Wow December 2013

issue 84, December 2013

world of words “The English Language Program’s student magazine – a compilation of the Fall session’s highlights, student opinions and other features.”

December 2013, issue 84

An Immigrant’s Tale Coming to Canada

ELP: Now on Instagram

Our Blue Hats

ELP student, Caglar Erdogan, reflects on volunteering at The Run for the Cure

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world of words

inside this issue

Cover: ELP students volunteering at the Island Girl Half Marathon. Photograph by Erik Dean.

Feature Articles

Student Opinion

Our Blue Hats 4

My Volunteer Experience 17

A Thank You from the CBCF 5

A Journey of Openness 19

An Immigrant’s Tale 6 An Interview with Fernando Abreu 7

Arabic Coffee 20 Surviving Winter in Canada 21

ELP on Instagram 10

Problem - Solution 22

University Application Program 12

Lessons from the Past 23

Applying to Graduate Studies 13

Brazil’s World Cup 24

Volunteer Experience Program 14

World Press Photo Gallery 26

The Benefits of Volunteering 15

Student Life English Outside the Classroom 8 The University Fair 18 The ELP Experience 45 A Day at Algonquin 46

The Living Library 32 How to Find a Spouse 35 The Age of Distraction 36 The Stuffed Owl 37 Stroke and Alternative Treatments 38 Learning to Make a Fool of Yourself 39 Getting to Know “Algoas” 40

Downtown Grocery Shopping 47

Iguaçu Falls 41

Stereotypically Canadian Things 48

Speech Contest 42

Tastes of ELP 50 A Canadian Obsession 52 Darren’s Music Corner 53 Holiday Events Around Toronto 54 Simple Homemade Gifts 56 Ask Rosa 57

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Disclaimer: Due to our diverse student population, we receive many opinionbased 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.

issue 84, December 2013

ELP Director’s Message December 2013 Hello all, As the song goes, “‘Tis the season to be jolly.” Here at the English Language Program, we could not agree more! Though this is traditionally a season of giving and receiving presents, in this issue we see that gifts do not have to be wrapped: they come from volunteering and sharing ideas, thoughts, recipes and experiences from which we can all reap the benefits. So, in the spirit of the season, join us in this issue of World of Words (available in print and online) and celebrate and enjoy the many shapes and benefits of giving.

Our contributors write about this relationship between giving and receiving. As ELP students Caglar Erdogan and Jiarui Zhang explain in their pieces on volunteering with the ELP’s Volunteer Experience Program, the act of giving back can pay large dividends in terms of learning English and understanding Canadian culture, in addition to the positivity that comes from contributing to a community at large. ELP Program Administrator, Hanna Rashid, reflects on her immigrant experience of coming to Canada 20 years ago as a young child, learning English, and the life her family gave up in Bangladesh so that she could find success. André Gonçalves reflects on his Toronto experience. For him, Toronto is a city that offers opportunities to travel the world, experience different cultures and meet a diversity of people whilst never having to leave the city limits.

Lastly, the efforts of our instructors and students to submit class projects from their class outings to the Living Library Project and World Press Photo Gallery, compiled in this issue, have produced some truly interesting, thoughtful and moving articles.

Indeed, we have been given interesting and thoughtful efforts in this issue. So, in the spirit of giving, we give thanks to our students, instructors, and staff who have made this session at the ELP and issue of WoW a complete success. Let me echo this sentiment to our readers by saying, thank you for your support and happy holidays to you and yours.

All the best, Sherry Yuan Hunter Executive Director, English Language Program University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies

Dan Pinese Sana Ali, Lulu Chen, Chris Chipman, Andrea Cuellar, Erik Dean, Dorothy Garfinkel, Rosa Leo, Jack McGrath, Lily Meshadiyeva, Vitalie Nyembwe, Nick Plagakis, Hanna Rashid, Darren Rigo, Danielle Rychlo, Naglaa Salem, Mustafa Ersin Sarier, Karen Thomson, Victor Vo

Editor and Layout Design Staff Contributors

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world of words

Our Blue Hats

By Caglar Erdogan of Turkey, Academic English Level 60

I

t was my second week in Canada and first week of with other volunteers collaboratively. As a result, the my classes. I heard that the meeting for the Volunteer preparations were accomplished quicker than usual. I Experience Program (VEP) was on Wednesday. My goal noticed that everybody, both coordinators and team was exactly the same as other students in that meeting, leaders, dedicated themselves in order to create the best discovering the Canadian life style and improving my event. All of them were helping volunteers to receive the spoken English. That week’s assignment/position was to best results from the work that was being done. Moreover, help the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation organize there was a precise schedule prepared in detail and every the recreation area and lead attendees before the actual step of the preparations was determined hourly by the run which was held on Sunday, October 6th, so all organization company. The best part of Saturday was preparations should be completed on Saturday.

I was able to drive a golf cart to spread sand bags as We were informed to be at the Ontario Institute for supports for the barriers around the recreation area.

Studies in Education (OISE) at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The first Despite the fact that I attained some of my bullet points day of my volunteering experience on my bucket list on Saturday, Sunday was on a gloomy day. It seemed like it was stunning. Seeing all those people, was going to rain. However, everybody “The purpose of the wall runners, volunteers and attendees, who signed up for the position was at to make a difference for made me realize once again converging the meeting point on time despite the both themselves and others was bad weather. Daniel, our team leader, that everything we did those utterly moving and was worth being must have arrived to the meeting two days absolutely made a a part of. point before us that he showed up I have no doubt that the Volunteer from nowhere with blue ELP hats in change in someone’s life.”

Experience Program has made my his hands. After taking one for each, stay in Canada more enjoyable by we started to walk towards King College Circle – it was creating the perfect conditions for meeting new people 10 minutes away from OISE. By the time we arrived there, and it helped me understand how charity foundations other volunteers had already started working. Although work in Toronto. Besides, being busy with something Dan told me that Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation else instead of studying English every day virtually five wanted to work with U of T English Language Program hours aided me to clear my mind and focus more on my because of diligence and punctuality, we arrived to the studies. Especially, at the end of the day, the smile you recreation area a little bit late that day. Hence, we felt that obtain after completing the given task makes you even we needed to work harder to cover our lateness. happier. Because during those two days there were huge It was, somehow, a competition with other volunteering numbers of people, they will not be able to remember teams. Thus, after arriving there, we were immediately our faces clearly. However, they will never forget our charged with jobs according to our skills and likes. I was contribution and blue hats. assigned to work with other volunteers to build the Wall of Hope, where people can share their pain by writing a message for loved ones or the ones that suffered from cancer. The purpose of the wall made me realize once again that everything we did those two days absolutely made a change in someone’s life. Nonetheless, building it was not that easy because the previous year, they forgot to number the parts. Although it took longer for us to assemble each part, I saw that as an opportunity to practice my English more with native Canadians. While working with them, I enhanced my actual vocabulary by adding new words. Studying in an academic language program unquestionably helped me to improve my English for an academic environment. However, when I needed to communicate on a daily life basis, academic English seemed distanced. Thus, building the wall of hope was, perhaps, the best way to expand my daily life vocabulary.

The next assignment was to organize the food tent which was for runners and attendees. We worked

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ELP students wearing their blue hats while volunteering at The Run for the Cure

issue 84, December 2013

A Thank You from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Dear Students of the English Language Program, University of Toronto

December 3, 2013

On behalf of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Ontario Region (CBCF), I would like to thank all the wonderful students who have come out and supported our many events this year.

All of you have demonstrated spirit, heart and creativity during your volunteer endeavours with us and we could not be happier to have such a dedicated volunteer group that we can always count on, rain or shine!

We are made stronger by our thousands of supporters like the ELP group that continue to contribute effort and heart to the Foundation event after event, year after year.

From promoting the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure at the Pride Parade 2013; to holding your own Pink Ribbon party (making thousands of ribbons); to volunteering in the pouring rain at the GWN Dragonboat Challenge; to helping us set up in record time (we have never seen the food tent go up so quickly!) at the Toronto Run site; to helping us raise the most money ever in the history of Argos Pink Games, we are incredibly thankful to have the support of the University of Toronto’s English Language Learning Program students.

We could not do the work we do without all of you and we are proud and honoured to have a strong volunteer network that is as committed as we are to creating a future without breast cancer.

From the bottom of our hearts, we want to extend a huge thank you again for all the time and energy that each and every one of you has generously committed to CBCF. We look forward to having all of you back at our next event!

Sincerely Yours,

Teresa Tam Coordinator, Volunteer Programs Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Ontario Region 20 Victoria Street Toronto, Ontario M5C 2N8

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An Immigrant’s Tale

By Hanna Rashid, ELP Program Administrator Graduate of English, University of Toronto

E

nglish is not my first language. I learned it, like most of you are now, by going to special classes and talking with native speakers. Had my parents chosen to immigrate to another country almost 20 years ago, I would be speaking another language.

It was a cold February night when my family and I first arrived in Canada. We travelled for almost 24 hours, leaving Bangladesh with two stop-overs in Dubai and Chicago until finally arriving in Toronto. It was my first time getting on to a plane. At only seven years old I already knew how to pack up all my prized possessions into a suitcase, say goodbye to the people that I knew and loved, and board a plane that would take me far away from the only place I called home. The problem was I didn’t know how to speak or understand the language of this new home.

The arrivals terminal at Pearson International Airport was noisy with incomprehensible voices, their tongues pushing out words I did not understand. For the first time in my life I saw people who didn’t look like me, have skin colour, hair, or clothes like mine. It was like stepping through a portal into a whole new world. My mother, sensing my apprehension, crouched down to my height and whispered in Bengali, “this is our new home my girl.”

Like many people in Canada, I was born in another country and immigrated here with my family. As a young child I didn’t have a choice in the matter – the decision was made by my very optimistic parents who wanted to give their children a better life. And despite all the risks involved in moving a family of four children across the globe, more than 7,000 miles to be exact, to a country where they had no family, hardly any money, and spoke very little of the language, they took a chance.

Moving to Canada was their dream. A dream born out of tantalizing stories heard from friends and relatives that came to visit. Canada was a land of opportunity, they would exclaim; you will get better jobs there, the streets are wide and the air is clean. It seemed like paradise to my parents and they never wavered from this sentiment. More than anything, I think my parents

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saw an opportunity to give their children access to better education, something that due to poverty was denied to them. Once we arrived in Canada, my mother who married very young and possessed only an 8th grade education, pushed us hard to learn English.

Though she would always struggle with it herself, my mother maintained that English was the key to all our educational achievements. Mastering a language that – let’s face it – is perhaps not the easiest to learn would be the first step towards success. It would be an immigrant’s success.

I remember sitting in my 3rd-grade classroom, at the back, feeling utterly and hopelessly lost because I could not understand what the teacher was saying. It was my first week in a new school, in a new country, and I was cold and miserable. At recess the kids would make fun of me because I did not speak, so I stayed in the corner of the school yard for most of the time. After the first week, my kind teacher took me to my first ESL class, which had a few other kids from school. They didn’t know English either. I felt fear and excitement at the same time: I was to learn English! Though I struggled every day to communicate my thoughts and feelings to friends and teachers, I eventually began to find a voice.

My self-confidence boosted and I finally came out of the corner.

Years and years later, I finished my degree in English Literature from the University of Toronto. After the graduation ceremony, I found my mother waiting outside the convocation hall with a bouquet of flowers in her hand and tears in her eyes. I asked her “Ma, why are you crying?” She hugged me tight and said softly, in Bengali, “You did it! I am crying because you accomplished what I couldn’t. I am crying because I feel proud of you.” At that moment, standing in front of my mother with tears of joy in her eyes, I finally understood why my parents uprooted our family to a foreign country. It was me, this moment, and the English degree clutched in my hand – I was the immigrant success.

issue 84, December 2013

An Interview with Fernando Abreu, ELP Ambassador

By Christopher Chipman Coordinator, Student Services

Fernando Abreu of Sao Paulo, Brazil joined the English Language Program (ELP) in January of 2013, as part of the Brazilian Government’s ‘Science Without Borders’ scholarship program. Fernando attended Academic English courses in order to improve his English proficiency and prepare for academic level studies in Computer Science at the University of Toronto. We had the chance to sit down with Fernando to ask him a few questions about his time at ELP:

Q: What did you like most about studying at ELP? A: There are two points that I like the most about the ELP. First, it is a place where I can meet people from different countries. These people came from a different culture, they think in a different way, and I find really nice to learn about it. Second, the ELP promotes a nice “outside of the class” environment. Many English courses you just go to class and leave. However, at ELP people can go to the many events that ELP promotes, or can enjoy the Music club, or do volunteer work, or you can just chill out in the hall with your friends. There are so many fun things to do.

Q: What did you do to ensure your success at the ELP? A: I figured out what were my biggest issues in English for me, for example pronunciation and listening. Then, I’ve pushed myself to improve on that, watching more English series without subtitles, listening to podcast and watching YouTube videos about how to improve it. I’ve

also asked the professors to help me on this. So they gave me good advice, and they started paying more attention on my pronunciation during the class. That’s why it is so important to have small classes. Summarizing, I think knowing my weaknesses and improving them was what helped me succeed.

Q: What do you plan to do after finishing your studies at the University of Toronto?

A: After I finish my studies I have to go back to Brazil. I think the first thing that I’m going to do after I go back there is try to develop one of the ideas that I have in mind into a business, and then try to incubate it. But at the same time, I would like to try for a trainee program or internship in a big company like Google or Facebook.

Q: What message would you give to students just starting at the ELP? A: I think there is no better feeling than hanging out around Toronto and being able to speak fluently to people and understand what they say. That’s what I’m feeing now, and it is very good. So I would say to them: give your best, push yourself at your limit, live in English, avoid speaking your native language, and enjoy! Enjoy as much as you can! Because enjoying in the many ELP activities you will be practicing a lot your English.

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ENGLISH

OUTSIDE

Photograph by David Wu

Photograph by David Wu

Photograph by David Wu

Photograph by David Wu

Photograph by David Wu

Photograph by David Wu

Photograph by David Wu

THE

CLASSROOM

Photograph by David Wu

ELP on Instagram

#uoftelp #elpwowmagazine #elpactivities

@yukapon0326

@bensonshee

@arianymv - Because of different reasons it is so good studying at elp. One of them it is that you can enjoy the volunteer club to help a variety of social causes and at the same time have a lot of fun!!

@bensonshee

@bensonshee

@frmaerle

@gnsalkan

@bensonshee

@frmaerle - Best classmate ever

@mustafasarier - CN Tower

@diegovilani29 - New morning. In a cold day. What can I do? Just study hard. I’m loving this university University of Toronto.

@rolimx - 60-J Guys

@uoftelp - a perfect day for some skating

@gnsalkan - When it snows in Toronto... :)

@marinabeltraocabral making amazing new friends

@arianymv - Weekend!

@marinabeltraocabral - Girls who run the world

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u.a.p

The University Application Program

By Lily Meshadiyeva, UAP Advisor

Studying Employment Relations and Human Resources, University of Toronto

T

he English Language Program provides assistance to students who are interested in applying to university, through the University Application Program (UAP). The UAP offers one-on-one counselling, delivers information workshops, guides students in filling out online applications, and provides feedback on personal statements and resumes: One-on-one personal consultations

- Exploring schools and programs that would

be suitable for you

- Providing advice according to your situation

- Understanding admission requirements

- Brainstorming ideas for writing personal

statements and CVs, and providing feedback

about the content of personal statements and resumes Workshops on the application process for undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs

- Applying to University – Undergraduate Edition

- Applying to University – Graduate Edition

- Applying to University – OUAC Edition

- Question & Answer Session

- Education in Canada

- Finding the Right Fit

- Freshman 101

Events such as university fairs and student panels

- Representatives from different universities all

over Canada introduce their universities and

programs at our university fairs.

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- Student panels allow former English Language Program students to present to their experiences to current students, and offer question and answer sessions.

Advice on volunteer placements and internships

- One-on-one personal consultations.

- Lists of appropriate volunteering organizations.

- Help with interviews and more!

How to choose a program?

Always remember to find a balance between what you love to study and what you are skilled in!

- Focus on a specific area in your discipline

and look at schools offering or specializing in

these programs.

- Research school websites for details of the programs.

- Visit the campus to get a feel for the

atmosphere, meet professors, see the facilities,

and talk to current students.

- Research tuition fees and evaluate financial

assistance options.

- Attend schools fairs or program information

sessions, where you can ask program

representatives any questions you may have.

Do not just look at rankings of universities because they may not provide an accurate picture or reflection of the institution’s experience and education, or most importantly, what’s best for you!

issue 84, December 2013

Applying to Graduate Studies

By Lily Meshadiyeva, UAP Advisor

Studying Employment Relations and Human Resources, University of Toronto

A

re you applying or going to apply for a graduate program? You’re likely to stumble upon the words, “Statement of Intent,” “Statement of Purpose,” or “Statement of Interest.” Don’t fear, it’s easier than it looks!

