Issue 2 - August 30, 2013

Page 1

sputnik O-Week Issue

the

Friday, August 30, 2013 - Issue 2 // www.thesputnik.ca

Meet your O-Week Head Icebreakers! Page 5

Fast Romantics page 9

News

2

On Campus

4

Features

6

A&E

8

Sports

10

Opinion

12

Partnership with Laurier likely page 3

The underdog university town page 7

New coach for Golden Hawks page 11

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The Sputnik // Friday, August 30, 2013

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The Sputnik // Friday, August 30, 2013

NEWS

Nathanael Lewis // news@thesputnik.ca | @sputnik_news

OneCard and Food Services to unite at Laurier Brantford EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Layla Bozich eic@thesputnik.ca ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR

Angela Taylor angela.taylor@wlusp.com (519) 884-0710 ext. 3560 PHOTO EDITOR Cody Hoffman photography@thesputnik.ca ART EDITOR Rebecca Duce visual@thesputnik.ca WEB EDITOR web@thesputnik.ca COPY EDITORS Jessica Lalonde

SECTION EDITORS Nathanael Lewis, News Oren Weiner, On Campus Dillon Giancola, Features Amber Richardson, A&E Kyle Morrison, Sports Cody Groat, Opinion

CONTRIBUTORS Anthony Fusco Chris Pimentel

Nathanael Lewis News Editor Since 1999, the OneCard has been a part of everyday life at the Wilfrid Laurier University campus in Waterloo. From there, it was slowly integrated and developed to become everything a student needs from a building pass to a form of payment for meal plans. At the Brantford campus, the OneCard experience has a lot to be built upon, says manager of OneCard operations, David Playfair. “I think the Brantford campus is great. Full of charm and potential,� says Playfair. “I look at Brantford like a blank palette, ready to go.� Starting in the 2013-14 school year, the OneCard system is going to go through an update. According it Playfair, students can expect to be able to access food services though local businesses using their OneCard as soon as mid-September.

The new service will be run through a DCT system, similar to the one set up in Service Laurier. “It’s the natural evolution of the Brantford campus,â€? says Playfair, noting that there is a lot of potential in Brantford with a student body of just over 3,000. 6R IDU Ă€YH EXVLQHVVHV KDYH FRQĂ€UPHG WKHLU participation in the program: William’s, Golden Grounds, Boston Pizza, Subway and the Brant Food Centre and Deli. “It is what we can do right now while looking at a more permanent solution,â€? says Roly Webster, Executive Director of the Students’ Union. According to Playfair, “This is a soft launch LQWR DQ RSSRUWXQLW\ IRU IRRG DFFHVV VSHFLĂ€FDOO\ for students and faculty.â€?

The system will have no start up or mainteQDQFH IHH DQG ZLOO JHQHUDOO\ UHĂ HFW PDQ\ RI WKH same characteristics of a debit system. Money can be loaded and used as ‘convenience dollars’ which will never expire and can be used on both Brantford and Waterloo campuses. According to Playfair, extra security measures are being added to the system to allow students to deactivate their cards in the case that they are lost or stolen. “The system is completely voluntary,â€? says Dan Dawson, AVP, Student Services. But, according to Webster, the system could be mandatory by the 2014-15 school year. The system will be improving and could include vending machines, integrations with the photocopiers and eventually a food plan.

Brantford crime: What did you miss this summer? Laurier Brantford’s Student Centre gets a facelift Check out our Brantford Crime infographic online: http://goo.gl/MO3ufW

Brantford crime. (Art by Rebecca Duce)

WLUSP BRANTFORD MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Jordan Johnston manager@thesputnik.ca PHONE (519) 756-8228 ext.5948 202-171 Colborne St. N3T 2C9

Nathanael Lewis News Editor Laurier Brantford students have something to be excited for this fall, an almost $40,000 renovation on the Student Centre lounges. The renovation was the result of a Student Life Levy granted to Laurier Brantford’s StuGHQW /LIH DQG (QJDJHPHQW RIÀFH The Student Centre, located at the corner of George and Darling streets, was built in 2006 with funding from the university, the Student Union and the City of Brantford. Jessi Calberry, Learning and Co-Curricular

PRESIDENT Allison Leonard (519) 884-0710 ext.3565 allison.leonard@wlusp.com ADVERTISING Angela Taylor (519)884-0710 ext. 3560 angela.taylor@wlusp.com The Sputnik is a member of the Ontario Press Council, an independent organization established to consider ethical concerns and acceptable journalistic practices. For editorial concerns, please contact the Press Council, which can be reached by calling 416-340-1981, by emailing info@ontpress. com or writing to 890 Yonge St., Suite 200, Toronto M4W 3P4. For information on the Press Council, please refer to the web site at ontpress.com.

E C N E I R E X P E CE R T S 4 CON r only

The Sputnik is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo. Contact Allison Leonard - WLUSP, 205 Regina Street The Sputnik is a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP)

FRONT PAGE PHOTO CREDITS: Main: Rebecca Duce Left: fastromantics.com Centre: Layla Bozich Right: Heather Davidson

used to their full potential.â€? “[The furniture]’s been well worn and well used so we decided that this is something we needed to do,â€? said Calberry. “Once the dust settled, this was one of the projects left sitting on my table. So I met with the Student Union and Ania Onichuk, who works at Laurier Waterloo ‌ and we started ZRUNLQJ WRZDUG Ă€JXULQJ RXW ZKDW ZRXOG EH best to replace the furniture.â€? The result of Calberry and Onichuk’s work is obvious with the lounges now full of single-couch seating which can be pushed together or pulled apart. The situation that the lounges were in before simply did not work, explained Calberry. “You have a three person seated couch and you’d have one person seated on one end and one person would be on the other and the middle seat is wasted, so that is not a great use of space and the furniture had been there since the Student Centre opened in 2006.â€? By replacing the couches with single seats, the available space was optimized for studying and entertainment purposes. Much of the furniture, which had previously been in the lounge, was distributed to the Carnegie building. The rest was donated to Brant Habitat for Humanity. Calberry is most excited for the renovation because of what it means for students. “More students will now be able to access the lounge, both upstairs and downstairs, so it should be a more welcoming environment; a place for students to study or have movie nights and feel comfortable. “ Calberry suspects that the Student Life Levy will most likely be covered in the elections this year because of it’s proven usefulness. “The Student Life Levy is a phenomenal idea and a good place for students last to go if they have an idea they want implemented on campus.â€?

s i c i s mu

WLUSP OFFICE 205 Regina Street Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5

Opinions expressed in The Sputnik are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the Editorial staff, The Sputnik, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc.

