I am going to talk about a short holiday I had in my country Kurdistan, Iraq. After my wedding, my brother Salah booked a cottage for our family before I came to Canada with my wife. We spent 2 nights and 3 days at the cottage. The cottage was an hour away from my family’s house in Semeel. It was in a village named Bagera. We had a beautiful view and saw many mountains around us. There was also a swimming pool. I miss my family, and I want to have another family holiday in Bagera.

Playing and swimming in water is my favorate every time its great to have fun and spent time with your family and friend during summer. last week me and my friends went to mansonville beach and we had fun we have swimmed and played in the water and we where riding a bike I will recommend my friends If they want to swimm I always tell them to wear a life jacket because sometimes you will go deep in the water.

In the summer, my daughter, Nancy, and I, usually go to Centre Island in Toronto. We go there by a friend's small boat. We bring a small grill and food to have bbq over there. Centre Island also sells food like popcorn, cotton candy, hamburgers, pizza, and ice cream. When we finish eating, we go boating around the island and Nancy plays in the children's play area. There is a theme park on this island with rides like bumblebee, bumper cars, and even a train. There is also a zoo with so many animals. We always have a lot of fun and enjoy a perfect day.

Walking soccer is a new form of playing the beautiful game of football, which is commonly called soccer in Canada and United States of America, by following new rules. Players cannot run, slide, and sprint. All players must walk on the playing field which is considerably smaller as compared to the original soccer field.

Walking soccer is popular among players who want to have casual fun and socialize with each other. It is a great way to make new friends and share the passion of soccer with new players. There are many associations and football clubs around the world that are promoting walking soccer. I am aware of one such football club located in Toronto that have a walking soccer program.

I am passionate about playing soccer and in future would consider playing walking soccer because it is much more relaxing on the body.

On summer vacations, we have a great time together with my family during the summer holidays.

I have very great and big family. I do have five brothers and two sisters. I feel happy with my family, and I feel very happy when I see my extended family on summer vacations. We do many fun things, but we always enjoy going to the park to spend our summer free time together. We play and run around the park, laugh and have fun, watch fireworks, and listen to old stories my father and mother tell us. At night, we watch the stars and the moon, and share our goals to bring each other closer. We laugh a lot while trying different recipes and sometimes even create our own dishes. Cooking together helps us bond and teaches us teamwork to learn how to make new foods sometimes, we make our own food and have a wonderful time during the summer vacation, laughing we’re have fun and work together to cook.

Every morning, we pray together. My father is the Imam of the family. During family prayer time, he reads the Quran, and we also read it after him. The prayer makes us feel grateful and strengthens our family. After the prayer, we sing traditional Sudanese songs and dance. Baba teaches us traditional music. We wear colorful clothes with red and white and black colors. We feel happy when we dance and sing. We often go to the beach to swim, play and eat by the water. Beaches are fun.

I love summer with family We do have fun and laugh and play and enjoy every moment and spend our summer vacation together. I love it so much that I feel every moment should be like the summer vacation together with family – My wonderful family.

Water is very important for life so let’s be care full around rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes and even when we are using it at home. When we go out to enjoy summer to the parks it is important to remember that city parks are unsupervised. Not only saving water in using if we go to lake for swimming water levels can change quickly. It is advised not to swim in unknown rivers, as there are dangers such as strong waves, garbage, or sharp objects. It is important to remember not to swim alone and not to jump headfirst into rivers or lakes as you can hit the head if the water is shallow.

Important water safety tips for everyone: learn to swim, always swim with a buddy, children and non-swimmers should always be supervised around water, swim where the lifeguards are wearing a lifejacket whenever you are in a boat, don’t drink and swim, don’t drink and drive your boat. This simple tips may save your life and enjoy your trip also.

Prevention is better than cure, swimming is one of the most common sports and an interesting time in summer but we should prepare carefully and cautiously in advance.

It is a short time to enjoy summer time with swimming in outdoor pools and beaches in Canada. Government works hard to prepare for full summer activities. For example, open child safety programs through swimming learning and lifeguards in all community centers and beaches. The rules are very strict with non-swimming and children should swim with buddies to pay attention to them.

Parents and people who are good at swimming are a part of safety because they can reduce risk of death from drowning. A little caution to other children and people around them may be useful to avoid losing any one on the internet with swimming.

In short, swimming is one of the most important activities in the summer, and with our help we can provide caution and attention to ensure everyone's safety and enjoyment.

I like to practice sports, and my favorite activity is playing football. Since I was young, I have liked to play football with my friends. I can play as a defender or midfield player. In 2006 I was in a championship with a club in my city in Algiers. My first match was versus MCA, a famous club in Algeria, and we won 3-2. I remember scoring the third goal of my team, and I’ll never forget this feeling. We had a very good team and became champions in this year; that was one of my best memories.

In the year 2007 I took the university entrance exam, so I preferred studies instead of football. All my focus was to get good results in the final exam. I got my baccalaureate with great marks. At the university I continued to practice my favorite sport and also with my colleagues when I got my first Job. For now, I'm doing bodybuilding and train with Goodlife fitness.

I really enjoy sports because it taught me discipline, teamwork, and perseverance.

I have watched this TV drama series, ‘A Ring With A Ruby.’ It is a Ukrainian show and many of it’s episodes are available on YouTube. I highly recommend this series because it is full of suspense and the plot twists. The drama is about two stepsisters Ana and Yana. I will provide a brief description of the story to keep it spoiler free. Ana is engaged to a handsome man who belongs to an influential family. Yana becomes jealous to hear this and plots to ruin the life of her stepsister Ana. The story develops with sudden turn of events and new characters. The best thing about this TV show is that it is difficult to predict the outcome of the story. I encourage everyone to watch this series with their partners because it has many emotional scenes.

I am an international visual arts professional who graduated in fine arts and photography. Expertise, creativity, and knowledge combined with my advanced techniques are a unique mix in my artistic world. I am currently working with textile art to express the happiness of life.

I was born into a family of poets, artists, and seamstresses. My love affair with quilting began with my grandma when I was eight years old. I have been teaching since 1994. In the early 90's I started appearing on TV shows and my work has been featured in dozens of magazines in Brazil. Since then, I have attended international shows where my art can be seen in public exhibitions, museums, and galleries.

Living in Canada, I can exhibit my art abroad, sharing my art knowledge in my beautiful and happy journey across the universe of fine art quilt at my studio. I am always filled with humor, high energy, stories, and tips, ensuring my classes are educational and fun. I believe that there are no mistakes but opportunities. Get ready to think outside the box!

A hobby is something people do in their free time. People have many different hobbies. Some like sports, some like music, and others enjoy reading or playing games. The reason for having a hobby can be different for each person. Some want to learn a hobby for simple joy and some for personal growth. Every person has their own purpose.

For me, a hobby is about joy and rest and most of all, it is also a way to understand who I am. These days, my hobby is pencil drawing. At first, I wanted to do well. I focused too much on the result, and when I didn’t like what I drew, I began to lose my confidence, and I didn’t feel much joy. Finally, I became stressed. It felt like drawing was another job. I didn’t even want to look at a pencil. That’s when I realized something was wrong.

I’m quiet and introverted, but I care deeply about people. I love observing others. The world is full of many different people, and I often think humans are mysterious and beautiful. Watching people became my drawing inspiration. I stopped thinking about drawing well. I started to focus on what I feel and see. That process gives me peace and comfort that is hard to explain. Now, drawing is a big part of my life. It is time for me to step away from my many roles-as a mom, a wife, a daughter, and a worker-and just meet myself in silence.

So, to me, a hobby is a time to be fully myself and to focus on who I am, away from my busy daily life. During that time, I find new energy. Now, I want to ask you the same questions I asked myself: What is the purpose of your hobby? Does it make your life more meaningful and richer? And are you truly enjoying it?

New life, New beginning.

Hello, my name is Bérékia. It’s a pleasure to write about myself. I’m just new in Canada. I am here since January 2025, and I come from Haiti. I speak two languages: Creole and French. Now, I’m learning English because it’s very important for me to speak it.

Generally, in my free time I like to sing and play the piano. I am passionate about math and physical sciences; I want to be an engineer in the future. Actually, in my country, I was studying civil engineering, and I was in my third year. Now I have to start my studies again. But it doesn’t matter, because I’m young. That’s why I have to seize all the opportunities that the country can offer me to grow up and to be better.

I’m very happy to immigrate here. It’s a new life for me and a new beginning.

Hello everyone, My name is Bindu. I'm from Nepal. My 1st (native) language is Nepali and I'm learning English to communicate better in Canada. In my free time, I enjoy cooking for my kids and family, listening to music, watching movies, and spending time with my children. Here in Canada, I have a small family. I am learning English to speak better, join college or universities, and to support my children with school. I like my native country Nepal, because of its beautiful mountains, nature beauty, culture and traditional festivals. I like Canada because it is safe, peaceful, nature beauty, and has many different cultures. Something interesting about me is that I enjoy explore new places, nature beauty. I like learning new things and always trying to improve myself. In the future, I want to improve my English even more and build a better career here in Canada.

My name is Lynda, I am from Cameroon, I am in Canada since November 2024. I have two daughter of 2 years and 4 years. I came to Canada to start a new life because I experienced a drama in my country. I was an accountant in my country and now I study Accounting at Conestoga College. I want to have a Canadian diploma in order to find a good job.

I am a graphic designer and I came here because my city, Sao Paulo in Brazil, has many criminals and I need security in my life.

In my free time, I went to help volunteers in hospitals. I worked as a clown in a children’s hospital for six years. I enjoyed entertaining sick children.

In Canada I worked in many different jobs: in construction, in carpentry, in foam insulation, waterproofer special basement and crawl space, and as a truck driver. Now, I work in a factory. I like my job because every day is the same.

My name is Nazifa. I was born in 2004 in Afghanistan. I graduated from grade 12 there, but after the Taliban came, I couldn't continue my education. The only option for me was to study midwifery. I studied for 3 semesters but did not finish my studies because I got married and moved to Canada. Leaving Afghanistan, my family, and my friends was very hard for me, and I miss them so much. I've been in Canada for almost six months now. I'm learning English and hoping for a great future with my new family.

My name is Elias. I got married two years ago. I came to Canada one year ago. I work a plumber now. I am learning English. I take online classes because I don’t have time to go to class and I practice English at my work every day.

It is not easy but I try my best. I want to speak English better in the future. In my free time I like to visit new places to know about Canada but in winter I don’t like to go to any places out side because I don’t like cold weather.

My name is Iryna. I am originally from Ukraine. Three years ago, my husband, our two children, and I moved to Canada.

In Ukraine, I completed two university degrees. I have a Master’s degree in Metrology and Measuring Technologies, and another one in Marketing.

Back in Ukraine, we had an online clothing store, and we also had a construction business. We were building houses and developing this business before we moved.

After coming to Canada, we opened a small family cafe-bakery, focused on French macarons. We had two locations — in Strathroy and in Port Stanley. Now, we work online and focus on delivery and wholesale supply.

As a family, we love traveling and discovering new places in Canada. We also enjoy playing tennis — it is our family hobby. On weekends, we often play together and have fun.

I enjoy learning, growing, and meeting new people. I’m happy to be here and to continue improving my English.

My name is Irina. I was born and raised in Kazakhstan in the city of Karaganda. It is not a big country, on the south side it have the mountains, on the north - forest, on the western side locate the Caspian Sea. I was lived in central part of country where there are only steppers and low hills, hot summers and cold snowy winters.

During school years we are often moved so I changed three schools. My favorite subjects were biology and literature. I very like reading and real hardcover books and I always dreamed write my books. I never have a lot of friends, but I have a lot of books.

After finishing school, I entered to the university in the Faculty of Social Adaptation and Pedagogical Correction and got a bachelor's degree in Defectology. I chouse this direction because I meet girl who studying in this program second year. She tell my about the program about practice and subjects. There wasn't only pedagogical subjects but medical also. We study anatomy of human, neurophysiology, pathophysiology, genetics and diseases and much more. I was under impress and decided also take this program. I soon realized that teaching was not my cup of tea, but medical sciences fascinated me.

My student years were very interesting but at the same time it was a very difficult period. I was married my husband was student also, my first child was born. My husband and I, we studied together. When I defended my diploma thesis, all the teaching staff of our department babysat with my son. So, my diploma belongs to my son also.

Than my husband and I decide to immigrate to Canada.

And since this moment it became long way to our goal. We started preparing everything for each criteria because we had only children, diploma and mortgage. We had nothing only desire and faith that we can do to it. From idea to implementation, we spend 14 years. I was difficult time because our relative and friends doesn't understand us and somebody even openly mocked us. But we didn't give up and on August 2022 we came to Canada. We started building our life from scratch and we believe that everything will go very well.

My name is Paloma, I am 32 year old. I am from Brazil. My city is Suzano in São Paulo. I live in Canada with my husband Odilon. We moved here two and half years ago.

My family lives in Brazil and is very special. My mom’s name is Maria and my heart mom’s name is Nete. I have one my sister who’s name is Iara. She has 2 sons. My nephew’s name is Yuri and my niece’s name is Raissa.

I grew up in a neighborhood with a lot of nature. I played with friends, which was fun. I studied near my home but I took the bus. When I was 15 years old I started working at a company. I changed schools and studied at night. This helped me grow and I learned more responsibility.

