@elp magazine, Issue 6, September 2016 by University of Toronto English Language Program

@elp MAGAZINE

Issue 6 September 2016

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

Living the Experience—Leonardo Godoy • Big Challenges, Big Changes—Mauricio Romero Groups @elp—Visiting Students See the Sights!

CONTENTS

@elp MAGAZINE

EDITOR & DESIGN Dan Pinese

STAFF CONTRIBUTORS Sara Bolourchian Francesca Campos Fadia Cocco Chris Chipman Edith Krohmalnik Jesse Khudoo Douglas Orme Mio Otsuka Evelyn Pedersen Christopher Penaranda Jessica Pinheiro Becky Smith Karen Thomson Effie Touchings Eileen Wu

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

4 6

Leonardo Godoy Living the Experience

“What Have You Been Up To?” Former Students Return to ELP

ACADEMICS

Big Challenges, Big Changes

10 12 14 16 16 17 18 19 20

(Mini) Project Day Conversation Café The Amazing EP Cup Preparing for My Career Journalists for Human Rights My Experience in Toronto Breaking the Stereotype Gotta Catch Toronto’s Best Places

GROUPS 22

Kwansei Gakuin University

Nagoya University of Foreign Studies

Kansai University

City University of Hong Kong School of Creative Media

Kobe Shinwa Women’s University

ACTIVITIES

30 Canada’s Wonderland 31

Casa Loma

The CBC

Harbourfront Canoe

34 Volunteering

Cover Photograph by Guennadi Guermanovitch

28 @elp

36 ELP on Instagram 39

MAGAZINE

My Summer Highlight

accomplishments

Leonardo Godoy Living the Experience By: Dan Pinese, ELP Program Administrator

ast summer, Leonardo Godoy made a decision to change career paths. After a long discussion with his family and a lot of research, he left his native Brazil and came to the English Language Program (ELP) in Toronto to improve his English with the ultimate goal of pursuing his passion for teaching at the university level. Now pursuing his Master’s in Business Administration with a focus on Family Businesses at the Roger’s School of Management at Ryerson University, Leonardo recounts what it was like to leave his home and his family while he took Academic English. “It was a game changer,” he said. “It was tough to be here at first. I missed my family a lot. But I had an opportunity to meet so many different kinds of people,” he said. “It was like I was in the centre of the world.” While a student at the ELP, Leonardo made the most of his experience. He volunteered over 100 hours during the 12-week Academic English course for many Toronto-based charities and festivals: Open Streets Toronto, FoodShare, and The Scott Mission to name a few. To Leonardo, engaging with the community outside of the classroom through these opportunities, offered some surprising

“I expected the English course to be intensive, but I was not expecting how much volunteering impacted me.”

—Leonardo Godoy, Former ELP Academic English (Level 60) Student

of Brazil

accomplishments @elp

learning experiences. “I expected the English course to be intensive, but I was not expecting how much volunteering impacted me. For example, I was working in the kitchen [at the Scott Mission] and then they asked me to work and help in the front. There I had a chance to talk to the public at the Mission. I was not just writing or speaking about the culture of Canada. I was living it. I was learning how to help and communicate with the public. For me, I thought, ‘what a nice experience to be able to do this.’” “Volunteering was not only about practising English. It was more than that, it was living it. This is the best way to learn.”

Of course, inside the classroom also required a commitment of Leonardo’s efforts. But, mastering the intensive coursework as well as making the most of one’s experiences outside the class goes hand and hand for Leonardo. “At the ELP, students have to be prepared to work hard. That’s what will make the difference. If you put in the work, it will pay off. Go to everything, be a part of everything you can at the ELP. You have to live the experience. This is going to make the difference over all.” But you can’t do it alone, according to Leonardo. And he thanks his instructors and the staff at ELP as well for helping him out. Because the ELP staff and instructors are there to push you further—if you want. “At ELP, when someone realizes you are interested, the teachers and the office will make time to help you. My instructor, for example, helped me a lot outside of classroom hours to go over my work. If you show you are interested, amazing things will happen,” he said. When asked what English skills he still uses in his current academic endeavours, he laughed. “I am using all the knowledge I got here at ELP right now. I am still opening the files and exercises I received here right now to help me with my work.” Now reunited with his family and starting his new challenge, Leonardo is excited, not just for himself, but his family as well. “I am sure soon we will be happy here,” he said.

Photo: Guennadi Guermanovitch

“I was not just writing or speaking about the culture of Canada. I was living it. I was learning how to help and communicate with the public.”

accomplishments

“What Are You Up To Now?”

Occasionally, former English Language Program students return to the school and are nice enough to sit down with us and discuss their experiences and memories at the ELP, where they have been, what they have been up to and their current projects and goals. Here are some highlights of those conversations.

Lilian Teng

of Taiwan

Currently pursuing a Master of Education, Environmental Psychology and Education at the University of Toronto “I volunteered over 100 hours at ELP. I loved volunteering because I got closer to Canadian life and I could talk to Canadian people. At the ELP, most of the time we talked to international students but we didn’t know about the Canadian way of life. So, this is why I participated in volunteering. Not only to know about Canadian culture but also to make friends and get some work experience. . . I could learn and help others. It was a win-win!”

Share Your Success!

We love hearing from our former students. Since our students come from all over the world, there is always a fascinating story to tell our community. Contact us and let us know about the great things you have been up to since your studies at the English Language Program. Email us at learn.english@utoronto.ca

Saki Nishida

of Japan

Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music, Music Education at the University of Toronto “Studying music requires a lot of communication and collaboration. Studying at the ELP has helped me do this a lot. . . I feel really comfortable and confident preparing for lectures and university courses because of my courses.”

