Vancouver Immigrant Youth (VANITY) Blog

What Can Trudeau Do For Us?

2016-01-30T15:17:00.000-08:00

On November 4 of 2015, Justin Trudeau of the Liberal Party of Canada assumed office as the country’s Prime Minister. Indeed, there was a mixture of reactions into it especially if you’re not a supporter of the liberal party or their ideology. Anyhow, as much as I hate doing the “us and them” mentality, I will talk about what some of us have in mind with respect to having a new Prime Minister: What can Justin Trudeau do for us youth immigrants.

As I scroll on the liberal party’s website (www.liberal.ca/realchange/) for their platform, I thought that Trudeau is pretty much aiming for equality. That’s actually good news for us because now we can be sure that equality and fairness is not only one of the priorities of the government but it is being valued as well. I also saw a handful of things that I think will have some impact on us (in a good way, of course).

Prime Minister’s Youth Advisory Council

First, on “young people”, Trudeau’s government is planning on creating a council that will give a “non-partisan advice” to the Prime Minister about issues Canada is facing. The council is going to be composed of young adults ages 16-24.

What this means for us

If Trudeau actually goes forward with this, this could be good news for not just us, immigrants, but to all youth. Indeed there are already a lot of group or initiatives that are consist of youth such as us, but a group or rather a council dedicated to giving advice to the Prime Minister is pretty big deal. Imagine if one of those members in the council is an immigrant like us, we will have that opportunity to give advice to the prime minister on issues that involve us. I just think that advice coming from the people who are actually going to be impacted by such issues are the best people to get an opinion from.

Renewed Youth Employment Strategy

Trudeau’s government plan on creating 40,000 youth jobs including 5,000 youth green jobs each year for the next three years.

What this means for us

Well, this means jobs! I know it may not be particularly hard for us to obtain a part time job, but what mostly draws me to this plan of Trudeau is the “green jobs”. It may not be that related to immigration issues, but I think that this is a good starting place for us to build connections and with people who share our interests. Moreover, it’s not as easy to get a job that concerns the environment as most of these jobs often involve the agencies of the government and government jobs.

Residency Time credit for International Students and Temporary Residents

Finally, Justin Trudeau plans on restoring the residency time credit for international students and temporary residents. Additionally, they will also the Canadian Experience Class to lessen immigration difficulties faced by international students.

What this means for us

I think this a great example of how Justin Trudeau is trying to show that Canada is indeed a nation of diversity. Trudeau’s making it easier for international students to become residents here. I have often encountered international students who are having trouble making friends because in their head, they’re international students – not a resident, but someone whose life here is unsure. They don’t know if they can join clubs or group that cater to immigration matters even when they intent to live here for the rest of their life because they’re labeled as international students. Now, if Justin Trudeau actually executes this plan, this will help international students on a more social and, I guess, emotional level. They would feel more welcome and be encouraged to be part of the community. They will be also perceived as someone who are here to contribute to Canada and not the stereotypical “leech” that gets more privileges in school just because they pay more.

Hopefully, Trudeau stays true to this platform. Although, we already see that he intends on doing so as he recently appointed a gender-equal cabinet. It’s nice to see that Canada is going back to its principles – welcoming people who want a new start in their lives. With regards to us immigrants, I think that Trudeau will not fail us since he’s also quite young himself. I know that’s rather an absurd assumption, but I just think that Trudeau should care about the youth as his age was one of the attacks that his opponents used on him, claiming that he is inexperienced. I hope that this will compel Trudeau to appreciate our opinion as he knows firsthand what if he feels like to be disregarded because of your age.

5 Myths About Refugees

2015-11-21T18:52:00.003-08:00

Disclaimer: At VANITY Blog, we encourage youth immigrants to speak up and express themselves. This post does not necessarily reflect the views or beliefs of VANITY Blog as an organization.

On November 13, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks occurred in and around Paris, France. Reports of Syrian passport being found near the dead body of one of the terrorists have caused many to attribute the cause of this terrorism to Europe's acceptance of 700,000 refugees and migrants this year. Even though there is a possibility that this passport might have been just forged since it has not even been verified by officials yet, a lot of Canadians are already expressing worry over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's plan of resettling 25,000 refugees, saying that taking in refugees would only mean taking in terrorists. This is a groundless myth.