I met my husband in this job in a factory. We became friends when I was 17 and we started dating. We have been together for 16 years and married for 4 years. My husband studied Radio And TV in Brazil and I studied a Bachelor’s of Art. In Brazil I did paper machê workshops and I worked as an art teacher at an NGO.

When I came to Canada I didn’t speak English I was scared. But in my first week here I got a job at a second hand store called Guys Frenchys. I learned a lot there. Now I work in a daycare. I am a support worker for two childrens with autism. I love my job I feel happy to work in a school again.

My goals for the next two years are to learn more English and start studying Early Childhood Education (ECE). In five years I want to speak English very well, do workshops with the paper machê and an art exhibition again and become a mother. I want to keep learning more about this country that welcomed me and now makes me feel at home.

My weekends in Canada has been very special and fun.

Usually on weekends I spend time with my sister and her family. They have been showing to me and my family wonderful places in Guelph, like parks, lakes and beautiful landscapes.

We were walking and riding bike, and it was a nice experience.

One of my favorite weekend was when we visited Toronto.

Toronto is an amazing city. I visited the Toronto Islands, the Financial District, the Toronto University and the PATH.

Also we visited a big mall.

I love know new places with my family and I hope that we can visit a lot of places in these beautiful country

When I came to Canada, I was excited and scared. I was excited because I love this country, and I knew I would have a better life here. But also, I was scared of being alone, without my big family and my friends. The weather made me feel uncomfortable; it was so much colder than in my country. Since I came to Canada, I have been able to make new friends. My church members became my new family. But I still don’t love the weather!

Last week my family and I spent a wonderful day at Silver Lake, a beautiful freshwater lake located in Ontario, Canada.

The scenery there was breath-taking. The water sparkled in the sunlight, and the surrounding trees created a peaceful and natural atmosphere. Then my children got so excited — they ran along the sandy shore, collected colorful stones, and built little castles with sand. They splashed in the shallow water, laughing and playing together.

We brought a picnic basket filled with snacks and fresh fruit, and we enjoyed our lunch while sitting on a blanket with a perfect view of the lake. After eating, we took a leisurely walk along one of the nearby trails, listening to the birds singing and the gentle sound of the water.

The air was fresh, the weather was perfect, and it felt like time slowed down for us to enjoy every moment. Silver Lake gave us not only beautiful memories but also a feeling of peace and happiness that we will always remember.

My life in Canada is very different from my home country. When I first arrived, everything felt new and sometimes difficult and scare. The weather, the language, and the culture were all different. But over time, I started to feel more comfortable.

One of the first challenges was learning English. At first, I could not understand many words, and I was afraid to speak. Taking English classes helped me a lot. I met teachers and classmates who were very kind and supportive. They encouraged me to practice every day.

Another important part of life in Canada is understanding the culture. People are polite and helpful. I learned to say “please” and “thank you” all the time even without people around me. I also learned to respect different opinions and traditions. This made it easier to make friends and feel part of the community. Finding a job was another challenge. I had to learn how the job system works and how to write a Canadian-style resume.

Even with challenges, life in Canada has many opportunities. I enjoy the safety and beautiful nature. I also like trying new foods and learning new skills. Every day I feel more confident and happy.

Being an immigrant is not always easy, but it is a great experience. Canada has given me many chances to grow, learn, and start a new life. I am grateful for this new life.

Last weekend we went to the ROM, the Royal Ontario Museum. It’s located at the intersection Bloor St/Queen Park Ave. We took the subway TTC and walked for 10 minutes.

We were excited, inside the museum, the main room was very nice, we saw some dinosaur skeleton and T-rex dinosaurs too. The ROM Museum has many activities available for visitors. I enjoyed it so much. We saw Egyptian mummies, old Chinese culture things, Roman sculptures, and many, many other things.

I liked it.

Guelph is a mid sized city in southern Ontario, about 100km west of Toronto roughly a 1-hour drive from Toronto. It has a population around 150,000 people. It is known as the Royal City and famous for being one of the safest and cleanest cites in Canada.

Guelph often ranks high in livability due to safety green spaces and community spirit and diverse population with students, families and newcomers from around the world. The Education of University of Guelph is highly regarded especially in agriculture, veterinary medicine and environmental studies and the other areas such as good economy. The strong sectors of Guelph are education, manufacturing, agriculture, and green industries.

Guelph has lots of parks, trails, and rivers making it great for outdoor lovers.

Calgary is a major city in the western Canadian province of Alberta. It is the largest city in Alberta and the third-largest municipality in Canada by population after Toronto and Montreal. It is located where the prairies meet the foothills, and with the Canadian Rockies visible to the west. Calgary is famous for its high quality of life, vibrant energy sector, friendly people, and entrepreneurial spirit of its diverse communities. I would like to move to Calgary because of its low cost of living as compared to Ontario. Also, most of my friends are already residing in Calgary, which will help me build a bigger social circle. I am also encouraged to learn that many Canadians change provinces for better job opportunities and better standard of living.

Living in Canada has many advantages. I have lived for six years here, and I feel that Canada offers diversity, opportunities, and a high quality of life. Even though I moved here after graduating college in my home country, I already feel Canada is more like home than my hometown. I think Canada is a good country to live for many reasons.

First of all, Canada is known for its multicultural society. People from many different countries live together peacefully. This makes it easy to experience different cultures, food, and traditions. Living in such an environment helps people naturally learn tolerance and respect for others. In my case, I never had a chance to try traditional Indian food before. However, after moving to Canada, I had an opportunity to try it, and it was actually so delicious. Because of diversity, people can run into various activities that might be hard to experience in their home countries.

Next, Canada provides many educational opportunities such as colleges and universities. There are also many programs for newcomers to help them find jobs. For example, the LINC program that helps permanent residents who need to improve their English for daily life. These support systems make it easier for newcomers to adapt, study, and work. Overall, Canada gives people many chances to build a brighter future.

Lastly, living conditions are quite good in Canada. It is a safe country with low crime rates compared to many other places. In addition, the natural environment is beautiful with clean air. People can enjoy both city life and nature easily. From my perspective, work-life balance is also much better than in my hometown. Most people seem to know how to relax and enjoy their free time.

In conclusion, there are many benefits to living in Canada. It is a multicultural country, with various opportunities, and provides a well-being life. These advantages are the reasons why many people choose to live in Canada, and why I am happy to call it my home.

Our family had a fun fishing trip at Cloud Lake, which is located southwest of Thunder Bay. The lake is more than 40 km from our house, and it took us a little over an hour to drive there. We left home at 10 a.m. and arrived around 11 a.m.

The weather was sunny but quite cool, and the sights were beautiful. After finding a parking spot, we looked for a good place to fish. There were many children there, and we all chose spots along the bank of the lake. Each person had a fishing rod and bait. While fishing, we chatted and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.

We brought some snacks, fruits, and drinks with us. Around lunch, we took a break to eat and talk, even though we hadn’t caught any fish yet. Because it was quite sunny, we stopped fishing and moved to a shady spot under big trees to rest. We decided to come back home around 1 p.m. and arrived close to 3 p.m.

Even though we didn’t catch any fish, the kids had a great time. They were excited to try fishing at such a big, beautiful lake surrounded by nature. Around 4 p.m., a small storm hit Thunder Bay. Luckily, our house was not damaged. For safety reasons, we decided to stay home and skipped the fireworks at Marina Park as we had originally planned.

I love Toronto. It is so big. I don’t think you can find a place in the world with this much of different cultures and languages. They brought their foods, music and dances. At night in downtown Toronto there are several cultural festivals, and the streets are full of light and sounds of music. I love Toronto because you can get lost in the crowd and at the same time you can find a cozy spot to enjoy your coffee. Clearly, Toronto is a place of fun, music, dance, and good coffee.

Canada is a country full of opportunities, where we can give our son a life far from violence, a life with prosperity, peace, and new learning experiences. It means discovering a new culture and facing challenges that help us grow and become better people.

Canada opened its doors to us, and we had to leave a large part of our family behind in Colombia and make changes in many aspects of our lives, such as our diet, jobs, Thommy’s school, and the culture.

These changes have made us stronger people; we have learned new customs and taken on the challenge of a new language. Everything has been very challenging, but we also know that these efforts are for our own good and will be rewarded in the future.

We have to fulfill many responsibilities that we already had before — in my case, I’m studying at university. But on top of that, we now have even more tasks and responsibilities. It hasn’t been easy. Life here moves faster; it feels like time goes by more quickly and there isn’t enough of it to do everything we have to do. But with effort, we will succeed.

Canada is a beautiful country that inspires you to become better and gives you peace of mind. It pushes you to fight for your dreams. It is a precious country.

Last summer we went to the Niagara Falls.

It was a great experience for me and for my family. I was very relaxed, and I enjoyed the trip a lot. We stayed for two days and nights. We went close to the falls and saw the water very close. The weather was very fresh. And I cannot forget about that trip. We went to the Niagara Falls downtown and we saw the play tools for kids. And we stayed in a hotel for the night, and it had a pool. And my kids swam there. And for the lunch, we had barbecue. And we had peace of mind, and it was very special for us.

Terry Fox
Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg on July 28. He was an important athlete who ran across Canada to raise money for cancer research.
Terry Fox was diagnosed with osteosarcoma when he was 18 years old, and he was amputated on his right leg. After that he decided to run from East Coast to West Cost to raise money for cancer research. When he started running no body knew him but when he ended his marathon he was known throughout the country, and he recollected 24 million dollars.
Today people around the world run Terry Fox marathon.

John McCrae
John McCrae was born in Guelph in 1872. He studied medicine in the Toronto University; He also developed his passion for poetry and serve like a soldier and a doctor in wars.
During World War I, McCrae served as a surgeon with a Canadian artillery brigade in Belgium. During this war, John McCrae’s a friend dead and he composed a poem “In Flanders Field”. This poem gain recognition and made the red poppy a symbol.

Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams was born in Kingston Ontario in Canada and is globally known as a singer, songwriter and as a rock star. He is recognized as one of the best singers in Canada.
He has won a lot of awards on his music career. He also has developed a career as a photographer and his job has been published in important magazines like Vogue, Vanity Fair. And he also has dedicated part of his life as a social activist and philanthropist, in fact, he has a foundation for this purpose.

Labor Day in Canada is celebrated on the first Monday of September. For many, it feels like the "worst day" because summer is ending, but it is also a special time to rest.

People usually spend the day with family and friends, enjoying barbecues, good food, and relaxation. This year my husband had a day off, so at the start of the day we went to the lake and enjoyed the sun. After that, we stayed home, grilled some meat, and just relaxed together.

It's a peaceful day with no rush, where you can recharge your energy. I think Labor Day is a great chance for every worker to rest, resort, and get ready for the new work year and school season. I really enjoy these Canadian traditions.

I celebrate Labor Day by spending time with my family and friends since it is the last long weekend of summer. We usually go to the park or the family house. Sometimes we have a barbecue and special foods with my family. I make foods like kebab kabali. My children and I also play games like soccer, football and volleyball. It is a nice way to relax before school and work start again. And also celebrated in my country on Labor day.

In my country Eritrea, most weddings are celebrated in January. This is because it is the time when farmers finish harvesting their crops. Families then have plenty of food and drinks to serve to all the guests. January is also less busy for people, so they can take part in the celebration.

Weddings in Eritrea are usually very big and full of joy. They often start in the church, where the bride and groom exchange rings and receive blessings. After the church ceremony, everyone goes to a wedding center for the real celebration. There, people enjoy music, traditional dancing, and lots of delicious food. Relatives, friends, and neighbors all come together to share in the happiness. The bride and groom wear beautiful traditional clothes, and family members help with the preparations. Everyone eats, sings, and dances till night.

For us, weddings are not just about the couple but also about family and community.

In my country, Colombia, we celebrate our national day called Independence Day.

This day commemorates Colombia’s independence from Spanish rule, which officially began on July 20th, 1810. It is a very important date because it marks the beginning of our fight for freedom.

Who celebrates this day? All Colombians, both those living in the country and abroad, celebrate it. Schools, government institutions, families, and communities participate in the events.

Why? It is celebrated to honor the people who fought for our independence and to remember the history that shaped our nation.

When is it celebrated? It is celebrated every year on July 20th.

Where is it celebrated? People attend military parades, civic events, concerts, and cultural festivals. Many cities organize public gatherings in main squares, parks, or stadiums. In addition, in 2021, the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the support of the Government of Canada, displayed the Colombian flag at the Niagara Falls as a symbol of friendship and to celebrate this date.

What festivities take place? There are parades with soldiers, police, and traditional dance groups. People wear clothes in the colors of the Colombian flag (yellow, blue, and red). There are concerts, folk music performances, and fireworks at night. Traditional Colombian food is also an important part of the celebration.

Yes, my home country, China, has a national day called National Day of the People’s Republic of China. This day celebrates the founding of the People’s Republic of China on October 1st, 1949. It marks the moment when the Chinese people established a new government after years of struggle, and it is a symbol of unity and national pride.

It is celebrated every year on October 1st, and the celebrations often last for a full week, known as the “Golden Week”. Many people travel during this time, visiting family or sightseeing across the country. In Beijing, the capital, a huge flag-raising ceremony takes place in Tiananmen Square at sunrise, attracting thousands of visitors.