Anahita Raeiszadeh

of Iran

Currently pursuing a PhD. in Civil Engineering, Transportation at York University “ELP was the best choice for me. I was outside academia for several years because I was working and I wanted to get back to university. It was stressful. But, when I came here, ELP made me ready and confident for my PhD . . . [Academic English] is a serious course and the instructors motivate you to speak and work like a university student.” 7

(Mini) Project Day

ELP students developing an action plan for Project Day

By: Dan Pinese, ELP Program Administrator

here are many ways to complement language learning in the classroom. For example, if students want to build their vocabulary and fluency, they can listen to the radio or a podcast, watch the news or read a magazine article. But what if a student prefers to engage with a language more in one medium than another? What if certain topics are more interesting than others? How can educators use these preferences on the part of students to strengthen language learning? Answer: Project Day. A part of the English Language Program’s Academic English course, Project Day is a weekly component of the 12-week program broken down into two halves. For the first six weeks, students are given mini-projects. These smaller tasks—summaries of guest presentations and taking polls or surveys, for example—teach students useful knowledge gathering skills and methodologies. The goal here is to complement the course’s classroom-based language learning with a collaborative and active approach. In other words, 8

throughout the semester, students work on tasks in groups and actively engage with each other and the community outside the class. And this is the desired outcome of Project Day and what the mini-projects are meant to promote, the ability of students to feel comfortable and confident using English in a variety of ways, according to Lindsay Brooks, ELP’s Academic Director. “From a language perspective, the students have to use all four of the skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. What’s most exciting for me is to see the increase in confidence. Students will comment that ‘now I have the confidence to talk to strangers on the street’ because they interviewed people on the street for their projects,” she said. In this issue, @elp is thrilled to highlight a few samples of mini-projects submitted by students this during this session of Academic English. Featured on the next few pages are examples of speaker summaries as well as student-conducted surveys.

academics @elp

MINI-PROJECT: GUEST SPEAKER SUMMARY Mr. Manuel Rodriguez “Immigration to Canada” By: Hiffa Be and Felipe Laverde (Level 60)

An example of a mini-project this session, students had to summarize the presentation of Kevin Vuong (above) and Manuel Rodriguez (below), guest speakers from Passages Canada. During these types of presentations, students learn to listen, engage and summarize with new ideas.

Canadian with a Chinese–Vietnamese Heritage By: Dalal Salameh and Aisha Jameel (Level 60)

evin Vuong studied finance in Western University. He works in Ryerson University’s Magnet Project, and he has a part time job with the army as an Intelligence Officer. Kevin was born to Chinese-Vietnamese immigrants who fled the war in Vietnam and came to Canada to start a new life. He says that his parents came with only their clothes; therefore, they had to work hard to provide him and his brother a decent life. “My mother worked making doughnuts for three dollars an hour,” said Kevin. Because of this, Kevin says that as he grew up, all he wanted to do was to make money. That’s why he planned to be a banker, which he did. But during his final year, something else happened which changed his perspective. Before he graduated, Kevin had the chance to represent Canada in an international forum, where he travelled to the Asian Pacific countries. When he saw how people live there, he felt the privilege of the safety and freedom, so he was blessed to have in Canada. Thus, when he came back to Canada, he still wanted to earn money, but more importantly, he wanted to help people as well. Kevin has definitely succeeded in his dream to help others because he now volunteers in different sectors, supporting youth, indigenous people, the poor and unemployed. Furthermore, he is a speaker with Passages Canada, an initiative where Canadian volunteers from different cultural backgrounds share their experience in living and coping with a multicultural country like Canada. Kevin states that his success comes from struggling as he grew up trying to figure out his own identity. Now, whenever he is asked, he proudly identifies himself as a “Canadian with a Chinese –Vietnamese heritage.”

r. Manuel Rodriguez is an entrepreneur born in El Salvador who created his own company named Unikron, which offers the service of marketing and video production. He worked more than 10 years as a civil servant for the Government of Ontario, and when he left this job he opened his own business. Today, Mr. Rodriguez works as a Passages Canada speaker. The Salvadoran entrepreneur talked about the immigration to Canada, showing his great experience as well as interesting facts about factors that could affect adaption, such as language and culture. Mr. Rodriguez thinks that patience is a relevant skill when you are trying to learn something, especially when it is about a new language. Also, he spoke about the difficulties that he had when he wanted to enter to a university, for example the language and the tuition. Because of these difficulties, Mr. Rodriguez was forced to start a new career in which, fortunately, he has been successful in both the public and private sector. The main idea in Mr. Manuel Rodriguez´s speech was that you have to work hard and be persistent to achieve your goals. It does not matter if it is difficult or if you have to do it in a new country with a new language and culture like it happened to the Salvadoran. Finally, Mr. Manuel Rodriguez affirms that “Knowledge is the most important thing in life” explaining that material things can come and go, but when you learn something, it will stay with you for the rest of your life. This one, we think, is the most important lesson that Mr. Rodriguez gave us in his talk.

MINI-PROJECT: THE SURVEY

How Many Time Do You Cook From Scratch Each Month? Are you involved in any leisure activities to get a good job? 13% Never

By Azuza Akeda, Aisha Jameel, and Greta Nania 32% One Day/Month

25% Two Days/Month

30% A Few Times/Month

By Peter Weng, Faisal Alkeredmi, Maria Jose Zegarra, Haesol Lee A study conducted by researchers at University of Waterloo claimed that when students are busy studying in university, they do not have time to cook a healthy meal. However, there are students who are being smart about cooking healthy food since it offers benefits such as having better physical energy, feeling good about themselves and enjoying being healthier. A survey within the U of T community indicates that most people prefer to cook a meal from scratch. 32% of the people who took this survey state that they prepare one meal per day from scratch, 30% cook a few meals per month, and 25% of the people cook more than one meal per day. “50% of the time, so B (more than one meal per day) I guess,” says Jason, a fourth-year student at U of T. Among the U of T community, there are people who do not cook their own meals. According to this survey, 13% of the people state that they never cook a meal from scratch. “There is always food in the house when you live with your family,” reveals Rishika, a third-year student at U of T, who does not need to worry about cooking her meals. This survey poll of 56 people from U of T community was administered at Robarts Library and OISE on St. George Campus on July 21st.