This post aims to dispel various myths about refugees by providing data and facts from credible sources.

1) "Refugees will take away our jobs"

Many local citizens disagree with taking in refugees because they believe that refugees will take their jobs, particularly the unskilled ones. This is actually a myth. Studies show that refugees actually play a big role not just in job creation, but in increasing the wages of locals as well. A study in 2014 shows that an increase in refugees in an area also increases the wages of people in that area. This may also be attributed to the likeliness of refugees to open businesses. Steve Jobs of Apple, Jerry Yang of Yahoo!, and Sergey Brin of Google are all refugees who have largely helped stimulate the economy of the United States.

Source: Washington Post

2) "They are crowding our healthcare system and stealing our services"

Some people also think that refugees interfere with Canada's healthcare system and steal other governmental services from locals. In reality, there is highly restricited access to basic health care services for all refugees in Canada. In 2012, the federal government announced major cuts to the Interm Federal Health Program that drastically reduced refugee access to basic health care. Later that same year, the Federal Court of Canada ruled those changes to refugee health care as unconstitutional. The Government has appealed that decision and health care for refugees and migrants remains slim.

Furthermore, in 2012 alone, 19 Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices across the country were closed down by the federal government, limiting the services that refugees and immigrants can access.

Source: NeverHome.ca

3) “They come here and they don’t speak our language!”

The federal government, in 2012, ended their annual $22 million dollar agreement with the BC government. Vancouver Community College (VCC), which trains nearly half of the province’s 9,000 ESL students, won’t have enough money to continue its programs past 2015. Forcing them to fire 70 instructors. The provincial government will now have to pick up the cost for ESL education, like other provinces. Stalling the process of transition into the labour force for new immigrants.

In an interview with the Globe and Mail, a staff who has worked at VCC for 33 years said, “A number of [ESL students] don’t really know where to go. We’ve had this huge program for so many years, filling all these different kinds of needs – English for work, for academic purposes, and literacy programs – and that’s just not going to be around.”

Source: Times Colonist

4) “It’s not our problem. Our government has done enough.”

There is this looming belief among those against taking in more refugees that the Canadian government has done enough to help. According to CIC, Canada took 23,286 refugees in 2013. In that same year, less developed and geographically smaller countries like Pakistan, Iran, and Lebanon took 30 times as many refugees as Canada did. Canada only ranked 33rd in refugees per capita in 2012, taking in 5 refugees per 1,000 people. Syria, Jordan, Chad, and Lebanon all took more than 20 refugees per 1,000 people.

The newly elected Liberal government has stated that they would take 25,000 Syrian refugees. Before the Liberal government was elected, the plans of the federal government had been to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees within 12 months.

Sources: Canadian Council of Refugees and ISSofBC

5) "Refugees are terrorists!"

Many terrorist attacks this year--most especially the attacks in Paris this month that left the entire world dumbfounded--have led many Canadians to vocally raise their concerns about the security threat of bringing in 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of the year. Many Canadians have even signed a petition to ask Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to cancel his plan of resettling 25,000 refugees. Although I think that their concern around security is valid, there is insufficient evidence to support that bringing in refugees would mean Canada will be more prone to terrorist attacks. In fact, data and experts say that resettling refugees may actually do the opposite and decrease threats to Canadian security:

*There is a three-level screening process that verifies the background and records of all refugees coming to Canada. First, refugees will be selected by the United Nations. Second, they will undergo an interview before they come to Canada. Third, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service will conduct their own front-end security screening to ensure that the information they have match with those submitted by the United Nations. This rigorous process exponentially decreases the risk of dangerous terrorists coming in to Canada

*Terrorists attacks in Canada have been caused by local citizens. According to Global News, more than 263,000 refugees arrived in Canada between 2005 and 2014, but neither of the two terror-related attacks on Canadian soil last year were carried out by either refugees or immigrants; the attacks in St. Jean-sur-Richelieu and on Parliament Hill were both carried out by Canadian-born young men.