Jordan’s Independence Day is on May 25 every year. It celebrates the country’s freedom in 1946. All Jordanians celebrate this day with pride and joy.

On this day, people gather in streets, parks, and city centers. There are parades, music, and fireworks. The Jordanian flag is seen everywhere. Families spend time together and enjoy the celebrations.

It is a happy and special day for everyone in Jordan. It reminds people of their history and importance of freedom.

My country is Vietnam- a small country with over a thousand years of history. We have two national days- National day and Reunification Day. We became independent on September 2nd, 1945 and then we had National day. Thirty years later, our south was liberated on April 30, 1975 and that day became the Reunification Day of my country. We get to watch fireworks and some memory activities at the square on those days. Almost all Vietnamese families hang the national flag in front of their house. We celebrate with our families and our friends with some food and drinks.

A multicultural festival is a community event that celebrates the diverse cultures within a country. I went to Riverside Park with my children to participate in one festival. This festival was celebrated on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of June respectively. It was a lively occasion where people could experience and appreciate different traditions, food, music, dance, and art from around the world.

These festivals often involved performances, interactive workshops, and opportunities to try international cuisines and crafts. My children and I were excited by the food we ate and with the whole experience. My children also met new kids coming from different countries.

Finally, I want to say this kind of festival is important to strengthen ties among different cultural groups.

Independence Day in Peru is celebrated in two days, July 28th and 29th each year. We commemorate the Proclamation of Independence from Spanish dominion in 1821 and honour the Peruvian Armed Force. These are important dates in our civic calendar because Peru born as independent republic so they are days of pride and celebration for all Peruvian citizens around the world.

Two weeks before of Independence Day, people begin to decorate their houses with Peruvian flags and red and white pennant bunting.

The celebrations begin with a mass by the Archbishop in the Cathedral of Lima where government people participate. After that, the President of Peru makes a National message in the Congress of the Republic. Next day, Military and School parades take place in the main avenue in the downtown Lima.

As both days are National holidays, there are culture events and concerts such as Andean and folkloric music, cumbia, marinera, and more, at the National Stadium in Lima. Also, people enjoy to participate in the gastronomic fairs, where they can taste popular Peruvian dishes like ceviche, anticuchos, lomo saltado, pollo a la brasa, etc. In addition, people travel to different provinces around the country to enjoy typical dances, religious processions, and traditional activities.

Independence Day represents the fight for freedom, sovereignty, and national identity. It is a special time to remember to our national heroes, value our history, and renew our commitment to our country. It is also a great opportunity to reflect regarding the present and future as a free and sovereign nation.

In my country, Cameroon, we celebrate the unity of our country on the 20th of May each year. Cameroon has unified the southern regions and both English regions since 1972. All Cameroonians celebrate that, and the festivities are done with the biggest parade of the army, students, politicians, and people.

It is also an important moment for our people to commemorate our national people’s heroes who have died for their ideals of the liberalism of country.

Thank you for reading about my home country's history.

We celebrate Eid twice a year, Eid Fitr and Eid Adha. During Ramadan, everyone goes to pray. After praying. They congratulate each other on Eid. I prepare sweets and cakes . I wear new clothes and everyone goes to their friends' houses. Eid al-Adha is the same as Eid Ramadan. Everyone wears new clothes. Then go to the mosque to pray. On the first day of Eid al-Adha. they do not sacrifice. Some do not sacrifice sheep or cows. They do not help people who are strangers. On Eid Fitr, it is the day that must be given to strangers. It is the third day of Eid. We go to see the parks.

In our country, there is also a big festival that is celebrated by the whole country. It is called National Day. On October 1, 1949, our country founded the People’s Republic of China, and since then, October 1 has been designated National Day every year.

Every National Day starting from, all the people of the country have a week-long holiday, and all cities and towns are decorated with national flags and colourful lights to create a festive atmosphere.

On October 1st, our country also has a flag-raising ceremony and military parade. These events are held in Tiananmen Square in the capital, Beijing.

We have many celebrations in my country such as New Year, Formers’ Day, Eid, Independence Day etc. Today I want to talk about Eid. We have two Eid Celebrations in my country. First one is small Eid, and the second one is big Eid. They are almost the same Celebrations. They last for three days, and we usually wear new clothes.

We go to each other’s houses to greet each other. We serve sweets for our guests like cookies, cakes, candy, dried fruits, fresh fruits etc.

And Eid is both a religious and traditional Celebration of my country. In our calendar it’s officially off and people don’t go to school, jobs and their businesses on Eid days. We start the Eid Celebration with the Eid prayer, and we say happy Eid to everyone. And we give money to kids as we say for that Eidy. And we enjoy Eid and we respect all cultures and traditions.

It's more wonderful to know that while we celebrate Mother's Day in May we in Syria celebrate in March. Whether in May or March, Mother’s Day is an important celebration for us.

Our mothers do so much for their families and children. They help us grow into better and good people. They keep doing everything even if it makes them tired and patient, often without feeling like it’s a burden, we can’t do anything to return that to them. No gift or word can truly match the value of what they do for us.

Although one day isn’t enough for our mothers, we try to spend this holiday by celebrating together as a family. On Mother’s Day, we gather at my mother’s home with my siblings, their families, and our children. We cook a big meal, bake a cake, decorate the house, and play music. My mother enjoys walking with children and sharing ice cream with them.

At the end of the party, we give her gifts which she loves, like flowers, jewelry and a gift card. She always prays for us and expresses how much she misses her other daughters in Lebanon, wishing she could see them more often.

Mother’s Day, whether in March or May, is a special and meaningful day. It reminds us to show our mothers the respect and appreciation for everything they’ve done for our families and our community.

The Father's day is on the third Sunday of June, a day where Fathers are celebrated as a way to show gratitude for a Job that for many is not easy. The concept emerged in the early 20th century, inspired by the tradition of Mother's Day.

According to history the first event of celebrating Father's was held on July 5, 1908 in a West Virginia Church to honor the hundreds of men who had died in a coal mine explosion, but it wasn't until two years later that Father's Day became official.

There are many stories we could tell about the life of a father, but I just want to mention that there are many sacrifices in family life, and often the weight of responsibility falls on the fathers who are the heads of the household. That's why on this day we can honor those fathers who, with great effort, have raised their children and given them a better future.

I would like to conclude by saying that this day is special to share with those fathers who are still fortunate enough to have them in our lives. Let’s us make them proud of their work and examples they have set for us.

My favourite holiday is the Water Festival for many different reasons. In our Burmese language, it is called “Thingyan”, our Burmese new year. We celebrate our Thingyan festival every April 13 to April 16. Our traditional belief is that splashing water is a sign of cleansing, washing away misfortunes of the past year and welcoming a fresh start. Our New Year's day is April 17. On this day, people make lots of donations to temples and communities. There are other elements to the water festival that are enjoyable and worth noting.

In the morning, we usually go to temples to pray and do good things. Our people are friendly and kind to each other. Monks encourage everyone to get a fresh start. In the afternoon, people splash and play in the water using buckets and water guns on each other from April 13 to April 16. We make traditional desserts with friends and relatives to give away to those who come to the temples. One of our famous dessert names is called “Mont Lone Yay Paw” (a sweet ball made of rice powder and coconut ) especially during the Thingyan festival. Another famous food is “Thingyan Rice” (dried fish that is made with spices and onion, mango salad.) We wear our traditional dress “longyi” during our new year days.

Thingyan is not only a joyful festival but also a time for merry-making and doing charitable things. Thingyan is the biggest festival to celebrate for the whole country, Myanmar.

Volunteering is a good thing and benefits everyone. When you volunteer, you help those in need, and you also get to meet new friends or new people. When doing volunteering you learn about many things, like the behavior of people, how to communicate with different people with different attitudes. And it’s good for work experience to know how to work with different people around in your job.

There are a lot of types of volunteering, and some are like we can volunteer at a food bank to help those in need of food. We can also volunteer by donating clothes, shoes, toys or any items we don’t use anymore. And also, by volunteering at an animal shelter we can care for the dogs, cats, birds etc. Volunteering can benefit everyone because when you donate or give food you are helping others.

The invention of cars has changed our lives in many ways. Cars make travel much faster and easier. People can go to work, school and shopping without wasting too much time. Families can visit each other and go on trips together.

Cars also created many jobs for drivers, mechanics and factory workers. Yet, cars can also cause problems like air pollution, traffic jams and accidents. If we used bikes, public transportation or walked more, life could be healthier and cleaner.

Still, cars are very useful in modern life, and I think they have helped people live better overall. A hundred years from now, I think people will use fast electric or self driving vehicles, maybe even flying cars or advanced public transport systems. These could be safer, faster and better for the environment.

Society uses car transportation to get from place to place because it is very convenient. Workplaces are usually away from residential areas. Walking or biking is not convenient in winter as it gets very cold. Therefore, we need cars to get to work or shopping. We also need the cars for going on vacation, for emergencies, for going to school and anywhere else.

My husband had his car tire repaired after a flat tire incident. It was a little inconvenient at first, but since my husband took the tire to the mechanic quickly it was ok. It cost like $1000. He was satisfied with the mechanic's work. I think he did a great job since now the car goes smoothly, so the price was good.

A hundred years from now, cars will be electric to avoid pollution, but still, they will be there. I think public transportation will be more convenient in Canada a hundred years from now.

In my country, Venezuela, schools are similar to those in Canada, but there are some differences like: we have kindergarten for kids between 3 and 6 years, then kids move on to elementary school that is for kids between 6 and 12 years, and after that high school for teens from 12 to 17 years.

The Canadian educational system divides the high school into junior and senior, while in my country, during the last two years, the students can choose to end the school in two ways: study sciences if they want to go to university for a career in math, architecture, engineering, medicine, accounting or study humanities if they want to go to university for languages, geography, law, arts, music, etc.

The school year begins on the second Monday of September and ends the first week in July. There are a few holidays during the school year, and in December there is a small vacation from December 15 to the first week in January.

The holidays are October 12 -The Indigenous Resistance Day, November 18 -Chinita Day (Catholic Holiday just for the province of Zulia) and April 19 – The Declaration of Independence which is the National Holiday. Then there is May 1 - Labour Day. The school day starts at 7:00 am and ends at 12:00 pm, but there are schools where they have shifts (morning and afternoon- from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm).

As they are growing up, people would get more responsibilities. These responsibilities could include going to work, taking care of family and so on. Besides all these, it could be hard for an adult learner to learn as fast as a kid could do because the adult learner has lost the ability to learn quickly. An adult learner could learn a language within years, while a kid could use that language fluently in a year or less. For example, my niece is speaking English better than her mother does; while the kid has learned English by watching cartoons, her mother has taken classes and is still struggling with fluency.

I am one of Cristiano Ronaldo’s fans and I would love to take a soccer course with him. This is very important for me as I would have a chance to meet him. Having a course with Cristiano Ronaldo could be hard because he is busy with training and traveling.

For me, lifelong learning is learning the whole life with consistency. It could be about every part of life.

There are many advantages of distance education. Online education saves us both time and money. We can learn at any time of the day, according to our schedule. Distance education also allows us to continue learning while working. There is no barrier of distance — we can take courses wherever we want.

However, like all new technologies, there are also some disadvantages. Human contact is missing, and social life can be affected. Some subjects cannot be taught effectively online. We need self motivation and stay focused. Some scientists believe that in order to remember what we learn, we need to use all five senses.

Teachers may also face difficulties with students. They can't always be sure whether the student has understood the lesson. Students might also use AI tools to complete their work dishonestly.

Despite these challenges, distance education remains one of the best ways to learn, and it is growing by leaps and bounds. I believe that many subjects can be learned online, helping us save both time and money.

Back to the time when I was in high school, that is a memory I've never forgotten. Studying and having fun with friends turned my youth into a wonderful time. After graduating from high school, I took a gap year because my family had some events happen to them.

And then, I enrolled in a university in Ho Chi Minh city which was far away from my house; about 180km. My major was Business English which took 4 years to finish. To be honest, I didn't enjoy it much. Studying in an environment with other students whose were younger than me made me feel shy and I could not integrate with them. I am an especially introverted person. It is not easy for me to make friends and talk with strange people.

The first year was really hard for me to go through. In addition, I was confused at that time. I did not know what job I wanted to do in the future; what I wanted to be; what I like: everything was vague. I did not want to waste more time to wait until it worked out. And one important thing, jobs related to English developed very well during that time in Vietnam. People could make ends meet if they were good at English.

So, those are the reasons why I decided to study that course. In my major, I needed to choose a second language to study which was one of the conditions of completing the course. Chinese was my choice. I really enjoyed it. I like the feeling of studying new things; especially, when I know nothing about it.

About learning English in my country, they usually focus on writing than speaking. We studied a lot of grammar and readings. With speaking, we don't have time to talk much in class and most teachers are Vietnamese. So, because of different accents, it's really hard to understand when we talk with foreigners. Compared to learning English in Canada, it's easier to improve our English skills because we live in an environment where people all speak English.

My word of the year is fluency. This word is very important to me because I moved to a new country, and I want to communicate better in English. Fluency means being able to speak, read and write without thinking too much.

This year, I have been working hard to improve my fluency. I practice speaking and listening every day at work, while also taking class with my wonderful teacher Ashley. On the other hand, I continue to follow some coaches on YouTube like Kodjo or Tiffany who help me improve my grammar, pronunciation, tone and structure. For me being fluent is not just about expressing my thoughts clearly but is about feeling confident and achieving a goal.