Many students join some activities not only to get a good job, but also just to make their life better. Recent research demonstrates that extra-curricular activities are extremely appreciated in recent graduate students’ resumes because they express many valuable skills particularly useful in their future careers. Two studies, one conducted in Australia by Performance Education and the other conducted in United Kingdom by the Oxford Royale Academy show that including extra-curricular activities such as community service, volunteering, sportive activities, or long-term training in a CV, illustrates leadership, better time management and prioritizing, team working capacity and high self-esteem. As Jing Wang and Jonathan Shiveley’s study states, “It is quite apparent that extracurricular activities have a very positive impact on the academic performance of students.” However, 20 of the 30 students interviewed in an informal campus poll conducted in July 2016 are not involved in leisure activities, not to get a better job in future nor for fun either. Those interviewed who were involved in extra-academic activities to invest in their future tended to participate in academic areas such as academic fields (research assistance, teaching as part-time whether children or new students, counselling), volunteering, organizing conferences, and teaching in dance classes for children This highly unscientific poll of 30 UofT students was conducted on St. George Campus on July 21st.

Disclaimer: 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.

Big Challenges, Big Changes By: Mauricio Romero of Colombia, Academic English (Level 50)

wo months ago, I was working for a multinational company, and I was one of the leaders of an important project. Sometimes I had more than 15 meetings per day, conference calls, video conferences, and face-to-face meetings. I received over 200 emails on a typical day, and sometimes I had to travel to other countries for long periods of time. On weekends I had to study for my MBA. I was really exhausted!!! My name is Mauricio, I am from Colombia and I am studying in the Academic English at the University of Toronto. I decided that when I finished the project and my MBA I needed to escape for a while. I wanted a different kind of life, I wanted to have a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life again, and so, going to Canada and the University of Toronto was my choice! I sold my car, rented my apartment, quit my job, and I am here! Toronto is a beautiful city with many kinds of activities to do, and some of these are cheap or even free. The University has a beautiful enormous campus, and the ELP program is welldesigned for learning and enjoying the experience of being here. I have met a lot people from many cultures in my classroom and outside; some are friendly and extroverted, and some a little shy, but they are always respectful of cultural differences. Every day there are different kinds of activities to enjoy after class with the cultural assistants, and the volunteer program is amazing and well-organized. The teachers are so friendly and they are available to help you with all your experiences of living in Canada. I try not to stay at home, not to spend too much time sleeping because every day I find something different to do, or I meet new people. I speak with people on the bus, in the subway and sometimes on the street. Actually I enjoy this country!! Coming to Canada and to the UofT was my best decision.

academics

Conversation Café By: Edith Krohmalnik, ELP Cultural Assistant

very week, ELP students come together for a very special event: Conversation Café. This is an amazing opportunity to practice your English in a real-life environment. I personally believe that the best and fastest way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it and the culture. Conversation Café allows you to do just that. Students from different backgrounds gather in a casual setting to discuss different topics every week. For example, one week the topic was dating. First, they might answer questions on how dating etiquette differs between Canada and their countries. Then, they get to learn some fun Toronto slang. Because Toronto culture and English in general is very immersed in slang, it’s important to learn as it might not be taught in the classroom. Afterwards, students play fun games such as Taboo and Charades. Conversation Café is the perfect opportunity to make friends from all over the world. While different programs (such as English PLUS and Academic English) have varying schedules and activities, Conversation Café is one of the best events to see all of the students in ELP that you might not see otherwise. I’ve seen students that go back home but remain good friends with students that are still at ELP. I’ve seen 12

students that Skype into Conversation Cafe because they miss the remaining students. I’ve heard offers extended between students of places to stay for when they come visit each other in their respective countries. Sometimes, Conversation Café takes the students on trips outside of the classroom. For example, this summer the students went to the Gardiner Museum, which they got into for free with their T-Cards. I truly believe that the best thing about Conversation Café is the experience of being put in unexpected situations. Instead, students are faced with a new topic every week for which they didn’t prepare. This allows them to problem solve when they don’t know a specific word, and teaches them context-specific vocabulary. Above all, Conversation Café is a place where you can practice English without the stress of grades or judgement, because we’re all here to help you learn.

academics

The Amazing EP Cup By: Sara Bolourchian, ELP Cultural Assistant

n Friday August 26, ELP students enrolled in English PLUS participated in ELP’s largest EP Cup of the year! August’s EP Cup was modeled after the popular reality TV show The Amazing Race and required students to race across campus in order to complete a series of exciting tasks. In the morning, students were divided into 25 teams, each consisting of five members, and assigned a team name. Each team was then given a map of the campus, a task sheet and instructions on how to successfully complete each set of tasks. As the race started, teams scattered across campus, all determined to win the glorious EP Cup. The tasks the students were required to complete varied in nature and included everything from answering questions to taking pictures of specific things on campus, and even speaking to Canadians to record their opinion on certain topics. One component of the race involved students finding Cultural Assistants, stationed at different locations across the campus. Once at each station, the Cultural Assistant gave students instructions on the activity they were to perform at that station. Each station featured a new and exciting activity. In Philosopher’s Walk, the students met with Sara and were given a tongue twister which they had to successfully recite for full points. In King’s College Circle, the students met with Chris and were presented with a hula hoop challenge and in the Koffler Student