Programming Coordinator, was named Project Lead after being able to obtain the levy. According to Calberry, her predecessor, Ross Fraser, had attempted to get the levy, but because of a massive rearranging of positions, the levy got pushed to the back burner. “The Student Union had conducted a campus space review and I had conducted my own smaller version one to two years ago. We took WKH UHVXOWV IURP WKDW DQG Ă€JXUHG RXW WKDW WKH couches which used to be there were not being

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The Sputnik // Friday, August 30, 2013

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Experience condo-style living at Centennial Towers! Situated in the heart of downtown Brantford, Centennial Towers is the perfect place to call home. Within minutes from Laurier Brantford Campus, the Farmers’ market, libraries, OLG Casino, biking and hiking trails, shopping, restaurants and more.

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The Sputnik // Friday, August 30, 2013

ON CAMPUS

Oren Weiner // oncampus@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikoncampus

Meet your Head Icebreakers! Oren Weiner On Campus Editor

- ! A Ali Sukru

“Some of the things that I can bring to the table for O-Week as an icebreaker would be my outgoing personality and my sense of humour. I love to joke around, have fun and make new friends,� says Sukru. He continues, “If you ever see me around don’t hesitate to say ‘hi.’� With his degree, Sukru would like to continue on with his education, and apply to teacher’s college. When the incoming students arrive for Orientation Week, Sukru has an important message for them: “Go out and have fun; enjoy yourself, and be proud to be a Laurier Golden Hawk, because these are the best times of your life!�

Sabrina Ruffolo

To Ruffolo, it is important to ensure students are welcomed, and ease the transition from high school to university, where she has been for the past four years. “We have many different committees and clubs, and I think that getting involved makes the whole university experience far better,â€? says Ruffolo. She has a simple message for the new students that will be joining the Laurier Brantford community: ´(QMR\ \RXU WLPH DW RXU DPD]LQJ FDPSXV DV PXFK DV \RX FDQ <RXU WLPH KHUH ZLOO Ă \ E\ Âľ

! A Dan Scholtz

Scholtz is very involved in other areas of campus life. He will continue to be involved at the Athletics and Recreation centre on the campus, particularly in social media as well as working once again at the Hawk Desk. While tending to his enthusiasm for sports, Scholtz will also be volunteering for the Laurier Students for Literacy program, designed to tutor young students in the Brantford area. Scholtz has a message WR SURVSHFWLYH VWXGHQWV ´0DNH VXUH \RX FRPH RXW WR HYHQWV HYHQ LI WKH\ VRXQG WKH OHDVW ELW LQWHUHVWLQJ DQG Ă€QG WKH RQH WKLQJ RQ FDPSXV that you are passionate about.â€?

Julie Moore

“I like to try and participate in most activities on campus and support all types of clubs,â€? Moore says. “As long as I don’t have class, or any prior commitments, I’ll be at anything from food bank events, to sports fundraisers.â€? Moore hopes to spread her enthusiastic and lively personality WR WKH Ă€UVW \HDUV ´, WKLQN KDYLQJ IXQ LQ OLIH LV WKH PRVW LPSRUWDQW WKLQJ DQG , ZRXOG OLNH WR PDNH VXUH WKH Ă€UVW H[SHULHQFH LQFRPLQJ VWXGHQWV have is as fun as possible, because it can be pretty scary,â€? Moore says. “Everyone is nervous, even though some people are better at hiding it than others; just get lost in the O-Week bliss.â€?

" ! A Jacob Barry

Having already been at Laurier’s Brantford campus for four years, Barry understands that the university experience is something very new WR Ă€UVW \HDU VWXGHQWV 7KXV LW LV LPSRUWDQW WR HDVH WKH WUDQVLWLRQ ´, DOZD\V VWULYH WR PDNH VXUH RXU VFKRRO LV D ZHOFRPLQJ HQYLURQPHQW IRU RXU new students, allowing them to successfully integrate into our community,â€? Barry says. As for the new students, Barry has a message: “You’ll get out of O-Week what you put into it.â€? He adds, “But if you come with an open mind, and willingness to step outside of the box, then get ready for the best week of your life!â€?

Michelle Knight .QLJKW Ă€QGV KHUVHOI LQYROYHG LQ YROXQWHHU ZRUN RIWHQ )RU WKH XSFRPLQJ VFKRRO \HDU VKH LV WKH (YHQW &KDLU IRU 5HOD\ IRU /LIH ZKLOH DOVR devoting her time to the Laurier Students for Literacy program in Brantford. She is also returning for a fourth year as a Gold team Icebreaker. $V D SHUVRQ WKDW SDUWLFLSDWHV LQ WKH SURJUDPV DQG DFWLYLWLHV DYDLODEOH WR KHU .QLJKW ZRXOG OLNH WR HQFRXUDJH WKH QHZ VWXGHQWV WR Ă€QG ZKDW they love. “Get involved!â€? she says. “You’ll only be here once and you want to make the most of it while you are here for four years.â€?

" ! A Matt Mente

'XULQJ WKH VFKRRO \HDU 0HQWH ZLOO EH ZRUNLQJ LQ WKH 6WXGHQW /LIH DQG (QJDJHPHQW RIĂ€FH RUJDQL]LQJ WKH FR FXUULFXODU UHFRUGV DQG weekly news. Mente’s history of volunteering around campus includes Foot Patrol, The Sputnik, and two prior Orientation Weeks of being an Icebreaker. Just as he has volunteered during his tenure at Brantford’s Laurier campus, Mente urges the newcomers to do the same. “Get involved! I’ll be telling you to incessantly during O-Week as well, so just do it,â€? Mente once again humourously comments. “Find a club, committee, team, whatever, and go for it. It’ll change your life in the best way possible.â€?

Annabelle Perston

The Waterloo native, upon graduation, would like to globe trot, and if possible teach abroad for two years, having already taught in Kenya this summer as part of her Nippissing placement. “As an Icebreaker, I try and share my great love for being a Laurier Golden Hawk, especially as part of the Brantford campus,� says Perston. Perston has a simplistic, yet encouraging message to the newcomers: “Step outside of your comfort zone, and enjoy this week as best as you can,� she says. “It will truly help you enjoy and learn, and make your years at Laurier Brantford great.�

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The Sputnik // Friday, August 30, 2013

EAT PLAY SHOP

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The Sputnik // Friday, August 30, 2013

FEATURES

Dillon Giancola // features@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikfeatures

