Exploring cultures within a culture

During a long flight I opened my eyes and peeked out of the airplane window. There it was, a green stretch of mountainous land, surrounded by sea and arctic, seemingly wild and pure. I was on my way to Vancouver, the city where people talk in elevators, where yoga pants are for everyday use and…

Dream or reality

Sept. 27, 2014 found me on a plane, my heart palpitating with fear. The unknown was what terrified me most. In my backpack I had a sleeping mask, a pen, my diary and very precious memories. “This journey will unsettle me forever. I am not ready,” I wrote. I was on my way from Egypt…

It’s lonely being heritage!

And dangerous! Not only are you becoming more surrounded by towers than by other older houses – eventually you are demolished to make room for new towers, or in a more single home neighbourhood, torn down to be replaced by a modern “monster house.” The house pictured here, was originally located at 1754 Pendrell St.…

From digital to reality: a Vancouver adventure

Having lived in Vietnam all my life, I decided to take a journey beyond and explore the vast cultures Vancouver has to offer. Indeed, the city accommodates a safe place for people from many backgrounds: from adopting multiple languages on public signs to helping people of different nationalities, to establishing the freedom of exercising various…

It’s time for regime change in B.C.

Call it the 16-year itch. Christy Clark and the BC Liberals are looking more and more like a government that has worn out its welcome. This was bound to happen at some point, even to a party like the Liberals who enjoy the overwhelming support of the province’s business and media establishment. Sometimes the grudges…

Pop-up Park

Many people are probably familiar with the concept of pop-up stores. They are temporary stores in various settings: warehouses, street venues, markets, convention centres, department stores. They can market anything: clothing, beauty products, furniture, food. They provide the seller with a temporary space that can be affordable in order to promote a product and have…

Different, just like everyone else

I left my native France at the age of 18. Italy, England and then Thailand became my new homes. Every step was a breath of fresh air, a culture to adopt, a language to learn and each time I had that feeling of freedom where I could be who I wanted because I was different,…

Politicians who ignore renters could face eviction from office

There are more than half a million renters in British Columbia. In Vancouver fully half of us rent, although you wouldn’t know it from the way homeowners, developers, and real estate agents dominate the media and political discussion of housing. While those in the market get all the attention, the worst victims of our city’s…

Spring through the looking glass

This fish eye mirror at Ocean Concrete on Granville Island enables drivers of the company’s cement mixers to see what’s behind them as they enter the premises. But it also transforms reality. Regard the distorted shapes of the Granville Bridge, cement truck and even the photographer. What intrigues me, though, are the colourful leaves both…

The impressions of a Tunisian in Vancouver

As soon as you arrive at Vancouver International Airport in Canada you are struck by the pleasant greeting of the customs and immigration officers. Be it timid and restrained or large and welcoming, the sincere smile of these officials brightens your day, even if it’s the first time you set foot on Canadian soil. This…

Whose side are they on?

Big money, big media and the coming B.C. election It turns out B.C. politics may be even more corrupt than we imagined. So-called “pay-to-play” political fundraising is so widespread it has created a veritable industry for lobbyists and other corporate operatives, according to a new blockbuster investigative report by journalist Kathy Tomlinson in the Globe…