an amazing experience volunteering at the #CIBCRunfortheCure.

UofTELP: #UofTELP students enjoying a skate and the weather @HarbourfrontCentre last weekend.

UofTELP: #UofTelp students take local action by volunteering at FoodShare! #lookatthosepumpkins

UofTELP: #tbt when #UofTelp students went up the CN Tower a few weeks ago.

UofTELP: Warm mittens on a chilly day.

UofTELP: Yesterday, #UofTELP went to Toronto’s #DistilleryDistrict and toured the #ChristmasMarket. chan_siii: Enjoy

UofTELP: #UofTELP students took in the sites at #NiagaraFalls this weekend.

dunya7: Major throwback #2010 during our gingerbread cookie decorating.

chan_siii: Halloween Party

uoftelp: #uoftelp students contributing to the cause by volunteering at the Light the Night Walk event tonight!

UofTELP: #UofTELP students enjoying Tuesday night bowling in Toronto.

UofTELP: #UofTELP students are fearlessly on the glass floor of the CN Tower!!

activities

Embrace Winter!

By: Christopher Penaranda & Sara Bolourchian, ELP Cultural Assistants

Monopoly, Snakes and Ladders, Settlers of Catan and many more to explore. This activity is great for when you have a big groups of friends. Usually this activity runs around $10, $5 to use the board games at a cafe and $5 for a coffee or tea. There are two great options near campus. There’s Snakes and Lattes (600 Bloor Street West) and there’s also Castle Board Games Cafe (454 Spadina Avenue).

F

all is gone and winter is here. It’s cold outside and it gets darker soon but that doesn’t mean that the city is not vibrant. Actually, Toronto takes a new look when the temperature drops. Here are some things to do in winter.

1. Visit the Christmas market: Located at the distillery district, the market will make you feel warm and put you in the mood for the holidays. It’s great for restaurants and for some crafts shopping. Don’t forget to see the Christmas tree and keep in mind that there is a $5 charge on weekends.

2. Go Tobogganing: Tobogganing is just using a sled to go down a snowy hill as fast as you can. It is like a winter rollercoaster, nothing is more Canadian than tobogganing followed by some warm hot chocolate. In the winter weekends when there’s snow ELP goes to Broadview Park where the hills are full of snow and fun.

3. Visit some board game cafes: U of T is lucky enough to have great board cafes at walking distance. This is a great activity, go with some friends and have some dessert or a coffee while you play a variety of games like 42

4. Go Ice Skating: Most people if not everyone in Toronto has gone Ice Skating at least once, it’s a great way to exercise or simply to enjoy the winter with friends. There’s two great rinks close to U of T: The Natrel Rink at the Harbourfront Centre and Nathan Phillips Square (100 Queen Street West). Alternatively, ELP also has trips planned for Ice skating throughout the winter. To go ice skating all you need is to show up at the place as both these rinks have skate rentals which are usually around $10. Don’t forget to bring some Identification because to rent a pair of skates you will have to leave it as a guarantee.

5. Spectacle of Lights on Toronto’s Waterfront (light festival): Take a relaxing walk along Toronto’s Waterfront and light up your night! There will be four exciting animated light installations shining bright with over 39,000 LED lights. Admission is free and the Spectacle continues until January 1, 2016. There various locations scattered at Toronto’s Harbourfront: The Westin Hotel, the Fire Hall, the Tall Ship at the Amsterdam Bridge at the Habourfront Center, and the Toronto Music Garden.

So put on that jacket, grab some friends and head on out to some (or all) of these activities and experience the holidays the Canadian way! Also remember to check out the ELP monthly event calendar for even more fun winter activities.

Happy Holidays!

Enjoy @elp Magazine in Print and Online!

T

here are now two ways to find out what’s happening at the English Language Program. ELP’s magazine—@ elp—has been officially launched in blog form!

Like the magazine, @elp Blog celebrates what truly makes the English Language Program great: the academics, activities and accomplishments of its students and staff. Find us online at learn.english.utoronto.ca/blog.

Contribute to @ELP Magazine & Blog 1) Email your submission to dan.pinese@utoronto.ca 2) Attach your text submission to the email in a word document. Attach any photographs or artwork separately.

3) Include your full name, home country, and the course you’re enrolled in.

@elp MAGAZINE

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM 252 Bloor Street West, Suite 4-106 Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1V6 e: learn.english@utoronto.ca w: learn.english.utoronto.ca SCHOOL OF CONTINUING STUDIES 158 St. George Street Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2V8 t: 416.978.2400 f: 416.978.6666 e: learn@utoronto.ca w: learn.utoronto.ca