I always dream of being an investment banker and I can’t achieve that goal without being proficient in English, so I am sure fluency will help me at work as a banking teller and in my daily life to connect with people. That’s why fluency is my word of the year.

I came to Canada from Korea about 4 years ago.

After becoming a permanent resident of Canada, the first thing I did was to take English test. I am working as a dental technician in Canada, but I have never studied English since graduating from high school 20 years ago. So, I wanted to improve my English.

I went to YMCA and took the English test and I got CLB5. I wanted to take in-person class, but the schedule was so tight and I needed to take care of my boy. So, I chose to study by myself at home.

About 20 years ago In Korea, most English learning was focused on grammar. Speaking and listening were not the focus. Also, all English tests are multiple choice. So, for me, it was difficult to talk with people in English. I always worried about whether my English grammar was wrong or right. Also, I was worried about studying alone at home.

Then, I met a good teacher using the online LINC home program. I have been gaining new words and knowledge using LINC home program for 4 months. It is hard to work and study together. But I am trying to memorize even one word a day. My teacher sent me new information and homework. Sometimes, the homework is difficult, some of the things I learned in online class are also hard and It is difficult to study English alone, but it is very helpful to study with a teacher using LINC Home Study Program. I hope to be successful in my journey.

When I arrived in Canada, I understood that learning English would be very important for my new life. At first, I studied in a classroom with a group of students. It was sometimes difficult, but it was also fun because we could practice together and share our experiences. I met people from different countries, and we helped each other learn.

Since April, my classes have been online. They are only 30 minutes per week, and it is just me and my teacher. At the beginning, it felt very different from group classes, but now I enjoy it. I can focus more on my own needs, and my teacher gives me personal feedback. She also encourages me with small challenges, like writing this article.

Learning English is not always easy. Sometimes I feel nervous when I speak, or I don’t understand everything. But little by little, I see progress. Every week, I can use more words, and I feel more confident when I go shopping, take the bus, or talk with new people.

For me, English classes are more than just grammar or vocabulary. They give me independence, confidence, and new opportunities in Canada. I am happy to keep learning step by step.

I come from a Colombian, medium-sized family. My parents got married 60 years ago in Colombia. My mother is 77 years old, and my father died four years ago. We are five siblings, four women and one man. I am the younger sister. My mother has 10 grandchildren, seven boys and three girls. I have one sister-in-law and four brothers-in-law, two nieces and two nephews.

I have been married for 20 years. My husband and I have six children, five boys and one girl. We arrived in Canada in 2019, lived in Mississauga for four years, and have been living in Beamsville, Ontario, for the past two years. My husband is working in a flower company.

My oldest son is 24 years old. He lives in Mississauga. He's in college studying child education, and he works as a waiter in a Greek restaurant. My 17-year-old daughter is in high school, finishing 11th grade. This summer, she will be working for the first time in her life, and she will be working at a summer camp. My 12- and 10-year-old children are finishing sixth and fourth grade. My five-year-old son is finishing kindergarten in preschool, and my one-and-a-half-year-old son is at home with me.

Finally, I am studying English, and my current job is being a housewife, but in the future, I hope to enroll in college so I can study, become certified, and practice my profession in aesthetics, beauty, and cosmetology.

I live with my family – my husband and children. My father, mother and my 2 brothers also stay with us.

We are a very happy family. We eat together and talk together. On the weekends we watch movies and go to the park for picnics. My father teaches me the most important values of life and supports me in everything that I do.

I love spending time with my family. We always have a great time when we’re together. We laugh, play games and share stories. My family inspires me to do my best and follow my dreams.

I have been taught the importance of hard work, kindness and honesty. I hope to pass on the values to my kids.

Living with elders, teaches us to be a good person and treat everyone with respect.

I feel I am blessed and am very grateful that even in these times, three generations of our family live together happily.

Having children is very important in our lives because it brings meaning, hope, and happiness. In other words, the creation or formation of a family is essential for human beings. The growth of population and the continuation of human life depend on families and children. For instance, before I had a family and children, my life felt complicated, boring, and empty. I had no hope or real happiness, and life had no meaning for me. But when I got married and we had our baby, everything changed. Our life became full of joy, and our perspectives, visions, and way of thinking also improved. We began to see life in a more positive and meaningful way.

In summary, having children and building a family brings hope, happiness, and purpose to our lives.

In August, I would like to plan a special family vacation for two weeks that will allow us to spend quality time together, relax, and create beautiful memories. As a newcomer to Canada, this is my first summer. My idea is to choose Quebec as a destination that combines rest and discovery, so that everyone can fully enjoy the experience.

The trip could last about one to two weeks, depending on our availability, and take place during the summer holidays, when the weather is good. We could stay in comfortable accommodations, such as a family hotel or a rental house, with enough space for everyone.

The activities would be suitable for all ages: beach days, nature walks, visits to local attractions, and shared meals at restaurants. The goal is to combine fun, learning, and relaxation, while strengthening our family bonds.

By planning this trip in advance, we can manage our budget, book the best options, and ensure that each family member has a say in the choice of activities. I am convinced that these holidays will be a rich and joyful time for all of us.

Children always need to help with the housework. I always want my children help me with the housework. We always need to share work between all family members because everybody is going to work. When everybody is doing housework, then it's not going to be too much responsibility on one person. My family is very supportive. I do not agree that only daughters need to know how to cook and clean the house; sons also need to know how to cook and clean house. Daughters need to learn repairs and banking, too. Housework takes too much time, and sometimes, children do not realize how much work and time it takes, but when they are doing it by themselves; then, they can learn.

In the past two weeks of holiday. I experienced a lot of things. First thing , the most impressive thing is that I took my children go to my friend to play and she use the SLR camera took many beautiful photos for my little baby. He is very cute and handsome boy. Second thing, my husband was take off his Job on Tuesday last week. So we decided had a hot pot at night. We went to supermarket to buy some delicious food and eat together with children. Third things, my children help me clean the house and washed dishes I was so happy. On the weekend night I saw a boring movie called “The Empire State Building.” I didn’t finish this movie because the camera stayed on the building for a longer time. When my children went to sleep I was full of energy, I played a boring game on my phone just make me feel sleepy. Sometimes I am in a daze to empty my mind. Which is boring but it’s relaxing.

I love my family. I have two daughters who I love them a lot. My family is always beside me and help me in difficult moments. They are like the gift in my life. First my parents gave me good education, let me choose anything to try, but told me how to be better person. my brother is a good example. Second my parents in laws never left me alone. when I just was marred I stayed in France. we travelled many city where I never been there, taught me local custom, respect my custom, also my mother in low made a lot delicious food too. Third is my two daughters come to my life, that changed my life a lot. I was impatient, no patience in life, but two girls slow changed my pace and made my life rich added more laughter, and challenges at the same time. I love my family, all of them are greatest teachers. Also thanks to my husband who give me happiness and family, I love my family, I love my life. I can say that many times.

In my opinion that the cons of daylight saving time such as health issues, disrupted schedules, and diminished energy savings, often outweigh the benefits of extended daylight and potential safety improvement.

seasonal time changes offer little benefit to agricultural workers today. farmers rely on natural rhythms and sunlight, not the clock, for their work. Modern technology and global markets reduce the relevance of daylight saving time.

A government might pause DST during the month of Ramadan to shorten the fasting for muslims. It can create global issues like scheduling confusion, disrupted international business, travel complications.

I think ending DST would simplify global schedules, improve health and productivity, and align policies with modern energy use while some industries may face short- time, adjustments or localized impacts the global economy would likely adapt with minimal disruption and potential long -term benefits.

Happiness is that good feeling we all want—it's when you feel content, joyful, and at peace with life. It can mean different things to different people, but it’s usually about feeling good in the moment or having a sense of purpose in life.

What makes me happy? I’m not a difficult person, I can be happy easily with even simple things. Here are some common things that make people happy: Spending time with family, friends, or loved ones can bring a lot of joy. Feeling healthy gives me the energy to enjoy life and do the things I love. Achieving my goals makes me really happy. Doing kind things for others and helping them can make me feel good and connected.

Overall, I always try to enjoy the present and not to stress too much about the past or future although I have a very busy life.

At the end of the day, happiness is different for everyone, but it often comes from a mix of good relationships, staying healthy, achieving things, and appreciating life as it is.

As a simple person, there are simple things that make me happy. To break them down, I will separate them into quick happiness, daily happiness, and long-term happiness.

I love listening to electronic music while I exercise, clean the house, or walk long distances, preferably during a sunset. I enjoy drinking my morning coffee in a quiet environment, or sitting by the window while receiving sunlight. These are what I consider ‘quick happiness’.

My daily dose of happiness is hearing my mother’s and my siblings’ voices. Nothing makes me happier than spending time with my family and of course, now with my daughter. I grew up in a single-parent family, made up of my mother, my sister, and my brother. That made us very close, and we created many family memories by sharing typical traditional celebrations and happy moments together.

Since I left my country 10 years ago, I have tried to stay in contact with my family through calls or texts because I think it is important to follow up on our achievements, worries, health issues, or simply to share our daily activities. On a few occasions, we have had the chance to meet in different countries to enjoy short vacations and create more memories together. Planning those trips is the most exciting part for me: buying gifts, souvenirs, and exchanging collectible magnets to put on our refrigerators.

For long-term happiness, I like to make charitable gestures without expecting anything in return and that creates an impact on my surroundings. These include small donations, clothing, or baby toys for people in my country. I usually take time to plan these actions carefully, and they bring great satisfaction to my soul.

As a Colombian Optometrist, a mother and new resident in Canada whit the hope to work in this country, I want to share this short article about infant vision care. This is a simple and clear way to explain haw to protect you baby’s vision from an early age.

Vision is not clear at birth. Newborns see blurry and recognize their mother by smell and the sound of her voice.

By 2 months – Babies Start to see shapers and faces more clary. The begin to recognize people and objects close them. By 4 months – the connection between ayes, hands and feet begins. Babies touch their hands, play with their feet, or bring them to their mouth. By 12 months – Vision is much better.

Babies can see far objects, recognize familiar faces from 3 or4 meters away, and have better depth perception. They can reach for objects whit more accuracy.

Some vision problems are hard to see, but early sings can help.

If you notice that one eye turns in or out, it is important to observe carefully.
- Does the eye always turn , or only sometimes?
- Is it always same eye, or do both eyes take turns?
- Does it happen when child is look at a face or toy, or only when not paying attention?
- Does the eye go back to the correct position after?

Other signs to watch for: - Baby does not look at faces by 3 months
- Baby does not follow toys with vision by 4 months
- Too many tears or red, swollen eyelids
- Baby avoids light or seems uncomfortable
- Baby falls or bumps into things easily when the light is low, like at night or in dim rooms

The sings may mean the child has a vision problem and needs an eye exam. Even If the baby seems to see well, some problems are not easy to notice. That’s way, as an optometrist, I recommend a complete vision exam at 6 months.

This exam checks for: - Amblyopia (lazy eye)
- Strabismus
- Refractive errors ( like high farsightedness )
- Congenital cataracts
Finding problems early helps protect the baby´s vision development.

Vision is key part of child’s health and learning Early visual stimulation, good vision habits ( like no screen overcuse), and a timely exam can make a big difference. A baby’s first vision exam is simple, safe, and very important.
As a mother and vision care , I belive: “early care protects future vision"

There are some foods and drinks to keep the body cool during a hot summer season. This year we had very high temperatures in summer. I would suggest that eating fruits such as watermelons and cucumbers are good for the digestive system. Drinking lemonade and chilled carbonated beverages are helpful. Most importantly, staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water will help in bringing down the bringing down the body temperature. It also helps in blood circulation and prevent dehydration. Eating the right types of foods and drinks are very important for a hot summer season.

It is important to stay healthy and fit in Canada. I will give some suggestions on maintaining a good health in Canada because it can be challenging to find time to stay healthy because of a busy work schedule. Eating a balanced diet, getting enough rest, and doing mild exercises can be helpful in staying healthy.

Firstly, do not buy processed foods and drinks such as juices and soda cans from the grocery stores. Always try to cook healthy foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits, dairy, and meat products. It is easy to buy processed foods because they are tasty and sometimes cheaper than the real foods. But it is very unhealthy and bad for the digestive system. It can cause health problems such as diabetes and weight gain.

Secondly, getting eight hours of sleep every day is good for health. To get a good night's sleep, everyone should set up a fixed schedule on the right time to get to bed. Thirdly, doing exercises such as walking in the park and staying active is good for health. Going to the gym is good for health but if it is time consuming or expensive, doing simple exercises such as yoga at home would be beneficial for most people.

Hence, for keeping a good health in Canada people should consider eating healthy foods, getting good amount of sleep, and keeping an active lifestyle.

I started going to the gym last month. It has been such an amazing experience.

At first, I didn't know how to use the machines, so I felt a little shy. A personal trainer was very friendly and showed me how to warm up. I had to do leg stretches, leg swings, high knees, butt kicks, and walk lunges before using a treadmill. It was important to open and close my hips beforehand. Now I usually go two or three times a week, in the evening after work. I like to run for fifteen minutes, then do exercises for my legs, arms, and back. Altogether it's two hours each time. My favourite is lifting small weights around 50 lbs because I can see my muscles getting stronger and I am gaining strength. I put on some pounds but I look toned.