*Delaying or cancelling our plans to resettle refugees may increase threat to national security. According to Anne Speckhard, Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Security Studies at Georgetown University, terrorists become terrorists because of exposure and pressure to adhere to radical and extremist ideals. Hence, the longer we leave the refugees in despair in conflict zones, the more prone they become to radicalization. This would only strengthen and solidify terrorist groups.

Sources: The New York Times, CTV News, and Canadian Council for Refugees

Man-made tragedies always generate public discussions that attempt to find out why they happen and figure out a solution to avoid that same tragedy happening again. Although I am a big supporter of utilizing social media as a venue for this public discussions, I am disappointed at how quickly some people have been using it to voice out their opinions without even looking at facts or thinking hard about the consequences of what they say. Hopefully this post serves as a reminder for everyone to avoid forming opinions without first looking at the facts.

(Editor's note: The graphics in this post were originally made for Check Your Head's Democracy Check Digital Media Campaign last month, and were made with the help of Katie and Rodney. Reuse and republication of these images were permitted by all the creators.)

- Sean

VANITY Blog is looking for Executive Board Members!

2015-09-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

We are currently looking for talented immigrant youth and refugee youth to join our team! If you want to get invovled in your community, this is an awesome opportunity to make a difference! The full posting is below. If you have any questions, e-mail us at vanimmigrantyouthblog@gmail.com

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Position: Executive Board Member

Organization: Vancouver Immigrant Youth (VANITY) Blog

Mission Statement:

We use the stories and experiences of immigrant and refugee youth in Vancouver to inspire other young people who just newly arrived in Canada. We help newcomer youth through three main ways: maintaining a blog website for newcomer youth, organizing events for youth immigrants, and interacting with youth immigrants through social media.

Position Description:

As an executive board member of VANITY blog, you will be a part of a group who will be chiefly responsible in developing, managing, and improving our blog website. You will be constantly working with other 6-8 students to guarantee that our blog site remains appealing to young audiences, make sure that each blog post published is exciting to read, and see to it that our site becomes known by numerous students who are just starting to settle in their new lives here in Canada. This could involve having a group meeting once a month, holding weekly Skype and Facebook conversations to update each other, and having an exclusive access to our blog account.

Aside from being a blog site, VANITY Blog is also known for building communities through conducting workshops, organizing events, and reaching out to youth through our social media channels.

So if you are a refugee, immigrant, and/or a newcomer youth, DO NOT HESITATE TO APPLY TO BE A PART OF OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD!

Currently we are looking for people for the following positions:

· Event Management Officers (Openings: 3)

· Social Media Managers (Openings: 2)

· School Ambassadors (Openings: 4)

· Media Director (Opening: 1)

General Qualifications*

· Refugee, immigrant, or newcomer youth (15-24 years old)

· comfortable in sharing his/her migration experience

· passionate about inspiring other youth

· Can balance studies and extra-curricular activities

· interested in using social media as a tool to promote diversity

· love for writing (whether in English or in your own language!)

*These are just general qualifications. Specific positions require different respective qualifications. Please go to http://bit.ly/vanityblogpositions to check out the available positions and the position-specific requirements.

Benefits and Recognition

· Valuable learning experience

· Skill building: team collaboration, networking, project management, etc.

· Opportunity to meet new friends

· Reference letters

· Free tickets to youth events in Vancouver

Approximate Position Start Date

September 25, 2015

Position Duration

10 months (September 2015 to June 2016)

Time Commitment

· *3-6 hours per week (flexible hours, most of this involves working online through e-mail or Skype)

· *able to attend meetings for two hours once every month!