What is it? I like to view it as something that can reflect your experiences, goals, and character on paper.

The purpose of it is to show that while you are a worthy candidate of the program you’re applying to, you are also someone who would use this graduate degree to go places. Your statement should also jump off the page.

Did you think a statement of interest was the same as a resume/CV? You couldn’t be more wrong! The resume/ CV is the technical reflection of your achievements and experiences. Everything you put on there needs to follow a precise format and needs to look polished. A statement is all about you and what you think works.

What I like to recommend is, while you write, think of yourself as someone on the admissions committee of the program. What exactly are they looking for? Would they remember your statement above everyone else’s after they’re done reading them all?

Since there are no strict rules to a statement, there are some suggestions as to what to think about before you start writing. First, your introduction needs to be original and attention-grabbing. Don’t be boring! What will make you stand out more than anyone else? Did you experience something growing up that made you passionate about your area of study in the first place?

Tell the story!

Then, you can start talking about your experiences and what they have taught you. You should mention both your academic and work experiences. For instance, your academic experience can include the relevant courses you’ve taken during your undergraduate years. Your work or extracurricular activities should convey your skills and distinctive qualities. All of this should lead up to one specific topic in your field. If you’re applying for an MBA, don’t just settle on your passion for Finance, dig deeper and reveal your true love for Corporate Finance, which could lead to studying Mergers and Acquisitions. You can even go on to give examples on the topic, and discuss what you can offer in order to solve any problems within the field.

This should tie in with what you plan to do with your master’s degree. What career path do you plan to take? Do you plan on doing something that will make the institution proud? Make the admissions committee realize that you will dedicate your entire life to this field and that it is your one true calling.

Lastly, why did you pick this program and institution specifically? Don’t be too obvious! The admissions officers know that you are applying to this program, and that it’s the best one suited for you! You and all the other applicants have made that clear. Make it apparent that you’ve done your research on the school! For instance, include professors’ names that you would like to work with in the program.

You don’t have to be an amazing writer to create a proper statement of intent (unless you’re applying

for Creating Writing). Remember to proofread it and always make sure everything flows. Everything needs to connect and have a purpose to be included in your masterpiece. Most programs require one page only for a statement, so make everything count! Oh and send it in on time. That’s important.

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v.e.p

The Volunteer Experience Program T

he Volunteer Experience Program (VEP) is designed to allow students to gain valuable volunteer experience at charitable organizations in Toronto.

• Gain valuable work experience.

• Practice speaking English.

• Join exciting events happening around Toronto for free.

• Meet new people.

Students are awarded a certificate and reference letter upon completion of 20 hours of volunteer work which they can use when applying to academic programs in universities, or when seeking jobs in Canada and elsewhere.

The Volunteer Experience Program is proud to work with the following organizations: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Evergreen Canada Chinatown Buisness Improvement Area The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Yonge Street Mission Harbourfront Toronto Goodlife Marathon Waterfront Blues Festival Cultura Festival Dusk Dances Beaches International Jazz Festival Canadian Stage Theatre Company Heart and Stroke Foundation World Short Film Festival

Joining the VEP is easy! Attend the weekly meetings every Wednesday at 5:15pm in Room 4-160.

Sign up for upcoming events, check the number of hours you have volunteered, or request a reference letter or certificate.

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VEP members contributing to the Canadian Cancer Society at their Colours of Hope 5K run.

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issue 84, December 2013

THE BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING

By Erik Dean, ELP Cultural Assistant & VEP Organizer

Studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto

T

he Volunteer Experience Program, commonly known as VEP, is one of the most popular extracurriculars here at ELP. Having been the VEP organizer for a little while now, I’ve been able to see why that is through my own experience.

Although volunteer work is unpaid, you come out of it wealthy in other ways. This is particularly the case for you English students! Volunteering affords you opportunities to practice English, mingle with native English speakers, make friends, have fun, and gain valuable experience. Sometimes certain events require that their volunteers wear a special volunteer t-shirt.

Often volunteers get to keep these shirts afterwards, so in some cases you end up with a nice souvenir!

Volunteer activities are most often a good mix of work and play, with lots of time available to speak to other volunteers or the public. Furthermore, there is a wide range of different volunteer opportunities out there, which means that there’s something for almost everyone. Past volunteer events have been outdoors, indoors, in the suburbs of Toronto, here at the ELP, in the early morning, in the evening, for many hours, or for only one. In this article however, I would like to discuss

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two kinds of events that VEP commonly works with that have been very popular and enjoyable: marathons and the 50/50 draw.

Marathons are a popular event in Toronto during the summer months, and they make for a great volunteer experience. Since marathons are typically large-scale events, they require many volunteers, which means more opportunities for more people to get involved.

Volunteering at marathons can be difficult for some people because they often require an early start. This past summer, we volunteered at the Island Girl Half Marathon which was on Centre Island (see pictures on previous page). We had to arrive for 7:00 AM in order to make sure water stations were set up before the race began. It might have been tough to do but it was worth it to see how beautiful Centre Island is in the early morning, amongst other things.

Marathons can be a particularly nice event to volunteer with because everyone involved is often very polite and thankful for our volunteer service. This is especially the case when you hand out water to a runner in need! Additionally, marathons often follow some sort of fun theme, such as the tropical theme of

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the Island Girl Half Marathon.

At most professional hockey, basketball, soccer, and football games in Toronto, is something called the 50/50 draw. Raffle tickets are sold by volunteers in the stadiums to the general public, with which they can potentially win money. Half of all the money that is made through the selling of the tickets goes to the winner of the draw, and the other half goes to a charity, hence the name 50/50.

The charity we worked with this past season through 50/50 events was Right to Play, a global organization that helps provide children facing poverty or adversity with opportunities for sports and games.

50/50 events were the most popular and the most sought after at VEP this season, and it’s understandable as to why that is. Firstly, volunteers get to work in an exciting atmosphere and mingle with many people.

They get to talk with the general public attending the game, and also the many other Canadian volunteers.

Afterwards, once the selling period is over, volunteers get to watch the last quarter of the game and are also given some pizza to eat. If this excites you, please get involved and come to the next VEP meeting!

issue 84, December 2013

My ELP Volunteer Experience

By Jiarui Zhang of China, Academic English Level 50

W

hen people go to a new country, they want to know about its customs and culture and they want to practice English outside of the classroom in the real world. For international students, participating in volunteer work is a good way to achieve these goals.

Fortunately, the ELP offers the opportunity to be a volunteer. My first volunteer experience in Canada was selling soccer lottery tickets at a soccer game. (The money from the tickets is used to help charities.) After a short training session there, the volunteers were divided into two groups to sell the tickets. The field was noisy before the match, so we had to speak loudly to promote the lottery. I am shy, and it was also my first time to sell anything, so it was a bit challenging. In addition, continuous promoting demanded great strength, so my partner and I alternated doing the selling. We were a good team, and the cooperation between us was

significant. Our work finished at the beginning of the second half of the game. In exchange for our volunteer work, we were able to watch the rest of the soccer match for free.

Volunteer work is not just free labor; it brings many benefits to everyone. For international students like me, participating in volunteer work can let us go deeper into the lives of native Canadians. I was able to talk with them in order to improve my language skills and work in a Canadian environment in order to know well the local culture. When we are looking for a job in the future, this experience can be helpful. Volunteer work gives us diverse experiences. It is interesting and fun. It enhances our sense of duty, and it helps us realize the self-value. The best part is that we are also using our free time and skills to help others.

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University Fair

By Christopher Chipman Coordinator, Student Services

O

n Friday, October 25th, recruiters from Colleges and Universities around Ontario came out to the English Language Program (ELP) for our first ever University Fair. With roll out posters, information booths and iPads at the ready, these recruiters braved the lines of ELP students to answer questions about their respective schools programs and degrees. We would like to thank our University Application Program advisor Lily Meshadiyeva for helping to coordinate the fair, and of course the following universities and colleges that kindly sent recruiters: • • • • • • • • • •

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Brock University Brock University – Goodman School of Business George Brown College Humber College McMaster University Ryerson University Trent University University of Toronto Wilfrid Laurier University York University

issue 84, December 2013

Student Opinion

Due to our diverse student population, we receive many opinionbased 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.

A Journey of Openness

By André Henrique Oliveira Gonçalves of Brazil, Advanced Academic Skills

S

ince I come from Brazil, ‘taking a break’ at my graduation at the medical school, to study here by the Brazilian program Science Without Borders*, time has passed like a blink. It may seem cliché, but my amazement was very factual when I realized, on November 27th, that I’ve been in Canada for exactly five months: I had the impression that it was less than that, and, actually, on the last weekend I was telling to some people “I’ve been here for almost four months”. Wrong!

In a blink, five months were gone…

For personal reasons, my choice for Toronto was not properly a choice (differently from other colleagues that, for example, considered thoroughly where to go); I could have resolved to go anywhere else, but I (gladly) decided without doubts or much thinking to come here.

And so, from parachutes, I landed here in this city to an experience that is changing my life.

I can remember clearly all my first impressions of this new place and, for five months, I’ve been accumulated more and more thoughts. Toronto and its multiculturalism have so much to teach, particularly for those who come from developing countries, and I’ve learned a lot with the simplest things; it is just a question of being open to learn and change and evolve. This text is an invitation to engage in this journey of openness, particularly directed for those (Brazilian or not) that are coming to here to study and intend (or have to) came back home.

OPEN YOUR EYES Be aware! Open your eyes! Toronto has much more to show than Lake Ontario or the CN Tower. Be a critical thinker! Ask yourself about what you see… There is so much to learn in every corner or alleyway. For example, have you noticed the sidewalk width? Have you noticed how many people use wheelchairs? Have you noticed that, because of the enough room in these sidewalks, they can come and go freely? It was one of the first things that I’ve noticed because is very different from Brazil. It is social inclusion, what allows people with disabilities to participate equally in all the social life.

OPEN YOUR MOUTH Open your mouth and try all the different tastes that this Babylon of foods has to offer you. Imagine a country,

any which one: I’m pretty sure that here in Toronto there is a restaurant with food from there. Dishes represent faithfully the culture of a country, with all its particularities.

You can trip around the world without going out of a unique city. Moreover: you will learn that what makes us different, also makes us equal. All the societies in the world get together around food to celebrate, to enjoy or just to chat. And even the most completely strange dish, you will associate part of it with something that you’ve tried in your home.

OPEN YOUR EARS Listen! Listen what the people around you say, how they say, when they say (or when they don’t say)… Train yourself to be a good listener; good listeners are good learners. For example, how many “sorry”s do you hear everyday? It can be motive of jokes about Canadians, but it actually teaches important value: politeness. With these, we can live together and a society can develop amicably.

OPEN YOUR BORDERS “Open your borders” is not an advice to go traveling to the United States or any other country... When we crossed the borders or our countries and got here in Canada, we became citizens of the world. Our borders were opened (and please, don’t try to close them); it means that we have a rare opportunity (rare because few people in the world have the same opportunity) to go to another country and experience other ways of life, perceiving that there is something else beyond our city, state/province or country’s borders. (It is something like the allegory of the cave of Plato, or the movie The Croods). And it is not only fun. We can see all the beauties or enjoy all the cool things, but since then what happens in the world is also “our business”.

OPEN YOUR MIND Toronto has learned how to deal with the differences, not only tolerating but also respecting them. Differences in the ideology, religion, behavior, expression of sexuality, beliefs, way of life… You also can/must learn it. Particularly in in-developing countries, individuals have very restricted acceptable ways to live their lives

*Science Without Borders is a Brazilian governmental scholarship program, whose aim is to send students to top universities around the world, like University of Toronto, where they can develop their knowledge in areas such as science and technology to help the Brazilian development when they came back home.

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world of words that are based on dominant morals and create prejudice, discrimination, and intolerance. Here we have an example that respect the other’s choice does not make the society worse, but better instead. So, what the problem if a person has the hair dyed with pink and blue? What changes in your life if a guy wants to marry another guy?

What is wrong if a person pray using the Bible or the Koran?

OPEN YOUR HEART You will meet many people, from different parts of the world, with divergent values, particular thoughts.

Be prepared and disposed to know others, with your heart open! It is your chance to make real and strong friendships. Maybe in the beginning the language or even the cultural differences can be a barrier to tighten ties; but a “universal” expression like one smile or a funny face

can make it easy. In the end, you will see that Russia and Brazil has a lot in common, or Canada and France, or Saudi Arabia and China, or Korea and Ecuador.

Those were some of my thoughts and some of the teachings that I got since I come here, but there are much more to learn. All this knowledge is making me a better person, more conscious, human, respectful and ethical.

The point is: be aware and keep your two eyes open to each opportunity to learn. Be open to what Toronto and Canada have to offer to you, and put your head to work and think about every experience that you have.

Otherwise, using the most important English expression that I’ve learned from an amazing couple of friends, “You snooze, you lose”.

Arabic Coffee

By Rawan Al-Halwani of Saudi Arabia, Advanced Academic Skills

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t six o’clock in the morning, people line up in front of Starbucks waiting for hot coffee to start the day.

Coffee has been known as a strong source to wake up the mind and diminish the sleepy feelings. Most people like to drink coffee in the beginning of the day because it can improve their performance while working. American coffee known for its black, unique flavor which has a strong affect in waking up sleepy people; however, Arabic coffee is an enjoyable coffee that people drink it in the middle of the day or even at night.

While the component of black coffee is basically grinded black coffee beans, Arabic coffee today is prepared with roasted and grinded brown coffee beans mixed with many flavors and in different ways. Arabic coffee is a light brown to dark yellow liquid with a strong smell of cardamom and saffron. The significant tastes of these components make it adorable and desirable at any time. The Arabic tradition in drinking this coffee is in small cups with special designs and sweet dates. Today this tradition has slightly changed over the years in the color of the coffee, the way of preparing it, the cups that is served in, and the kind of deserts that is served with it. Chocolate is the best and easiest desert to serve with the Arabic coffee in small meetings. Otherwise, a number of women like to serve one or two kinds of baked deserts with the coffee at special occasions such as the celebration of new born baby, graduation, having new house, marriage, and engagement. The ways of preparing the coffee also differ according to the situation that it is being served on. To serve coffee to guests in special occasions; as previously stated, the amount of cardamom should be over the amount of coffee; in contrast, to serve it in a funerals, the amount of

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coffee should be over the cardamom or without it; as for regular meetings, the amount of coffee and cardamom might be about the same. Some families also add some saffron to make it tasty and smell perfectly. Others only roast the coffee powder and add the water and leave it boil for fifteen minutes then they add the cardamom and serve it. The kind of coffee beans differ from one city to another as well as the way of preparing it from one family to another. These differences rely on the way it grew up, watered, picked up, and roasted in the city that export it. According to that, the color of the Arabic coffee beans appeared to be light brown to light green, and the American coffee beans are black or dark brown.

issue 84, December 2013

Surviving Winter in Canada

By Andreia Da Silva Paixao of Brazil, Academic English Level 50

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razil is one of the hottest countries in North and South America. In my state, Rio de Janeiro, if the temperature is 20° Celsius, everyone feels cold and takes their coats out of the closet. When I arrived in Canada, the temperature was 17°, and everyone was wearing shorts.

This scared me because I was already wearing a coat!! To get prepared for winter, I decided to gather some tips for winter survival from some Canadians and from friends who have already survived at least one winter.

1-Get a good winter coat and boots.

This tip can seem obvious, but it is extremely important.

The most important thing is to keep warm when you are outside, and the appropriate clothes will help you. It is true that a winter coat can be expensive, but you can find a good one for less than $100. You need to go to many places and search. While you are shopping for a winter coat and boots, you need to have in mind what the minimum temperature they support is. Try to buy waterproof or water resistant boots. Sometimes the streets in Toronto can be very wet and slushy.

2-Do not forget gloves, scarves, and hats.

They are also essential to keep you warm. The warmest gloves are the ones that your fingers keep together (they are called mittens), but for the coldest days, use 2 pairs of gloves: one that you can use the phone (they have sensitive fingerprints, and you can use the touch screen on your phone) and then the gloves I mentioned before.

Scarves help to keep your neck warm, and they also are beautiful. The same tips are for hats. Do not be afraid to use them.

3-Care for your skin and lips.

The cold weather can hurt. Your skin and lips will sometimes become dry and peel, so you will need to protect them. Moisturize your skin every day. It is important to buy a good lotion for the face because your face is more exposed to the wind. Everyone has different skin, so search for the best moisturizer for you. The lips suffer a lot too, and most people use bee wax or Vaseline to protect them. It’s a good idea to keep this in your pocket. Many people also invest in a small humidifier (go to Canadian Tire or Walmart) to help fight the dry air in apartments. If your hair and your clothes have static electricity or if your nose and throat are uncomfortable, you probably need a humidifier.

4-Have fun with the winter!