The underdog university town Dillon Giancola Features Editor

For most returning Laurier students living in Brantford, we have come to think of it as a beloved second home. But it took all of us a while to get used to this place. If \RX DUH D Ă€UVW \HDU VWXGHQW HVSHFLDOO\ RQH OHDYLQJ KRPH IRU WKH Ă€UVW WLPH WKH URXJK haggard exterior can be alarming. It was no different for fourth-year Concurrent Education student Chantal Gifford, from Welland. Upon arriving in Brantford for WKH Ă€UVW WLPH KHU WKRXJKWV ZHUH WKDW ´LW¡V D ELW VNHWFK\ Âľ 6KH ZDV GHĂ€QLWHO\ D OLWWOH worried by what she saw, but soon realized that Brantford had a normal downtown, with obvious signs of improvement. %UDQWIRUG FHUWDLQO\ KDV LWV Ă DZV EXW WKHUH is lots to love about it, and if you are new WR %UDQWIRUG DQG /DXULHU \RX ZLOO VRRQ Ă€QG yourself not wanting to leave. :KHQ \RX Ă€UVW WKLQN RI %UDQWIRUG \RX might think of a smaller city in southern Ontario that is close to Hamilton. If you are from out-of- province, maybe you have

never heard of it at all. You might not know DQ\WKLQJ VSHFLĂ€F DERXW LW DQG MXVW DVVXPH LW¡V OLNH DQ\ RWKHU FLW\ 8SRQ DUULYLQJ LQ %UDQWIRUG IRU WKH Ă€UVW WLPH \RX ZLOO quickly develop your own personal notion of the city. If you come from a small town, it could be a lot different and bigger then you are used to, and it may take some time WR Ă€QG \RXU ZD\ WR JHW DURXQG ,I \RX FRPH from a big city, or even an average size one, \RXU Ă€UVW WKRXJKW PLJKW EH ´:KHUH LV everyone and what am I supposed to do KHUH WR KDYH D JRRG WLPH"Âľ ,¡OO QHYHU IRUJHW P\ Ă€UVW UHDFWLRQ ZKHQ , ZHQW GRZQWRZQ WR check out my new campus in late August: ´7KHUH LV DEVROXWHO\ QRERG\ KHUH DQG MXVW D bunch of old buildings. What have I gotten myself into?â€? As soon as September rolls around, however, downtown Brantford starts to pick up, and you start to see life. With your curiosity peaked, living in Brantford soon becomes an adventure. Students strive to

Ă€QG RXW KRZ WKH\ FDQ PDNH WKHPVHOYHV at home in this city, and try to understand why anyone chooses to live here outside of school. Most college towns have an ingrained college or university feel to WKHP 7KH\ DUH RIWHQ NQRZQ IRU VRPHWKLQJ great about the city and campus, whether LW¡V WKH SDUW\ DWPRVSKHUH DQG QLJKW OLIH beautiful scenery and safe vibes, or unique entertainment. Brantford does not have any of that. It is the underdog college town. It is a city, and a university, that says it is a small campus, connecting the school and housing in a small, comfy area, with a reputation for excellent education and great student GPA. It does not rely on gimmicks, money, or trends. It simply provides us with a comfort and stability comparable to our homes. And in the end, that is what produces an environment that students love and can feel comfortable in. Gifford went through a similar process. ´0\ RSLQLRQ KDV FKDQJHG DQG ,¡YH OHDUQHG

WR HQMR\ DQG PDNH WKH PRVW RI LW /LNH DQ\ FLW\ RQFH \RX JHW WR NQRZ LW %UDQWIRUG LVQ¡W DV EDG DV LW VHHPV Âľ VKH VDLG 7KLV LV QRW WR VD\ WKDW WKH LQLWLDO FDXVHV IRU FRQFHUQ DUHQ¡W legitimate. Laurier students know all too well the mark that the unemployment rate and high homeless population has left on the city, especially downtown. In this way, Brantford is a city like any other: it has its problems, and the citizens and government GHDO ZLWK WKHP DV EHVW WKH\ FDQ ´,Q D VHQVH %UDQWIRUG LVQ¡W WKDW PXFK GLIIHUHQW IURP :HOODQG ,W¡V MXVW D ELJ ELJJHU EXW WKH\ VWLOO deal with the same unemployment issues and other problems,â€? Gifford said. Brantford holds its own is its ability to make you fall in love with it without being able to boast anything spectacular. If you are a new student to Laurier, hopefully it will not take long for you to be able to see in it what the rest of us do, and love it for your own reasons. Photo essay by Layla Bozich.

From youth pastor to the oil patch Dillon Giancola Features Editor

Mark Fraser was a youth pastor. He the same age. I am always pastoring kids had always wanted to be a youth pastor, from grade seven to 12, so you are always and he had always been a youth pastor. But JURZLQJ D ELW PRUH RXW RI WRXFK Âľ 7KHUH ZDV around a year ago he began to think that a no huge life crises, he did not have a desire change was needed. What happens when to leave the church, but he was simply VRPHWKLQJ \RX¡YH ZRUNHG \RXU ZKROH presented with an opportunity – one life for and have been passionate that was right for him to take. DERXW QR ORQJHU Ă€WV ZLWK \RXU OLIH ´0\ ROGHU EURWKHU -D\ KDV D DQG IDPLO\" :KHQ \RX DUH QRW MXVW FRPSDQ\ WKDW GRHV RLOĂ€HOG SLSHOLQH changing careers but changing ways and facility construction called Purefab of life? For Mark Fraser, this was his Limited,â€? Fraser explained. His reality nine months ago, as he left EURWKHU¡V FRPSDQ\ ZDV RULJLQDOO\ his position as youth pastor MXVW VXE FRQWUDFWLQJ LWV ZRUN at Westside Community but when he launched his Church in the small town own company, a need arose of Fairview, Alberta, to a for someone to be in charge very different career in the of the safety and procedures. oil patch. He approached Mark over a Fraser had been a youth year ago suggesting that he pastor for 12 years, seven PLJKW KDYH D MRE RSSRUWXQLW\ LQ (GPRQWRQ DQG Ă€YH LQ Pastor. (Art by Rebecca Duce) ´7KLV MRE LQYROYHV D ORW RI Fairview. He still liked what personal interactions, which is he was doing, and felt that he was living partly why my brother thought it would be his dream. But as he got older he started to D JRRG Ă€W IRU PH Âľ )UDVHU VDLG FRQVLGHU D FKDQJH ´, JRW LQWR P\ HDUO\ V ´,W SURYLGHG D JUHDW RSSRUWXQLW\ WR KDG WZR \RXQJ NLGV DQG ZDV MXVW Ă€QGLQJ stay in the community that I was in and WKDW , GLG QRW KDYH WKH HQHUJ\ WR GR WKH MRE my family could stay where our roots were with the same zeal and passion,â€? Fraser SODQWHG , ZRXOGQ¡W KDYH WR PRYH OLNH , VDLG ´7KH WKLQJ ZLWK \RXWK ZRUN LV WKDW would if I became an associate pastor or every year I get older, but the kids stay something at a different church,â€? Fraser