To apply, please go to: http://bit.ly/vanityblogapply

What's Up, Vancouver? (September 2015)

2015-09-01T22:58:00.001-07:00

A photo inside the Vancouver Aquarium, taken by David Ohmer

The Fair at the PNE (with free concerts every night!)
Until September 7, 2015
Pacific National Exhibition
2901 East Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC
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"Sea Monsters Revealed: The Exhibition" at Vancouver Aquarium
Until September 7, 2015
Vancouver Aquarium
845 Avison Way
Vancouver, BC
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Community Fun Fair
September 1, 2015
South Arm Park
Richmond, BC
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TaiwanFest
September 4-7, 2015
Vancouver, BC
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Art Deco Photowalk
September 5, 2015
Vogue Theatre
918 Granville St
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1L2
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Serbian Days
September 5-6, 2015
Vancouver, BC
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Vancouver Fringe Festival
September 10-20, 2015
Various locations across Vancouver
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BBQ Off the Bypass
September 13, 2015
#117 - 20353 64th Avenue
Langley, BC
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Hapa-palooza Festival: Mixed Voices Raised
September 16, 2015
Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch
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Project Everybody: Film and Art Festival
September 16, 2015
Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre
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Bill C-51: The Insecurity of Human Rights - A Free Public Lecture by Alex Neve
September 17, 2015
SFU Harbour Centre
515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC
V6B 5K3
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Greek Food Festival
September 25-27, 2015
4500 Arbutus
Vancouver, BC
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Etsy: Made in Canada Market 2015
September 26, 2015
UBC Robson Square
800 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC
V6Z 3B7
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Things to Do During the Summer (If You Are a Student)

2015-07-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

For some, summer is vacation time. You can finally sleepy really late and not worry about any deadline for tomorrow. However, for us students, it’s a bit different. We never really get a break with deadlines until we graduate high school. For that reason, I’m going to give you some advice on how to make the most out of your summer as a high school student.

1. Volunteer

If I have any regrets during my high school years, it’s the fact that I didn’t do my volunteer work during the summer. It was a bit too late when I found out that there AREN'T a lot of volunteer opportunities for students during the school year. Sure there are some, but imagine having a volunteer work that requires more time than school itself. I remember being frustrated about getting enough hours for volunteer requirement whilst finding extra time to study for my exams. Remember, we, as high school students, always have to prioritize what will help us towards our graduation. Think twice before you book that vacation. Think of the 30hrs required volunteer work for graduation.

2. Summer School

One advantage of going to summer school is you only have to do 2 months to complete a course. Think of the classes that you want to improve your grades on or credits that you need to fulfill in order to complete the graduation requirement. If you feel that you are tired from the last year and desperately need a break, just remember that you are only going to be doing it for 2 months! You might even have lots of free blocks when you return to school.

3. Work

Working is also a good option for your summer. You can start earning money for expenses you will have for the next year or you can save it for your tuition fee when you get out. You might even have to say no to student loan if you have enough savings or use it to pay for your textbooks.

4. Prepping for College

I know that most of the things I’ve already said is about preparing for graduation. Nevertheless, if you’re planning to go to college, it’s important that you take the time to research your prospective university or college. Don’t be one of those students who leave their planning at the very last minute and so unfortunately for them, it was too late when they found out they have to meet requirements, not just for graduation, but requirements the college itself has imposed (e.g. a certain grade in English 12 or Math 12 or extracurricular activities to buff your application ) There are lots of people you can get help from such as your high school counsellor, a counsellor from your prospective college or current students who are there.

5. Extra Curricular Activities

Of course, summer is still summer. Don’t stay too much inside your home and bury your face in your phones, TV, or books. During the school year, you probably spent your time doing repetitive actions (i.e. wake up, eat, school, eat, home, sleep). It is important for your body that it gets some actual exercise. Remember that you also need to unwind after that stressful school year. Get up and do something under the sun. It maybe sports, community work, or just walking your dog. Most importantly, ECE’s are also a requirement for graduation. Ask you counsellor how many hours a week you have to accomplish.

There’s a lot of pressure for us high school students. As immigrants, the pressure is even a tad bit more because there’s this feeling that we are just getting started on this new chapter of our lives and there are already tons of things we have to accomplish such as the things mention above, and what makes it hard is that we haven’t completely settled in yet – at least emotionally. So don’t feel too worried if you’re not meeting everything on time. You just have to pause, think, and plan wisely. Get some help from high school counsellors or you can maybe visit our website! We have tons of blogs that are full of tips on how to make the most out of your high school experience. All are written by immigrants! So yes, we know exactly how you feel. Go on and enjoy the rest of the summer!