Winter can be a depressing time because people generally stay at home much more. For those of us who are living far from family, the winter can be very depressing. This is my tip: Do not stay at home all the time; enjoy this weather! Make many snowmen (or snowwomen) and have snowball fights with your friends. Try snow sports like ice skating, snowboarding or skiing.

I hope these tips can help you. Let’s enjoy the winter!

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world of words

Problem - Solution

By Yuka Kyushima Solano of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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besity has rapidly increased in the last years, becoming a global health concern. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), roughly 1.4 billion adults are overweight and at least 500 million are obese (2008). Obesity can cause serious risks of illness, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer.

Childhood obesity should also be addressed since it is associated with a higher risk of premature death and disability in adulthood. The availability of unhealthy foods and the modern lifestyle are often the main reasons for obesity. Unhealthy foods, such as hamburgers, ice cream and pizza, are readily found in the cities and are usually less expensive than healthy foods. Therefore, consumers tend to buy more junk foods because these foods are easy to obtain and also because most of them do not care about their health. Another contributing factor in obesity is the modern lifestyle. Employees generally work far from home and they have time neither to cook nor to teach their children to cook; as a result, they eat packaged foods or go to fast food restaurants instead of eating fresh food. The modern lifestyle also leads to a lack of physical activity; to illustrate, these days people tend to use their cars to go to everywhere, even if it is close, instead of going on foot or by bicycle. Other habits have also changed: now adults and children prefer to stay at home watching TV rather than doing activities outside and exercising. Advertisements, moreover, are linked with obesity, as they encourage the unhealthy diet. Tasty and very attractive foods for low prices are promoted to the public and this motivates the consumers to eat these kinds of food.

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Many alternatives have been proposed to remedy the obesity issue. Studies have shown that “altering the price of soda or pizza may be effective mechanisms to steer US adults toward a more healthful diet and help [to] reduce longterm weight gain” (Duffey, 2010). Although this might be a beneficial idea, this will be much more effective if the government allows healthy food to be more accessible; in other words, the government ought to shift the focus of subsidies and give it to healthy foods instead of junk foods.

An additional alternative to tackle obesity is to promote health education. For instance, the authorities could create educational programs in schools to teach children how to cook and how to maintain a healthy diet. Another example is to create physical activity programs, such as Agita São Paulo, an endeavour in Brazil, that encourages adults and children to become more physically active through megaevents, which include courses, information about the risk of a sedentary lifestyle, and health professionals available to help the participants. Agita São Paulo also holds meeting to discuss the creation of new policies and laws and improvement of public spaces, such as parks and bike lanes, to encourage physical activities.

The junk food tax and Agita São Paulo are only two successful examples of encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

Many other ideas could be combined to solve the obesity issue. Nevertheless, none of these will be enough if each individual does not start to be concerned about his or her own health.

issue 84, December 2013

Lessons From the Past

By Eduardo Kasper of Brazil, Academic English Level 50

ome people don’t realize how some decisions they made can affect an entire life. A simple decision, for instance, can change an entire history of millions of people. The decision Napoleon made to attack Lisbon in 1807 was one of those decisions which changed the history of Portugal’s colony: Brazil.

When the regent prince, Dom João VI, knew the French troops were going to Portugal, he (supported by the british government) decided to send all portuguese court to Brazil. The court was formed by more than 15 thousand people and arrived in Rio de Janeiro in March of 1808.

After this year, Brazil was not a colony anymore, but the seat of government. Roads were build, the bank of Brazil was founded (which is the oldest bank in Brazil until now), ports were open to friendly nations, industrial and educational development were allowed, among other changes. Brazil would never be the same anymore.

In 1821, 13 years after the arrival of the court, Dom João VI was obliged to return. Napoleon was defeated 6 years before and Portugal population now desired the end of the monarchy. So, he left his first son, Pedro, in charge of Brazil with one council: Pedro, if Brazil separate from Portugal, prior to you, who will respect me, than for any of these adventures (Pedro, se o Brasil se separar de Portugal, antes seja para ti, que me hás de respeitar, do que para algum desses aventureiros).

Dom Pedro (after known as D. Pedro I), announced his decision to stay in Brazil on 9 of January of 1822. This day is known as “Dia do Fico” (I am staying day). The independence in Brazil was announced on September 7.

Nowadays, this is the biggest national day there.

On books, people read that Brazilian independence was declared with an “Independence or Death!” shout and without any battles. That is not true. Mainly in northeast region, a lot of battles took place, and in July 2 of 1823 the state of Bahia was reconquered by Brazilian troops, being the mark of the end of the independence war. In 1825, England recognized Brazilian independence after Brazilian government agreed to pay all loans that Portugal took from them.

Dom Pedro was the first emperor of Brazil. He stayed there until 1831, when he had to return to Portugal in a war against his younger brother, Dom Miguel. Thereafter, Dom Pedro I left his 5 year-old son, Dom Pedro II as the future emperor of Brazil.

Dom Pedro II was declared emperor when he was 15 year-old, in 1840. The empire was passing through tough moments with a lot of regional wars. The biggest happened in the South. From 1835 to 1845, the state of Rio Grande do Sul tried to declare its independence from

Brazil, but it was defeated and put together again. In addition, in northeast region a lot of small (but in more number) of battles were taking place.

Between 1864 and 1870, Brazil entered in the Paraguay War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance. This war killed approximately 300 thousands of 550 thousands of Paraguay population, but left deep changes in Brazilian politics. Thanks to the war, Brazilians generals assumed featured positions in front to the army. And 29 years later, one of this generals would be the first president of Brazil.

On 15th November of 1889, D. Pedro II was in Petrópolis and received a letter from Rio de Janeiro (capital of the empire and capital of Brazil until 1960): the Brazilian troops were rebelled against and there was nothing they could do. Subsequently, the emperor was exiled in Europe, where he died 2 years later. Finally, Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, the most important general at that time, was declared the first president of Brazil.

Since 20th century, many influential occurrences have happened in Brazil as well as in all world. Crisis in 1929, revolution in 30s, democratization in 1945, change of capital in 1960, dictatorship because the cold war from 1964 to 1985 are some examples to name a few. Brazilian currency is Real, and is a stable currency since 1994.

Furthermore, Brazil, Russia, India and China, are a part of the BRIC, which is a group of advanced and economically developed countries. Additionally, Brazil has achieved immense fame in soccer and in the next year will be hosting soccer world cup. The country is also proud of earning the championship five times! The next Olympics Games will also be in Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro. There is a lot of constructions and reforms happening for these occasions. However, the waste of money in stadiums and overbilling in some structures has led the populations to protests and has become one reason for discussion all over the country.

These days, Brazil lives through a stable democracy and a good economic moment. Brazilians are seeing what the first world has and they want that too. Although inspite of the many the many problems that country has, it is improving Brazilian quality of life. However, the rulers still have to learn with history as some decisions affect the entire life of tons of people.

Dom João VI, king of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves

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The classical drawing “Independência ou Morte” from Pedro Américo Figueiredo e Mello 23

world of words

Brazil´s World Cup

By Gabriel Costa Valenca of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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n 2007, Brazil was announced by FIFA as the host of the 2014 Soccer World Cup. Subsequently, 12 cities were chosen to accommodate the games. Most Brazilians were excited at the time about having the most important soccer tournament in their country, hoping that it would improve aspects such as the transport system, public services, urban mobility, infrastructure and pedestrian accessibility. However, less than one year before the event, that is not the reality. The World Cup is raising doubts about the validity and merit of the government´s high expenses and the legacy for the nation.

Even though Brazil has the sixth largest economy in the world, the country still suffers huge social disparity and is poor in basic and essential areas such as education and the health system. First, most of the public schools have precarious infrastructure, lacking laboratories, computers, and even libraries. Another problem is that the teachers from public schools earn extremely low salaries, leading them to have no motivation and work more hours to obtain the necessary money to feed their families. For this reason, the more capable and better teachers prefer to work in private schools, where they are paid higher salaries, but still not the amount they deserve. Worse, there are some teachers in public schools who have not even graduated and are not prepared to teach. The students from these institutions usually have a precarious education, with all the issues related to the infrastructure and bad quality of the lectures.

Furthermore, Brazil’s public health system is in a critical situation, with shortages of basic equipment and medication in many hospitals. Moreover, the hospitals are overcrowded. The patients are treated inhumanely, having to wait months for exams and not receiving the necessary attention due to the poor infrastructure of the health centers and the insufficient number of doctors compared to the patients. Thus, with all the country´s problems, most Brazilians are against the excessive use of public money for the World Cup and feel that the investment in these important areas is required instead.

According to Luis Fernandes, Brazil´s Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Sports, initially the cost for the organization of the Cup was estimated at R$ 25.5 billion. Nevertheless, this amount has already risen to R$ 28 billion. Furthermore, it is estimated that

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this figure will reach R$ 33 billion by the beginning of the World Cup. Ricardo Teixeira, ex-president of CBF (Brazilian Soccer Federation), who was impeached after corruption scandals, promised that the 2014 World Cup would be financed by private companies. Nonetheless, according to the Court of Accounts of the Union (Tribunal de Contas da União), 85% of the funds spent for the World Cup are public, from governmental banks, such as Caixa Economica Federal and BNDES along with Infraero, a state company that administers the country´s airports. The fact is that it is already the most expensive World Cup of all time, almost fully paid by the population. Compared to the recent cups, Germany invested approximately R$10.7 billion in 2006, Japan and Korea invested approximately R$10.1 billion in 2002, and the last cup in South Africa cost approximately R$ 7.3 billion. Thereby, if we add all the investments in these cups, Brazil’s World Cup will still be more expensive than the three of them.

One of the main discussions in Brazil is the usefulness and legacy of some of the stadiums built after the World Cup. There are cities such as Cuiaba, Manaus and Brasilia where the local soccer teams are not very competitive, playing in fourth and third division in the Brazilian league. For this reason, most of the population of these cities prefers to support clubs from the southeast of Brazil, so the local teams attract an average public of approximately 500 to 1000 supporters. Consequently, the Stadium will become a “white elephant”, a term used for a building whose cost is disproportionate relative to its utility. By contrast, there are cities like Belem, which have two very traditional teams with a substantial number of fans and already a stadium for 45 thousand people, which were not chosen to host the World Cup. Then, in some places, stadiums for 40 to 70 thousand people were built, to host only three to four games, even though there are other cities that could make use of this capacity, wasting a large quantity of public money.

Moreover, the “White Elephants” are not the only concern that Brazilians have about the stadiums. The money invested in their construction is really exorbitant compared to other stadiums. One of the main polemics was related to Rio de Janeiro´s choice of stadium to receive the World Cup. In 2007, R$ 380 million was spent, 6 times more than expected, to build the Joao Havelange Olympic Stadium, best known as Engenhao,

issue 84, December 2013

Image adaped from “Soccer & Grass” by blank77.

“The World Cup is raising doubts about the validity and merit of the government´s high expenses and the legacy for the nation.”

for the Pan American Games of 2007, hosted in Rio de Janeiro. Although the Stadium is extremely modern and has the capacity of 46 thousand people, it did not meet FIFA´s standards. Meanwhile, not even the Maracana, which is one of the most important and a traditional monument of Brazil, constructed for the World Cup of 1950, was approved by FIFA. So, the most reasonable and economical decision would have been to renovate and adapt the Engenhao to FIFA´s requirements, which is more modern and not as historical as the Maracana.

However, that did not happen. R$ 1.2 billion, the value of three Engenhaos, was spent just to retrofit the Maracana.

Besides that, the architecture of the patrimony was changed completely, with no respect for the history of the city or country.

Another factor that contributes to the discontent of the Brazilians is that a large number of families have been displaced forcibly from their homes, primarily for the purpose of urban mobility construction for the event of 2014. Problems like low indemnification for the property, consequently leading people to peripheral and less developed areas; construction delays and no explanation from the prefecture of the necessity for the expropriation are unfortunate facts. An example is the case of the construction of the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Two years after the displacement of the 19 thousand families, only 10% of the area had been used for the BRT. So the Public Ministry is investigating the purpose of this excess of expropriation. The committee of the Public Ministry believes that the rest of the space will be used for residential building, with the intention of increasing the property value, by removing poor communities.

In June 2013, a series of protests began by the Brazilian people against the World Cup. Initially the protests were related to the high prices of public transport.

With the huge dimension that it took on, the World Cup became one of the main subjects of discussion from the population. The demonstrations of protests happened in approximately 400 cities, with a record of 1.5 million protesters around the country, on the 20th of June. The protests earned global attention during the Confederation Cup, because they were generally made before the games, near the stadium. An interesting incident happened in the first game. When Josef Blatter, FIFA´s president, and Dilma Rousseff, Brazil´s president,

made their speeches, they were booed by the public, demonstrating the dissatisfaction with the situation of the country, leading President Dilma to not attend to the Final of the Cup. The money wasted on the World Cup would have resolved many of Brazil´s problems and benefited the population more if it had been used to improve the health and education systems. For example, according to Daniel Cara, coordinator of the São Paulo Committee of the National Campaign for the Right to Education, R$ 25,277 billion of the money spent on the World Cup could have been invested to build 5,917 preschools, 1,375 elementary schools, and 1,711 high schools to accommodate all the 3.7 million children from the age 4-17 who do not attend school. Therefore, corruption, urban mobility construction delays, the abuse of public money and especially the failure to use this money on priority areas as health, public transport and education are the main causes of Brazil´s discontentment.

Reference List: -(n.d) (2013, June 18). Gastos públicos com a Copa-2014 sobem e chegam a R$ 28 bilhões. Folha de São Paulo.

Retrieved from http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/esporte/ folhanacopa/2013/06/1297264-gastos-publicos-com-acopa-2014-sobem-e-chegam-a-r-28-bilhoes.shtml -Cara, D. (2013, June 20).E se todo dinheiro da Copa fosse investido em educação pública?. Revista Educação. Retrieved from: http://revistaeducacao.uol. com.br/textos/blog-daniel/e-se-todo-dinheiro-dacopa-do-mundo-de-2014-291203-1.asp -Rangel, S. (2011, February 27). Copa de 2014 terá 98,5% de dinheiro público. Folha de São Paulo. Retrieved from http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/esporte/881803-copa-de2014-tera-985-de-dinheiro-publico.shtml -Rodrigues, R., Dantas.T. (2013, September 13). Obra para Copa usa só 10% de área desapropriada e gera investigação do MP. Uol. Retrieved from http://copadomundo.uol. com.br/noticias/redacao/2013/09/17/desapropriacaode-brt-no-rio-deixa-terrenos-vazios-e-e-investigadapelo-mp.htm#fotoNav=6

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world of words

World Press Photo Gallery

2013

View the full image online at www.worldpressphoto.org

Be advised, the full version of this photograph depicts graphic content

Interrogation

By Felipe Henrique Teixeira de Vasconcelos of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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he World Press Photo Exhibition is a non-profit organization focused on supporting photojournalism.

It started in 1955 in Amsterdam and currently takes place in more than 45 countries annually with hundreds of thousands of photographs being exhibited. The photo that I chose was taken in Aleppo, Syria, by Emin Ozmen, in which a man suspected of giving money to a government informant was spotted and captured by the opposition fighters, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), and is being tortured. This was the image that most impressed me. The proximity of the photographer facing such a horror movie scene in the real life is choking. Knowing that inhuman action occurs on the other side of the globe is not as frightening as seeing a real image with the

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expressions of real people, no actors, and no makeup. At the same time, these kinds of pictures are important to report what is happening and prevent these actions from being undiscovered. The event, in which two suspects were being interrogated, takes place inside a school occupied by the dissidents, and the image contrasts the face of the suspect and the shadow on the wall of a man holding a whip inside the improvised room. The coldness of the torture suggests that it is routine. This image made me feel disturbed imagining myself in such a desperate situation, lost in a dangerous place, hopeless in their hands without knowing if I will survive. It invokes a little comfort to know that the picture was taken to register to the world what happened. The possibility of being buried in the middle of the desert and assumed missing is no more. Someone will see that picture and learn what happened. Fortunately the prisoners were released after 48 hours of constant questioning and having their money confiscated.

issue 84, December 2013

Hope or Dream

By Ashkan Hakimi of Israel, Academic English Level 60

W

e, the students of level 60 in the Academic English Program, had the chance to visit the World Press Photo exhibition in Toronto, on October 18, 2013. In this exhibition, which is held in over 40 countries every year, visitors can see the photographs that won the main prizes in World Press Photo contest. This contest is the equivalent of the Oscars. The photo that caught my eye in the exhibition was a picture of some Hamas militia brutally dragging a body in the streets of Gaza as some teenagers followed them without any sense of humanity.

Hopelessness was the feeling that photo evoked in me.