said. Fraser discussed it with his wife, and eventually they realized it was the best decision for him to make. While Fraser did have a steep learning curve, he was able to quickly adapt, and after nine months now feels like he has a JRRG JUDVS RQ WKH MRE %XW DGYHUVLW\ DQG REVWDFOHV VWLOO H[LVWHG 7KH\ FDPH LQ WKH way that people treated him based on the opinions they had of him as a former pastor. ´$W Ă€UVW ORWV RI SHRSOH ZRXOG FRPH to me and say, ‘Oh, how it is working a UHDO MRE QRZ" ,W PXVW EH QLFH WR JHW VRPH JRRG PRQH\ KH\"¡ %XW WKH\ GRQ¡W UHDOL]H WKDW , ZDV ZRUNLQJ D UHDO MRE DQG LW ZDV QRW HDV\ Âľ )UDVHU VDLG ´(YHU\ERG\ WKLQNV it was about the money, but it was never DERXW WKDW , GRQ¡W ZDQW SHRSOH WKLQNLQJ , made the transition for the money.â€? He had a hard time getting used to the IDFW WKDW SHRSOH MXGJHG KLP VR TXLFNO\ E\ KLV FDUHHU DQG MRE ´$ MRE GRHVQ¡W PDNH WKH SHUVRQ -XVW EHFDXVH , ZDV D SDVWRU DQG EHOLHYHG WKRVH WKLQJV GRHVQ¡W PHDQ WKDW , no longer believe the same things now that , KDYH D GLIIHUHQW MRE Âľ )UDVHU UHDVRQHG Fraser says it has been tough watching certain people hope for him to slip up and ORVH KLV FRRO 7KH\ ZDQW WR EH DEOH WR SURYH

that he is a phony, but Fraser makes sure that his coworkers can see that his faith is real. ´3HRSOH PLJKW WKLQN , GRQ¡W GR FHUWDLQ WKLQJV EHFDXVH ,¡P D SDVWRU EHFDXVH , KDYH WR DQG VLQFH QRZ WKDW , GRQ¡W KDYH WKH VDPH public accountability, I make sure to choose not to do certain things. Not because of my MRE EXW EHFDXVH , ZDQW WR EH WUXH WR P\VHOI and the person I want to be, and that I want my kids to see and coworkers to see,â€? Fraser said. ,Q VRPH ZD\V )UDVHU¡V OLIH KDV FKDQJHG a ton, but he is still the same guy, and his IDPLO\ NHHSV RQ OLYLQJ OLIH WKH VDPH ZD\ ´, ZDQW SHRSOH WR VHH WKDW LW¡V SRVVLEOH WR EH D practicing Christian in the oil patch. You can change careers, but still be a man of virtue and work in a place with different morals DQG YDOXHV ZLWKRXW WKHP LQĂ XHQFLQJ \RX Âľ Fraser said. He does not know what the future holds. He could see himself staying in this role until he retires, or someday going back to the church. But no matter what happens RU ZKDWHYHU FDUHHU KH Ă€QGV KLPVHOI LQ )UDVHU MXVW ZDQWV WR EH KLPVHOI D PDQ RI God, living a life of virtue, and sharing a message of encouragement and love for all who need it.

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The Sputnik // Friday, August 30, 2013

A&E

Amber Richardson // arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts

How music can make friends Amber Richardson A&E Editor

Cliques. They are the one thing that everyone fears and reveres more than anything when going to a new school. The only thing worse than being part of a clique is not being part of one. Uncyclopedia.com posted a handy list of cliques to watch out for in university – and new information suggests that those cliques might exist due in part to musical preference. Recently, there

have been studies out of the University of Edinburgh that suggest that the type of music one prefers may actually lead to clues about their personality. Professor Adrian North, leading researcher on the WRSLFV VWDWHV ´3HRSOH GR DFWXDOO\ GHĂ€QH themselves through music and relate to other people through it.â€? Music is a big part of the bonding experience when you

get to school, especially if you’re in res and you’re sharing walls and bedrooms with people. If music is an important part of your life and you want to make friends with similar tastes and lifestyles, you have to play the right albums. While the latest hits will surely draw a crowd, some of the ROGHU WUDFNV PD\ KHOS \RX WR ÀQG FRPPRQ JURXQG ZLWK à RRU PDWHV 2QFH \RX OHDUQ

about what music is saying about you and others, you can help attract the friends you want by using nothing but an iPod dock and, of course, your shining personality. Here are a few album suggestions to get you started:

Group

Hip Hoppers

Hipsters

Party Hardies

Stoners

Cowboys & Cowgirls

Studiers

Inbetweeners

Genre

Rap, hip hop

Indie, folk

Dance, pop

Rock, oldies

Country, western

Classical, easy rock

Top 40, a little bit of everything

Personality

High self esteem and outgoing

Creative, not particularly gentle, relaxed workers

Creative and outgoing

Creative, gentle, at ease

Hardworking and outgoing

Hardworking, gentle

Hardworking, gentle, not particularly creative

Album

Drake Take Care

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplace Over the Sea

Daft Punk Random Access Memories

The Beatles White Album

Taylor Swift Red

Josh Groban Illuminations

Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News

Santigold Master of my MakeBelieve

Beck Mellow Gold

Florida Georgia Line - Here’s to the Good Times

Various Artists Masters of Classical Music

Bruno Mars Unorthodox Jukebox Adele - 21

the

Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

is hiring

Writers Photographers Advertising Assistant apply at www.wlusp.com/volunteer

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The Sputnik // Friday, August 30, 2013

A&E

Amber Richardson // arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts

: Fast Romantics

with Amber Richardson )DVW 5RPDQWLFV DUH D JUHDW QHZ EDQG who formed in 2008 and are originally from Calgary, but are now based in Toronto. They’ve had songs in many TV shows, including Shameless, Pretty Little Liars, and 9DPSLUH 'LDULHV 7KH JURXS LV GHĂ€QLWHO\ RQ the rise, and will undoubtedly blow up in the Canadian indie music scene in no time at all. I got the chance to hook up with Fast 5RPDQWLFV DQG Ă€QG RXW VRPH FRRO WKLQJV , GLGQ¡W NQRZ DERXW WKH EDQG 5HDG DOO DERXW them below, and don’t forget to look out for their new album, Afterlife Blues, due for release on October 8, 2013! 1. Why did you choose “Fast Romanticsâ€? as the band name? We’re still not really sure, you know. I’d say it suits these ugly modern times a bit, you know, everything is faster, bigger, EHWWHU ,Q D ZRUOG OLNH WKDW )DVW 5RPDQFH has got to be better than just plain old slow DQG ERULQJ URPDQFH ULJKW" 5HDOO\ WKLV is just a lot of hindsight nonsense about a name that I’ll admit was the result of several whiskeys, four grown men, and a locked door. Though I would like to take this opportunity to make it clear that it has nothing to do with premature ejaculation. 2. On your site, it says that Afterlife Blues Ă RZHG EHWWHU EHFDXVH \RX FRXOG MXVW EH \RXUVHOYHV 3UHYLRXVO\ ZHUH \RX VWUXJJOLQJ EHWZHHQ EHLQJ \RXUVHOYHV DQG EHLQJ ZKR \RX WKRXJKW RWKHUV ZDQWHG you to be?