Summer: A Period of Bliss

2015-06-30T21:41:00.002-07:00

I prefer the chilling winter wind, but I should not overlook Vancouver’s beautiful summer season, as well as the events that complement sunshine. Summer might as well just be the best season of the year, it hosts many activities that cater to everyone while giving extra time for students to spend on their interests or with their relations. One might spend the summer with their family, by learning something, or with fellow Vancouverites by attending events during the two short months; while another might just finish Breaking Bad, and compose academic essays during the two long months. In spite of personality chasms, most will find themselves enjoying the two versatile months.

Vancouver is a small, densely populated city, but it keeps a noteworthy collection of recreational facilities, cultural facilities, leisure sites, and a perpetual cycle of cultural events, attaining everything from the city’s diversity and its being the densest city in Canada, thus making the large range of activities possible. The two months are reserved for fun along with personal betterment, focusing only on one aspect… like all fun without work, or vice versa… would deprive one of the Vancouver summer experience, which is quite popular among tourists looking for outdoor activities and special events.

Moving on from the conjectures… I present my favorite Vancouver events:

Canada Day (July 1, All Around Vancouver)

Join Vancouverites at Canada Place
Richmond and Surrey also have fun festivities lined up on Canada Day!

Via Dennis S Hurd / “Many say that the building looks like the Sydney Opera House (left). Also, it’s nearby Vancouver’s World Trade Centre (middle)”

Bard on the Beach (June 11-July), Vanier Park

A Shakespeare festival where one can watch live theatre

Via Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival / "For 2015, they will perform The Comedy of Errors, King Lear, Love's Labour's Lost, and the world stage premiere of Shakespeare's Rebel"

The Fair at PNE (August 22 - September 7, excluding August 24-31)

An annual tradition for most friends and families, the Fair offers: amusement park rides, summer night concerts, circus performances, live music, art exhibits, and much more!

via Mark Faviell / "The PNE played a vital role in Vancouver's military involvement during WWII"

Vancouver Jazz Festival (June - July, concerts all throughout Vancouver)

To celebrate jazz music, around half of the events are free!

via Vancouver 125 / "The festival attracts 565,000 fans over two weeks. This May, Lady Gaga performed two jazz concerts with Tony Bennett"

Vancouver Pride Parade (August 2, West End)

More than 650,000 people attend the world-famous celebration for the LGBT community…

via Alex Pappajohn / "Vancouver is perceived as the gay-friendliest city in Canada, as well as having the highest gay population in Western Canada"

Honda Celebration of Light (musical fireworks competition)

July 25, July 29, August 1 (China, Brazil, Canada respectively)
BC's largest public event, and the longest running offshore fireworks competition worldwide, at English Bay where more than 400,000 people spectate…

via colink. / "The festival has an annual attendance of 1.4 million people and it can be watched from many areas around the city, but I recommend the Burrard Bridge"

- Angelo

Tips For High School New Immigrants

2015-05-31T23:36:00.004-07:00

I’ve been writing advice articles for years, but every now and then new realizations hit me. Since I’m now older and wiser, I think and believe these new ideas of mine could help you guys and save you some time.

1. There is no shame in summer school

This shame in summer school belief may not be shared by everyone. From where I came from, summer school is somehow apprehended with a little bit of reluctance. Everybody knows that you’re there because you’re in remedial or repeating a class you failed. No one is there to do advance class. When I first got here, I almost cried when I found out I’m going to summer school. Then I realized, it was for the better. I was there to catch up with my credits so I could graduate in time. Moreover, no one should be ashamed in school during the summer. You’re doing it to better yourself, and, aside from that, you get to make new friends from different schools!

2. Eating alone in the hallway is not recommended

I know this may not sound true to introverts, but as a fellow introvert and an immigrant, it would only make you feel sad to eat alone during lunch break. When I was in high school, I never ate in the cafeteria. I never got the chance to meet someone new during lunch breaks. I remember once I was eating by myself in the stairwell. A sad background music is the only thing that’s missing to make a depressing emo music video. I thought to myself, "this has to stop". So I begged my high school counsellor to find me friends. Best decision I did in high school (and taking planning 10 online :P)

3. Decreasing your credit/term load is not always a good thing

When I got into grade 12, I finally got the chance to have free blocks. I thought I didn’t have to take classes that were not necessary. I thought all I needed really was English 12, the rest were electives. Boy, I was wrong. I wish I took an Accounting 12 or Pre-Calculus 12 then I would probably have something to write on my résumé as experience or have prerequisites for college courses. Although, spending all those hours reading in the library is a joy too. The caveat is know what credits or classes you need to take before embarking on a schedule with lots of free blocks.