The man was accused of collaborating with Israel and

had been shot in the main square of Gaza city earlier that day. In the background some carefree adolescents could be seen as they were following the body and taking pictures or videos with their cell phones. I personally think the photographer, Adel Hana , aimed to show the viewers the brutality which was conducted by ruling Hamas in Gaza during the operation Pillars of Defense. This scene killed my hope for the future of the region. On the one side, Hamas which launches hundreds of rockets and mortar shells on Israeli citizens and murders its own citizens in Gaza, and on the other side, the Israeli extremists who think military power can resolve every problem. With these leaders in power, and the teenagers who are raised seeing this brutality, reaching peace in the Middle East seems to be nothing more than a dream.

View the full image online at www.worldpressphoto.org

Be advised, the full version of this photograph depicts graphic content

A compilation of the impressions this year’s World Press Photo Exhibition made on Academic English Level 60 students.

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world of words

View the full image online at www.worldpressphoto.org

‘The Power of Education’

By Nelson Rangel Santos Passos of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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he World Press Photo is a contest that rewards the best journalistic photographs of the year. This independent organization chooses the best pictures and exhibits them in 45 countries around the world.

On October 18, the ELP students visited the photo exhibition at Brookfield Place, Toronto. The exhibition shows varied pictures, from the Antarctic winter landscape to the Syrian civil war. Each photo evoked different kinds of feelings in the students. One of the

By Felipe Domingos Queiroz Nogueira of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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he World Press Photo is an independent organization, founded in 1955, promoting the work of photojournalists. Its annual photo exhibition intends to reveal different views and perspectives of the world’s most relevant issues. The “School for Less Fortunate” photo story by Ataf Qadri received an Honorable Mention in the category of “Contemporary Issues” in this year’s 2013 exhibition. The chosen photo reveals several children seated on the ground of an improvised school under a precarious metro rail bridge in New Delhi, India.

The focus of Qadri’s photography is a barefoot child writing on a blackboard painted on a building’s wall, and a man standing alone, watching him, in the background.

The photo impresses viewers for two reasons. Firstly, the standing man, Rajesh Kumar Sharma, has not completed his college studies but voluntarily teaches children of

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most memorable exhibition’s pictures was shot by Micah Albert. This photograph shows the contrast between the action, reading, which is supposed to be a highly intellectual activity, and the environment, a dumpsite.

Although the woman was in such a hostile environment, she was smiling while reading a book; this shows the power of the book and reading. In addition, it makes us think about how education could change this woman’s life and the life of the other 10,000 people who earn a living from the Dandora municipal dump in Kenya. Some photographers tend to show hopelessness, but Albert chooses to show another perspective; he evokes in us the feeling of hope that one day those people will be able to change their lives through education. local workers two hours a day; the second and main issue is the severe condition of poverty under which those children are living, portraying the sad reality that exists in less-developed countries. Hunger, for example, is the world’s worst enemy, and children are the most affected by this problem: the lack of food impedes them from growing up properly due to malnutrition.

Moreover, missing adequate access to clean water and sewage removal leads to serious illness, causing the death of millions of children each year. The infants are also compelled to work at an early age to guarantee their families’ sustenance, submitting them to risky situations as well as depriving them of their childhood and of the opportunity to attend a regular school. In sum, this photo exposes a serious problem in the current world by portraying children in such precarious conditions; however, it also inspires hope, since education is the first step to overcoming poverty.

issue 84, December 2013

View the full image online at www.worldpressphoto.org

Hope

By Carolina Ligocki of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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he World Press Photo contest has existed since 1955, and it is a bridge between the general public and photojournalism. This contest involves 5666 photographers from different nationalities, and the exposition travels to 45 countries annually. In Toronto, this year, the exhibition was held at Brookfield Place at Allen Lambert Gallerie. The photo which I found most impressive was taken by Ebrahim Noroozi, an Iranian photographer. It is entitled “Victims of Forced Love: Doctors fit Rana Afghanipour with a glass eye”, which won the First place in the category “Observed portrait Stories”.

The photo was taken during facial reconstruction surgery, performed after Rana’s father poured acid on her face during her sleep. The reason that I chose this particular photo is because when I first looked at it I remembered the famous Rembrandt painting, “Anatomy Lesson.” First of all, the photo and the painting have similar lighting; the focus goes to the surgeons’ faces and to the patient, so all the rest becomes less important, and for that there is no need to focus on them. Thus the background is not shown. Secondly, the surgeons’ worried expressions are felt in the same way; both images show that the physicians care enormously about what they were doing, and even in the painting, which shows a

dead body, the respect and attention was the same felt when a real patient is attended to like in the winning picture. Finally, the feeling that both images evoke in me is hope. Above all the terrible things that probably happened to that child, there is always somebody to help her. The doctors must learn, and for that they need to study the human body to become the individuals who, like Hipocrates said, “cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always.” Art is something that echoes in eternity. Rembrandt painted “Anatomy lesson” in 1632, and Ebrahim Noroozi took “Victims of Love” pictures in 2013, almost 4 centuries later. The same idea and the feeling of hope continue to be a subject to be viewed and appreciated over time.

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world of words

At the Dining Hall

By Daniel Alves de Souza of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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he World Press Photo is a famous exhibition which, every year, awards the most impressive photos used to cover journalistic facts from all over the world. This year, in the 56th edition, the winning photographs were selected between the works of 5,666 photographers from 124 different countries, and, as usual, divided in 10 thematic sections, that are Contemporary Issues, Daily Life, General News, Nature, Observed Portraits, Sports, Sports Action, Sports Feature, Spot News, and Staged Portraits. Among the selected works, there is a photo

by Jacob Ehrbahn, a Danish photojournalist, which expresses the attitude that everyone should have after seeing, in this exposition, the dramatic realities that many people have to face: thankfulness. With a beautiful image of a man praying before eating his food, this picture entitled “At the Dining Hall,” achieved 3rd prize in the Daily Life category. The man in this picture is John McLean, a homeless citizen who lives in Youngstown, Ohio, in the United States. This city is considered one of

the poorest cities in the country, and more than a third of its population live in conditions considered below the poverty line. At the moment that the picture was taken, John was in an institution which offers free food for poor people. It is fascinating to realize how this single photograph can show a couple of paradoxical facts. The first of them is the recognition that poverty exists even in the most developed country in the world, the place that many people consider as the land of opportunities. This contrast is clearly represented by the North American flag hanging on the wall behind the homeless man. The second paradoxical fact is the thankfulness expressed even in the face of an unfortunate life, represented by the reverence of the man while he is praying. More than merely registering a moment, this picture causes its viewers to reflect about their behavior in front of all the opportunities and advantages that make up their lives. As a result of this reflection, many people can realize that they are complaining more than thanking, but they certainly have more reasons to do the latter.

We cannot know the religion of this man only looking at the picture, and it is completely irrelevant. Thankfulness is not restricted to a specific religion; it should be the attitude of everyone, every day.

View the full image online at www.worldpressphoto.org

“We exist to inspire understanding of the world through quality photojournalism.”

Source: www.worldpressphoto.org/2013-photo-contest

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issue 84, December 2013

Producing over 100 shows each year around the world, World Press Photo is the most popular photo event in the world.

Visit www.worldpressphoto.org to find an exhibition near you.

View the full image online at www.worldpressphoto.org

War

By Stefano Ciannella of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

W

ar. War never changes. Since the dawn of humankind, when our ancestors first discovered the killing power of rock and bone, blood has been spilled in the name of everything: from God to Justice, or to simple psychotic rage. Since April 2011, Syria has been the stage of a bloody civil war involving two major military groups: the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the troops who are loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. This clash is forcing thousands of innocent people to flee from the conflicted areas, trying to spare the horrors of this holocaust by taking shelter in refugee camps in neighbouring countries, such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. Almost two million have fled Syria; these are the 1.93 million refugees who have been registered, and another 174,000 who are waiting to register, with the office of the UN High Commissioner on Refugees.

Alessio Romenzi, an Italian photographer, earned the 1st Prize General News Stories by taking a shot of a

group of refugees attempting to cross the border into Turkey. The sensation of terror and fear, combined with the low-down countenance of the people in this photo, is the clearest view of how war does not destroy only buildings or change the landscape, but disbands any sense of morality, empathy and freedom itself, thus changing lives forever. The blurred effect provides a sensation of haste and despair, contrasted against the barbwire all over the picture which is a symbol of protection and defense. A far-off, green country shares the background along with a gray sky, reminding all that not so far away the war rages on and “home� for these people is not a safe place anymore. During this two-year-period of war, more than 100,000 have been killed, including children, women and elderly people, writing one more chapter of violence and unnecessary gore into human history. However, human rights are inviolable, and as long as people with hope believe that every war has an end, and that there are those to help others who are afraid and hopeless, we can think that these moments of suffering will not be lost in time, like tears under a gray sky of rain; that we will one day learn that peace, not war, is what the world needs to embrace.

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The Living Library comedian, living in a refugee camp, or living as a transgendered female.

Now, ask yourself: Would you do it? Would you have the courage to walk up to a person you had never met, sit down and talk to them for 30 minutes.

And if you were to meet one of these people, what would you say? What would you ask? That was the situation facing the students who made their way to the Great Hall that day. Some were very curious and excited while others were apprehensive, shy and nervous, but they all rose to the challenge.

They broke out of their ELP comfort zones, and the stories they wrote about this experience are as individual and unique as the “books” they met.

We hope you agree that the best stories are the ones that are true.

-Karen Thomson, ELP Instructor

The best stories are the ones that are true.

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n November 26th, members of Level 60H interviewed Human Books as part of the worldwide Living Library project held at University of Toronto’s Hart House. The Living Library Project’s website states, that it, “is an event designed to create dialogue, promote understanding and reduce prejudice.” In each location a collection of people of diverse ages, religions, cultures and genders offer to be “human books.” This means that anyone can sign up and “borrow” a human book for 30 minutes of open dialogue. These meetings provide an opportunity for anyone to learn about a wide range of life experiences, including immigrating to Canada, being a poet, working as an improvisational

WISE

By Felipe Portugal of Brazil,

Interest Versus Practical

By Ghazal Tajbakhsh of Iran,

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Academic English Level 60

r. Rosalind Silverman and Dr. Lorelei Silverman are Romanian scientists who have been living in Toronto since 1996. They came to Canada to complete a post-doctorate degree at York University. Today, they both work at the University of Toronto in the Faculty of Medicine. To begin, we discussed my volunteering experience back in Brazil, teaching math to needy public high school students. After I introduced myself, they started to explain a volunteer program that was developed to increase the number of women in scientific courses. The program is called WISE -Women in Science and Engineering, and it is based on going to high schools to show and describe courses in science and engineering. According to Dr. Silverman, Canadian women are not doing scientific courses because of a lack of motivation. Women are not motivated by both their parents and society to study engineering, Dr. Lorelei stated, since this course is considered a “man’s course”.

It just takes looking into a class to realize that the majority of people doing engineering courses are men.

Dr. Rosalind and Dr. Lorelei are not associated with the program, but they promote the program, explaining the goals and motivating people to enter. They are engaged in women enhancements because they believe that in Canada, the culture undervalues women. It is harder for a woman to get a job opportunity than a man. Women’s income is lower than men’s at the same work level.

Therefore, as two successful women, Drs. Rosalind and Lorelei Silverman want to pass on their knowledge and experience to attract more women to scientific fields.

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Academic English Level 60

met Dr. Rosalind Silverman and her twin sister, both of whom had a Master’s degree in Genetics when they came to Canada. They faced many hardships such as entering university, adapting to the new environment, and finding an apartment, until finally they were able to receive an award given to the top 25 immigrants to Canada. Most of the meeting was devoted to discussing my case regarding choosing a master program and entering a university here in Canada, taking into consideration not only my interests, but also being practical in the real world. The Silvermans warned me about the job scarcity and the lack of opportunity in the field of my interest-Immunology-, and all the time they wanted to light me up about the probable existence of the dark future. They were completely explicit while they were talking about the future, and the reason they had that tone of voice was because, as they mentioned, when they immigrated no one was here to inform and demonstrate to them the appropriate track. They both recommended me two main options to follow which are: building up a CV and networking through “Linkedin”, the latter one helps each person to make wide ranges of connections with professors and laboratories. They also showed me their workshops’ brochure, which is held each year, and encouraged me to participate to increase my knowledge and to socialize. This interview contained valuable information which stimulated me to organize my path toward my desired ambitions and to put myself in a higher level of my life.

issue 84, December 2013

Knowledge-based society and the need for open education

By Pablo Diego Moço of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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bdul Waheen Khan, Ph.D, is the Senior Adviser to the Arab Open University and was previously the Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information at UNESCO. He asserts that the basis of society has changed drastically. In the present days, civilization is based on knowledge, which is almost considered a commodity. Going to school for a certain period of time, then finding a job to work at for the rest of one’s life is not a reality anymore. People need to have access to knowledge in different periods of life, so they cannot be restricted to attending the traditional model of classes. For this reason, Abdul Khan promotes the idea of Open Education. This idea consists of using technologies like TV and radio broadcasts, or online lectures and books to provide an opportunity to a large number of people to acquire knowledge when and where they need it. For Khan, communication and information technology plays a crucial role in helping to take education to people who are not able to spend their time inside a classroom.

Writing about the Forbidden

By Camila Trindade of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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lavia Cosma is a writer from Romania. Although her desire was to be a writer, she took a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering because her writing could lead her to jail due the war situation in Romania.

However, she continued to write for herself. She left her home country in 1976 to escape the war and came to Montreal, Canada, because of her knowledge of French.

Some time ago, she returned to Romania for a short time and received a prize for sharing with the world her experiences during the war.

ELP student, Pedro Rafael Nascimento, with Dr. Rosalind and Dr. Lorelei Silverman

‘Totally into it’

By Pedro Rafael Nascimento of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

I

picked the meeting with Dr. Rosalind and Lorelei Silverman because of the book description on the Hart House website. Medical school and international students are subjects that are definitively related to me.

And it was the right choice! During the conversation, the two PhD doctors gave me instructions about how to proceed to achieve my goals in several areas. They recommended to me some hospitals and laboratories of pathology that generally accept interchange students for courses, observation programs and clinical monitored activities. I wrote everything down and made a list of the health centers mentioned in the meeting. They also invited me to participate as a volunteer in workshops that support national and international students in their journey to law or medical school. And I`m totally into it! I wasn’t expecting this opportunity and this useful advice at all.

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Society’s Misconception

By Pedro Henrique Oliveira Vaz of Brazil,

Underground Railway

By Jaeyeol Jeong of South Korea,

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Academic English Level 60

ichael Ianozzi is a 26-year-old Canadian writer who has struggled with mental illness. When Ianozzi was first diagnosed with schizophrenia, nothing was easy.

He had problems continuing his undergraduate studies and had to drop out of his courses. In his book, “They were wrong”, the whole story is told in detail. During a short conversation with me, I had the opportunity to learn more about his life and his disease. My first question was, “Who were wrong?” The writer, with a discreet smile in his face, told me that the wrong people were those who believed that he would never be totally recovered. He believes that patients still suffer from society`s misconception of what mental diseases are.

According to him, in the past, doctors agreed that the better way to deal with this situation was isolation; in other words, they labeled the patients crazy and kept them way from the society. Ianozzi suffered from the same misconception: his friends started to isolate him, and the isolation made the disease even harder to overcome. Ianozzi also shared his point of view with regards to mentally ill criminals. He totally disagrees with those who use mental Illness as an excuse to avoid jail. He mentioned the example of a young adult who killed his wife and his son in Washington, United States. At the time the media blamed his mental illness.

As far as Ianozzi is concerned, there is no relation between mental illness and bad people. According to him, murders are committed because there are bad people; it is as simple as that. Now Michael Ianozzi is taking medication, and he considers himself recovered.

He has truly experienced an extremely painful disease.

Talking to him was a great opportunity to get deeper knowledge about schizophrenia. After listening to him, I agree with his statement that “they were wrong.”

Inspiration

By Bianca Isabela Gomes of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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s. Basi Krishnakhantan is a motivational speaker and a psychotherapist. She is from Sri Lanka and came to Canada looking for a better life. Her country is oppressive to women; consequently, she had to be more efficient and show evidence that she was equal to or even better than men. She fights for equal gender rights differently than everyone; she thinks, “You don’t have to change your culture; you have to change yourself.

Keep the goods aspects and change in you what you want to change in your culture.” That is why she works hard to be efficient. Ms. Krishnakhantan came alone to a foreign country, Canada, which has a totally different culture and language. Those differences built barriers which were a challenge to overcome. To surmount those boundaries, she studied hard and forgot her shy personality; she won three public speech competitions after one and a half years in Ontario. Those parts of her biography and others inspire everybody, and teach that fear is something to challenge us and make us succeed.

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Academic English Level 60

he sky on the day I met her was all gray. The weather was mixed, cloudy, snow and rain, whichever could start anytime. Nova Browning Rutherford was her name.

I met her earlier than scheduled. Someone who had booked a meeting did not make it.

We recognize our mother as a woman when she marries another man. We do not know the fact that our mother can love somebody more than us until we have a younger brother or sister. We cannot realize that we do not know who we are until we get a serious question like “Who are you? What do you really want?” I got a question like that from her.

