The peach and the coconut
Travel broadens the mind, they say, so here I am in Vancouver. What kind of culture shocks should I expect? What culture clashes will open my mind and make me grow … again? [Read more…]
From Prince George to Surrey
Last February I moved to Surrey immediately after graduating from the University of Victoria in order to start up a new business –Class Act Painters. I had a hell of a time, for two reasons. One, because starting a new business is a lot of work, and two, because living in Surrey is … well, it’s living in Surrey. I find Surrey to be much like a larger version of Prince George, where I grew up, except it’s easier to leave. [Read more…]
Unexpected surprises
More than anything, I wished to move to an English speaking country for a year, to become bilingual and work in my field, which is accounting. In France, during a job fair, I found an organization offering to their members to enroll in a paying language school in Vancouver for six months, and to be allowed to work in Canada, evenings or on weekends coupled with work experience in my field for the following six months. [Read more…]
Confessions of an Anglo-Montrealer
Languages are a passion of mine. I studied English literature at university and taught it for four years in a Montreal college. I’ve also taught English as a second language, both in Montreal and in my newly adopted home of Vancouver; and if I’m not studying or teaching English, there’s a good chance I’m reading an Albert Camus novel, watching a Montreal Canadiens hockey game, or trying to chat up some francophones… [Read more…]
The Vancouver kiss
In the middle of June, a time when the weather was hot, I was listening to Amy Winehouse at the corner of two Parisian avenues. I stopped in a kiosk, because in Paris, newspapers are sold in kiosks and not in big green or grey boxes. It is not often, frankly, that the French press cares about Vancouver. Since the Olympics, we had no news. But then, several weekly and daily newspapers were going over the same picture in their ‘picture of the week’ or ‘story of the week’ section: le baiser de Vancouver (the Vancouver kiss). [Read more…]
Pet polar bears and riding camels
Hailing from the politically volatile region of the Middle East all the way to Vancouver has pushed some people to ask me, “do you ride camels to school?” Which leads me to respond, “do you have polar bears for pets?”. [Read more…]
Arriving to the “Wetcoast”
It’s a go! Departure day is set for the great trek to the Canadian West: April 10th 2011. I’m excited. My daily Paris grind is going to totally change. And the timing is perfect: I need a breath of fresh air.. [Read more…]
Vancouver: “a bed time flight”
It’s only been a month since I landed in Vancouver. It’s a special place, and I should know; I’ve been all over the world. I was born in Israel from Argentinean parents who moved me back to Buenos Aires, when I was just 5 years old. I worked in Colombia for 6 months and slowly made my way north to the American east coast before surrounding myself by mountains. Things are a lot different in this wonderful land called Vancouver. [Read more…]
Why I like Winnipeg…so far
How do you like Winnipeg so far?” That’s the first question that always comes up in conversations with people I meet here. It’s already been almost four months since I settled into Winnipeg, Manitoba and I have the feeling that I’ll be asked that very same question all year long. [Read more]
Falling for Animals
My earliest childhood memory is of grass. I’d fallen face down on the brown-green Los Angeles fuzz and frantically summoned my 18 months of coordination skills to get up and toddle away from an angry goose that believed my little pig-tailed self was a threat. [Read more]
Starving for a little human warmth
Immigration comes from the Latin word migratio, which means the passage from one place to the other. It was at the dawn of the new century that I decided to leave for Vancouver, with the intent of improving my English. And, contrary to all my expectations, my life in beautiful British Columbia is still going strong today. [Read more]
Domestic Culture Shock
There’s not much that defines us as Canadians – we’re polite, we make maple syrup. One of our famous comedians, Mike Myers, went so far as to say Canadian culture is “more like celery as a flavour.” [Read more]
Never Alone in Vancouver
In 1981, I moved to Vancouver in order to work, learn English and escape Quebec’s winters. My original two-year plan has now spanned 30 years, thanks to people I’ve met along the way. Their integrity – a rare quality these days – has attracted me so much that I folded my globetrotting wings to stay and be inspired. [Read more]