I also attend my yoga beginner class three times a week. I did poses like camel, dog, snake, It is one hour each time. It improves your flexibility and endurance. Sometimes I go with my friend or my daughter, and we help each other to do the exercises correctly. After hitting the gym, I feel fatigued but also refreshed.

I expect myself to be stronger and healthier, so I will continue going every week. I would not throw in the towel.

Being healthy means taking care of our body and mind. We should eat balanced meals with fruits, vegetables, and protein. For example, eating fruits such as oranges, bananas, apples, eating vegetables such as cabbage, salad, spinach, and eating protein rich foods such as chicken, fish, maize, eggs, yogurt, milk, cheese, and dairy products are helpful to get important nutrients to stay healthy.

Exercises like walking or playing sports helps keep our body strong. Going to gym on a regular basis is helpful for the body. Playing team sports such as football, hockey, basketball, volleyball and handball are not only good for the body but they also help in building team skills. Football is played by many people from all over the world and it is easy to play with other people. In my country Eritrea, many people love to do bicycling.

Bicycles are an important medium of transportation because it is affordable. It is difficult to purchase a car, so people use bicycles for everyday work such as going from one place to another, delivering food and medical supplies. I think bicycles are very good for building physical strength and they are good for exercise also.

Drinking enough water and getting good sleep are also very important. It is important to drink at least two to three litres of water everyday. Water helps to digest food and other things that we eat. It also helps in good blood circulation in the body and maintains a healthy heart. If we drink less water or there is dehydration, it could lead to kidney infections. Getting a good night's sleep is healthy for the mind and the body. Six to eight hours of sleep helps in reducing stress. It reenergizes the body.

When we are healthy, we have more energy, we feel happy, and we can do our daily activities better.

To maintain a healthy liver it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a healthy weight. To eat a balanced diet, eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins. Exercising regularly is important to keep yourself healthy. Also avoid drinking alcohol, drink plenty of water, add nuts and olive oil to your diet.

I have fatty liver and fatty pancreas. I feel my stomach full all the time and I also feel pain. I need to make some changes. I have to exercise because I need to eliminate the fatty-liver. I think it is most difficult for me to avoid eating bread in the morning with coffee and I also need to get in the habit of exercising every day.I am following the instructions of my doctor. It is not easy but I want to feel good.

I'm a 40-year-old woman, and I've lived six of those years as an immigrant in Canada. Honestly, it hasn't been easy adapting to this country; I'm here for the sake of my children's future. If I weren't a mother, I would never have immigrated. But as you well know, you always want to offer the best for your children, regardless of your well-being (a serious mistake).

In these six years, my mental health has been dramatically affected. Many factors have contributed to this. In my case, factors such as lack of language skills, loneliness, lack of friends, not being able to work or study due to the number of children I have (six), financial problems, problems with my partner, etc. But I think the biggest issue that affects many of us mothers are that you know something bad is happening to you and you deny it to yourself, perhaps with the desire not to show any weakness to others, but, above all, to maintain that image of a strong and fighting woman in front of your children. You grew up with the idea that just because you're a mother, you don't have the right to get sick, to fall, to feel defeated and weak, to ask for help when you feel like you can't do any more, because if you feel that way, you're setting a bad example for your children, an example of defeat and weakness.

But, as time goes by, you start to feel like you can't take it anymore, you can't handle your life, that life is getting too big for you, and if you can't handle your own life, you can even less handle the enormous responsibility of raising your children. In my case, I had to feel bad to accept my situation and find a solution.

I also accepted that it's not a bad thing to feel sad or exhausted, that for your good and that of your family, you should ask for help when you feel like you can't take it anymore. And contrary to what I said before, it's good for your children to see you weak. They should see you cry. They should know that Mom suffers too and feels like she can't cope. This is for the simple reason that life is like this for everyone. Life isn't all roses. It has ups and downs, successes and defeats, love and heartbreak, happiness and sadness. Life isn't easy for anyone, and showing your children what it's really like is the best example and the best gift you can give them. In the end, they're the ones who motivate you to keep going and get back up again and again. The perfect life doesn't exist, but the positive attitude you have toward it is what makes everything easier and more bearable.

My advice to all mothers who feel the same way I do is that we are not alone. Many of us share the same feelings, and it's not wrong to feel that way. Just don't stay silent, don't suffer alone. Talk about what you feel and how you feel, ask for help, and you will see how, little by little, your life improves. If you are well, your children will be too, and just as you see and feel yourselves, they see and feel your energy.

My life motto now is, “I am a wonderful woman, but I am not Wonder Woman.”

My motherland and the country I call home, Lebanon, is a small country that you can roam from the south to the north in one day. It is a unique country located in the Middle East. It is special because it has a rich history and a great mix of cultures, religions, and traditions. Lebanon has beautiful landscapes that make it special, with stunning mountains, beaches, and valleys where you can be at the top of the mountains and view the sea, and then be at the beach within minutes to an hour. The Mediterranean Sea on its coast has mesmerizing views, and you can almost hear the waves whisper serenity. The famous snow-capped mountains make great slopes for skiing in winter. Lebanon’s cities, like Beirut, Saida, Nabatiyeh and many more are vibrant with life, full of history, delicious food, and warm, friendly people. In my country, we still stop our cars for strangers to give them a lift on our way, and people like to help each other. The community is close together and people visit each other always. When someone is sick, they make sure to check up on them and give them support. My Lebanon is famous for its delicious cuisine, like hummus, tabbouleh, shawarma and falafel among many other dishes. What makes Lebanon truly special is the welcoming atmosphere for people from all over the world. We have tourists who come from everywhere to visit and we welcome them. You should visit Lebanon soon!

I wanted to tell you a bit about my old neighborhood here in Dharan, Nepal. It is a very peaceful and beautiful place, where I was born and raised which is located in the eastern part of Nepal surrounded by green hills and full of friendly faces.

My neighborhood is close to Bhanu chowk, which is one of busiest and most popular areas in Dharan. Here the streets are wide, clean, with small trees and tall buildings on both roadsides. People are always walking, or riding bicycles and driving scooters.

There are so many small and big shops and restaurants where you can buy vegetables, clothes, and electronics. The local restaurants serve delicious dishes like momo, chow mein, thukpa, chatpate. One of my favorite things to enjoy in the evening is Aalu Nimki at a roadside stall.

One of my favorite places nearby is BPKHIS Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals in Nepal. It offers many facilities including a dental hospital, and various treatment services. Inside the hospital area there is a golf course and large football ground where I used to play with my friends.

There are also several parks and green spaces as well. Depot park is a great place to relax and go for walk in the evening. Families come here to spend time together and kids play while elders sit and chat.

The weather is pleasant most of the year, and from some parts of Dharan, you can even get a glimpse of the beautiful Himalayan range on the clear days. I feel really lucky to lived here it’s a perfect blend of tradition, nature and modern life. If you ever visit Nepal you must come and see it for yourself.

My homeland between two Colombian cities
I was born in Ciénaga-Magdalena, Colombia, but fifteen days later my family moved to Barranquilla. That means my life has been divided between those two places. They are similar but also different at the same time, and they have been shaped to who I am. But in this opportunity, I will focus on Cienaga Magdalena.

But… What do I miss about my homeland?
I really miss the warmth and simplicity of his people. Everybody knows each other there, and it's common to visit someone without any invitation and even you always will be very welcome with open arms. This closer humanity and generosity of the people is the most I really miss about my country.

One of the customs from my homeland
In Ciénaga is the local saying “Where one eat, everybody eat” that's means joins sharing food always as they can, sharing food and company is most important than gift. This reflected a little bit of their lifestyle. These taught me the importance of hospitality and generosity.
Breakfast is the most important food, so they are big! Normally, their breakfast includes fried fish with cooked green banana or yucca roots, or mashed green banana with butter and cheese called ”Cayeye”, Zapote juice with milk or double double coffee.

A magical place of my homeland
Ciénaga is a very special place to me, because it is close to the Caribbean sea. The town with the tropical weather and colorful landscapes gives me calm and relaxing.
But, of course, also I love Barranquilla! This is a big city located one hour away from Cienaga, between Magdalena rivers and the Caribbean Sea. It is very famous for its Carnival which shows their culture and diversity. Its Carnival is the second most important latinoamerican Carnival after Brazil Carnival.
The weather in Barranquilla is warm during the year, about 27 - 38 Degrees, but it is very windy because it is close to the river and sea, especially during December and January.
Growing up between a town and City gives me the best of both worlds: Closer and warmth to the small place and the energy and culture of the big city.

For the end..
Although I live so far from my country, I always keep close to me memories, testers and values of my homeland. Ciénaga y Barranquilla are part of my identity and remind me of the value of family, friends and the community.

My family visited Korea for 3 weeks this July. When we arrived there, it was very hot and humid. Actually, I was afraid about Korea's heat before I went there. Most Koreans in Canada might know about that. Unfortunately, I have no other options except for a summer visit because my daughter is in high school. She doesn't want to be absent from school.

Korea has had 4 seasons in the past. But now spring and autumn are getting shorter because of global warming. During my visit, the air conditioner was operating all day and all night because the lowest temperature was 26 late at night.

I looked for indoor attractions like museums, shopping malls, and towers and we had a great time there. I wanted to visit some traditional or trendy streets, but the heat was so bad that we couldn't walk outside, so I excluded them.

On the other hand, I wasn't bitten by mosquitoes. According to the News, they can't live in the heat. It is the only good thing for this situation.

Despite that, I need to visit Korea again to see my parents and other family members, so I hope this situation gets better.

Hello in my home country, Romania, there is a summer festival called Ziua Ora ului. It happens every year on August 15th in my city of Negresti Oas. They sell traditional food like cabbage rolls and sausage at this celebration. There are many carnival rides that my kids like to go on. There is a concert where different Romanian celebrities sing songs. At the end of the festival, there are fireworks. This festival is very fun to go to.

I am Ukrainian. At the beginning of February 2022, I completed all my documents and was ready to travel to Canada to join my husband. He had already been working there for almost a year and was eagerly waiting for me to come. I was heartbroken to leave my country Ukraine for Canada but at the same time I felt happy by the thought of reuniting with my husband who was already in Canada.

When I packed my things, I only took two sets of warm clothes. I wore one of them on the way because I knew that in the place where my husband worked, the weather was very cold. I also brought gifts for him and for his new friends — things that could not be found in Canada but might be interesting for the locals. I did not take many belongings because I thought my visit would be short. My visa was valid for only six months, and I was planning to return to Ukraine in the summer.

But I could never have imagined that this journey would last more than three and a half years. I arrived in Canada on February 5, 2022, and only nineteen days later the world was shaken by the news: on February 24, Russia attacked Ukraine. The war had begun.

Most Ukrainians could not believe that our neighboring country, with whom we had always maintained friendly relations, could act this way toward us. It felt like living on a street where all the neighbors used to be kind to one another, visiting and sharing, until one day someone decided that your house looked better than their own and simply chose to live in it. And suddenly, you had no home left. Why do some people think they can take away the happiness of others in order to make themselves happy? It is impossible to understand. In Ukraine we have a saying: “You cannot build happiness on someone else’s grief.”

Now, three and a half years later, I am still in Canada. My child was born here, and soon I will welcome another one. I cannot return to my homeland with my children because I fear for their safety. Yet, more than anything, I dream of introducing them to my very elderly grandmother. Russia has taken away from us the possibility of being close to our families and living in our own homes, which so many Ukrainians have lost.

But Canada opened its doors and gave protection to thousands of Ukrainians, helping them to save their lives and the lives of their children. What I thought would be a “short visit” to kind-hearted Canada became my shelter and my home.

We hope that this war will end as soon as possible, but in the meantime, we are deeply grateful to Canada and to all the countries that reached out their helping hands to Ukrainians.

I want to share with you the main sport activity in my country. I am Cameroonian, and in my country, we have the possibility to practise many types of sports. Almost everyone across the world knows that Cameroonians are good soccer players and we are very proud on it. We have won the African Cup of Nations five times and we are the first African nation who attended the quarter-finals of the soccer world cup. Cameroonian soccer players are also in the best teams in the world. For example, Samuel Eto’o has played in Barcelona football club, Milan AC and Real Madrid. Andre Onana is still the goal keeper of Manchester United. The father of Kilian Mbappe is Cameroonian and recently, many genetic analyses are shown that the ancestors of Vinicius Junior were Cameroonian, from Bankim and he spoke Tikar, one of the languages in in the Adamawa region. Finally, I think that Cameroon is a soccer country.

In November, I finally went on my trip back to China after I had lived for almost 5 years in Canada. Because of the outbreak of pandemic in 2020, I couldn’t go back to China to see my mother and other friends and relatives. I was so excited because the world and my life have changed so much. I was anxious because I didn’t know how my home town has changed and I was eager to verify if the second hand information I got over the last 5 years was correct or distorted.

When I stepped out of the Beiing International Airport and saw my friends welcoming me, I couldn’t describe the feeling I had. The first thing that shocked me was the air quality. The air I breathed was full of strange smells. The air was not transparent, but it was milky. I couldn’t see clearly beyond 200 meters. My friends told me that it is because the wind was still that day and the pollution caused by the traffic and other possible sources could not be blown away. In fact the air quality improved a lot in the following days.