On the table there were family pictures, old black and white photos, colorful photos: from great grandfather to her adorable twin girls.

She could not find anyone looking like herself around her even in her family until she finally found one on an album jacket where Mariah Carey was and then she turned 10. She was like Mariah Carey and Insooni, who is a famous Korean singer. All three absolutely love music. I promised her to send the information about Insooni.

Her hair, which she tried to straighten every week in her twenties, is inherited from her father. Her face resembles her mother’s. She inherits her courage from her ancestor who bravely escaped to Canada via the Underground Railroad in the early 1800s. Despite all this heritage from her parents, she could not get an idea who she was. There was just one reason: ‘colour’. She has gone through adversities and worked through them.

I asked her, “ If someone who cannot solve his or her own problem is a consultant, can he or she give a solution to people who have the same problem?”

“Nope,” she replied in a clear and definite way.

Her story that a girl had explored the world to find selfidentity, was too big for me to completely grasp during the scheduled time, 30 minutes. As for me, I grew up in Korea; I have never experienced discrimination like hers.

She has been writing a book on her own life story. She said that she had some fear about showing her private life to others. However, I believe she will publish one of the most inspiring books in the world.

A Greatful Experience

By Nadeen Sahfi of Saudi Arabia, Academic English Level 60

L

ast Tuesday, I had the opportunity to meet motivational speaker and psychotherapist Bahi Krishnakhanthan. She is an elegant woman who holds a strong personality behind her appearance. During her life, she has challenged a lot of barriers, including cultural and language ones, and these difficulties lead her to be what she is now. I’m really honored and thankful that I had the chance to meet such a wonderful woman who truly inspired me. Thanks a million to everyone who worked on this project, Living Library, for giving me this opportunity. I will always remember Bahi, and her message, that having bigger dreams will help us succeeds, will stay with me.

issue 84, December 2013

How to Find a Spouse

By Monroy Alisma of Mexico and Kakami Yuka of Japan, Comprehensive English

T

he experience of presenting in the Comprehensive English class has been very impressive for us. We found a lot of international friends in the class. We often went to lunch together and we talked about each other’s culture. We were very interested in how to find a spouse in Mexico and Japan and this is how we decided on our presentation.

Do you know the significance of the number of “57 years”? This number will represent on average the amount of years a person will be married in their lifespan.

If we live to be 80 years old, we will spend 70% of our live married. The average age to get married in Mexico is 23 years old and in Japan it is 29 years old. So, we would like to explain the differences in finding a spouse in Mexico and Japan. We have a lot of differences but we also have a lot in common.

At first, if we want to find boyfriend or girlfriend, where should we meet them? Mexico is almost 80% Catholic, although it isn´t a country that declares itself religious, tradition will dictate that the person you are dating will have the same beliefs. The most common places to meet someone is church or church sponsored events. As well taking in to account the person’s age and interest you may meet someone at school or at work. In contrast, Japanese often go to the group blind date. Group dating is a modern pattern for dating where a group of single men and a group of single women organise a night out, with the hope of forming romantic partnerships. In common, Japanese meet at workplace or school. If you can’t find the lover such as the place, Japan has a lot of marriage agency, too. For Japanese, religion is not important, so they don’t meet the lover at religious places.

Second, we have lots of different point about rules for dating. When we would like to date with someone, in Mexico, the man will invite woman and he will pay for the date. Typically it is the man who invites the woman on a date due to his upbringing and tradion. The man pays for everything during the date as a way of showing interest in who he hopes will be his better half. As well he will be attentive by picking her up at home, opening the car door and bringing small gifts. Common places to go on a date are the movies and restaurants. In Mexico during the first date, when greeting each other, if both are comfortable they may give each other a small hig and a kiss on the cheek. It is not uncommon to see public display of affection, such as holding hands or a hug.

Usually couples don’t kiss in front of parents, and they don´t introduce them as boyfriend or girlfriend until it is a serious relationship.

In contrast, talk about Japan, both men and women do the asking and when it comes time to pay Japanese say “Let’s go dutch!” Especially young Japanese men don’t pay for the date. Even concerning body touch, Mexicans truly don’t mind a hug and holding hands etc… but Japanese are very careful about physical contact. If it’s a first date and they don’t have good relationship yet, they don’t touch. It’s Japanese culture.

About the proposal, when the Mexcican man want to marriage to her, he will asked for her hand in marrige not the other way around. When he proposes he may get down on one knee, he can do it in a public place or in private, like a hot air balloon. When the bride to be gives her answer to and the answer is YES, she can demonstrate her emotions with kisses and hugs.

If Japanese men want to marriage, they will ask her just by showing wedding ring box. They don’t down on one knee.

We have a lot of different points about how to find spouse. But we have similarity in marriage between Mexico and Japan, too. For example we respect our parents. Why we respect our parents? In Mexico, to keep the family rule is important. And, the father is symbolic of family, too. In Japan, to keep family system is important.

If woman gets married, she has to change her last name to man’s last name. This is how the family system in Japan works. For Mexicans and Japanese, marriage is matter of family not individual things. So, we have to respect for our parents when we marry.

In Mexico the family is the most important unit, traditionally the father is considered the provider while the mother is in charge of childcare. Currently the roles of the parents are mixed. Showing respect for one´s parents is very important, no matter how old you are. The son or daughter live with their parents until they get marry.

According to the government survey, Japan’s unmarried rate is increase year after year. Also, Japan has a problem with the decrease birth rate. I think it’s important to know “How to find spouse”. We need another perspective from another country. Currently in Mexico´s the largest cities the divorce rate has increased, to 16 out of 100 marriages.

(INEGI, 2011). However, the family remains a symbol of union.

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world of words

The Age of Distraction

How to Focus in the Age of Distraction

By Mohammed Albagholy of Saudi Arabia, Academic English Level 50

S

tudents have two ways to manage space in order to have a great environment for focusing. The first step is organizing the office daily. Every day, there are new notes and papers brought to the office; after a while, the office will contain a dozen papers. As a

How to Focus in the Age of Distraction

By JĂŠssica Chaves Cardoso of Brazil, Academic English Level 50

C

urrently, it seems that the world has entered the age of distraction because many people often fail to concentrate sufficiently during work. First of all, working in focused bursts is a beneficial strategy to prevent distraction. People usually assume that they do not have sufficient time to complete their activities.

In fact, most of people do not know how to use time correctly. For instance, studying for a long time each day, with no break, makes people exhausted and hungry. An exceptional solution is to do the homework

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result, they cannot find what they want easily. Daily organization is important to classify notes, cards, and papers depending on their importance. The second step is clearing all technology devices. It is considered an effective way to focus. For instance, smart phones are the main factor of distraction. They have a variety of applications which prevent anyone from focusing on a subject for ten minutes. If someone tries to be physically away from his/her friends to create an environment to focus, Facebook and WhatsApp will bring them to that place and interrupt the focusing. By doing these organizational steps, the focus might improve, and they will need a shorter time for studying.

or read for fifty minutes at a time, then take twenty minutes break to maintain sanity and concentration. An additional strategy to avoid distraction is maintaining distance from computers. Most people believe that using computers are very convenient to tweet what they are doing, text with friends, watch videos on YouTube, or to do an infinite number of distractions when they are supposed to be researching for a presentation at school, for example. However, if the computer is not necessary for work, they should study using just a notepad and pen to avoid distraction. On the other hand, if the people need a computer to work, they should find an area without internet or turn off the wireless; it eliminates the ability to easily open up the internet browser and will help them to focus on what they really should be doing.

In summary, it is a challenge to focus on work at the age of distraction without the right concentration tools.

issue 84, December 2013

The Stuffed Owl

By Mohammed Albagholy of Saudi Arabia, Academic English Level 50

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ELP students pose outside the Royal Ontario Museum

n our visit to the Royal Ontario Museum, the stuffed owl attracted my attention by its unique features.

It has beautiful colorful feathers which cover most of the body except the eyes, the beak, and the claws. The eyes are circular and their colors, which are gold and black, are harmonious with the colors of the feathers.

The ears are invisible because they are covered by the feathers. The right ear is directed upward, and the left one directed downward in order to recognize sounds perfectly. Its black beak is short and curved. Before that day, I had never been close to an Owl and never touched it. At that moment, I was fascinated by its characteristics and beauty when I observed it closely.

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Stroke and Alternative Treatments

By Nelson Rangel Santos Passos of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

E

very six seconds one person dies as a consequence of a stroke (WSO, 2012). This disease affects 16 million people every year and it kills about 40 per cent of them; it turns out that stroke is one of the main causes of death in the world (Barros et al, 2013). Rehabilitation is essential to recover patients’ motor skills and to improve their quality of life, but this process is hard and it takes a long time; this requires great dedication and sacrifice.

As a result of these difficulties, patients often lose their motivation. Lack of motivation is the most frequent cause of abandoning traditional physiotherapy. This happens because the recuperation is faster in the first weeks, but after some time it stabilizes and the patient only has to do maintenance exercises, which can quickly become boring; as a result, patients may lose their desire to continue treatment. Another important reason for ending treatment is the difficulty of going to a physiotherapist’s clinic with the recommended frequency. Some cities do not have enough clinics and it is hard to find available time.

Furthermore, limited movement implies help from others, but some patients may not have anybody to take them to the physiotherapy clinic.

Technological advances have resulted in some alternative treatments. An important feature of these is the “serious game”: a kind of game with an explicit educational purpose. In the physiotherapy’s context, it means a game which helps the rehabilitation process. Different from ordinary games, these are not for entertainment; they are focused strictly on the patient’s recuperation. Nevertheless, many of the games can face problems achieving this main objective. Neurogame Therapy (Moritz et al, 2011) and Handcopter Game (Souza and Santos, 2012) are examples of serious games for post-stroke treatment. The first one is an adaptation of a pre-existing game; it uses an electromyography device to capture patient’s movements.

Although this may be a great solution, the necessity of sophisticated technological equipment makes this game’s application expensive. The second one is a new game with a low-cost of implementation, and designed to provide good feelings for the patient; it uses landscapes easily found in players’ daily life. However, patients are required to use a special glove to play this game, which was considered “uncomfortable” by many of them.

Furthermore, none of these activities were developed in cooperation with physiotherapists which can lower the scientific credibility of the research.

Trying to propose a high quality alternative treatment for post-stroke patients, a group of researchers in Sergipe (Brazil), composed of physiotherapists and computer scientists, are developing a virtual physiotherapy system.

This system, called Siirius, aims to help the rehabilitation process and to improve patients’ quality of life. Siirius was designed to manage a group of serious games and physiotherapy sessions. Every game from this platform is based on biomechanics’ criteria that correspond

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to patients’ needs. Siirius’ main goals are stimulating patients through visual and instantaneous feedback and also providing adaptable games with new challenges in each section. This software is free and the cost of its implementation is low; this allows patients to practice exercises in their own home. In addition, the fact that every gameplay is recorded allows physiotherapists to see patients’ progress and provides enough data for an improved and more personalized system (Passos et al, 2013).

These are some examples that show how technology can help the healthcare system and improve recuperation processes. This is not enough, but in the future, with creativity and hard work, it can make a great difference in many people’s life.

References -BARROS, S. L. A, PASSOS, N. R. S., Nunes, M. A. S. N. Estudo Inicial sobe Acidente Vascular Cerebral e Serious Games para aplicação no projeto “AVC” do Núcleo de Tecnologia Assistiva da UFS. Magazine GEINTEC, v. 3 n.

1, p. 129-143, 2013. (http://www.revistageintec.net/portal/ index.php/revista/article/view/94/213) -MORITZ, C.; MORRISON, T.; OTIS, B.; BURT, J.; RIOS, D.; GILBERTSON, T.; MCCOY, S. Neurogame Therapy: ‘Neurogame therapy’ for improvement of movement coordination after brain injury – developing a wireless biosignal game therapy system. In: 2011 IEEE GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE, 2011, Seattle. Seattle, 2011, p. 72-77. (http://ieeexplore.ieee. org/xpl/login.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6103611&url=http %3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fxpls%2Fabs_all. jsp%3Farnumber%3D6103611) -PASSOS, N. R. S.; BARROS, S. L. A.; GUIMARÃES, E. M.; NUNES, M. A. S. N.; MACEDO, H. T.; ALBIERO, F. M.; DESANTANA, J.; MAIA, D. C.; GOUAÏCH, A. Siirius Surfer: Utilizando Jogos Sérios na Reabilitação de Tronco para Pacientes pós-AVC. SBC – Proceedings of SBGames 2013. (http://www.sbgames.org/sbgames2013/proceedings/ comp/07-short-paper-comptrack.pdf) -SOUZA, A. M. C.; SANTOS, S. R. dos. Handcopter Game: a vídeo-tracking based serious game for the treatment of patients suffering from body paralysis caused by a stroke.

In. SYMPOSIUM ON VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY, 14, 2012, Niterói. Niterói, 2012, p. 201-209 (http://ieeexplore. ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?arnumber=6297577) -WORLD STROKE ORGANIZATION. The Facts Behind “1 in 6”. 2012. Available: <http://worldstrokecampaign. org/2012/Learn/Pages/Thefactsbehind.aspx>. Access in: 21 Nov. 2013

issue 84, December 2013

Learning to Make a Fool of Yourself

By Felipe Henrique Mosquetta Oliveira of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

H

ello! How are you, boys and girls? My name is Felipe and I am from Brazil, by the way, an amazing country. Am I going to talk about Brazil here in this piece of paper? No! I am going to talk about my experience in Canada. My first days in Canada. They were really funny!

Life can be hilarious sometimes. You just have to look at the bright side of things.

“That’s ok. I arrived in Canada and I am alive.” This was my first thought that rushed through my head when I first arrived here. I wasn’t worried about directions, food and many other common things. My only fear was lack of vocabulary, which I knew it would be a real problem. Here are two funny and shameful moments that happened in my first days.

In my first day at university, I wanted to start classes with a fanfare so I decided to explain to my dear (and comprehensive) teacher how we cook in Brazil. I needed to talk about a POT. But, suddenly I forgot this word.

The fun comes here. When I was in the middle of a recipe, I started saying another word instead of POT. I don’t know why. I can’t even imagine why I did this. I said C*CK. I did not realize my mistake and kept talking.

Some days after, I realized. But it was late. Now I know how absurd was it sounded . . . But you can avoid this!

Please, do not say this! Shame on me.

You can think: “There is no problem, it was just a simple mess”. But, did someone say that I stopped here?

No, I DIDN’T. A few days after, I went out with some friends from Brazil. Before this, I had dinner with the Canadian family that I am living with. All members of the family were sitting at the table. I needed a tape at that time. Maybe because I tore something apart. I do not remember now. In my country, Brazil, there is a brand that makes tape that is really famous and I forgot that I wasn’t in Brazil anymore. So, I said to my host father: “Marco, do you have a Durex® for me?” He looked at me in the eyes very shocked and said “No.” Everyone at the table looked at me, but I didn’t care about this. Maybe my accent was the problem. And, to complete I said again: “Don’t you have any Durex®? Anyone? (After 2 seconds.) Ok, I can buy on the way to the party.” At this moment, all the relatives gasped. And I left the table, said good-bye to everyone and went to party.

Didn’t you catch the problem here? So I saved your life. Durex® in Canada is a brand that makes condoms!

And not tapes. Can you believe this entire talk before with the word condom?!!! It is completely rude to say this in front of many new people during a family dinner.

To conclude my contribution on this magazine, I would like to give you three pieces of advices: -When you do not know a word, you can keep quiet and avoid a shameful situation, or you can talk and make the trip worthy.

-Do not be ashamed! You are learning, just like I am.

You are here to improve your English. But it doesn’t mean you have to do this by being rude with yourself.

Mistakes are common.

-If you get the opportunity to help someone, do it!

The person can be desperate and any little help would be wonderful. You needed help some time. Now it’s time to repay.

Thank you all for this opportunity. I hope I’ve helped you and make your day a little bit funny in this big and serious city. A big and tight hug, like Brazilian ones. May this year’s holidays be the best ones ever since you were born!

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world of words

Getting to know “Alagoas”

By João Ricardo Bueno de Morais Borba of Brazil, Academic English Level 60

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lagoas, one of the 26 states of Brazil, is the second smaller Brazilian state in extension, and it is located in the Northeast region. Being constituted by 102 cities, such state is slightly bigger than Haiti in area. This Brazilian state is the largest producer of sugarcane in the Northeast and one of the largest producers of this plant in the world.

Russia is its major commercial partner; approximately 75% of the sugar consumed in Russia is from “Alagoas”.

Such Brazilian state has a remarkable culture, represented mainly by its rich folklore. Also, this state has nationally famous writers. One of these authors, called “Graciliano Ramos”, was one of the most important Brazilian writers, whose many stories and novels describe the so-called “sertão brasileiro” (Brazilian hinterland). In fact, he is well known by his book entitled “Vidas Secas” (“Barren Lives”), which depicts poor migrants of the countryside. In addition, famous and acclaimed musicians, such as “Djavan”, were born in “Alagoas”.