4. Make friends outside your circle

For us immigrants, we tend to be friends with the same people like we are. How can that be wrong? We know that birds of the same feather flock together. I was content with the friends that I have in school that I never bothered making new ones in my classes. Now, I can literally say I only have six friends. I don’t have anyone to talk to when they’re busy. I didn’t have friends or even acquaintance in my classes that they weren’t in. Learn from my mistake and step out of your comfort zone and make new friends that are not immigrants like you. You’ll have more connections and more strings to pull when you need it in the future. I know that sounded like a crude business person advice, but we have to accept that connections are important in the adult world, especially when you’re an immigrant.

5. Your GPA does not define you

Like any other parents, mine want me to get good grades. B+ is not good enough. I get sad when I’m not in the honour roll even though I knew I worked hard. I got so obsessed with getting good grades that I was not learning anymore. Being in school should mean that we are learning life lessons that we can use when we’re done schooling. I got so fed up with only wanting high grades that I can’t even remember what I learned about last term. And when I finally got into the honour roll, it wasn’t much that gratifying. What’s a grade on a paper going to do when you’re finally out of school and have to do everything on your own? Besides, there are a lot of factors that determine your grades, and your intelligence is not the sole predictor of it.

I’m sure that sometime in the future, I will find some new realizations and I’ll be glad to share it with you again. For now, I encourage you guys to take these suggestions into consideration and keep your head high! High school is not a place to dread for! Good luck.

- Anonymeh

The Anti-Bucket List

2015-05-21T14:34:00.002-07:00

(An anti-bucket list is a list of things that one hopes to never do before s/he dies)

Summer is coming and most of us are already making plans to make the most out of it. Usually, we want to try new things; we intend to do things that we haven’t done yet. Some stick to what they have done last year and just revisit it, while others pull out ideas from their bucket list.

A bucket list is a list of things that a person wants to do before s/he dies. Summer is the perfect time to do things we have been wanting to do. However, I want to change things up. Instead of doing things from our bucket list this summer, how about we list some things we wish to avoid doing while we are alive? Here are some things from my own anti-bucket list:

1. Do drugs or smoke

I don’t know about you, but I firmly believe in saying no to (routinely consuming highly addicting illegal) drugs. Your stance on drugs might be completely different from mine, but I’ve done my research and I know its negative health side effects. I know there are various types of drugs and some of them are harmless. I would love to further explain my side to those who believe otherwise, but it’s hard to shake someone’s belief especially when they formed that since childhood. Additionally, just like what high school or college cliché movies show, there are peer pressures everywhere. It might not be from your peers but we can’t deny that we currently live in an era where the line on drugs is blurred. One second, I’m antagonistic about it, the next second I’m rationalising using it. Thanks, philosophy lecture class. Nevertheless, I wish to never do drugs until I die. That would be quite an achievement for a person like me who changes her mind every 15 seconds.

2. Skydiving

Skydiving is one of the popular things we see on a bucket list. But for me, I would never take the leap of faith simply because I don’t have faith. Kidding aside, I know I have faith, but it’s just not that strong. Every person has their weakness, and I think this is mine. Even if you offer me a million dollars to do a stunt with safety and harness and all, I would not have the courage to do so. This is unfortunate for me because every time someone asks me between having the ability to fly or be invisible, I always choose flying!

3. Be stuck in a deserted place

This is probably because I have watched a lot of horror movies where people get stuck in a deserted place and one by one they die because of psycho-killers. Maybe it’s also the fact that I don’t trust people in this kind of situation. I feel like when this happens, people easily forget being “human” and a war of “all against all” begins. Or maybe, it’s just that I don’t trust my survival skills.