Centre, students had to find a song by a Canadian artist and sing the chorus for Edith. Regardless of their nature, all of the tasks required students to really work together as a team and utilize their English skills. While all of the teams gave a tremendous performance, The Yonge Street Striders ultimately won the competition and got to take a picture with the dazzling EP Cup. After all that running around campus, teams reconvened at the ELP for a relaxing pizza social. It was the perfect place to cooloff while sharing memories of the race with friends. What a great way to end the summer term! Thank you to all of the students for their enthusiastic participation. And of course a big thank you to our lovely instructors who generously volunteered their time and energy for this event; the EP Cup would not have been possible without you! 15

academics

Preparing for My Career By: Abraham Kabre of France, Academic English (Level 50)

owadays, speaking English has become a must-have skill, mostly in a business area. So, I decided to reinforce my English skills for my personal accomplishment in order to be more confident when I speak or when I write an article in English. The way of teaching at ELP, the large amount of experienced the teachers they have, and the staff help you to reach your goals. In addition of learning English, we have opportunities to attend to many activities such as Conversation Café and Volunteering that help us to improve our English with the public and to get to know Canadian culture. I remember very well my first volunteer activity. It was 50/50 volunteering at Air Canada Centre during the NBA Basketball game, the Toronto Raptors against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This activity gave me the chance to support a charity and to watch a live basketball game. I have truly loved my time spent at the English Language Program.

Journalists for Human Rights By: Dalah Salameh of Jordan, Academic English (Level 60)

ne of the things I did to improve my English, when I started as a student in the ELP, was to volunteer with Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), a Canadian nonprofit organization that aims to improve the quality of human rights reporting in places where media is often used as a tool of violation of human rights. Among the 23 countries JHR has worked in since its start in 2002, is Jordan, where I am from and was first introduced to their work. JHR has been working in Jordan since 2013, training journalists, helping produce in-depth feature stories, and coaching civil society organizations to connect efficaciously with media. The core of the mission is to raise awareness of the crucial role that human rights reporting plays in communities, and boost the skills needed to improve its quality. Journalists learn how to detect human rights violations, build their coverage on solid facts, bring those who are in charge to accountability, and give people hope by suggesting solutions. Anyone familiar with the way media works in some developing countries, appreciate highly the values organizations like JHR are striving to bring to them. I worked for the past two years with the Jordanian Media Creditability Monitor (Akeed), which was initiated in 2014, by the Jordan Media Institute, with the task of disclosing ethical and professional offences in print and electronic outlets. Some of the journalists in some of these outlets are highly qualified; however, the amount and types of offences

committed by others on daily bases are horrifying. Akeed’s reports revealed human rights violations of vulnerable groups, such as children, the elderly, the poor and refugees, whom the media, in general, stereotyped, whose needs they neglected to cover, and whose privacy they violated. Furthermore, Akeed’s reports detected tens (out of hundreds) of plagiarism practices, where press releases, features, articles and even investigative stories were copied from local and foreign outlets and republished under the names of journalists who did nothing but copy and paste them. Furthermore, in several reports, Akeed uncovered the common practice of unfair crimes coverage, where media “convicts” the suspects, and starts to refer to them as “killers”, “rapists” and “thieves”, just hours after their arrests, even before they are legally charged. Moreover, there are the reports that bring to light the great amount of daily media content that are simple allegations, lacking any solid facts, but still promoted as news. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Trying to make a real difference in such journalistic environments is a heavy, demanding and longterm process, simply because this environment is a complicated outcome of a variety of interactive aspects, most of which are rooted in culture, society and politics. Initiating a change requires a deep comprehension of these factors, followed by developing the suitable approaches. Apparently, this is what JHR is working on.

My Experience in Toronto By: Orhan Acil of Turkey, English PLUS (Intermediate)

ello, I’m Orhan Acil. I’m studying medicine in Istanbul at Maltepe University. I needed to boost my English as my department operates 100% in English. After some long research, I decided to come to Toronto to study English for two months. If you were to ask me why I chose to come to Toronto, I would say because studying at such a prestigious school like University of Toronto offered a huge advantage for my academic life. Now I want to talk about a little bit about my experience studying English in Toronto. My journey began after a trip to Azerbaijan. Of course, I knew some English, but I hadn’t spoken English for a long time and I had many questions on my mind. I had a lot of time to think about these questions because I had a 10-hour flight ahead of me. After landing at the airport I was asked some questions by the passport officer and I discovered that I could speak English but I wasn’t that good. I just knew basic things, like how to introduce myself and say where I was going. But now I’m writing this article, so you can see just how far I’ve come! :) I can say that Toronto is a multicultural city and has a better quality of life compared to other cities around the world. At the ELP, the age range is wider and more serious because there are people who come from various parts of the world for various purposes.

For example: a businessman, the owner of the company, etc., of course mostly college students. At the University of Toronto, there’s a very nice camaraderie and, of course, a higher cultural level at this point, which satisfied me a lot. There are very expert classes in every subject. You are an active learner at all times. I guess I don’t need to say more because you are already studying at University of Toronto so you know what I mean. When I was going to Canada my friends told me, ‘’You will learn English in two months.’’ I could hardly believe it but frankly they were right. You just need to work hard, that’s all. The instructors are very helpful and wonderful people. The language is very useful for extracurricular activities, and of course these activities are the perfect place to have fun. It wasn’t hard to learn while having fun. The Cultural Assistants (CAs) helped me learn about Canadian culture and life. You know, in a short time, you get used to it. You can talk to them about everything! Studying at ELP was one of the best experiences of my life and I really hope to return to Toronto again one day.

academics

Breaking the Stereotypes

By: Akari Chiyama, Akari Fujiki, Momoko Fujiwara, Chiharu Hamada, Shunsuke Hazama, Moeka Kitagawa, Maria Koishi, Mami Konishi, Riko Mishima, Risa Sato, Shogo Shimizu, Kaori Shinkai, Rina Takatsu, Megumi Tanimoto, Yuki Utsunomiya and Mayu Yamada, English PLUS, (Low-Intermediate)