The capital of this state is “Maceió”, whose denomination arises from a name given by indigenes to a river that passed through the region: “Massayó” or “Maçaio-k”, which means “that which covers the marsh”. A Brazilian dictionary, entitled “Aurélio”, reports that the term “Maceió” means “a pond that is located on the seashore”. Known as “City-Smile” and “Paradise Waters”, “Maceió” attracts tourists from all over the world due to its natural beauty. The summer of such city begins in September and ends in February, and the “winter” begins around March and ends in August. The temperature does not fluctuate much, ranging between 22.5 and 28°C along the coast and between 17 and 33°C in the hinterland.

Even though “Alagoas” is one of the most beautiful Brazilian states in terms of natural beauty, it has the lowest Human Development Index (HDI) in Brazil: 0,677, which is equivalent to the HDI of Gabon, 119th country in the world. Additionally, according to the Atlas of Human Development in Brazil, 88 of the 102 municipalities of “Alagoas” are ranked in low ranges in the Municipal Human Development Index (MHDI), and two municipalities are ranked in very low ranges. In 2010, the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) said that such state recorded the largest absolute poverty rate among all Brazilian states in 2008 (approximately 56.6%). Furthermore, in 2013, according to the Atlas of Human Development in Brazil, some municipalities of “Alagoas” have the proportion of individuals with household income per capita equal to or less than R$ 255.00 monthly (approximately CAD$ 122.00), which places such cities in the first level of poverty.

Despite those negative data, the state government issued a statement which said that, over the last decade (20002010), “Alagoas” had the second highest growth in the HDI ranking, with an increase percentage of 34% compared to other Brazilian states, allowing its classification of HDI to jump from “very low” to “medium”. While the numbers show that poverty in “Alagoas” is constantly growing, the statement of IPEA suggests that poverty is showing a positive trend of declining rates in a national scope. Based

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on the data presented, this Institute predicts that Brazil is likely to overcome extreme poverty and to reduce the rate of absolute poverty in 2016.

It is almost unbelievable that “Alagoas”, especially its hinterland population, in spite of owning the title of “Paradise Waters”, continues to suffer from drought.

Approximately 44.36% of its territory is located within the “polygon of droughts”, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). More than seventy years ago, “Graciliano Ramos” narrated in “Vidas Secas” the saga of Northeastern migrants dealing with hunger and poverty in the hinterland of “Alagoas”.

With an economy that was entirely depended on the sugarcane, “Alagoas” government finally realized, at the end of the seventies, that their natural charms could bring wealth. Currently, according to the largest travel company in Latin America, called “CVC”, “Maceió” has been the third most popular capital of Brazil among tourists. The “Maragogi” beach, known as the “Brazilian Caribbean”, is the largest natural pool in the municipality, but it is just one of several natural pools that consists the world’s second largest barrier in extension and preservation of coral reefs, placed in Brazilian coast. Actually, it loses only to Australia’s coral reefs. That barrier is a complex marine ecosystem made up of coral reefs located in clean-shallow water. The Brazil’s coral reefs occupy about 3,000 km of the country’s coast, extending between the states of “Maranhão” and “Bahia”. It is the only barrier reef in the South Atlantic.

Depicting other scenarios of “Maceió”, “Praia da Sereia” (Mermaid Beach) could not be forgotten. Although it has a small and simple infrastructure, such beach attracts tourists owing to its unique beauty. A sculpture of a mythical mermaid, symbolizing “Yemanjá”, the Brazilian goddess of sea, was constructed and placed upon natural coral reefs during the 1960’s decade. The lush sea with strong waves is protected by breakwater reefs, which dampen the bravery of the water and form a large natural pool that provides quiet dives. Nevertheless, the ocean side of this reef barrier is strong and dangerous for swimming. According to legends, the oldest fishermen say that when they had gone to fish near to Mermaid Beach, they heard the siren’s song. Another beach, called “São Miguel dos Milagres”, houses the sea Manatee’s sanctuary, one of the few places in Brazil where these endangered mammals can be seen.

Furthermore, in a part of the south region, called “Foz do São Francisco”, the river’s outfall into the sea is an amazing and unforgettable sight.

It is clear that “Paradise Waters” is far away from being a perfect city to live. Nonetheless, it is certain that the remarkable beauty of my hometown will enchant you as a tourist. Therefore, if you go to Brazil, take some time in your agenda to know where the “Brazilian Caribbean” is located.

After having this experience, I can state that as I am going to do now, you will nostalgically sing the lyrics of a regional composer called “Eliezer Setton”, who say in his song: “Ah, how I miss the sky, the salt and the sun of Maceió!”

issue 84, December 2013

Iguaçu Falls

By José Otávio Tessaro Surdi of Brazil, Academic English Level 40

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Niagara Falls. Photograph by David Wu

Iguaçu Falls Source: wikipedia.org

iagara Falls and Iguaçu Falls are both wonderful natural landscapes, and there are several similar points around these two magnify assets. First, both places are located in an important territorial area. While Niagara Falls is located on the frontier between United States and Canada, Iguaçu falls is placed on the border area that involves Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. The second similarity is the use of water power. Because of the high water flow, both places have hydropower plants in the neighboring. The potential of all the hydropower plants installed around the Niagara region is 4.4 gigawatts by year. South American falls have higher potential than the North American´s have. Foz do Iguaçu hydropower plant is the world´s biggest in electricity generation, setting the bar in 2012 when the produced energy was 98.2 million megawatt/hour.

For instance, it is responsible for 17.3% of Brazil’s and 72.5% of Paraguayan’s energy consumption. Finally, the tourism which is developed in mutual spaces benefits economically the cities where these Falls are located.

The visitors spend money with accommodations, food, tickets, and tours. According to Itaipu Binacional, Iguacu Falls data base governmental official source, since 1997 to December of 2012, over 17 million people from 197 different countries have visited the Falls. However, Niagara Falls numbers are even more sensational than Iguaçu´s. Only in 2008, over 20 million people visited natural resource of Toronto. The huge numbers above prove the real impact of tourism in these regions.

Although these natural landscapes have a global importance, they are even more important to local places on account of their energy production, tourism development and social progress.

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world of words

Speech Contest

For ELP Instructor, Danielle Rychlo’s Academic English, Level 50 class, the topic was, “What is something in your home country you are passionate about?” Included here are the five winners as voted on by the class.

Japanese Pop Idol Group

By Hiroshi Kawakami of Japan, Academic English Level 50

owadays CD sales are steeply declining due to the invention of MP3s or web downloading; however, a successful Japanese pop idol group called AKB48 sold a huge number of CDs in past 5 years in spite of sluggish circumstances of CD sales. This group has revolutionized in terms of how to entice fans and the way of selling CDs. AKB48 consists of plenty of members for the sake of allowing fans to find a specific favorite idol.

Unprecedentedly, there are approximately 48 members in the group with all kinds of personalities and appearances.

For instance, a member named after Minami is energetic and has brown hair, while a member by the name of Sashihara is reserved and has black hair. Therefore, having 48 members gives fans ample choices when finding a favorite idol in this group. Moreover, the fans of AKB48 can see the idol in person at specific places in order to reinforce the connection between fans and idol.

A live concert is given at a theater in Akihabara, which is located in Tokyo, everyday. Some fans come here all the way from the edges of Japan just for the concert.

As a result of seeing the idols with their eyes, it makes the connection stronger, and each fan has a loyalty to a specific idol.

The special ways that AKB’s sells CDs contributes to increasing CD sales. They released their CDs with a right to vote for an election which decides the ranking of members’ popularity. The election is annually held in a stadium in which fans gather to vote. Depending on the result of ranking, the standing positions on the stage for idols can change. The idols struggle to get better positions, because it’s difficult to capture fans’ attention in the case of side positions on the stage. For the purpose of rooting for their favorite idol, each fans purchase a number of CDs rather than just only one.

5500 CDs, which cost about a hundred thousand US dollars, were bought by a fan. Consequently, the voting system enables the CD sales to become more profitable.

For these reasons, this group has accomplished

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lucrative and amazing CD sales. They have made a huge impact on consumer behaviors. This new way of popularizing is so interesting that it can become a new business model related to the idol industry.

Hiroshi Kawakami

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issue 84, December 2013

Science Without Borders

By Natália Mattos da Silva of Brazil, Academic English Level 50

Sabrina Freitas

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Slang of Rio Grande do Sul

By Sabrina Freitas of Brazil,

great number of students are helping to develop Brazil. They are showing how Brazilians can help Brazil to become an economic power. Science Without Borders (SWB) is a well-known program in Brazil. It’s an international scholarship program which the Brazilian federal government is offering to Brazilian researchers and students.

The program is providing about one hundred thousand scholarships in 4 years to promote change and to keep Brazil connected to international education, technology and innovations.

Researchers, undergraduates and graduates from Brazil, have the opportunity to study at top universities around the world, and the University of Toronto is one of them. More than 700 scholarships have been offered for the U of T alone. There are 1,872 more that have been offered at universities spread across Canada.

A great deal of students are showing how Brazilians can contribute and share knowledge with other cultures. Brazil has recently become the 6th biggest economic power of the world. Its power is increasing more and more with this government incentive.

Academic English Level 50

ello everyone. First of all, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Sabrina, and I am going to talk about one of my Brazilian passions. To begin, since we are studying about slang in my FOCUS classes, I will explain some slang from my country, more specifically from my state, Rio Grande do Sul. “Gaúcho” is a term commonly used to describe residents from this state.

We have pride in our traditional food and history.

Furthermore, we have linguistic variations that differ from other states that strengthen our identity. For example, “tchê” is a common expression we use when we are talking with someone. This word usually goes at the beginning or at the ending of a sentence. “Bah” is one of the most popular slang words. It can express surprise or astonishment. “Tri legal” means something is very great or wonderful. In addition, some slang expressions are so famous that they are used in advertising to promote products, such as tri legal, which is the name of the raffle tickets exclusively sold in Rio Grande do Sul. If we compare my state with other Brazilian states, we have some special terms for several things, such as “geladeira,” which is a common name for other regions.

The refrigerator is very popularly called “frigider.” The tangerine fruit is called “tangerine” in other regions, but for gaúchos, “bergamota” is most appropriate.

In conclusion, slang is so important. Even when I’m practicing another language, I usually use “bah” or “tchê” in my dialogues. Therefore, I believe that slang is associated with our identity. It helps us create new ways to socialize and to preserve our culture.

Natália Mattos da Silva

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world of words

Hitori Karaoke

By Shizuka Taniguchi of Japan, Academic English Level 50

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i, I’m Shizuka. Today, I’d like to tell you about Hitori Karaoke which is gaining popularity among young people in Japan.

Karaoke is originally a Japanese word created from “kara” which means empty and “oke” which means orchestra. Karaoke is now known as a global word which expresses a form of entertainment. In Karaoke, people sing along with recorded music. Of course in Japan, singing at karaoke bars or in karaoke rooms is one of the most typical form of entertainment. Karaoke is loved by all generations.

Some people may feel uncomfortable, however, when they go to karaoke with others. For example, if you like singing, but you are not good at it, you may feel embarrassed to let others listen to your singing; or, if you want to sing as many songs as possible, you not enjoy just sitting and listening to others while you are waiting for your turn. Also, if you and your friends have different tastes in music, this could be a problem too.

In order to solve these problems, more and more people have begun to enjoy Hitori Karaoke, which means doing Karaoke alone. In Hitori Karaoke, you don’t have to waste your time listening to others singing and you can just concentrate on singing your favourite songs. If you’re not good at singing, you can practice alone and prepare for a real stage with your friends or co-workers.

And of course, it’s a great way to practice if you want to become a professional singer.

I often go to karaoke alone and enjoy singing for 2 or 3 hours. It’s very comfortable because I don’t have

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Samar Aljohani

Shizuka Taniguchi

to care about others and I can practice singing new songs which I have never sung before.

Still, going to a karaoke place and saying “I’m by myself” could be a little embarrassing. So, these days, some companies started to open a new type of karaoke place. It’s called “one kara” which specializes in Hitori karaoke. At one kara, the rooms are smaller, but there is enough space for one person to fit. The idea of hitori karaoke is still a very new business, but these companies plan to open more of them. If the hitori karaoke business catches on with a lot of people, singing alone may become a typical hobby in Japan, and it will be spread all over the world in the future.

Arranged Marriage in Saudi Arabia

By Samar Aljohani of Saudi Arabia, Academic English Level 50

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rranged marriage tends to be a traditional act in Saudi Arabia; often men and women are married in an arranged style. They actually don’t choose their own spouse at first, as the spouses are usually chosen by the parents. However, the final decision is completely in the hands of the couple.

There are many reasons why the arranged traditional marriage act is popular in Saudi Arabia. First, older people admire traditional ways, and younger people respect their parents’ way of life, so they intend to live the same way as them. In the past, families often married close relatives to keep the family together, so the idea of arranged marriage is an old idea. Sometimes younger male and female relatives grow up together in a huge family, so they share memories, and this may lead to a marriage in their future.

Secondly, men and women don’t often get together by their own initial choice, because they accept the arranged marriage style and know that the option of men and women freely getting together is rare in Saudi Arabia.

Finally, most Saudi men often want to get married in a traditional way, because they don’t trust dating.

Furthermore, in Saudi society, men control the first step of marriage because they have to propose to the women.

This act is the opposite in some countries, such as in India.

Saudi Arabian men and women trust the traditional arranged marriage much more than any alternative ways.

issue 84, December 2013

The ELP Experience Never Accept Too Little, Too Late

By Jack McGrath, ELP Cultural Assistant Studying English and History, University of Toronto

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tudying abroad: a brave frontier. There are many students out there that are discouraged by the idea of going abroad based solely on worries about integrating, never mind enjoying, a foreign country. Perhaps they worry that the culture is impermeable, or they are afraid of making new friends. Here at the ELP, both of these are challenges that students face â&#x20AC;&#x201D; topped off, of course, by having to learn English, reputably one of the hardest languages to learn.

What is a student to do?

The approaches to grappling with the ELP experience are as varied as the students attempting them. In truth, there is no prescribed and perfect method. There is, however, one thing in particular that all students can benefit from equally: putting yourself out there.

What is meant by that? Quite simply, students can and should strive to expose themselves to new things.

Whether or not that happens to include the activities that the ELP offers is entirely up to the individual, but it is worth mentioning some of them to get the conversation going.

An easy favourite, and perhaps the best example, is the Volunteer Experience Program (VEP). This one is great because, aside from granting volunteer experience which can go towards a certificate, it does two big things. One, it gets the student out of the ELP comfort zone. It is too easy for many students here at ELP to form a circle of friends, often that speak their own language so as to avoid using English, and traverse the difficulties of living abroad solely with them. Exposing students to new environments comes with the built-in advantage of exposure to new people, not least of which native English speakers. Engaging with new people requires that a student builds their confidence and will usually require substantial use of the language they are here to learn! Secondly, the VEP confers upon students (however little) a sense of responsibility. Whatever the task a volunteer is given, they are made responsible for it, and it grants them a sense of authority. Such authority is a natural developer of confidence, and will often force students to flex their English-speaking muscles as they strive to fulfill their responsibilities.

The heart of the matter here is building confidence and getting comfortable with the English-speaking world. Learning vocabulary and succeeding in test

environments will mean very little to a student if they feel uncomfortable speaking English in everyday environments, never mind if those environments make the student uncomfortable already. The only way to overcome this problem is practice! Learning a new language is not a process that can be accomplished by memorizing the language alone. Using it and seeing it in context are the only ways to fasten it into oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind.

VEP is strong example, but do not mistake it for the only one! Any ELP event is a great place to start as, aside from bringing students to fun new places, will also be full of chances to speak to other international students or even the CAs for some English-speaking practice.

And the ELP need not be the only place to go! Getting involved in local community centers, sports leagues, taking classes in dance, martial arts, whatever oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interests might be, even exposing oneself to online gaming communities, blogs or other opportunities to use casual written English are excellent launch pads to building confidence in both English and new environments.

Ultimately, the key to success is being proactive, which leads us to the hook line of the article: never accept too little, too late. For many, the ELP experience is a brief one. Three months or less is a very short amount of time to come to a new country, learn a new language and develop an understanding of a new culture. Heck, it is hardly enough time to have some fun, with all the assignments and testing! As such, the only way to reap the benefits of exposing oneself to a new world is to get to it as quickly as possible. Whatever your interests are, there is something here in Toronto that will fit you. A great way the ELP can be universally helpful is to guide you to whatever it is that interests you.

The bottom line is that you cannot expect attending class and passing tests to be the sum of all that is necessary to become a great English speaker. Any language requires hard work well beyond the classroom, and that work can be fun and personally rewarding if you are willing to be proactive. Consider yourself, consider what you like, and consider how that can help you learn English and the Canadian culture with the short time that you have to be here. Never accept too little, too late!