You could say that. When we put out RXU Ă€UVW UHFRUG , GRQ¡W WKLQN ZH UHDOL]HG how hard it would be to get people to actually listen to it. We were proud of it at the time, but it didn’t really go anywhere. So when we made our last EP – and I’m just being completely honest here – I think we just got hung up on trying to put together songs that people might pay more attention to. We didn’t see the point in making music that nobody knew existed, so we tried to write songs for radio, or for a certain kind of live show, or something. But listening back, it sounded like a bunch of people trying to be what they thought other people would like. And it’s funny, that didn’t work either, because it was bit dishonest. Still some cool tracks on it, but it wasn’t us. I think people can smell it when you aren’t being yourself. So it was a hard lesson to learn, you know, but it was an important one. So when we started making this new album we decided that the only way people are really going to listen to you is if you are just 100% completely honest and don’t think too hard about how you want it to turn out. And listening back to it now, I think it shows. This is the album we’ve been struggling to make since we started. I’d even go so far as to call it our actual ‘debut’ LI RQO\ ÂśFDXVH LW¡V WKH Ă€UVW WLPH SHRSOH ZLOO really hear us for who we are. Whether it’s going to mean more people listen and buy it, I dunno, but at least we can be insanely proud of it.

+RZ H[DFWO\ GLG /DXUHQ DQG 6KDQH come into the picture?

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Through the magical and sometimes HURWLF SRZHU RI FODVVLĂ€HG DGV 2XU GUXPPHU Alan actually answered an ad that Shane put out when he was putting together a project, and they played together a bit. Alan had to bow out to focus on our new album, and at the same time we put out an ad for a new guitar player. Through magic or something, Shane answered our ad, not knowing it was us. Happened really fast, KH MXVW Ă€W LQ VR ZHOO DQG ZH KDSSHQHG WR be looking for a keyboard player too, so he introduced us to Lauren. The whole thing really fell into our lap. Those two have really rounded out our gang, it’s amazing KRZ IDVW WKH\ EHFDPH )DVW 5RPDQWLFV &DQ¡W imagine life without ‘em now, even though they do have weird accents and their toilets swirl the wrong way.

Canada is the best place in the world to be a band, it really is. That’s not sucking up, we’re just proud. So much support here. This country has really built up a reputation for making great music. We were down in Austin for SXSW and there was a huge appetite for what Canada was putting out. Will we always live here? Hell, I don’t know. We’re adventurous; we might end up in other places for a while. I think we all want to tour so much that we won’t really even know where we are based at the end of the day. But we know where we come from, and I think you can hear Canada in our songwriting. We’ll always have our roots here. ,I \RXU EDQG ZDV D PRYLH ZKDW PRYLH ZRXOG LW EH" 5XELQ DQG (G

:KDW LV \RXU IDYRXULWH YHQXH WR SOD\" There’s nothing like a small sweaty club with a rowdy crowd. We’re a high energy band, we like to make noise and see people move. It’s hard to do that in more wide open spaces. I mean, we’ll play anywhere, a public bathroom, your grandma’s garage, wherever. But the small club is always gonna be special. Even if we get privileged enough to play larger venues in the future, I think we’ll always set aside nights to play nights in small clubs.

Fast Romantics.(Photo courtesy of fastromantics.com)

Top 5 university movies Amber Richardson A&E Editor

You are brand new to university, so what better way to learn about the life of a college student than by watching a ton of college movies, right? Wrong. &ROOHJH PRYLHV KDYH OLWWOH WR QR UHĂ HFWLRQ of real college life, so try not to be underwhelmed when you discover the lack of frat parties and naked miles. If you try to make university like how you see it in the movies, you will die of liver poisoning before your four years are up. Even though these movies are kind of a crock, there are some awesome college PRYLHV WKDW DW OHDVW VRPHZKDW UHĂ HFW RXU experience at Laurier Brantford (or oppose it so much that there is still something to be learned).

5

Accepted

This movie is about a fake acceptance into a fake college, but it encapsulates almost everyone’s anxiety about getting into school. I don’t know a single person whose parents wouldn’t be pissed off if they got rejected from every school, so the concept may be a little

farfetched but completely understandable. This movie is great for some laughs, and while it will make you resent getting into Laurier Brantford instead of South Harmon, it will make you feel awesome that you HYHQ JRW DFFHSWHG LQ WKH ÀUVW SODFH

4

Mona Lisa Smile

7KLV PRYLH LV D FKLFN Ă LFN IRU sure, but it paints an impeccable portrait of female post-secondary education in WKH V ,Q WKLV Ă LFN -XOLD 5REHUWV SOD\V D Ă€HU\ SURIHVVRU DW D FRQVHUYDWLYH ZRPHQ¡V college. As a professor of art history, she somehow takes it upon herself to persuade the students of the importance of following their own goals and dreams, rather than settling down with the ol’ ball and chain right after graduation. This movie shows how far women (and our education) have come in the past 60 years, and legitimizes our choices to pursue our own independent goals – whether that includes marriage or not.

3

National Lampoon’s Van Wilder

This movie provides probably the most unrealistic portrayals of college experiences of them all (minus Accepted, but that was a fake college anyway). 9DQ :LOGHU SOD\HG E\ 5\DQ 5H\QROGV is a socialite who has attended Coolidge College for seven years – and doesn’t want to leave. If you’re the type to graduate early, this might not be your cup of tea, but WKLV PRYLH FDQ GHÀQLWHO\ VKRZ \RX KRZ WR throw one hell of a party.

2

Rules of Attraction

I sincerely hope no one here wakes up losing their virginity to an unknown townie, but unfortunately, it does happen in the movies. This movie, based on Brett Easton Ellis’s novel of the same name, does a decent job portraying the trials and tribulations of relationship attempts in university. Mostly, it’s drama.

The lesson to be learned here is the importance of communication, like: Yes, I like you. No, I’m not gay. No, I’m not interested. Trust me, if there’s a serious lack of communication, it may not turn out like WKLV RYHUGUDPDWLF ÀOP EXW LW ZLOO VXUH IHHO like it. And for goodness sake, don’t send anonymous love letters.