I recognized slowly the streets and the surroundings where I lived. It has changed less then I expected. However, under the surface there were some changes I sensed. Chinese are more inverted than before. People are happy with the life and less interested in the outside world. China and the world outside China are like two parallel worlds existing side by side, separated by an unseen glass wall. Everything that people in Canada have, the Chinese have too– the most obvious example is the cyber world. There is Youtube in Canada, and there is Bilibili in China, there is Facebook in Canada and there is Rednote in China, Tiktok in Canada and Douyin in China, Whatsapp in Canada and Weixin in China, Amazon in Canada and Taobao in China.

I enjoyed the convenience of the public transportation in Beijing, one can go every where by subway. There are 29 subway lines with 522 station buildings and almost 900 km total length. Also I was overwhelmed by the cheap and colorful Chinese food. The price of living is very cheap. Housing, groceries, and electricity are much cheaper then in Canada. People have more money for recreation, food, parties and travel. Some of them travel abroad frequently.

I was happy to visit Beijing and hope that I can travel again and again back to China again and again.

When I became a mother for the first time it was a mix of excitement and fear. My husband and I had dreamed of that moment, but when it arrived, I was filled with questions. I kept wondering if I would be a good mother, if I was truly ready for everything that was about to change.

During my pregnancy, one of the hardest parts was watching my body change and I started to feel like I was no longer myself. But there were also deeply beautiful moments, like feeling my baby move for the first time and giving birth was both magical and terrifying—it marked the beginning of a completely new chapter.

The first few days of motherhood were the most difficult. I didn’t know how to breastfeed, I barely slept two hours a night, and I felt physically and mentally exhausted. My body and mind were overwhelmed. But over time, I learned that this chaos was temporary, that you grow into motherhood little by little, and that the love born in that process is what keeps you going.

Now, I’m going through my second pregnancy, and it’s been even more challenging. I’m not just a pregnant woman—I’m a mom to a toddler who needs my constant attention. Some days I have energy to play, run, and be present. But other days, I can barely get out of bed, and the exhaustion feels like too much. I feel guilty for not being able to give more of myself, even though I know I’m doing my best.

Still, there are moments that fill my soul. Seeing how my son already loves and protects his baby brother, even without meeting him yet, is one of the most beautiful parts of this pregnancy. These moments remind me that it’s all worth it.

Motherhood has changed how I see life. It has made me stronger, more empathetic, and more aware of how precious time is as my children grow. It has also taught me to embrace my flaws and to love the new woman I’ve become, even though I still miss parts of who I used to be.

Even with my husband’s support, I often feel emotionally alone. During postpartum and now during this pregnancy, I’ve carried many intense emotions that no one else sees. Some days I explode from exhaustion, and then feel guilty afterward. It’s a hard cycle—but it’s real.

If I could give one piece of advice to a woman about becoming a mother, I’d tell her not to forget herself. Take time to rest, to listen to yourself, to care for your own well-being. A happy mom means a happy baby. And don’t be afraid to ask for help, because postpartum can be incredibly hard, and the loneliness that comes with it can feel overwhelming.

I wish the world understood that real motherhood isn’t perfect. It’s not always smiles, pretty pictures, and magical moments. Sometimes it’s tears, fear, frustration, and losing yourself a little before finding a new version of who you are. Real motherhood needs understanding, empathy, and fewer judgments.

Parents play a fundamental role in the education of their children. This is not just in the first years of life, also during their development. Education is not limited to the classrooms. Education is a continuous process that began in their home. It is for that reason that parents are the first and most enduring educators, who provide their children, values, life lessons and help children build self-esteem and confidence.

One of the reasons that parents are the most enduring educators is that they teach values. First, parents are the first people who transmit their children fundamental values that will guide their behavior during their life. For example, parents instill principles like respect, responsibility, honesty and love. As a result, parents being the first mentors have a great lasting impact that children tend to internalize and apply in their daily life.

Second, the reason that parents are the most enduring educators is that they can provide life lessons. This means that parents can teach their children to adapt to the different circumstances to resolve practical problems. Such as, time management, organizing their daily responsibilities and making decisions in unforeseen situations. That is why these lessons are essential to prepare their children for the challenges that adult life has.

Finally, the reason that parents are the most enduring educators is that they help children build self-esteem and confidence. In other words, parents are the base and the foundation that the kids can feel valuable and capable of facing the world. For instance, when parents provide their children constant support, recognizing their achievements and encouraging them in their failures, parents allow them to build a solid base on their self-esteem and confidence.

Moreover, this self-confidence will allow them to take risks, learn from their mistakes and continue forward with a correct and positive attitude towards challenges. In conclusion, the reason that parents are the most enduring educators is because their parents can help kids with values, life lessons and help children build self-esteem and confidence. All of these reasons have a direct impact in the children's life and help in their personal and professional development throughout their lives.

Playground violence is on the rise. However, it is important for parents to teach their children not to fight back at bullies.

I strongly agree with this opinion. There are three reasons for this.

First, if the victim fights back, the bully may act more aggressively. Depending on the personality of the person, the reaction may be different when something happens, and this may lead to different results. For example, when playground violence occurs, some victims are passive and others act more aggressively. This conclusion may also be different depending on the personality of the perpetrator. Therefore, if a strong personality reacts strongly to the bully, it may lead to more difficult suffering.

Second, it is easier to solve the problem by getting out of the situation first. If children who are still immature become emotional first, it is clearly not a wise solution to the problem, and if the problem grows, it can become trauma. For example, once you get out of that situation and both parties have calmed down, you should let them know that you can resolve it through conversation, and if that doesn't work, you can get help from other adults like your parents or teachers. There are many more ways to wisely solve the problem.

Lastly, victims are more likely to become perpetrators. Most perpetrators have been victims themselves. I've seen on the news and in newspapers that many students have been exposed to domestic violence or most forms of violence, even if it's not school violence. I think it's important to educate children not to fight back and avoid such situations.

In conclusion, the most important first step in preventing violence is to prevent them from experiencing it. Parents should help their children avoid trauma caused by playground violence by providing education to escape the situation. Only then can we reduce the number of situations where violence leads to violence. Parents' education is essential so that children can grow up in a good environment.

In my opinion, a good age for a child to have a cell phone is 13 years old. First of all, most children start going to school alone or with friends at this age, so they need a phone to call their parents. They need a phone to let their parents know that they have arrived at school and at home safely. Also, if there is a problem or some danger, they can call for help. Second, they can use the phone to do homework and learn new things. They can do research for homework assignments using Google. For example, they can watch YouTube to learn how to cook or play an instrument. Third, they are old enough to understand the rules and use the phone responsibly. By 13 years old, children are more mature. That is why I think 13 is the best age for a child to get a cell phone.

My name is Fan and I am going to teach you how to make my special dumplings.

First, prepare 500 grams flour and 200 grams warm water, mix them well them together and let this stand for a few hours.

Second, prepare the fillings: minced pork, grated ginger, shrimp, soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, salt, mix and knead them together.

Next, prepare the dumpling mat and dumpling stick to do this, put the prepared dough on the mat, knead the dough, cut a piece with a knife, roll a round thin skin with the dumpling stick, put in the filling. Then you can close up the dumplings.

Then, boil 3 liters of water. Put a little salt into water and a little oil water. Put the dumplings into the water when the temperatre is 70 degrees. Boil for a few minutes and then add a bowl of cold water. Continue to boil for a few more minutes, then take out the dumplings.

Finally, you can eat the dumplings, Enjoy!!

I absolutely love spicy food, and I can’t live without it. In Korea, using hot peppers in dishes is very common, so I naturally grew up eating spicy foods like tteokbokki, kimchi, and spicy ramen. It sometimes makes me sweat or even hurts a little. but I still love and enjoy spicy food. There are several reasons why I love spicy food. First, it helps me relieve stress. When I’m really stressed, I start craving spicy food. And after eating it, I actually feel much better. Second, believe or not, I think spicy food has an antioxidant effect. It feels like it cleans me out from the inside. Last, spicy food makes me feel more alive. When I am bored, sleepy, or lazy, it gives me a turning point in my day. It wakes me up and gets me out of my laziness. To sum up, spicy food gives me both comfort and energy, so it’s essential in my life. Even though too much spice might not be good for my health, I just can’t give it up.

Today, I would like to share with you my recipe for Alfredo Pasta. I cook it when I am feeling sad and it makes me happy!!! It may not be perfect but I like to make it this way:

Ingredients:

1. Pasta
2. Salt to taste
3. Butter – one spoon
4. Garlic – 4 cloves
5. Heavy cream – 1 cup
6. Parmesan cheese – ½ cup
7. Pepper – ¼ spoon
8. Cooked chicken or vegetables- 1 cube of chicken or 1 cup vegetables
9. Mushrooms – 1 cup

To make Alfredo pasta, first boil a large pot of water. Add some salt to the water. Then, put the pasta in and cook it for about 8 to 10 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, melt some butter in a pan. Add a little chopped garlic and cook it for one minute. Next, pour in some heavy cream and stir it well. Let it cook for a few minutes until it becomes thick. Add grated Parmesan cheese and mix until the cheese melts. You can also add a little salt and black pepper for more taste. When the pasta is soft, drain the water. Put the pasta into the pan with the sauce. Mix the pasta and sauce together. You can also add cooked chicken or vegetables if you like. Cook for two more minutes. Turn off the heat. Now your Alfredo pasta is ready to eat.

Enjoy your meal!

This is my Sponge Cake recipe that is good with coffee, tea, or as a snack. It is best to use a mixer or blender instead of beating it by hand.

This recipe was originally my aunt’s, who showed me in 2013. However, I added my own changes, like milk instead of orange juice, 4 eggs instead of 3, and I added vanilla extract.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• ¾ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Half a lemon’s zest
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions:
Preheat the oven for 10 minutes. Beat the eggs and sugar until they turn into a whitish, bubbly mixture. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Then slowly add the milk and oil. Mix well. Sieve the cups of flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together. Add them to the mixture. Pour the mixture into a pan with parchment paper. Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden.

Brief history/story about it:
Vietnamese sandwiches, or Banh mi, are a popular Vietnamese street food. In fact, "banh mi" was named one of the top 10 best street foods in the world by TasteAtlas in 2023.

Ingredients/Measurements:

• 100g cooked pork, chicken or beef (thinly sliced)
• Ham
• 1 egg (optional, fried)
• 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Baguette or sandwich roll
• Mayonnaise, butter, chilli sauce, soy sauce

Directions:

1. Prepare vegetables: julienne carrot, slice cucumber, and wash cilantro.
2. Cook meat (if needed): Grill or pan-fry sliced meat until fully cooked.
3. Prepare egg (optional), fry
4. Slice bread: Cut the baguette lengthwise
5. Assemble sandwich: Spread mayonnaise or butter, patte inside bread. Layer meat, egg, ham, vegetables and cilantro. Add chilli sauce and soy sauce if you like.

You can change the meats and vegetables to your favourite.

Servings:
Makes 1 serving

Cooking tools

• A knife
• A grater
• A pot
• A pan
• An oven
• A bowl
• A spatula

Ingredients list

• 2 cups of Marjan basmati rice
• 500 ml of water
• 100 g of raisins
• 2 whole carrots
• 1 white onion
• 500 mg of lamb shank
• ½ cup of corn oil
• 3 tbsp of salt
• 1 tbsp Qabuli pulao spices rice

Preparations

1. add rice + water
2. grater + julienne the carrots
3. chop the onion

Cooking instructions

First, fry the chopped onion in oil until it becomes golden. Then add the lamb meat.
After that, add 1 tbsp Qabuli pulao spices and then add 3 cups of water. Cook for 30 minutes. In the second stage, add the rice to the prepared ingredients. After that, place the pot on the stove over medium heat until the rice is cooked and the water becomes dry.
Third stage, add the raisin and julienned carrots on top of the rice. Then cover the pot and cook for 1 hour on low heat. After 1 hour, our qabuli pulao is ready. Finally, we will eat our delicious food.

The “ceviche de camaron” it’s a typical dish of Ecuador, it’s very easy to prepare, it’s delicious, fresh and ideal for any occasion. In some parts of Ecuador, the recipe changes a little but the flavor is similar.

Ingredients:

• Whole shrimps - 200 g.
• Onion - 1 pc.
• Tomato - 1 pc.
• Green pepper - 1 pc.
• Cilantro - 5 g.
• Lemon - 5 pcs.

Instructions:

• Cook the shrimps in hot water for around three minutes (save the water for later).
• Chop the onion, tomato and green pepper in thin strips.
• Get out the juice of 5 lemons and mix with the vegetables.
• Chop the cilantro and add the mix together with the shrimps.
• Complete the mix with the water of shrimp (this is the secret).
• Salt and pepper to taste.

You can eat it with fried plantain, mustard, and ketchup.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of yogurt
• 2 cups of water
• 4 small onions
• 2 green chilies (you can increase the spice level by increasing the number of green chilies)
• 1 small piece of ginger.
• a few curry leaves.

Cooking instructions

• Put onions and green chilies, some curry leaves and small piece of ginger into a small food processor (using a motor and pestle if available, will be better). Chop them into coarse pieces. Make sure it does not turn into a paste.
• Take yogurt in a bowl and add 2 cups of water into that. Stir well. Then add the chopped mixture and mix well. Add enough amount of salt according to taste.