I am Japanese! I don’t live in a shrine; I live in a house And my house has beds and flooring, not only futons and tatami mats I don’t have a Japanese sword Because I am not a Samurai a Ninja In fact, there are no real Samurais or Ninjas now I don’t wear a kimono; I wear clothes And I am not a geisha I don’t eat sushi or tempura or teriyaki or rice cakes every day (but they are delicious) And I don’t drink green tea every day I like coca cola and coffee too, just like you Our cherry blossoms are beautiful But we have four seasons, so we can’t see them every day I am proud of Japanese manga and anime, but every Japanese doesn’t like anime and comics Japan is not one island; my country has many islands (6,852) And we have many mountains too, not just Mount Fuji I am Japanese, not Korean or Chinese That means I speak Japanese, not Korean or Chinese (The other countries are beautiful with beautiful people, but please don’t confuse us because we don’t’ confuse Canada, US and Mexico in the western world) Everyone doesn’t have black hair and all Japanese are not shy My father isn’t a sumo wrestler But Japan is the first nation of judo and sumo I am Japanese!!

Gotta Catch

By: Nathalia Cristina de Melo Corrêa da Silva from Brazil, Former Academic English Student

A new city has been built And now Drowzeys everywhere I don’t know if you can feel it But there’s now magic in the air The major goal is The 150 you must get But it’s all the fun on the journey That gives to the game such catch Remember to be alert all times Anywhere can be a nest Play all day, play all night You’re going to be the very best

Toronto’s Best Places & Memories

By: KGU Students in the Canadian Studies Course In the KGU Canadian Studies course this summer, we watched a TEDx Talk by a man who photographed the world in one city – Toronto. We were inspired by his talk to take a photograph of our favourite places in Toronto. Here are some pictures of the students’ favourite places in Toronto or of their favourite memories of Toronto.

My favourite place in Toronto is High Park. I went there in June and the weather was so good. I had lunch with my friend who I have known for a long time and it was so exciting. I made a memory which I’ll not forget. So, High Park is my favourite place in Toronto. —Nozomi Asada (second from right)

We took this picture from Toronto Island. Unfortunately, however, it was a little rainy. But it’s okay because we could take this interesting picture. —Ryu Sawada

My favourite place is Toronto Island. When I went there, I enjoyed swimming and having My favourite place in Toronto is BBQs. I spent good time there. the cafe, Roselle. It’s a small shop, It is easy to go to the island, so I but the sweets they make are very went there many times. good! Please try them! —Yukine Kakutani —Maiko Tobe This picture is front of U of T. U of T is very beautiful I like this place. This is King Street This is one of my favourite places university. I chose West. And near here, there is my in Toronto. The view is so beautiful this university for favourite restaurant. and we felt refreshed by breathing studying abroad —Haruka Toyoda the clean air. Moreover, we can feel because of this awesome building. nature. —Aki Asada Ha ha. —Mirano Nishizaki

This picture was taken on the boat at the Boat Cruise Party. I love the view of downtown Toronto. I am proud of spending time in this beautiful and wonderful city. —Yuki Nakao This is a U of T main campus. When I saw this photo, I decided I will go study abroad to Toronto. This building is very beautiful. —Hikari Matsumoto

This key chain is present from my friend. When I see this key chain, everyday, I remember these three months. Thank you lovely and friendly my friends!! —Yuka Kitamura

This pair of “Canada Shorts” are my keepsake. My friends and I bought the same shorts and we participated Colour Run 5K in Toronto! Some Canadian said to us that they were so nice! :) This definitely reminds me of the life here! —Seika Takechi

This is Colour Run in Toronto. The event is really exciting and funny. We wore the same T-shirts and same shorts. And, in this event, we are coloured while we were running. —Misaki Taketani

This necklace reminds me of Toronto. The person who was my classmate from Saudi Arabia gave me this on the last day of class. She already went back to her country. When I see and wear this, I remember our memories more. —Mika Matsukawa

My favourite place in Toronto is Toronto Island. I went on a picnic to there with my friends last month. There were so many people that day because of the Dragon Boat Festival. We had to wait a ferry for about two hours but we had a good time there. —Tomomi Kai This picture was taken by my friend at the Harbourfront. This is a nice place where we can see beautiful views. —Chihiro Matsuota

Seika Takechi, Tomomi Kai, Misaki Taketani, Risa Kato, and Masaki Yoshida: We went to Wonderland! It was so amazing:)You should go there! Enjoy Canada! —Risa Kato

This picture was taken in restaurant in Niagara Falls with KGU students and a Cultural Assistant. I saw Niagara Falls for the first time. Unfortunately we could not ride on the boat because of the weather but we had a good time. —Manami Arino

Groups activities

@elp

Kwansei Gakuin University By: Jessica Pinheiro, ELP Cultural Assistant

n both the Spring and Summer, the English Language Program welcomed students from Kwansei Gakuin University (KGU). Both groups of students were very involved at the ELP, joining and actively participating in many social activities. We hope they enjoyed their stay as much as we enjoyed having them. Here are some of the students’ thoughts and favourite memories of their stay in Toronto.