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world of words

A Day at Algonquin

By Lulu Chen, ELP Cultural Assistant

Studying Cultural, Communication & information Technology, and Economics, University of Toronto

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Algonquin Park. Photograph by Lulu Chen

he trip to Algonquin Park was my favorite memory in fall 2013. The breathtaking view, the good weather, and the lovely people I went with just made the trip fantastic. It was my first time to Algonquin Park, I have heard of lots of people saying Algonquin Park is definitely worth visiting and want to go back. The only downside of the trip was getting to Algonquin. In order to get to the Park, we had to get to the designated bus stop around 6:45am, and take a three-hour bus ride, which was a little painful. Once we arrived at the Park, I forgot about how tired I was. The first view I saw was the beautiful lake with canoes which were provided for tourists to enjoy. We got to explore the other side of the lake through canoeing. Canoeing is one of my favorite outdoor activities, plus the gorgeous lake view, everything was perfect.

Each season in the park has its own appeal, but autumn is just different. The red, golden and green leaves made the view colorful and magical.

The most memorable and the highlight of the trip was view from the top of the hill we climbed.

The spectacular view of endless boundaries of trees with different colors was so stunning, I was

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speechless. I was so used to the city life; I forgot how beautiful nature could be.

I have also interviewed Yu Kanazawa for her experience at Algonquin Park.

Q: How do you like Algonquin Park?

A: I have wanted to go there, so I enjoyed it very much. And I was surprised, because I have never been to such a big park. I want to go there again!

Q: What do you think about the activities?

Which activities do you like the most?

A: I was excited that I saw colored leaves while riding in a canoe.

Q: What do you remember the most about Algonquin Park?

A: The view of colored leaves from top of the mountain was beautiful!

Q: Which part of the trip didn’t you like?

A: I like everything, but if I had to choose… I wanted a lot more free time. I didn’t have enough time to stay there.

issue 84, December 2013

Downtown Grocery Shopping

By Mustafa Ersin Sarier, ELP Cultural Assistant

Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of Applied Science Candidate, Civil Engineering, University of Toronto

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was once a student at the ELP. I studied at the ELP for eight months. I studied two sessions of Academic English (Level 50 and Level 60), one session of Comprehensive English, and one session of Speaking English, and I started my MASc. program as a member of the Transportation Research Group in September 2012.

In this article, I will write about good grocery shopping places which I know in Downtown Toronto. Hence, I think that it is important especially for students who are new in Toronto. I will write a list of good places where prices are generally reasonable.

1. PAT Central Market

675 Bloor St W This place is one of my favorite grocery stores in Toronto.

Prices are reasonable especially for grocery shopping. It is a Korean Store. Employees are so kind and nice there. It is also close to Christie Station in Korea Town. You can find Korean, Japanese and Canadian brands here.

2. Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nofrills (Dufferin St.)

900 Dufferin Street This store is located in Dufferin Mall near Dufferin Subway Station. At all the No Frills stores, prices are really reasonable, and this store is really big. You can almost find everything there. There is also Walmart and other shopping places in the same area. This place is really convenient for people who live around St George and University of Toronto campus.

3. Freshco (Parliament & Dundas)

325 Parliament St This store is on the Dundas streetcar route. The streetcar number is 505. Unfortunately, there is no subway station near there. This place is also really good, and prices are really reasonable like No Frills. Usually I go there for monthly shopping.

4. Metro Bloor & Spadina

425 Bloor St. W This store is 24 hours, and it is so close to University of Toronto campus. They also have 10% discount for UofT students if you show your T-card on Tuesdays. It is so convenient for UofT students due to location.

I hope this information helps you. I learned it by myself, but it took time. I wish you all the best. Toronto is a great city to live. Enjoy your time in Toronto.

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world of words

Stereotypically Canadian Things That Turned Out to Be True

By Lily Choi, Former ELP Cultural Assistant

Current Graduate Student at the United Nations University, Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute and Technology (MERIT)

why they answered the way they did. And given your current geographical placement, reader, you must, too. As for me, after having lived in eight or nine cities spanning three continents, I now know exactly why Canada is forever on my mind, and apparently on the minds of people all over the world as well. And thus begins my love letter to my home and [almost] native land.

BEING POLITICALLY CORRECT IS A WONDERFUL THING

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sk any Canadian who has recently graduated from high school or undergrad what their most highly coveted travel aspirations are, and more likely than not, they will dreamily answer, “backpacking across Europe.” Europe is a diverse continent roughly the same size as Canada, rich in history and remnants of empires past, bountiful in gastronomical delights and the languages in which they are named, and blessed with striking architecture in every one of its fifty countries. Canada, on the diametrically opposing hand, is a toddler of a country only 146 years young; to put this into perspective, consider the fact that there are universities in Europe that are six times older than Canada.

But have you ever wondered what a European student’s response to the query – “if you could go anywhere in the world…” – might be? As they are likely to already have traversed much of Europe in their youth, the European student’s answer won’t be the same as that of their Canadian counterpart. Residing as a student in the Netherlands, the central point of Western Europe, I’ve been able to pose this very question to many of my cool new international friends, who hail from every corner of the European Union and beyond. You’d be surprised how often I hear in reply an unequivocal, resolute, “Canada.” Are they just being kind in saying this, knowing where I come from? Maybe, my friends are awfully nice. But I swear, 93% of the time, they seem as though they absolutely mean it. And if they’re really cool and knowledgeable in the ways of the world – and thus have become relatively familiar with the wondrous place that is Canada – they know

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In North America, and especially in Canada, you may occasionally hear grumblings about a perceived overuse of politically correct or culturally sensitive terms and language regarding race, gender, religion, culture, and sexual identity, as well as a perceived overimplementation of rules in public institutions meant to codify our society’s obsession with being politically correct. I never understood such complaints against a societal norm concretized over time for the explicit purpose of fighting the pervasion of willful ignorance.

In Canada, one cannot simply plead ignorance to justify making racist, sexist, or homophobic comments. That just doesn’t fly in our country, and whoever tries will likely be met with hostility from the collective majority of Canadians who know that this is wrong. Political correctness, in magical combination with the innate Canadian predisposition to the perennial preservation of politesse (see next section), ensures that no one in Canada will be made to feel like an outsider based on an inherent characteristic of their identity.

In Europe, particularly in some countries more than others, directness in expression and reference is valued, which is understandable given the number of vastly different languages, cultures, religions, and ethnicities united under the Euro (and at times begrudgingly so). Naturally, straightforwardness in communication means sacrificing politically correct language to a certain extent. To a Canadian’s perspective, being so blunt in speech and behaviour may be disarming and can be regarded as brusque and dismissive, even when the intention is not necessarily so. As someone who tends to be especially sensitive about such things, I have grown to truly miss my fellow Canadians in all their politically correct and culturally sensitive glory.

IT’S NICE TO BE NICE It always irks me a great deal when kindness and mild manners are construed as a sign of weakness or naïveté.

issue 84, December 2013 In our increasingly globalized world, the sense of calm brought on by a simple exchange of pleasantries so easily gives way to a feverish tempo set by competitive societies. And when it’s not a matter of keeping up with market momentum, it’s a matter of plain humanto-human apathy. This is so upsetting. I was raised in suburban neighbourhoods where strangers stopped to say hello to each other on their morning walks. I am most comfortable in a city wherein the employees behind the counter at the nearest Tim Horton’s will make an earnest effort to relate to the trajectory of my day as they take my money. So when non-Canadians become suspicious, or worse, derisive, of my pleasant demeanor at the local library, police office, or hospital, I feel entirely out of my element.

My dear brothers and sisters from other mothers and misters, I really do just want to know how your afternoon has been going, and for you to reciprocate in kind. Nothing more, and nothing less. Because while it doesn’t cost us anything to be pleasant to one another (except time, if you’re the kind of jerk who takes that into account), you’ll find that this boost of pleasantness may bring you some peace of mind in our [shared] hectic world.

DISTANCE IS A RELATIVE UNIT OF MEASUREMENT Europeans are well-traveled. Maybe more so than North Americans. Although, to be fair, there might be a sampling bias here; the people I interact with most happen to be fellow students of international relations and thus tend to have a vested interest in seeing foreign places. They, like me, take this interest to heart so they may call themselves “citizens of the world”, in hopes that such a banal credential qualifies them for work as world leaders right out of grad school.

But Europe is smaller than you think. My friends drive across entire countries to go home for the weekend.

If I ever crave an authentic Belgian waffle, I can enjoy one within half an hour by biking across the border to Belgium. Need a quick getaway? A flight to the south of France, a Greek island, or say… Riga, the capital city of Latvia, will set you back as little as fifteen euros, or approximately twenty-two Canadian dollars. Living in Toronto or Calgary, the nearest large (i.e. interesting) city is easily a $250 plane ride away. Or better yet, a ten-hour drive-a-thon, only broken up by the occasional highway bathroom stop (whether that involves a real restroom facility or a clearing in the thicket of bushes just off the road). That’s okay, we’ll make the trek out and back over a long weekend anyway. But this is absolutely insane to Europeans. By European standards, a drive over three hours is too much. Fine, they’ll take a plane or train if they must, but they won’t be happy about it, because that X amount of distance is soo far away!

The perception of distance, much like cold weather (see below), is dependent upon the person who chooses (or not) to traverse it.

WE REALLY DON’T FEEL AS COLD AS THEY SEEM TO On any given day in winter, a shivering non-Canadian friend will ask me through layers of wool and clattering

teeth, “Isn’t your jacket too thin?” or “How are you not as cold as I am?” It’s true, we Canadians really do have this innate psychosomatic layer of insulation against cold weather, and this is especially true in the extreme cold. Once temperatures drop below a certain level, our bodies, thoroughly trained for this very situation from years of ice skating, winter camping, and hiking through knee-deep snow to get to school (or to the mall) throughout our childhood and adolescence, have a system of blocking out the cold-sensation receptors that would otherwise make Canadian winters unbearable. When -20 degree weather (i.e. -33 degrees, taking into account the wind chill factor) and copious amounts of snow are the norm for four months of the year in the Great White North, you must accept that cold is a state of mind. So whereas my friends from warmer places may complain about the cold and go down fighting, we Canadians embrace it, like, “Is this all you got?”

For the record, as I write it is currently a balmy 5 degrees Celsius in early December in the Netherlands.

Oh please, I hear it’s been snowing for two months straight in the Canadian province of Alberta, where my parents live. Bring it on, European winter, I’m waiting and I’m toasty warm.

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER The desktop wallpaper on my laptop changes every three hours or so, rotating through a pre-selected collection of photographs of typically Canadian landscapes. My favourite is one depicting a canoe casually adrift at the edge of a lake against a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains looming impressively over the unending cerulean of the sky and the water. It’s a picturesque sight that would make those without firsthand experience of it wonder if it hadn’t been Photoshopped. To me, it’s remote campgrounds, winding hiking trails, the mountain on which I broke my ankle skiing, the setting of summers that were never long enough, that other mountain where I decided snowboarding was really more my thing, and the hills where I learned to ride horseback. Otherwise known as home.

When I open up my laptop in class, the students sitting behind me crane their necks for a better look at this desktop wallpaper over my shoulder; they tell me it’s the kind of beauty they have to see in person to believe. Then I think about those Canadians who long to escape the familiarity of home to wander about Europe, seeking out the architectural offerings of Paris, Rome, or Barcelona. I now realize that for my Canadian and European friends alike, the grass is always greener on the other side. Personally, I hope I never become so world-weary as to forget how fortunate I am to come from a place so stunning that its likeness in photographs is looked upon with disbelief by people oceans away.

“Lily Choi, one of the best Cultural Assistants of all time, is currently devoting her life (and savings) to the pursuit of a Master’s degree from the United Nations University in the Netherlands. She resides in a too-expensive apartment overlooking the cobblestone streets of Maastricht with her bike, Nicolas, and her guitar, Jon Hamm.” -Lily Choi

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world of words

Tastes of ELP

By Sana Ali, Activities Assistant

Graduate of International Relations and Political Science, University of Toronto

Have you ever wanted to travel to another part of the world, without leaving your house? Then head to your kitchen, because we have here a collection of recipes from our own ELP chefs! Indulge in a truly novel experience and try out a recipe today.

PĂŁo de Queijo Cheese rolls from Brazil

Submitted by Thaisa Kelles of Brazil Academic English Level 60 Ingredients: 1kg of sour tapioca starch 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cup whole milk 1 spoon salt 4 eggs 2 cups grated parmesan cheese Directions: In a pan over medium heat, combine oil, milk, and salt.

Simmer the mixture. Then, let cool down a little bit. Mix the flour with the warm liquid mixture very well with a wooden spoon. Then, wait for this mixture cool down enough to add the eggs one at a time. Knead well with your hands. Add the cheese and mix well. The more homogeneous the dough, the better. Let rest for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Grease your hands with oil before forming each ball (small lemon size). Bake them at 375 F on a parchment for 20 to 40 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Tube Rice Cakes from Taiwan

Submitted by Vincent Shih of Taiwan Academic English Level 30 Ingredients: 1 cup rice mushrooms 35 gm dried radish 225 gm ginger 225 gm, *Pisi 300gm Soy Sauce 2 tablespoons cooking sake 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tsp vegetable powder 1 teaspoon mushroom powder ½ teaspoon salt 1/3 tsp white pepper 1/3 tsp sesame oil Directions: 1. Add sesame oil, dried radish, mushrooms, and ginger to a hot pan.

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2. Saute for a few mins then add soy sauce, sake, 1 cup water, sugar, vegetable powder, mushroom powder, salt, white pepper. Stir cooked and shredded Pisi into the sauce.

3. Take 1 tablespoon of the prepared mixture, leaving the broth, and place into the bottom of a cup, then add rice till 80% full.

4. Pour some broth over the rice, and then steam the covered bowl for 20 minutes in a larger pot of water.

5. When ready, turn out rice cakes from the bowl onto a flat dish to serve. *Pisi is shredded rehydrated bean curd. You simply boil bean curd sheets in water and slice them up before adding to the recipe.

Bok choy and tofu vegetable lo mein from Taiwan Submitted by Benson Shih of Taiwan Academic English Level 40

*you can always make this recipe with regular spaghetti or noodles.

Ingredients: 2 tbsp vegetable oil + 1 tbsp 1 16 ounce package firm or extra firm tofu, pressed and chopped into 1-inch cubes 1 tbsp soy sauce + 2 tbsp 1/3 cup water 1 tbsp cornstarch 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp fresh ginger root, minced 1/4 cup chopped scallions (green onions) 1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped small 1 bok choy, chopped 1 carrot, sliced thin 1/2 onion, chopped thin 3/4 cup bean sprouts 3/4 pound lo mein noodles, prepared according to package instructions 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional) Directions: Sautee tofu in 2 tbsp vegetable oil until lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add soy sauce and toss well to combine for just a minute or two. Remove from heat and set aside.

Whisk together the cornstarch, water, and set aside. In remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil, add garlic, ginger, and scallions, heating for 2-3 minutes. Add bell pepper, bok choy, carrot, and onion. Sautee until crisp tender, about five minutes. Add bean sprouts and heat for one more minute. Slowly add water and cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until sauce has thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

Serve with noodles.

issue 84, December 2013 “Tapioca” from Brazil

Submitted by Alexandre Sette of Brazil Academic English Level 60 Ingredients: 1 pound cassava starch 1 tsp salt 300 ml water A Brazilian delicacy made with the starch extracted from cassava, also known as tapioca starch, tapioca, dry gum, tapioca or cassava starch. This is cooked on a griddle or skillet into a type of pancake or crepe dry in a halfmoon shape (or disk, in some regions). The filling varies, but the most traditional one is made with coconut and cheese.

Image by Kent Wang

This starch product extracted from cassava is mixed with a little bit of water and salt and mixed it until it gets a good consistency. Then it is drained through a seive. To prepare the pancake, the “powder” is put in a hot skillet skillet, causing the granules to stick with each other. Then, you just need to choose the filling, the traditional one is coconut and cheese. You put it in one side of the “tapioca” and close it to get a half-moon shape. To finalize, pass some butter on the surface.

1 chopped onion 3 chopped garlic cloves 1 sliced red or green chili ½ cup frozen peas ¼ cup raisins ½ cup cashews 3 chopped spring onions fresh coriander STIR-FRY SAUCE: 3 Tbps. soy sauce 2 tsp. curry powder 1/2 tsp. sugar Directions: Mix 1 Tbsp. oil with the rice and separate any chunks.

Set aside.

In a cup, stir the ingredients for the sauce together.

Drizzle 1-2 Tbsp. oil in a wok/large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, and chili, stirfrying until fragrant (1 minute). Whenever the wok/pan becomes dry, add a little stock (1 Tbsp. at a time to keep ingredients sizzling).

