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It’s hard for Fenella Sung to imagine a world without translators and interpreters.
Sung, a certified Chinese to English translator and interpreter, has been a part of courtroom proceedings, immigration cases, medical procedures and large business deals between the private and government sectors for over 20 years. In each case she doesn’t want to be seen, just heard.
It started slowly, with a lone man strolling casually down Hamilton Street. Catching his attention was a brightly painted truck parked curbside, which was wafting spicy, exotic aromas towards him.
A woman poked her head through the truck’s window and asked the man if he would like to try a new drink – Thai iced tea. This released a flood a memories of his long ago trip to Thailand.
Vancouver is a city of many facets. It is made up of different communities, ethnicities, identities and sexual orientations. While it may be dark and rainy at times, the sun always manages to show up for the summer. Warm weather means it’s time for festivals and community celebrations. Here’s a snap
In Vancouver, there has been evidence of negative perceptions, when it comes to certain cultures being seen as violent.
When it comes to public views on violence, it is dependent on the existing social narrative.
April 20th marks another yearly celebration of marijuana culture in Vancouver and across the world, and as such it creates an opportune moment to examine the complex relationship that our communities have with this little green plant. [Read more…]
When we enter the church on Pascha,” says Father Justin Hewlett, Rector for St John of Shanghai in East Vancouver. “I cry out ‘Christ is risen!’ cuing the response, ‘Indeed, He is risen!’”[Read more…]
For some Iranians, the word “Persian” transcends geography. Although Persians represent one of several ethnic groups that make up the Islamic Republic of Iran, the word is also commonly used as a synonym for Iranian. [Read more…]
Since the early 1900s, March 8 has been set aside as a day to recognize and celebrate the achievements of women across the globe. Here in Vancouver, the day is a reminder of how far gender equality has come, and how far it still needs to go. [Read more…]
Daniel Caicedo woke up one morning to find a castle outside his window. He went to Norwich, England, on academic exchange through the University of British Columbia’s Go Global program and had arrived the night before. “That building,” he says “is older than any of my grandparents … than the entire country of Canada, older than anything I’ve ever seen in my life.” [Read more…]
As Metro Vancouver’s population becomes increasingly diverse, more opportunities blossom for individuals to form relationships with someone from a different ethno-cultural background. Cross-cultural relationships vary according to individual characteristics such as generational status, birthplace and particular visible minority groups. They could be comprised of one visible minority group member and one non-member, or of individuals who belong to two different visible minority groups. [Read more…]
Although widely used throughout the world, the Gregorian calendar is not the only one around and not the only one with New Year’s celebrations in January. On Jan. 23, many Asian and non-Asian communities are gearing up for Lunar New Year celebrations of their own. [Read more…]