Now it's ready to drink. It is a healthy drink, especially during the summer season.

This is my Pakistani dish, it's chicken and corn soup. All the ingredients and cooking equipment is listed down below. This is a very delicious dish and everyone must try it.

Cooking tools:

• a stove
• a pressure cooker
• a spoon
• a knife
• cutting board

Cooking instructions:

1. Add water to the pressure cooker, then boil the water.
2. Once the water has boiled, cut the chicken into small pieces, and then add to the boiled water.
3. Wait for 15 minutes after adding the chicken.
4. After the chicken is added, add corn, black pepper, garlic cloves, garlic paste, salt, and ginger paste.
5. Mix all ingredients, and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
6. After you finish cooking, taste the final product.
7. Add extra salt and pepper if needed.

In autumn, In Canada, the scenery is amazing with red, orange, and yellow leaves falling softly. Last Sunday, we spent a wonderful day at Lamy Park in Gatineau, near Ottawa.

My husband and I enjoyed the beautiful weather with our children, playing and having fun together.

We prepared a delicious barbecue and shared a nice picnic on the grass. The sun was shining, and a gentle breeze made the day even more pleasant.

It was a simple day, but full of happiness and great family memories.

My favourite season is autumn because I like how it’s not too cold or hot. I also love the colors of the leaves that fall from the trees in autumn. I like to go out to the park for a nice walk to enjoy the nice cool breeze and sometimes pick apples with the kids. In my home country it is usually summer all year long. Winter and autumn are the same and mostly rainy and windy.

Spring is my favourite season. When the weather starts to get warmer, we can take off thick clothes and go outside to play. The days are getting longer and longer. The grass and trees turn green, and the flowers bloom. Everything is full of vitality.

I am from the South of Vietnam. My hometown only has two seasons: wet and dry. Therefore, when I came to Canada, I really loved 4 seasons here, especially the fall. The feeling of sitting on the sofa and watching the leaves change from green to yellow and red is very wonderful. I once read that the authors usually compare fall to the season of love. I think they compare it that way because the fall scenery is so beautiful and romantic. I am always eager to wait for fall every year. I will bike along the trail with my son; he collects a lot of yellow leaves to press into his notebook. On the weekend, my family go hiking to the peak of hill, we spend all day in the park talking and sightseeing. One important thing that we always do in the Fall is take a family picture. I want to store the fall scenery. I always wish fall would be longer because I do not like winter.

Nowadays, many people are afraid of becoming old. They turn anxious or angry if you tell them they look older. That is how I used to feel before. One day, during a face to face conversation with myself, I realised that I am becoming a mature person. I found that being older is not a bad thing. Instead, you become mature and you really know what is good or not for your life. For my case, I take a breath before reacting in front of difficulties, I decide on what I want or don't want in my life.

I realized that day that I am on my way to be the master of my life and that is what I recommend to everybody. Don't let people decide on what you will do. You have to live, not survive. Your point of view matters. A small Yes or No that you say today can contribute to build the marvelous person you want to be in the future. Love yourself, be your priority, be happy and don't forget to live.

Stop stressing about the age you are taking, enjoy the moment and the life you are having.

My personal goals for the next two years, the first is to find a good job. The second is to speak English fluently because I want to enter university. I will study hard to reach my goal. My goals are important to me to live a good life. Definitely, I will feel good.

My name is Moise. My family and I came to Canada through the Refugee Resettlement Program to build a better and safer future. Starting a new life in a different country was not easy! Everything was new: the weather, the culture, and especially the language! But we are so thankful to be in this beautiful nation and have the chance to start over. I am now taking English classes with LINC Home Study, which is helping me improve my language skills and adjust to life in Canada. Back home, I worked in construction for many years, and I gained hand-on experience in concrete work, masonry, carpentry, and painting. I am very interested in continuing my career here by finding an apprenticeship and learn more about Canadian building practice. Life as a newcomer has its challenges, but I stay hopeful. I am so thankful to everyone who supported me along the way, including the Canadian government and the many programs that help newcomers. With hard work and support, I believe I can achieve my goals and create a better future for my family and for this country at large.

Would you like to know why I moved to Canada? It was because of my friend. She highly recommended that living in Toronto is awesome so I decided to move. The first thing that I did was to apply for a working holiday visa right away. However, at the time, I couldn’t speak even one word in English, but I was excited to go to Toronto. Then, I collected money and studied English for a year. After 6 I learnt English language a little. Therefore, I flew for Canada. When I first arrived in Toronto, it seemed quite peaceful and free. It was so difficult to live without any family support but I didn’t want to go back to Korea. To sum up, It’s already been 6 years living here and everything has improved compared to the beginning. Living alone sometimes makes me depressed, but I have some friends who feel more like a family and I feel Canada is my home more than Korea eve though I have many goals to achieve.

My name is Luis Felipe. I am 38 years old. I am from Brazil, and I have lived in Canada since October 2019.

I grew up in Sao Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil. I started my first job in 2005 in production manufacturing, which awakened my interest in Quality Assurance in 2010 when the company offered me a job in the Department of Quality and some courses in Quality Assurance.

In 2011, I started taking college courses in Quality Management. With this knowledge, I worked in the Automotive and Food segments as a Quality Inspector, Quality Assistant, and Quality Control Technician.

Here In Canada, I worked at Toyota Boshoku for three and a half years as an end of line Weld Inspector and team leader in Quality Control Weld. I also worked at Cargill in General Labour, Shipping and Receiving, and as an Hourly Trainer. Actually, I work at ADJ Industries in London, QA Inspector II.

I have chosen Fanshawe College because I have good references from my wife and friends after completing the course. The company gives more opportunities for people who study in Canada. I decided to enroll in the course “Communication for Quality Assurance” to see if I can improve my understanding because my English is not very good when I need to write. This is a challenge I would like to take on this year. After completing the course, I will think more about a direction for my career in Quality in Canada. If I study here, I have more chances to find work beyond Quality Inspection. I feel I can grow more professionally.

Last year, I discovered more hobbies working on my home on projects by myself well as working out and running. These activities help me relax.

I'm Lorena, a 40-year-old Colombian woman. I arrived in Canada with my husband and children six years ago, hoping to offer them a better life. At the time, we had four children, ages 18, 11, 6, and 4. We arrived with four suitcases and $2,000, which we knew wouldn't last long. My English skills were very basic, and I knew I wouldn't be able to pursue my profession without a Canadian certificate. Like every beginning, it wasn't easy.

Initially, we arrived at a shelter, where we were warmly welcomed. We had a roof over our heads and food, and with the help of our social worker, we got some clothes and bus tickets to get around. My husband and I applied for a work permit, and the response was quick, but not very good news. My husband's permit was denied because, during routine medical examinations, they found something in his right lung that caught their attention and needed further study. They thought he had tuberculosis, but it was a result of a car accident he had been in many years before. Those medical examinations lasted seven months. He was unable to work during those seven months, but he did study English. Regarding my work permit, it was also denied because during medical tests, we learned I was pregnant again, and our fifth child was on the way. Our entire outlook seemed so bleak; nothing we had planned was going as expected. After seven months of waiting, my husband finally obtained his work permit, started working in his profession, and found a house to live in.

Just when we were starting to see things more clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and everything came to a standstill for us and the world in general.

After months of confinement, with a newborn at home, trying to decipher my children's online classes without knowing English, and filled with fears of contracting COVID, little by little everything returned to normal. I was able to start studying English, my husband's job was improving, and he began to get more and more promotions. My children were adapting positively to this country. Learning English was a snap for them. My oldest son managed to finish high school and get into college and get a good job. Little by little, we were acquiring our own material possessions, and we began to feel like we were already part of this country.

At this point, without realizing it, six years had passed. Six years of difficult moments, frustrations, happiness, sadness, and joy, moments where we asked ourselves a thousand times if the decision, we made to emigrate was the best one or if, had we had the opportunity, we would have returned to our country of origin. We've felt thousands of emotions; every day is a roller coaster of emotions, but in the end, we look at the results we've achieved and those we still have to achieve, and we come to the conclusion that we weren't wrong. For us, as the first generation to emigrate, everything will always be more difficult, but for our children and our future generations, everything will be easier, of course, if they set their minds to it and strive for it. This is a great country, offering many growth opportunities, but it's all up to you if you want to achieve.

I arrived in Canada for the first time in late November. The cold night air hit me the second I walked out of the airport and it took my breath away. Because my wife’s house was far from the airport, we stayed in Toronto for my first night in Canada.

My wife thought I would enjoy the Keg restaurant for my first dinner in Canada. It was amazing. They brought me a free dessert to welcome me. We had breakfast the next morning at the famous Wally's Grill in Etobicoke before making the long trek to our home in Muskoka. Even though it felt like winter, I thought the drive was beautiful. When we got to our house, I had to pinch myself. I still can't believe I live in such a beautiful place. I had a job waiting for me, so I have been working full-time since arriving in Canada. I also make Jamaican Jerk Sauce that I sell in local stores and farmers markets. I'm known in Muskoka as the Sauce Boss.

I love everything about Canada. As they say here, I am living the dream.

On the LINC Home Study website, there is a section called Canada. I really enjoyed reading the stories there. They are written by people who moved to Canada from different countries, just like me. These stories helped me understand more about life in Canada.

One story was from a woman named Chih-Chien. She came from Taiwan and moved to a city called Sudbury in Ontario. At first, life was hard for her because she didn’t know many people. But she said learning English and making Canadian friends helped her feel happy and included. I felt connected to her story because I’m also learning English and trying to meet new people.

Another story was written by Ratana from Cambodia. She talked about how everything felt new and different when she came to Canada. She didn’t speak much English and felt a bit lonely. But she took English classes and slowly felt better. Her story made me feel hopeful because I am also going through the same things.

Reading these stories made me feel like I am not alone. Many people go through the same challenges when they move to Canada. These stories gave me ideas and courage to keep trying and to enjoy my new life here.

This is an article about community in Canada, specially for newcomers. Community in Canada is not what we have in the mind.

Many newcomers upon arrival in Canada look for the people who come from the same countries or from the same continent. They look for their family members or relatives to stay together. According to my research, this is how newcomers behave.

But let me tell you something: in Canada, we have to date someone else, communicate with other people who are not from our country or are not our family members, and discover how life is in Canada. We shouldn’t waste too much time to build our own life in Canada, like professional life, social life in a very new environment, and family life in another context.

When we stay only with the person who come from the same place as us, we are not growing. We still do the same things as in the past, and we are not learning about the culture of the new country. While doing this, we are failing our integration.

We have to deal with native Canadians, learn about their culture and manners and about their rules, and so on.

My name is Elizabeth. I am from Ethiopia. In my life, I have dreamed of moving to Canada. After 4 years, I got a visa with my son. Then, we came here. Our Canadian dream came true; then, I saw how many opportunities I have in Canada. And I am so happy. We have schools and work. My son got into school, and he got work, too. I got into online classes. But, the hardest thing for me is finding a job. My son got a job only after a month but for me, it was a different story. It took me a while to find a job, but at the same time I’m not complaining because finding a job at the present time is so hard for many people, but I am still grateful. I’m so happy I came to Canada. It is a nice country and I’m starting to fall in love with the place. My one difficulty is now speaking English. Hopefully, I will be fluent one day.

My name is Saba. I’m from Eritrea, East Africa. I came to Canada in in 2021. I was living in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

When I was a newcomer, it was very difficult for me to find a job, because my English was not very good. My brothers with me, they helped me out. I learned about OFE -Opportunities for Employment. I registered with them and they helped me find part-time job. After that I found full-time job. I worked for 3 months.

Then we moved to Guelph, Ontario. I am living in Guelph for 2 years now. Now I’m working for Leamor Company as a machine operator.

I’m slowly learning different rules of working in Canada. I have made new friends at work and I will soon make progress.

I’m enjoying my work. My first step towards settling in Canada.

I came to Canada in summer. I was surprised when it stayed light outside until 9pm. In my country, it got dark early, before six; we used to say “good night” after 12 noon rather than “good afternoon.” I loved the long sunny days in Ottawa. People were outside playing and talking late. Those long summer days made me feel like I had more time to discover my new home. It felt happy and full of life.

Then winter came. The first time I saw snow, I was amazed. But the cold shocked me. My hands hurt without gloves. I slipped on ice many times. I remember once how I struggled to stay upright, in front of many people. A gentleman walked up to me and asked if I was doing Kung Fu. At 4pm, it was already dark. I missed the warm sun.

Now, I understand both seasons. Summer gives us light and fun. Winter teaches us to be tough. I'm proud I survived my first Canadian winter. Each year, I learn to love both the sunshine and the snow. That's what makes Canada special.

I am married, and I have two daughters. My wife and my daughters came to Canada in 2018. In 2022, I moved to Canada after three years of waiting for my sponsorship documents. The process took a long time and I stayed away from my family waiting to reunite with them, but finally I got the visa and was able to be with them. It’s difficult to obtain residency in Canada, but it's the best country to live, work, and build a future with your family. When I arrived, nothing was easy. At first, there was a lot of snow, but the warmth of my family and my insistence on building a future with them in Canada made it easy. The government helped me find a job and also helped me take English classes. At work, it wasn't easy because I didn't know how to speak English, but little by little, I improved my language skills, and there I began to enjoy my job, integrate into social life, and make friends in Canada. I also decided, after a year, to own my own house. The bank gave me a mortgage and I succeeded. Thank God! I'm fulfilling a great dream thanks to the opportunity Canada gave me. I will soon go to the government office to do my citizenship paperwork. The great opportunity in Canada is for my children to be able to study what they like and work in it in the future. Canada is a country where there are many opportunities for everyone.