Now add the rice, peas, pineapple chunks, currents and cashews. Drizzle the sauce mixture over and gently stirfry to combine over medium-high to high heat until the rice “dances” (makes popping sounds) - about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Top with spring onions and coriander, and ENJOY!

Scallion Pancake (Pa Jun) from Korea

Submitted by Myungsin Kim Comprehensive English, Low Intermediate Ingredients: 2 cups flour 2 eggs, beaten 1.5 cups water 1 bunch of scallions, halved and cut into 2-3 inch lengths 1 tsp salt Oil for cooking Directions: 1. Mix all ingredients together and let sit for about 10 minutes. Check consistency before cooking – batter should be a bit thinner than American pancake batter, so that the Pa Jun cooks quickly and evenly.

2. Heat a pan over medium heat and coat with a thin layer of oil.

3. Pour batter to fill pan in a thin layer (about 1/3 of your batter should fill a regular pan).

4. Cook for 3-4 minutes until set and golden brown on bottom.

5. Turn over with help of spatula or plate (or flip it in the air if you are good at that) and finish by cooking 1-2 more minutes, adding more oil if necessary.

6. Serve with soy or spicy dipping sauce.

Fried Rice from Thailand

Oyakodon from Japan

Submitted by Yu Kanazawa of Japan Academic English Level 40

Ingredients (makes two servings): 2 servings Rice 1/4 Onion Chicken thighs…150g 2 Eggs …2 Chopped Green onion to taste Seaweed to taste 2 tablespoons Soy sauce, Mirin (sweet sake) 100 ml Dashi soup Directions: 1. Cut chicken into bite-size chunks, and slice onions thinly.

2. Put the soy sauce, mirin, 100ml dashi soup into pot, and bring to a boil. After that, put chicken. When the chicken heated through, add onion, and boil.

3. When the onions soft, pour into mixed egg.

4. After the egg is half-cooked, remove it from heat.

5. Put rice into the bowl, and place the egg on the top of rice, and garnish with green onion and seaweed.

Submitted by Zack Sak of Thailand Academic English Level 60 Ingredients: 1 small can drained pineapple chunks 3 cups cooked rice 1/4 cup vegetable stock

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world of words

A Canadian Obsession

By Victor Vo, ELP Cultural Assistant

Studying Political Science & American Studies, University of Toronto

F

dominated by our southern neighbours. Currently the world’s most popular basketball league, the National Basketball League (NBA), represents 29 American teams and 1 Canadian team. This means that Canada has only one team representing its entire country. While the game of hockey has 7 teams representing the country in the National Hockey League (NHL). The market for basketball is still young and small in Canada compared to hockey, which means it will take time to grow.

Because basketball is popularized and diversified by countries all around the world, it would make perfect sense to translate this phenomenon into the diverse Canadian culture. Also unlike hockey, basketball is affordable and playable all year long. Whereas hockey has become more expensive and difficult to play because of the decrease in local rinks in Canada, basketball nets are built nearly everywhere in Canada because of their cheap maintenance and affordability. Therefore it would be ideal for Canada to reconnect with its history with basketball, while also enhancing the global phenomenon that would represent the new generation of Canadians.

The basketball culture is looking bright in Canada, but it will be a long time before it will dominate over our hockey obsession.

Image: Jecowa at en.wikipedia

or the longest time, the game of hockey has been known by most Canadians and to the world as Canada’s national obsession. We see hockey everywhere across Canada, whether it is on the television set, in newspapers, on the internet or at our local neighbourhood rink, the culture of hockey is evident in the lives of Canadians from when they are born. Ironically, the popularity of hockey also came around the same time as the Confederation of Canada in the 19th century. But as Canada begins to adapt to a diverse generation of Canadians, hockey does not symbolize this generation in the same way as the former. So maybe it is time for Canada to reconsider adopting a new national obsession that would represent its Canadian identity.

I suggest that basketball should be our new national obsession. Considering that it is a sport already rooted in our history, it is also affordable and playable all year long. Basketball also shapes the image of diversity in Canada. But why hasn’t basketball become our national obsession yet? Unfortunately, the game of basketball isn’t as well represented by Canadians as hockey is.

Although it was invented by a Canadian Professor named James Naismith in 1891, it was however first played by Americans. Since then, basketball has been

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issue 84, December 2013

Darren’s Music Corner

Tips on buying your first guitar

By Darren Rigo, Activities Assistant

Graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design

A

ll musical instruments will need maintenance of some kind and guitars are certainly no exception. Knowledge about basic maintenance is essential if you are thinking about owning a guitar or renting one for a long period of time. A well maintained guitar will always be easy to play, sound great and should last a lifetime. Here are a few of the most basic things you can do to keep your guitar in great shape.

Humidity Control Dry air can permanently damage your guitar. In Canada, the air in the winter can be so dry that it will cause the wood in your guitar to crack! If you live in humidity-controlled building this isn’t a big problem but if you have older radiator style heating beware. During the dry winter months store your guitar in a hard case with a guitar humidifier. You can buy one for under twenty bucks at any music store. I recommend the kind that pops into the sound hole between the D and G strings.

Cleaning It’s a good idea to clean your guitar from time to time as oil

and grime from your hands will build up on the fretboard.

Its best to just wipe and grimy areas down with a wet cloth.

Intonation This is one of the more tricky maintenance issues. Intonation problems happen when your guitar has shrunk or elongated since it was built, causing notes played in the higher frets to be noticeably off pitch. You can test for intonation problems with a tuner, tune your guitar as perfectly as possible and check if the notes of at twelfth fret are in tune with the open notes.

For acoustic guitars its best to to bring your guitar to a guitar store to fix these problems.

For electrics you can adjust the screws on the bridge. If a string’s tone on the twelfth fret is sharp you need to elongate the string, and of course if it’s flat you should shorten the string.

Tuning Pegs Nicer guitars usually come with nicer hardware and that means tuning pegs that you can adjust with a Phillips head screwdriver.

If you notice a certain string is not holding tune very well, the peg may need tightening.

Adjust slowly, often a half turn is more than enough.

Guitar store tune-ups Since guitars are made of wood, they will often warp and change shape slightly as they age. If your guitars action (height of the strings from fretboard) is too high it can be hard to play, too low and strings may buzz on the frets.

Unless you a very confident working with instruments, I would recommend getting a professional to fix these problems. You can bring your guitar to any guitar store for a tune-up for about twenty-five dollars.

String Care New technology has made guitar stings long-lasting and easy to care for but you will need to change them from time to time. Washing your hands before you play will extend string life but they will still tarnish and lose their bright sound after a few months or regular playing. Selecting and changing strings is a bit complicated so check out my article on this topic in the next issue of WOW.

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world of words

Holiday Events Around Toronto

By Andrea Cuellar, Program Assistant

Graduate of Sociology, University of Toronto

rom the Financial District to Yorkville, Liberty Village to the Danforth, Toronto goes to great lengths to prepare for this magical season. Storefronts set up their elaborate seasonal window displays, sparkling lights and ornaments line the streets, spectacular trees are decorated in all the buildings and city squares, extravagant wreaths hang high, and Christmas melodies fill the air wherever you go, announcing that the holidays have arrived.

Ornately decorated and brightly lit Christmas trees appear in the windows of houses and apartments of city dwellers, and any neighborhood you walk through is brilliantly lit up with outdoor lights and decorations that show the excitement for this season. Love and warmth, giving and kindness, gratitude and appreciation; all these things and more are part of the spirit of the holidays. Family and friends travel home from all over the world to be together once a year to appreciate, love, celebrate, and be grateful, whether they observe the religious meaning and celebrations of the season or not. There is simply a feeling in the air that runs through everyone and unites us all during this holiday season.

The following is a small guide on special events that are going on in Toronto during the Holiday Season, as well as some tips and suggestions if you are spending your break here in Toronto.

Outdoor Skating

The City of Toronto operates 53 outdoor skating rinks.

Both by day and by night, skating outdoors in the city is a seasonal favourite for residents of Toronto. Open between November and March (weather permitting) the most popular outdoor rinks downtown are the Nathan Philips Square Rink outside of City Hall, and the Natrel Rink at the Harbourfront Centre. The Nathan Phillips Square Rink is open for skating 7 days a week from 10am to 10pm. Skating is free if you have your own pair of

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skates. Rental skates are available here for $10 per adult for 2 hours. A Government issued photo ID is needed with your deposit. The Natrel Rink is open for skating every day from 10am to 10pm, except for Thursday, Friday and Saturday when hours are extended until 11pm. Skating is also free here with your own skates.

Rentals are available for $8 per adult with no time limit, and government issued photo ID is needed with your deposit here as well. (Note: student cards do not apply as government issued photo ID. Health cards, driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s licenses, passports, citizenship cards, and birth certificates are an example of valid ID. Also note that these locations prefer cash and may not always have debit/ credit available for rentals).

Skating at Harbourfront. Photograph by David Wu

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issue 84, December 2013

Handel’s “Messiah”

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra will be presenting their annual performance of Handel’s “Messiah” at Roy Thompson Hall, from December 17th to December 22nd. This timeless Christmas piece brings together the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir for a breathtaking performance.

Performances will be limited, and prices range from $35 to $105.

The Nutcracker Ballet

For fans of the ballet, The National Ballet of Canada presents “The Nutcracker.” The company performs this ballet annually at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing arts. A Christmas classic set in Imperial Russia, this ballet is world renowned for its magical story, musical compositions and famous numbers.

Performances last from December 14th to January 4th, and prices range from $25 to $409.

Niagara Winter Festival of Lights

At nightfall during the winter season, Niagara Falls transforms as it lights up to reveal a beautiful display of colours. Seasonal colours are projected onto the falling water, and on the opposite side along the park is the celebrated Enchantment of Disney light display. You have to dress warmly as it is outdoors by the Falls at night, but it is definitely worth the weather and the trip!

There is also outdoor skating here, so you can see it all while you skate under the stars. This happens nightly from November 9th to January 31st.

Trip to Quebec and Montreal

The old and historic areas of Quebec and Montreal are beautiful and picturesque year-round, but especially at this time of year with falling snow and festive decorations.

It is almost like stepping into a Christmas painting. Time

off from work and school certainly warrants a visit for a couple of days if you are interested in travelling within Canada. Several companies offer discounted tours for different schedules and budgets.

Royal Ontario Museum

On Tuesday afternoons, the ROM gives university students free admission as long as you bring your Tcard with you. With so much natural history and world culture to learn about you may need the full day to appreciate everything there is to see at the ROM.

Art Gallery

of

Ontario

The Art Gallery of Ontario provides an extensive range of art. Wednesday evenings, the AGO offers free admission to their collection galleries for all guests starting at 6:00pm. The gallery closes at 8:00pm.

Movie Theatre

Students love half price Tuesdays at Cineplex because the movie tickets are just that- half price! All Cineplex movie theaters offer their regularly scheduled movies for reduced prices every Tuesday. What better way to enjoy the latest films during the week?

Theatre Performances: Les Misérables and Aladdin

Right now the two hottest shows in town are Les Misérables and Aladdin. These two performances are world renowned and only in Toronto for a short time.

Les Misérables runs until The beginning of February, and Aladdin runs until the beginning of January. Prices vary and tickets sell out quickly, buy them before they are gone!

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world of words

Simple Homemade Holiday Gifts

By Vitalie Nyembwe, ELP Cultural Assistant

Studying Psychology and Criminology, University of Toronto

W

ith the holidays just around the corner, many of you are probably trying to figure out what gifts to get for your loved ones. While some gifts may be a little easier to decide on, it is understandable that gift shopping can be particularly difficult. If you are looking to be a little creative then perhaps you should consider some homemade gifts this holiday season.

The following project is very simple and the time it takes to complete will depend entirely on your creativity. This sugar scrub recipe is a great homemade gift for both men and women and is perfect to help fight dry skin this winter.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: -Any type of jar (can be purchased at your local dollar store) -White granulated sugar (2 cups) -Almond or coconut oil (1/4 to 1/3 cup) -An essential oil of your choice like peppermint (essential oils can be purchased at The Body Shop, Fruits & Passions, Bath and Body Works, LUSH cosmetics, etc.)

-Red food colouring

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HOMEMADE HOLIDAY BODY SCRUB Directions: 1) Pour the sugar into a medium-sized bowl.

2) Slowly add the oil until you get the desired consistency.

Make sure not to make the mixture too oily.

3) Add a few drops of the essential oil of your choice (does not have to be peppermint).

4) Mix together.

5) Pour into jar.

To create the candy cane effect, follow these next steps: 6) Separate the mixture into two separate bowls or containers 7) Add a little bit of red food colouring to one bowl (you can use green food colouring in the other bowl to add even more colour) 8) Mix each bowl separately.

9) Add alternating layers of each colour to the jar to create a striped effect.

10) Make sure to flatten each layer before adding a new one.

Feel free to let your creative side take over the decorating of the jar!

issue 84, December 2013

Ask Rosa

Kind advice for the student life

By Rosa Leo, ELP Program Administrator

My Favourite Things H

ere we are, just days away from Christmas and the questions have been rolling in about gift-giving. Each year it gets harder and harder to shop for the people on your Christmas list and each year I’m approached for ideas and suggestions. I have decided I would compile a list of my favorite things with the hope that it might help you with yours.

Christian Dior Gel Nail Polish - $25.00 I’ve been a loyal Sally Hansen fan for many years until a friend introduced me to Christian Dior’s clear gel polish. It glides on easily, dries quickly, and seals in color when used as a base and top coat. Apply over a dry manicure for a glossy shine finish.

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Miracle Cream - $25.00 They certainly broke the mould when this award winning cream was introduced to store shelves!

Elizabeth Arden’s Miracle Cream won the ‘Can’t Live Without’ award in 2012. It is a staple in my medicine cabinet and definitely an item I would take with me if I happened to be stranded on a deserted island. This cream soothes, protects, moisturizes, softens and heals skin. It works on elbows, cuticles, lips, hands, feet, skin irritations, sun burn, chapped and cracked skin. You can see the difference in 8 hours.

MAC Iredescent Powder - $30.00 ‘Tis the season for frost and sparkle. I love MAC’s fine, delicate sparkling powder. Whether you’re adding a touch of pop to the cheek bones, around the eyes, shoulders, arms or décolletage, this powder adds just the right amount of shimmer without going overboard.

Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover - $5.00 Stocking stuffer extraordinaire! Great for the clumsy foodie in your life or for the parent-on-the-go. This clever product dissolves stains in seconds and spares you an embarrassing moment. I keep one at home, in my purse and in my desk. This is one item I cannot do without.

KMS Hairplay Molding Paste – small $18.95 / large $24.95 The five star reviews don’t lie. For the man in your life who enjoys the tussled, textured look of his hair, this product will hold his modern mess in place. When it comes to shaping and sculpting, KMS’s molding paste doesn’t disappoint.

Sock Slippers - $4.99 If you’re passing a Winners or Marshall’s this holiday season, do your feet a favour: purchase a pair of cozy sock slippers for around the house. If you’re like me; prefer socks over slippers, this two-in-one invention will delight you and keep your feet warm as well. I’ve also worn the sock slipper with my rain boots and found that it provides adequate insulation on nippy days.

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Wine $19.95 This crisp, tropical fruit infused wine is a symphony of flavor you will savor. I see why it’s an LCBO favorite.

New Zealand, you’ve won me over!

Happy shopping and happy holidays to you and yours.

Rosa Leo has been serving the students

of the English Language Program for over 8 years. Visit Rosa in the office for student services or registration information.

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Toronto, CANADA

School of Continuing Studies

University of Toronto

English Language Program

Postcards from Everywhere

world of words

Show us where you are from. Take a picture with this postcard and post it on one of our social media channels. Stay connected with ELP on facebook, instagram, twitter, youtube, and pinterest.

world of words issue 84, December 2013 June 2013, issue 82

“The English Language Program’s student magazine – a compilation of the Spring session’s highlights, student opinions and other features.”

Toronto

The World in One City ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM 252 Bloor St. West, Suite 4-106 Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1V6 t: 416.978.5104 f: 416.971.2839 e: learn.english@utoronto.ca w: learn.english.utoronto.ca SCHOOL OF CONTINUING STUDIES 158 St. George St. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2V8 t: 416.978.2400 f: 416.978.6666 e: learn@utoronto.ca w: learn.utoronto.ca

Sporting Life 10K

Going the Distance for Camp Oochigeas

ELP Success Story Aktang Abdykerim

Contribute to World of Words Magazine!

1) Email your submission to wow.elp@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.

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world of words

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english.learn.utoronto.ca/student-life/wow-maga zine

issue 84, December 2013

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM 252 Bloor St. West, Suite 4-106 Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1V6 t: 416.978.5104 f: 416.971.2839 e: learn.english@utoronto.ca w: learn.english.utoronto.ca SCHOOL OF CONTINUING STUDIES 158 St. George St. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2V8 t: 416.978.2400 f: 416.978.6666 e: learn@utoronto.ca w: learn.utoronto.ca

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