1

Undeclared

OK, OK. So this one isn’t a movie, but it IS an awesome television VKRZ ZLWK GUHDP WHDP -D\ %DUXFKHO DQG 6HWK 5RJHQ 7KLV LV RQH RI WKH PRVW DFFXUDWH college/university shows that I’ve seen thus far – sans partying with dad in res. The parties aren’t too wild, the people aren’t too hot, and the panic and uncertainty surrounding school is pretty legit. If you ZDWFK WKLV VKRZ \RX¡OO Ă€QG \RXUVHOI comparing characters to the people you’ve met in res, and by the end of it, you’ll have Undeclared nicknames for mostly every FKDUDFWHU RQ \RXU Ă RRU

The Sputnik // Friday, August 30, 2013

10

SPORTS

Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca | @sputniksports

Olympic athletes face tough challenges due to Russian anti-gay laws Anthony Fusco Staff We like to believe that we live in a perfect world, a utopia where no one commits crime and people do not discriminate based on religion, race or sex. Unfortunately, that reality does not exist and discrimination continues to pervade within our societies. The Olympics are supposed to be a happy time in which athletes from all walks of life gather and compete for their country while the world watches. The excitement has been building for the upcoming 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. This important world event has been tainted, however, because the Russian government has passed a law banning gay propaganda. The law itself bans the spread of “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationsâ€? amongst minors. This means that it is now illegal to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. The new law carries punishments including Ă€QHV DQG MDLO WLPH DQG LI \RX DUH D IRUHLJQer, deportation for acts such as providing minors with information about the LGBT community, publicly defending gay rights and holding gay pride parades. ,Q GLUHFW FRQĂ LFW ZLWK 5XVVLD¡V QHZ ODZ is the Olympic Charter. It states that “No kind of demonstration or political, reli-

gious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.� Based on the Charter, are gay athletes going to be safe and distraction-free while competing in the Games? Or despite that, will they still have to deal with discrimination and the ever present threat of having their identity and voice taken from them? The news of this law passing shocked many people, including media and athletes preparing to head to Sochi in 2014 for the games. There were cries of outrage and even talk of a boycott of the games by some countries and athletes. There have been two 2O\PSLF ER\FRWWV LQ UHFHQW KLVWRU\ 7KH ÀUVW occurred in 1980 at the Summer Games being held in Moscow. The boycott was initiated by the United States to protest against the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. The second boycott happened four years later at the 1984 games held in Los Angeles. This was led by the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries. It was a direct follow up and response to the earlier American-led shunning of the games. No one wants to live through another Olympic boycott. The Olympics are supposed to be a time when countries set aside their differences for a few weeks and get

VZHSW XS LQ WKH MR\ RI ZDWFKLQJ WKH DWKOHWHV compete for medals, fame and national pride. If you think about it, the most likely people to be in a bind are the gay athletes WKHPVHOYHV 7KH\ KDYH D YHU\ GLIĂ€FXOW choice to make. They can either attend the games quietly and focus on winning whatever sport they are competing in, or speak out and take a stand while risking persecution and the loss of focus in the biggest sporting moment of their career. How are the athletes supposed to make a choice like that? For some the choice is DQ HDV\ RQH 6ZHGLVK KLJK MXPSHU (PPD Green Tregaro, who recently competed in 0RVFRZ SDLQWHG KHU Ă€QJHUQDLOV LQ UDLQbow colours to support gay athletes. She was asked to change the colours of her nails after, but not before the act had drawn VLJQLĂ€FDQW DWWHQWLRQ WR KHU DQG 5XVVLD¡V new law. Another instance is that of American distance runner, Nick Symmonds. He recently won a silver medal in Russia and in his post-winning speech he dedicated it to his gay and lesbian friends. By doing so, KH EHFDPH WKH Ă€UVW DWKOHWH WR GHI\ WKH QHZ propaganda law on Russian soil.

, GRQ¡W WKLQN WKDW DWKOHWHV DUH JRLQJ WR go quietly into the games and abide by a law that takes away the freedom to be who they are. Case in point is another American, -RKQQ\ :HLU :HLU LV DQ RSHQO\ JD\ Ă€JXUH skater who has said that he is willing to be arrested during the games. My take on all of this is simple. The new law Russia has enforced is discriminatory and takes away from the spirit of the games as well as the rights of the athletes to EH ZKR WKH\ DUH , GRQ¡W WKLQN WKH\ VKRXOG need to hide their identity and sit idly by as their voice is snatched from them. In a perfect world, what I would like to see at the Opening Ceremonies are athletes from many or all the competing countries showing some kind of support for LGBT athletes. They are people too and deserve every right that is afforded to straight athletes. In 2014 the eyes of the world will be on Russia and the competing athletes. The stage is set to see how it all turns out. Will oppression and discrimination win out, or will the athletes take a stand for what they believe? It is already happening. All we can do is wait and watch.

pitcher Mark Buehrle was able to stop the bleeding as the Jays rallied late and

trumped the lowly Houston Astros 2-1. The Astros, who have the worst record in baseball (43-86), were supposed to be a team WR KHOS WKH Ă€IWK SODFH Blue Jays (58-73) bounce back after losing six of seven games against American League East Rival New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays. However, things turned out completely the opposite, as the Astros started the series with two big wins, 12-4 on Friday and 8-5 on Saturday. Although pitching well, giving up only a single run in eight innings of work, Buehrle and the Blue Jays still found themselves on the losing end of a 1-0 game thanks to a double play by second baseman, Jake Elmore that scored third baseman, Matt Dominguez, setup by his walk and two singles by center Ă€HOGHU %UDQGRQ %DUQHV and shortstop, Jonathan Villar. When it seemed like WKH -D\V¡ ORVLQJ VWUHDN

was going to continue at the hands of the worst team in MLB, the Blue Jays staved off WKH ORVV LQ WKH QLQWK DQG Ă€QDO LQQLQJ $IWHU %UHWW /DZULH GUHZ D ZDON IURP $VWURV¡ closer, Chia-Jen Lo, left-hander Adam Lind came in to pinch hit for designated hitter, Mark De Rosa and hit a single to centerĂ€HOG )DQ IDYRXULWH 0XQHQRUL .DZDVDNL pinch-hit for catcher J.P. Arencibia drew a ZDON ZKLFK VHW WKH WDEOH IRU ULJKW Ă€HOGHU Moises Sierra. A walk to Sierra would bring in the tying run, and two batters later, rookie, Ryan Goins would bring in the go ahead run to take a 2-1 lead. The Astros would make it interesting, loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but Blue Jays closer, Casey Jansen weathered the storm for his 23rd save of the season. Lately the left-handed throwing Buehrle has been the lone bright spot in the Blue -D\V¡ SLWFKLQJ URWDWLRQ 7KH\ WUDGHG IRU reigning National League Cy Young winner, R.A. Dickey as well as perennial AllStar Josh Johnson to go along with Buehrle. The Jays now attempt to take the posiWLYHV IURP WKHLU Ă€QDO JDPH LQ +RXVWRQ EDFN to Toronto as they return home to face the Yankees and Royals. They will be in tough against the Yankees, a team they have lost 10 straight games to. But if the Jays were able to break their losing streak against the Astros, with solid pitching and scoring runs when they need to, they have a chance to do the same against the Yankees.