“ELP activities are so fun because we can experience many things we cannot do by ourselves. And, the CAs are so kind that we can be relaxed because they talk with us a lot.” —Manami Arino “My favorite class was Project Day which happened once a week for the final presentation. I’ve never taken such a creative class so I enjoyed making interesting presentation to grab the audience’s attention.” —Seika Takechi “My best memory is watching a MLB game for the first time at the Rogers Centre.” —Ami Iguchi “I enjoyed sightseeing in Toronto. Toronto is very different from Japan. I enjoyed everyday.” —Chiharu Hamada “Wonderland was the most fun. It was so exciting for me!” —Ayaka Yokota “I enjoyed Niagara Falls Day Trip and Cirque du Soleil! For me, these were a unique first experience, these activities were very exciting!” —Yuri Onishi

“I had a great time riding the roller coasters at Wonderland.” —Yuki

“What I learned at ELP was not only English. Thanks to ELP’s exciting activities with merry CAs, I was able to enjoy every day in Canada many times more. The Boat Cruise Party and Canada’s Wonderland are one of the most unforgettable memories. I was definitely happy to go to the ELP. Thank you very much!” —Sakiko Miyazato “I think studying at the ELP is the best choice if you want to to improve your English. This school has not only incredible classes and teachers but also nice activities every day. Because of this nice environment, I really improved my English. I hope you will also have the same review after your semester! —Masaki Yoshida “I really like the ELP because there are many great and lovely CAs!! I enjoyed Toronto life because of them. I’m sure Toronto is my second home.” —Kohei Oku “I love the ELP because I met wonderful friends and made lots of memories in this place.” —Yuka Kitamura “I liked the ELP’s activities especially sports activities!! They have soccer, hockey, basketball and softball. I love the ELP Beavers!!” —Taisuke Shigemori

“I visited famous places and studied hard. All staff were so kind to me. I had a great time in Toronto.” —Kojiro Kida “I was very happy every day I stayed in Toronto. There were activities every day and many nice places. No day was boring. I am so glad everyone is kind with me. Thank you very much. I am very happy to have come here!” —Nanako Taoka “I spent a good time in Toronto. The school activities were so good. My favourite was the Niagara Falls trip. It was very exciting and I enjoyed the boat ride. I will never forget it. I want to come back to Toronto again. Thank you!” —Kotaro Fujitsuna “I enjoyed all of the school activities, especially Niagara Falls and Cirque du Soleil. the ELP staff were very kind to me and helped me when I needed. I think this trip will be very memorable in my life. Thank you!” —Ruri Saito

“The most memorable thing I did was Niagara Falls. It was the most beautiful thing I have seen in my life. Studying abroad was a great experience! Thank you.” —Saki Harada “I can’t decide what my favourite memory is. I really enjoyed my time in Toronto. Time flew by so quickly. Thank you all for helping me.” —Masatoshi Kowaki

“I enjoyed the Boat Cruise Party. Dancing with friends was a lot of fun.” —Maria Koishi “I loved talking to the CAs. The time I spent here was so fun but felt so short. Everything at ELP was so good!” —Maika Kinugasa

“I made a lot of memories in Toronto. My favourite activity was the Boat Cruise Party. We enjoyed the dancing and the night view of downtown. Thank you for all the fun. These memories are my treasure!!” —Ryuichiro Nakano “My favourite memory was Niagara Falls. It was a very fantastic experience for me. I think the Canadian Falls are superior to the American. Thank you all for supporting us!” —Kodai Kawate

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@elp Nagoya University of Foreign Studies

By: Eileen Wu, ELP Cultural Assistant

n August, the ELP welcomed students from Nagoya University of Foreign Studies (NUFS). NUFS only stayed in Toronto for a month in order to complete the English PLUS program, but they had a full month! The first stop for NUFS after the Welcome Party was the Taste of Danforth Greek food festival. The students arrived in Toronto just in time for this iconic yearly festival of food, culture, and music. Students Yuna Goto and Kanami Akiyama even describe it as their favourite outing of the month because of all the delicious and interesting foods to try. Better yet, the days long festival meant that the students could go again and again, and many of them did! For the rest of the month, NUFS students continued their adventure around Toronto with a Blue Jays game, a trip to Wonderland, a visit to Niagara Falls, and a canoe trip through the Harbourfront to Toronto Island. During the August 10th Blue Jays game that NUFS attended, the Blue Jays even beat the Tampa Bay Rays seven to nothing! The excitement of watching the Blue Jays win

a game was the best part of NUFS student Chika Sato’s trip. One of the special Nagoya activities was the canoeing trip on Lake Ontario. For many of the students, this was their first time in a canoe. Before getting into the fourteenperson boat, there was a lot of excitement and nervousness in the air. As soon as they hit the blue waters of Lake Ontario though, all that nervousness had evaporated and students soaked in the bright sunshine and breathtaking view of Toronto’s waterfront. NUFS’s goodbye came way too quickly as August came to an end. The students made unforgettable memories here in Toronto and this city and ELP will always welcome them back.

Groups

@elp

Kansai University By: Eileen Wu, ELP Cultural Assistant

n a sunny day in August, the students of Kansai University arrived in Pearson International Airport to begin a month-long adventure in Toronto. These students travelled to Toronto to study English with ELP’s English PLUS program and to explore a little bit of what Canada has to offer. Though their stay was far too short and all of us at ELP will miss them dearly, Kansai students had an action packed four weeks in our great city. The month began with the ELP Welcome Party at the Madison. As the month went on, Kansai students experienced Toronto must-sees such as Ripley’s Aquarium, the CN Tower, Casa Loma, and Toronto Island. A really memorable day for everyone was when the students visited Canada’s Wonderland – the largest theme park in Canada. “The big yellow one and blue one were very exciting,” said Moeka Kitagawa, describing Wonderland’s two largest roller coasters, the Behemoth and the Leviathan. The students even had the chance to visit Niagara Falls, just a few hours away from Toronto. It was an incredible day of sight-seeing despite the sweltering

heat. In just a day, the students experienced the sweet fruit at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Peach Festival, the natural wonder of the Falls, the lights of Clifton Hill, and the great deals at the outlet mall. “There’s nothing like it in Japan,” Mahi said, describing the Canadian landmark. Some of the students even returned to see the iconic view of the falls lit up with the nighttime lights from the Hornblower. “I saw all the lights from the boat and they were beautiful,” Mai Yamashita gushed about the experience. The students of Kansai University ended their time in Toronto with a graduation lunch at Milestones in the heart of the city. They spent the whole of the yummy meal reminiscing about their unforgettable time together in a city that will stay with them forever. It was a sad day when Kansai said goodbye to the University of Toronto, but their memories here will last a lifetime.

