Showing posts with label youth. Show all posts
What's Up, Vancouver? (May 2014)
Looking for fun things to do this month? Listed below are some fun happenings in Vancouver this May! Click the links to know more about the event:
The Edge Academy Auditions (Theatre Acting Auditions)
May 1, 2014 to June 1, 2014
International Summer Night Market
May 9, 2014 to September 14, 2014
Richmond Night Market
May 16, 2014 to October 13, 2014
GO Fest (Whistler's Great Outdoor Festival)
May 16-19, 2014
Victoria Day at Burnaby Museum
May 19, 2014
Backstreet Boys: In a World Like This Tour
May 20, 2014
Productivityist Mastermind Workshop
May 22, 2014
North Vancouver Night Market
May 23, 2014 to September 2, 2014
Vancouver Comic Arts Festival
May 24-25, 2014
Youth Nerd Poetry Slam (Featuring Duncan Shields)
May 26, 2014
City of Bhangra Festival
May 29, 2014 to June 7, 2014
What's Up, Vancouver? (March 2014)
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| Roundhouse Community Centre |
Looking for fun things to do this month? Listed below are some of the biggest happenings in Vancouver this March! Click the links to know more about the event:
Baker's Market
March 2 and 9, 2014
Gateway Theatre Presents Drear and Izzy
March 5-15, 2014
Workout to Conquer Cancer
March 8, 2014
Vancouver's Celebration of International Women's Day at the Roundhouse Community Centre
March 8, 2014
Good Day Sunshine: An Afternoon of Groovy Folk, Pop, and Intercultural Music
March 9, 2014
Think Global, Link Local (Networking Breakfast)
March 14, 2014
LEAP (Learning Early About Playwriting) 2014 Festival
March 15-23, 2014
TED2014 Vancouver
March 17-21, 2014
The Art Of Marketing Vancouver
March 19, 2014
Youth Poetry Slam Finals featuring Britta B
March 21, 2014
Shane Koyczan at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
March 26, 2014
Next Generation Digital Storytelling Conference
March 27, 2014
The Friends of Chamber Music: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
March 25, 2014
China Talk and Dim Sum with John Atkin
March 30, 2014
New Beginnings, New Challenges, New Life
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| Tim Shields |
Another
year has gone by and each New Year means a new start, a new resolution and
maybe a change in our goals. We often make new resolutions and set new goals such as improving
our attitude to be more sociable, or focusing on and excelling in our studies, or
even just learning something new, something that we have never tried. Moreover, some of you who are reading this might be looking forward to start a new life in another country. And that is
what I am writing about, my new life in Canada.
I
moved to Canada during the summer in 2013. I’m from Sabah, Malaysia and yes,
there are not much people from Sabah in Canada. I’m half Chinese and half Sabah
native, which is quite unique. Anyways, when I moved here I didn’t want to go
outside because it was too cold and I was not used to the weather. I started
out quite rough because I knew no one here, and I couldn’t speak my own
language except for my own family. I had zero knowledge about Canada, all I
knew is they loved maple syrup.
Just kidding!
I spent two
months locked up in my room most of the time and admittedly, there times when I cried because I missed my friends back in Sabah. It was quite challenging to accept the
fact that I'm so far from home.
Despite
all those barriers, I managed to overcome them in no time. My dad and I went to
Vancouver School Board to arrange my school documents. At the Vancouver School
Board, we found out about this event called Newcomer Orientation Week which was
held in August. The event was for students and teens who were new to Canada. There were activities, workshops, and helpful guides for them to have an awesome kick start in
Canada.
To be honest, I
was reluctant at first and I didn’t want to go because I was so shy. But I
forced myself to go and guess what? It was the best decision I’ve made because
it opened my eyes to so many new things. I learned that the government trains students to do volunteer work and helps them grow in terms of socializing with
crowds and boosting their confidence. Even though these students come from
different backgrounds or even different schools, they were still able to
communicate and work together well. It was a huge turning point for me and my
way of thinking. They taught me that we all face difficult challenges but with
perseverance, we could get through it easily, and that there will always be someone
to help you, only if you ask for it.
When
I started school, I felt the same type of homesickness that I did during my
first week of stay here in Canada. I’m currently in grade 11, studying at a
secondary school in East Vancouver. I started in September of 2013 and was
absolutely dumbfounded by the size of the school when I first saw it. To me, it
was huge because my former school in my motherland was small. I looked like a
lost child when I was roaming around the halls, looking for my class. I even
went in the wrong class for 2 weeks! I was very quiet and shy in the beginning.
Thankfully, I managed to make a friend! It took quite a while for me to adjust
in a new environment. I started socializing with more students when I was in
P.E class actually. Students were very friendly to me; they just come up to you
and sparked up a conversation, which was a surprise. And I learned from them, I
started to talk more and more in class and gradually became confident bit by
bit. If you are new student and are struggling to make friends, you have to be
patient and not give up easily. It is hard, but with patience and kindness, you’ll
find the right friends at the right time.
I guess I wrote this because I would like to encourage you to be courageous. Don’t doubt
yourself. Just go for it. Keep yourself busy with volunteer
works, sports, and roaming around Vancouver to appreciate its beauty. Discover new things by joining clubs in school such as
tech club, choir, dance team or even a leadership club. It is all worth it and
plus, it’s free! And if possible, get a summer job because you will gain
experience and learn new things besides earning money. Try to socialize more
too! And you must, MUST, try ice-skating. Even though I fell so many times when I tried it, I still had real fun. You should visit the PNE too and try the ‘Hellavator’. That is all from me
and I hope to write for you again next time!
- Sharon
- Sharon