Jays salvage win in final game against Astros Kyle Morrison Sports Editor

In a dreadful August roadtrip that saw the Blue Jays lose eight in a row, starting

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11

The Sputnik // Friday, August 30, 2013

SPORTS Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca

Golden Hawks football starts new era with Coach Faulds

Defensive back Oren Bell with the ball against the Guelph Gryphons. (Photo by Heather Davidson)

Chris Pimentel Staff The Laurier Golden Hawks had a season to forget last year, ranked dead last in total offense in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and their passing game was ranked eighth out of 10 in the OUA with only 179 yards passing a game. Compare that to McMaster which averaged 370 yards a game, the Golden Hawks have a long way to go to get to OUA’s elite, let alone the Canadian Intrauniversity Sport (CIS) elite. Enter Michael Faulds, a former quarterback for the Western Mustangs, who holds the CIS record for career passing yards. He served as the York Lions offensive co-ordinator for three years in which the Lions saw a great improvement in their passing game that ranked dead last in the OUA when he started, to third overall last year. Third-year quarterback Steven Fathman is most likely to feel the impact of the new head coach. Last year he played in seven games completing only 53 per cent of his passes with seven touchdowns and six interceptions. If the Golden Hawks want to

improve from last year the quarterback position and the passing game is a good place to start. It’s not unreasonable to expect the passing game to improve with a seasoned quarterback combined with the experience and background of Faulds. The running game didn’t fare much better last year, only averaging around 113 yards per game, which ranked them second last in the OUA. Lance Freeman, third year running back and a native of Denver, Colorado, was the team’s starting running back last year. He averaged 3.6 yards per carry in a season that he had 183 rushing yards to go along with two receiving touchdowns. It appears that Freeman would be a great back for Faulds’ system considering the extra dimension he brings to the passing game, which is needed in the three down Canadian football style. The receiving game wasn’t up to par as you would probably be able to guess. No Golden Hawk receiver ranked in the top 20 of the OUA but that is a product of

the struggling passing game from last year. Under Faulds there were three York receivers that were ranked in the top 20. Unlike the offensive unit from last year, the defensive unit played well together. They were ranked sixth in the OUA for total yards allowed and they were ranked fourth in rushing defense. The rushing defense allowed 145 yards per game last year and was led by fourth year line backer Drew Galpin. Galpin led the OUA with 59 total tackles and was second in solo tackles with 47. Part of this could be attributed to WKH DPRXQW WKH GHIHQFH ZDV RQ WKH ÀHOG but never the less Galpin gave the Golden Hawks a good inside presence on the defensive side of the ball. The Golden Hawks also struggled with their passing defence, ranked eighth in the OUA allowing 265 passing yards per game last year. Teams chose often to pass the ball on the Golden Hawks and with good reason, the passing defense as a unit last year combined for a total three interceptions.

That stat has to change in order for this season to be successful. As for the coaching staff, Faulds introGXFHG Ă€YH QHZ FRDFKHV IRU WKH VHDVRQ Irv Daymond, who will be coaching the offensive line, Mark Surya, who is responsible for the receivers, Ryan Lynch, the running backs coach, and Anthony Cannon will be coaching the defensive line. Faulds will be doubling as head coach and offensive coRUGLQDWRU DQG LV H[SHFWHG WR IXOO Ă€OO D PRUH hands on approach with his new team. :LWK RQO\ WZR Ă€IWK \HDU SOD\HUV RQ WKH team, this roster is made up of a majority RI Ă€UVW DQG VHFRQG \HDU SOD\HUV ZKLFK KLVtorically means that the team is more likely JRLQJ WR VWUXJJOH LQ WKLV Ă€UVW \HDU %XW LW¡V not all doom and gloom for the Golden Hawk and their supporters. It appears that Faulds is in the process of not just trying to win this year, but trying to build a program. In the short term this team probably will struggle, but in the long term the future looks bright.

12

The Sputnik // Friday, August 30, 2013

OPINION Cody Groat // opinion@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikopinion

Is O-Week still cool? Cody Groat Opinion Editor 2ULHQWDWLRQ ZHHN ODVW \HDU VRUW RI OHW me down, but in its defence, it may be partially my fault. I mean, it was cool seeing Shawn Hooke and Down With Webster. That day LQ 2 :HHN ZDV P\ Ă€UVW FRQFHUW HYHU DQG although I debated if I would still enjoy DWW after all these years, I’ll never debate it again. It was pretty much a high school music overload. When I heard of a venture to Earl Haig Fun Park / Water Park on the itinerary for the week as well, my hopes shot back up. When I got there, I found out the few water slides there were closed and I ended XS VRFLDOL]LQJ ZLWK SHRSOH ZKLOH Ă RDWLQJ down a lazy river for a couple of hours. Again, that was fun, but not all I expected it to be (some Zumba on my part may or may not have been involved). Then came Club NV. Now, that was pretty much what I expected, about equivalent to the level of party that I experienced at some dances back in high school. 7KHQ ZKDW HOVH FDQ , UHPHPEHU IURP 2 Week? Well, nothing unfortunately. So why do some friends I have from Laurier Brantford still post about “how amazing