City University of Hong Kong School of Creative Media

Kobe Shinwa Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University

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Photo: Guennadi Guermanovitch

@elp

Photo: Guennadi Guermanovitch

activities

Canada’s Wonderland By: Mio Otsuka, ELP Cultural Assistant

anada’s Wonderland is a fun and exciting amusement park located only 30 minutes away from downtown Toronto. If you are looking for ways to make great memories during the weekend, this is definitely it! On a hot and sunny day, Wonderland’s premier Water Park, the Splash Works, is a fantastic first stop at the amusement park. Don’t forget to bring your swimwear so that you can enjoy all the thrilling water slides, pools, and more! There are rides outside of the water park as well that will cool you down. All of the roller coasters and thrill rides are rated on a scale of 1 to 5. If you are a big fan of scary and thrilling rides, great! Even if you aren’t, there are many rides you can try and conquer. One of our student favorites is the White Water Canyon, where you get on a giant raft that takes you through waterfalls! My personal favourite is the Windseeker, which takes you up 301 feet into the air! You can get a great view of the entire amusement park and more! Your visit to Canada’s Wonderland is sure to make it on to your top 10 list of great and memorable things you experienced here in Toronto!

Casa Loma

By: Francesca Campos, ELP Cultural Assistant

n August, ELP students had the opportunity to see the Toronto Concert Orchestra perform at Casa Loma. Casa Loma is a castle right in the heart of Toronto. It attracts hundreds of tourists each day for its unique architecture and beautiful garden. The performance took place at the glass pavilion located in the grand backyard. Seats were scattered all over, and people quickly filled up the place before the start of the performance. ELP students enjoyed exploring the castle beforehand- a couple of us went to one of the towers and found a broom. It reminded us of Harry Potter- a popular novel about wizards, flying brooms, etc.—and so we took this chance to take pictures of us riding the broom and pretended that we were part of the story! It was an experience that made the castle more historic for us. Some students went off to buy food that was being served in the garden—hotdogs were the cheapest on the menu so many of us took that option. It was pretty delicious but street food is still the best. In general, the guests were a diverse group of people. Many, like the students and I wore casual summer clothing, while others came in more dressed up for their date night at the castle. Overall, the atmosphere that night was splendid. The music was brilliant—it was a perfect compliment to our surroundings. They performed as the sun set into the dark night. It was truly a magical night for all of us, one that we will keep in our hearts. 31

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The CBC

A Night at Canada’s Smartest Person By: Jessica Pinheiro, ELP Cultural Assistant

BC stands for the iconic Canadian Broadcasting Company that for many years has shaped Canadian media. Since 2014, thousands of spectators have enjoyed themselves in the search for Canada’s Smartest Person. The game show that challenges Canadians from every part of the country with different intelligence tests and tasks until they have selected approximately 20 participants to compete with each other for the title of Canada’s Smartest Person. On September 1st, 18 ELP students and I had the pleasure of being in the audience for one of the episode’s taping. If you are unfamiliar with the game show, this is how it goes: a hand full of competitors start the episode by all doing fun and exciting tasks that test all sorts of intelligence types. As the episode goes on and the tasks are completed the loser get eliminated one by one until the final two competitors remain. To decide who the winner of the episode is and who gets to go to the finale, the two participants compete on the final series of difficult challenges: The Gauntlet. ELP students met at 5:30pm and together we headed over to the CBC headquarters downtown. As it was my first time there, I was excited to see what a broadcasting company would look like. And let me tell you, it did not let me down. We were welcomed by staff and asked to sign release forms so they could use our image. Once we all signed, they took us to a holding room where we could mingle and eat snacks. As a part of their policy, they do not allow any pictures to be taken outside of the main floor, so we were unfortunately unable to take pictures past the elevator. The exciting part came when they took us into the studio. You could see the make-up team, touching up on the competitors, the director and other crew members working hard to set everything up for the big moment. The MC of the night started us off with a little bit of history on CBC and the gameshow itself. Apparently it takes, 12 hours to film a single episode, and they use three different sets of audiences. We were lucky to get The Gauntlet, the most exciting part of the show. The host was introduced and we were directed to cheer as loud as we could throughout the whole challenge. We cheered and cheered, and felt the excitement of the gameshow all around. ELP students were excited to be a part of something historic and as exciting as a CBC gameshow. But if you want to know what happened in the Gauntlet and maybe try to see if you can sneak a peak on us, you will have to wait until December 4, 2016. Make sure to catch it on TV or on youtube later on. It was an amazing opportunity for the students and I to get exposed to a side of the Toronto entertainment industry we otherwise wouldn’t have access to. We are all very grateful to have been a part of the filming progress and I hope that we would have more opportunities like this, so that you too, could have a chance to spend the night with Canada’s Smartest Person.

Harbourfront Canoe By: Mio Otsuka, ELP Cultural Assistant

ne of the greatest ways to experience Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summer is by canoeing through Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes of North America. The canoes fit about 15-20 people and is a fantastic team sport! We put on our lifejackets and join forces to paddle across the vast lake down to the Toronto Islands. It can take about 20 to 30 minutes, so it can be quite a bit of a workout! If you are with a large group and heading down with more than 1 canoe, it can turn into a competitive and exciting canoe race! Once arriving at the Toronto Islands, you will be able to take in the wonderful nature that the islands have to offer. You can run around and take photos, or simply sit down and relax. Either way, you will surely enjoy the nice weather and beautiful nature. It may be a good idea to take it a little easy though, since you will need the energy to paddle back to the city! The breathtaking view of downtown Toronto will be awaiting you on your way back. This is a view that you will definitely want to capture! Be careful not to drop your camera into the waters, and I hope you enjoy this experience as much as I do!