I came to Canada in December 2021. I first landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia and then I moved to Toronto, Ontario and started living here till now. First it was very difficult for me to live here in Canada. Then step by step I got used to live like a Canadian guy. First steps of living in a new country has its own problems and difficulties. Like I didn’t know how to use the transportation, how to do the shopping, how to behave with foreigners, how to communicate with people. But now as time passed everything is getting better.

I lived in Korea before I came to Canada. A long time ago, I had a friend in middle school. After 18 years, we met again in Korea. She had moved to Canada, but she came back to Korea and we met again. We wrote letters to each other for over 10 years. There was no internet or cell phones back then.

We promised to get married. We had a wedding in Korea and another one in Canada. Now, we have three lovely children.

When I was young, I played soccer for 10 years. Then I went to the army. After that, I became a soldier for 10 years. One day, I hurt my knee and had to leave the army.

Then I learned how to make coffee and opened a coffee shop. Three years later, I met my wife again.

When I first came to Canada, I felt happy and excited. Everything was new. I traveled around and saw many places. But I could not speak English well, so I was worried. My wife helped me, but I didn’t want to depend on her forever.

I was busy with work and taking care of our children, so I didn’t have much time to study English. But then I got a job at a Canadian company. I started to speak more English at work. My English got better little by little.

Later, I tried to get a job at Air Canada. I had an interview and passed the tests. I finally got the job!

Even now, my English is not perfect. Sometimes I don’t understand everything people say. But I keep trying and I want to speak better one day.

Sometimes I think life in Korea might be easier for me. But I live in Canada for my wife and children. I want to get used to life in Canada and be happy here with my family.

We arrived in Canada on January 20th, 2025, 5 months ago. I remember that date, the weather was very cold, the temperature was -20ºC and windy. Canadian weather is crazy!

My children went to the Toronto Pearson airport to pick us up. Actually, I live in downtown Toronto, I am learning English, and I am looking for a job too.

I came from Nepal, a beautiful country in the mountains. Moving to Canada was big chance in my life. To me Canada means new opportunities, safety and a fresh start. It is a peaceful country where people are respected no matter where they come from.

In Canada, I feel free to express myself and follow my dreams. I am thankful for the good education, health, care and support that help me and my family grow. Even though I miss Nepal, Canada has become my second home. The people are kind the nature is beautiful and I feel proud to live here.

My name is Taylo, I was born in Ivory Coast on April 10th, in 1999. I lived in my country all of my life before we came to Canada. In my own family, there are 4 of us: my husband, my little girls and me. In my family of origin, I’m the first born of 3 children. I have one little sister and one little brother.

After 13 years of study, I got a bachelor’s in computer science. I met my husband at the end of my diploma. He worked at the company where I did my internship.

I worked as a mobile developer for 3 years before we came to Canada. Why the choose of Canada? It’s simple. I was given more opportunities here like education and accessibility to more programs for my children. I have 2 little girls aged 2 y/o. They are twins. Following our immigration, we obtained permanent resident status.

I’m working as a sales manager and teacher in a new company named Algorthmics Dieppe and I’m living in a beautiful and comfortable apartment. For the moment, we appreciate living in Dieppe It’s a passible city.

In the future, I would like to work as a project manager, buy a car, start my own business and maybe we can buy a house.

Nowadays social media is everywhere. We use them to find friends and communicate, for entertainment and for business and for relaxing and relationships.

As technology is everywhere and it became a part of our life and a part of our children‘s lives as well. They use the phones even more than adults, they communicate using different apps and websites, they create the communities and virtual bands. Some people and researchers say that there are different kinds of benefits using the Internet for communication and youth can communicate virtually but unfortunately it very often leads to the unpredictable results.

As an active Internet user I see a lot of hate and harassment in the virtual society and on the Internet platforms.

Youth and teens are very vulnerable and they can't expect hard judgment of friends or classmates or even foreign people when they publish anything on the Internet or even just leave a comment.

Recently I watched the series on Netflix about harassment in school in the UK and the consequences of using social networks by teenagers in middle and high school.

To be honest I have no idea how to prevent this type of behavior between the children as nowadays it has become a virtual bullying and harassment.

I have lived in a beautiful city since I was 13 years old, named Medellin. The city is better known as The City of Eternal Spring; this is because it has a pleasant climate of around 22 degrees Celsius or 72F generally all year round. Medellin has one of the best climates of Colombia. It's a modern, clean, and safe city, located in a valley. It's surrounded by mountains. In this city you can find a diverse variety of trees and flowers, accompanied by a fascinating blue sky. "Paisas," as the people of Medellin are known, are very cheerful and hospitable, eager to make foreigners stay a pleasant experience. The city has a wide variety of restaurants to visit, and the food is delicious; the fruits and vegetables are always fresh and of high quality. Medellin is a beautiful and welcoming city that inspires me to dream every time I visit.

Last summer, my family and I traveled to Egypt to visit our families. We stayed for a month. I had a great time with my family and friends. The trip to Egypt was 12 hours by air, and another 12 hours back to Canada. We spent a quality time with our family and friends. We traveled to the coastal city of Sharm El Sheikh. It's one of the most beautiful coastal cities. It was my daughter’s first time in Egypt, and she had a wonderful time. We went out and visited a lot places, ate out, and had family gatherings. It was great to see our families after being away for a year. It was really a refreshing and relaxing holiday, and I'm looking forward to our next visit.

My name is Denys, and I am a documentary filmmaker here in Canada, and I am delighted to walk you through what a day looks like in my life as a filmmaker. It is not as glamorous as you think.

I usually wake up early — around 6:30 in the morning. First thing, I drink coffee and watch the news. Sometimes I write down ideas in my notebook — just in case a new topic for a film comes to my mind. Then I go for a run. It helps me think better.

By around 9 a.m., I am already at work. I own a small studio filled with cameras, cables, books, and a big computer. Sometimes I spend the whole morning editing videos. Other times, I have meetings with people to plan upcoming shoots. I have a big whiteboard on the wall with everything written down: who I am filming, where, when, and how long it will take.

Today, for example, I went to a small town to film a man who used to work in a mine. I want to share this man’s story because it is ’s meaningful and emotional. It took about three hours to drive there. On the way, I listened to music or podcasts and reviewed my interview questions.

Usually, when I arrive at the shoot, I take my time. I do not rush. I talk to the person calmly, listen carefully, and then start filming. I really respect the people I film. I know that in documentary films, the most important thing is the truth.

After filming, I drive back home. Then, even if I am tired, I start uploading the footage and making notes. Sometimes I work late into the night.

I think this job is hard, but it is also very interesting. I do not just make films — I tell real stories and people get to understand the lives of others and see the world in a different way.

I moved to Canada with my family one year ago. At first, I tried to find work in my career as an architect and a builder, but I faced a big obstacle. I realized that proficiency in English is crucial to find work, even though we live in a bilingual province.

Fortunately, I found a job as an early childhood educator for a francophone daycare. It was a wonderful experience, but I am still motivated to be a construction worker. I surpass my challenge with English by enrolling in an online course to study it and I studied English while working at the daycare.

After few months I discovered a course in my field of study at an English-language university. Even though studies were entirely in English I signed up anyway to get a Canadian diploma, which I thought will improve my chances of getting work in my field of study. I had to pass an English test before I could be accepted, and finally passed on my third try, which was a really important achievement for me!

Now I have started my program from September 2st. I am completely emerged in the English language environment. Every moment is an opportunity to improve my English proficiency for me, but the best part is coming. Now my major challenge now is to perform well in my studies.

I have not yet reached my goal of working in construction and architecture, but I am already on the way. I made a big step, and I will keep on trying. I am certain that if we try, then we finally succeed.

I am going to open a restaurant with my friend. I am going to need many things to fill my space. To begin with, I will buy equipment that is a good brand such as a fridge, fryer, Shawarma machine and I will set up a line of gas and also we will have nice decorations. I found a good area that is in the middle of downtown Abbotsford BC. So I hired a company to start building everything related to the restaurant.

The important thing is that we have a good hood suppression system above the ovens. We will have to pass the safety inspections in order to open the restaurant. The restaurant needs people to run a business. We need one cashier and two workers in the kitchen and one waiter to serve food to customers at the tables.

There will be a small office where we can have meetings and do paperwork and also receive calls for whoever orders food. Our motto will be discipline, respect for the customer and delicious fresh food. I hope my goals are achieved because I am working hard to get there. In addition, for the people who would like to open food restaurants, you should think and make your decisions carefully because it is a beautiful business. I have seen it happen in Canada.

Years ago, I worked as the chauffeur of the Ambassador of Iraq. When I started working at the embassy, I used to wake up at 6 a.m., full of energy. My shift started at 9 a.m., but I used to go around 7 a.m.,so that I could have breakfast with my coworkers. My workday ended at 3 p.m., but many of us stayed until 6 p.m. just to joke around and spend time together.

I loved my job. I met many people at the embassy, including important people. I used to drive fancy cars, brand new cars, a Toyota, a Mercedes, and a Chevrolet. There were four drivers, but the ambassador and his family chose me because we shared the same Iraqi accent. They treated me like family and trusted me. Sometimes, they even took me on week- long vacations with them. They loved me and loved how I used to take took care of their cars: I cleaned them very carefully every day, kept them clean and made sure they smell good.I worked there until 2017, when I told them I was relocating. They were upset to see me go because we were close.

When I moved to Canada, things were different. I didn’t know English and answered questions in Spanish instead. I began working as an Uber driver, and I felt happy when passengers spoke Spanish, they were surprised to see how I was an Arab and spoke Spanish. Over time, I learned English and continued to enjoy driving.

Being an Uber driver is the job for me. I can choose my own hours, I don't have a boss, and I always keep my car clean and smelling fresh. Passengers often tell me on how clean it is. I’ve been driving for Uber since 2017, and with over 20 years of driving experience, I think I will always love driving.

That’s my story from the Embassy of Iraq to Uber.

My name is Karen. I am from Nicaragua. I studied architecture at the National University of Engineering of Nicaragua. From a very young age, my parents noticed my talent and passion for construction. My grandfather owned a construction company and whenever I could accompany him on projects. I enjoyed it so much. I loved playing with wooden blocks and building houses of foam.

In my fourth year of studies, I began an internship as an assistant engineer for a construction company. They saw my passion and dedication, and they hired me. From the beginning, I met incredible people who taught me a lot, from the bosses to the workers (carpenters, bricklayers, etc.). This motivated me more. It was more difficult to study and work at the same time, but my desire to grow and learn was much greater. Maybe I missed out on time with my friends like any college student, but I felt happy creating steps for my future. I worked for 12 years as an architect before immigrating to Canada.

I came to Canada in 2018. I was in Toronto for 1 year and I worked with a Nicaraguan engineer who did renovation projects. It was good for me because I didn’t speak English at all. Then, we moved to Saskatchewan for 2 years, and finally we moved to Pembroke in 2021. I helped my husband and his brother start up an Amazon delivery business, but didn’t have the opportunity to work in my field.

Since I moved to Canada, I began studying English part-time. I went to school in Toronto. Then when I moved to Birch Hills, SK, they only offered English classes twice a week for a couple of hours. I got a job at a supermarket, which helped me a lot to practice my little bit of English. Then, with the birth of my son, I was able to get an online English program, which I feel has helped me a lot. I've had incredible teachers who have always supported me in my learning and growth.

My English has improved slowly but steadily due to the reality of life. I've lived in small places where I couldn't study intensively, and I had to work. I think everything has come together to be able to practice and learn both with a teacher.

At some points in my life, I thought I'd never be able to work in my profession again, that I had to come up with a plan B. I figured out how to go to college and find something I liked. I thought I had to have a degree in Canada to be able to work professionally, but I was so wrong.

An angel (my teacher) always told me that wasn't the case, that I was wrong. She always insisted in my classes on looking for information about jobs based on my profession, courses, etc., and little by little, she changed my perspective. I managed to start studying for a design program that could open the doors to work in my field. And without even finishing my course, I managed to get a job in my profession. You can't imagine how happy I am to know that I can contribute to this country that has opened its arms to me in something I'm passionate about. This is just the beginning. I would love to continue studying in the free programs offered by universities.

My work experience has strengthened my respect for Canada and the Canadian people.

When I was looking for a job, I didn't speak English well. However, they accepted me and said they would help me learn faster by practicing speaking with them. Indeed, my colleagues and manager were always by my side as I became stronger in English.

Now I know the names of all the products in the store, I know how to present the right product to a customer, and I can better explain how to use it. I have gained the trust of my manager and friends, and now I feel completely comfortable, unlike my first days at work.

There are also government programs that support people who do not speak English to find work by paying their wages to the employing company for three months. Of course, this is a very appreciated position because I have many friends in different countries who do not have such programs in the countries in which they reside.

What is also special about working in Canada is that no one can exploit you in any way, as is the case in some other countries. Here, the labour board is ready to support any worker and is prepared to give him the necessary information to know his legal rights, which protects the worker from exploitation.