2 :HHN ZDVÂľ" , PHDQ ,¡P DFWXDOO\ NLQG of confused by that. What did I miss? I guess a fair bit, and I think I know where. I wasn’t social enough. At the beginning of the week I feel like I made some good friends in my dorm, some of which I’ll probably remain friends with at least until the end of university, if not longer. The problem was that I stuck with them for the rest of the week and got to know them really well, these three or four people. We later started hanging around our residence instead of doing some of WKH 2 :HHN DFWLYLWLHV ZH KDG SDLG IRU EHcause we felt back then (and I still feel the same) that the alternatives wouldn’t be as much fun. I know now that the activities LQ IDFW PD\ QRW KDYH EHHQ ZKDW PDGH 2 Week what it was, it was being around so many new people that struck a chord with my other Laurier Brantford students. As much as you may try and as much as you say you won’t, chances are that as soon as you start university some of your high school friends fade to the back. Possibly short-term, probably for longer. The Ă€UVW ZHHN RI XQLYHUVLW\ WKH\ KDYH DOO RI WKH Ă€UVW \HDUV WRJHWKHU QRW VROHO\ MXVW WR

have a fun time in activities, but to meet the people who you’re going to spend the QH[W IRXU RU Ă€YH \HDUV ZLWK 'XULQJ WKLV time you should meet as many people as you can, see who you have some similarities with, see who’s in your program, see who you may want to avoid from now on (I assure you there will be a few), but in general meet as many people as possible. Maybe, just maybe, that’s why I didn’t WKLQN 2 :HHN ZDV WKDW FRRO RU HYHQ DOO that fun, because I didn’t take that time to meet as many people as possible. Startling realization: I like talking, a lot, to as many people as possible. The result was I ended up meeting a fair amount of people at Laurier this year, regardless of P\ 2 :HHN QRQ SDUWLFLSDWLRQ 2I FRXUVH WKHUH DUH D ORW RI SHRSOH ZKR GRQ¡W GR 2 Week or who do partake in it, not talk to a single soul and still have a great time. My SHUVRQDO EHOLHI DV WR ZK\ , GLGQ¡W WKLQN 2 Week was cool won’t be the same person to person. After all, it’s just my opinion. But I think I know one other reason why it didn’t live up to my expectations: they were way too high. Maybe it’s partially due to the fact that

Laurier Brantford is a smaller campus than the mother ship that is the Laurier campus in Waterloo, or maybe every school just has a different angle to what they want to GR IRU WKHLU 2ULHQWDWLRQ :HHN %XW ZKDW I’m getting to is that every school my IULHQGV JR WR KDG GLIIHUHQW 2 :HHN DFWLYLties than I experienced, and some seemed a lot cooler. Wait a second, no they didn’t. They seemed about the same. 2QH IULHQG DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI *XHOSK told me exciting tales of decorating pillow FDVHV ZKLOH D IULHQG DW 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 7Rronto told me stories of getting up at 5:00 a.m. to do some cheers. Thrilling. I guess I’ve come to the realization that I knew I ZRXOG 2 :HHN MXVW LVQ¡W FRRO DQ\PRUH Some people honestly have a blast, but I think it’s more so those people trying as hard as possible to ensure it’s the best week of their university experience, which of course, isn’t a problem. Kudos to them, and to the ones organizing it – of course they’re doing the best they can to make it DPD]LQJ DQG Ă€UVW \HDUV VKRXOG EH JUDWHful. But I wouldn’t have said “noâ€? to a day DW &DQDGD¡V :RQGHUODQG OLNH 8QLYHUVLW\ of Toronto Mississauga had.

The travelling Canadian Cody Groat Opinion Editor

It seems I’ve had a whole collection of life experiences that I’m able to turn into newspaperworthy stories, including one that happened to me August 11, 2013 – one of the last amazing days of my summer. As odd as it sounds, I Canadian traveller. was sitting (Illustration by Rebecca on the deck of the Duce) tall ship named Ra Marama with about one hundred others, on my way to the private 7LYXD ,VODQG LQ WKH 3DFLÀF 2FHDQ RII WKH FRDVW of Fiji. I was sipping a cup of tea handed to

me b y one t h e s h i p attendants, when I grabbed myself some coconut cookies, asking my friend and the couple beside be if they wanted any while I was up. The couple was really shocked at my gesture and said yes to my offer. They told me that “most American travellers wouldn’t be that nice and offer, thank you.� When I told them I was in fact Canadian, they told me that made more sense. The couple were gym owners from the Gold Coast of Australia, and when I heard this I got excited. I had just come from Sydney about a week earlier, so we had a lot to talk about. After an hour of sailing, ZH PDGH LW WR RXU LVODQG 2Q WKH ZD\ EDFN I sat beside the same couple, with my friend across from me and beside another middleaged man (no idea where he happened to be from) joining our group. Then, the fun started. When he heard we were from Canada, he smiled and said, “How far away do you live from Vancouver? I’ve always wanted to go there! Is it close to you?� When we told him that Vancouver was a couple thousand kilometres away (I just checked - it’s 4217 km from where I

live), he was in shock. He asked, “Is Canada really that big?â€? A challenge arose from one of the geography teachers on the trip with us (I was co-chaperoning a group from my former high school) to name all the capital cities in Canada, one that I failed quite wonderfully at, but had about 10 foreigners on board quite excited. They named some cities they knew, and told us how polite us Canadians were, “eh.â€? Someone said, “Canada’s about the same size as America,â€? and nobody really cared. I think that’s when LW VROLGLĂ€HG WKDW EHLQJ D &DQDGLDQ WUDYHOOHU is much better than an American one. I’ve had the chance to be all around the world, and I think my realization was proved many times over. You hear the stories of Americans pretending to be Canadians so as to receive the hospitality us Northerners get around the world, but you never really know what types of hospitality we get until we travel. What some Americans don’t realize LV \RX FDQ¡W VWLFN D Ă DJ WR \RXU EDFNSDFN WR be Canadian. We’re polite, excited, and love to meet everybody. At least, that’s what I’ve realized. I was told once how someone “could tell I wasn’t American because I wanted to learn all I could, whereas Americans would take a picture and leave uninterested.â€? The best part about why we’re good travellers? We act politely naturally! Every time I’ve travelled with someone, I’ve seen them hold a door for someone or give a more needing citizen a seat on the bus, without a second thought. People around the world see this,

VHH WKH QDWXUDOQHVV DQG ZDQW WR EH DIĂ€OLDWHG with, or help us any way they can. I remember sitting in the lobby of Travelodge Wentworth, Australia. Sitting all alone was an old man. I decided to sit with him, and after about three minutes we were laughing like crazy about something he said, and the whole lobby was looking at us. He found out we were Canadian (he saw my passport) and told me how his whole life he’s always wanted to come to our Canadian province of Alaska, because it looks so nice. I awkwardly replied, “Sorry sir, but Alaska is part of America, not Canada.â€? The laughing started when he said, “Good riddance! Thanks for the warning. I’m 80 years old and don’t want to spend any more time with Americans. What are some nice Canadian places I can look into then?â€? We ended up talking for about twenty minutes that morning, and the morning after. I saw him in the lobby one more time. He told me how he’s never talked to a stranger in a hotel before. Then he told me how he also has never met many Canadians before either. I’d like to think these were related, that travelling brings out the best in us, the best in others and all in all, that our nationality is the best asset we have when we’re away. If anyone reading this plans on travelling too, drop a casual “ehâ€? or beaver reference in conversation, and maybe you’ll score a free beer. You never know, eh?

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