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Volunteering By: Fadia Cocco, ELP Cultural Assistant

olunteering is one of the most exciting activities at the ELP! Weekly, we provide ELP students with unique opportunities to get involved in Canadian culture and practice their English speaking skills outside of the classroom. We offer a wide variety of activities to fit the needs and interests of all of our students, that way there is something for everyone!

Habitat for Humanity: ReStore At Habitat for Humanity, our volunteers work in their ReStore locations to assist with organization of the products that are donated to the stores as well as helping with customer service for visitors. All proceeds collected at the ReStore are donated to help fund the building of homes for families.

Open Streets Toronto Open Streets TO is an event that closes down some of the busiest roads in the downtown core. The festival opens the streets to allow for a street festival where people can take over the roads and walk around freely. Our roles at Open Streets TO is to help maintain the safety of the visitors, making sure guests are traveling to their destination safely as well as helping to answer questions about the Toronto. 34

Jays Care 50/50 This summer at ELP, one of the most popular volunteer events was with the Jays Care Foundation. Our volunteers help to sell 50/50 tickets during the Blue Jays Games for the first half of the game. They use their enthusiasm and excitement to sell as many tickets as they can to guests who come to watch the baseball game. Fifty percent of the money collected is donated to the Jays Care Foundation helping children to get involved in baseball.

Evergreen Garden Circle One of our newest additions to ELP Volunteering is the Evergreen Garden Circle at Evergreen Brickworks. This opportunity has been very popular amongst our students, as we help to make the garden of Evergreen Brickworks grow for the months to come. We work with the staff of the brickworks, to plant and nurture the gardens, trees and landscape. This program helps our students to become familiar with one of Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hidden treasures and have them leave a lasting impression on the Brickworks.

Dusk Dances Festival ELP and Dusk Dances worked together on many occasions this summer to help put on performances that represented arts and culture in Toronto. It is a festival, that welcomes contemporary and traditional dance, holding performances for guests and those who are curious about other cultures and heritage. As volunteers we worked to promote the event by encouraging visitors to the park to join the audience. We provided more information about the event, as well as encourage enthusiastic guests to participate in the dance.

Toronto Reel Asian â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Retro Summer Series This summer our ELP volunteers have been assisting on two different occasions with the Toronto Reel Asian Retro Summer Series Film Festival. This opportunity gave our international students exposure to a not-for-profit organization that helps to promote Asian representation through media arts. Our students were able to help at the Summer Series acting as Marshals, helping to provide information about the event to guests â&#x20AC;&#x201C; while also having the opportunity to watch the films. Our events are all offered at different times of the day so everyone has the option to participate in what we know is an experience that builds and strengthens our part in giving back to the community. We love volunteering here at ELP, it gives us a chance to meet new people and take part in things we otherwise would not have had the chance to do! 35

ELP on Instagram #UofTELP

#UofELP students got up really early on this beautiful sunday to volunteer for a great cause at the Yorkville Run! Don’t forget to join us every Wednesday to learn more about how you too can volunteer!

UofTELP: One of our campus tour groups today posing with the iconic UC building! Welcome to #UofTELP! #September #EnglishPLUS #Toronto #UofT

UofTELP: Students after a fun night of bowling

UofTELP: We’re here at Marilyn Bell Park to watch the Canadian International Air Show!

#UofTELP students enjoying Conversation Cafe at the Distillery District today! UofTELP: Let’s go Blue Jays!! UofTELP: Free admissions at the AGO on Wednesdays after 6pm!

UofTELP: Let’s go @bluejays UofTELP: Great group shot in front of a#dinosaur after a fantastic tour of the @romtoronto UofTELP: Great game today. Thanks to all who came out!! #LetsGo #ELPBeavers

UofTELP: The Hockey Hall of Famers were the first group to complete the 4th-floor task for this month’s EP cup! Are you enjoying the amazing race? #UofTELP

UofTELP: A moose enjoying #UofTELP’s hockey shootout booth at #WorldStudentDay UofTELP: Always #winning when you volunteer. #goodlifemarathon #UofTELP

UofTELP: Canoe with a view

UofTELP: Perfect weather for canoeing. All smiles.

#UofTELP students volunteering at the Hope Volleyball Tournament on Toronto Island last weekend.

#UofTELP students having fun @romtoronto yesterday.

#UofTELP students clearly enjoying the AGO

UofTELP: #UofTELP students take Niagara Falls

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My Summer Highlight Softball with the ELP Beavers By: Christopher Penaranda, ELP Cultural Assistant

ne of the things I look forward to the most here at the ELP is the softball season with the ELP Beavers. As soon as the days in July get warmer I’m already dreaming about playing ball at our beautiful front campus. There are many reasons I like the softball season. I think softball brings people together, and I get to see that firsthand at the ELP. Students who were once strangers become close friends. Silence becomes laughter and the spirit of summer comes true. Every year we have students from all over the world, many which have never even seen a softball much less a bat. Our league is all fun and games there’s no standings or playoffs so the real victory is seeing the students learn softball and all its rules. My favourite memories are of students cheering other students when they are batting or when they are fielding. There’s also ice cream day, once every season we all enjoy sweet cold ice cream sandwiches in a hot summer day. One of the other things that I enjoy about our ELP softball team is our fields. I think it’s a unique experience to be playing in a small patch of green in the middle of one of the world’s largest cities and busiest cities. Watching our students hit homers with the CN Tower in the background is truly amazing. Playing softball at front campus helps our students feel a connection to our beautiful campus and city. There’s a lot to do here at the ELP in the summer but softball is still my favourite summer activity and here I am day dreaming about it next year.

Enjoy @elp Magazine in Print and Online! 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 youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re enrolled in.

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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