4. Wake up before 3am

I know my schedule and I know I never set things to do earlier than 7 am. Normally my wake up time is around 6:40 am. Waking up earlier than that mostly gives me the “sad”. A bit irrational, but the only time I have to wake around that hour is when something bad has happened. I remember being woken up at 2 in the morning knowing that my grandma died, traveling at 4 in the morning to get in time for a relative’s funeral, being at the airport before 5 to send off my mom to the airport. My sister also told me this story that 3am is the hour of the devil and it’s bad to be up at that hour or you’ll see ghosts staring at you (If you’re reading this at night, be careful not to look at the closet. That’s where they hide). It’s probably the last one that I don’t like waking up at 3 in the morning.

5. Choose between two people that are important to you

I think it’s fair to say that this is one of the things that a lot of people dread. I only see this happen in the movies, but I’ll be wrecked if this happen to me. You just can’t choose one between two people who are important to you. That’s like asking, "if you have to choose between your hands, which one do you keep?" But you know what, I think what’s worse than this dilemma is to be one of the two people who are being chosen, then not get picked. #gentlyapplywatertothatburn

These things are from my own anti-bucket list. Yours may be very different from mine, but that’s okay. Just remember that sometimes we need to avoid certain things in order to make space for better, greater things. What’s in your anti-bucket list?

- Anonymeh

What's Up, Vancouver? (May 2015)

2015-05-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

Photo by: Kenny Louie

Commercial Drive Street Party 2015
May 1, 2015
Grandview Park
1657 Charles Street (@ Commercial Drive)
Vancouver, British Columbia
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Eat! Vancouver at BC Place
May 1 - May 3, 2015
BC Place
777 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver, BC V6B 4Y8
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One Republic (Concert) at Rogers Arena
May 2, 2015
Rogers Arena
800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver, BC V6B 6G1
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Free Comic Book Day 2015
May 2, 2015
Various locations
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Vancouver Bird Week 2015
May 2 - May 9, 2015
453 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1V4
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BMO Vancouver Marathon 2015
May 3, 2015
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Mucho Burrito's Plinko De Mayo (A Cinco de Mayo Celebration)
May 5, 2015
Various locations across Vancouver
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Anne Frank Exhibition at Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House
May 6, 2015 - May 29, 1015
Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House
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IGNITE! Youth Driven Arts Festival
May 12 - May 16, 2015
The York Theatre
639 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC V5L 3W3
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Vancouver Public Library Central Branch Architectural Tour
May 16 and May 26, 2015
VPL Central Branch
350 West Georgia, Vancouver, BC
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Breakthrough: Korean Annual Drumming Performance
May 17, 2015
Massey Theatre
735 Eighth Avenue, New Westminster, British Columbia
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Cirque du Soleil: Varekai
May 20 - May 24, 2015
Pacific Coliseum
100 North Renfrew Street, Vancouver, BC V5K 4A5
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BURGEON Youth Environmental Art Exhibition
May 22 - May 24, 2015
Emily Carr University
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TEDxStanleyPark
May 23, 2015
1585 Johnston Street, Granville Island
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Vancouver International Children's Festival
May 25 - May 31, 2015
Granville Island
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TEDxGastownWomen
May 29, 2015
Segal Building, 500 Granville Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
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Bubble Tea in Vancouver

2015-04-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

One thing I like the most about Vancouver is how diverse it is. There are many people with different cultures and backgrounds. But of course, when there are different cultures, there must be different kinds of food from all over the world. As a foodie, I’m lucky enough to live in the heart of downtown so I get to try different stuff every now and then.

I recommend one of my favorite snack/hangout places in downtown: Bubble World. They opened many different branches around Vancouver. The branch I like to go to is the one on Robson Street.

If you have never tried bubble tea, then you NEED to try it! It’s one of the most popular drinks in Asia. Bubble tea is a drink made with iced tea, sweetened milk or other flavorings, and usually with sweet black “pearls” made from tapioca. It’s a great drink for summer!

They serve so many different flavors of bubble tea, ranging from milk tea to different types of fruit tea. In the summer, they also have ice cream, slush, and shaved ice.

I recommend the fruit slush. One of my favorites is watermelon slush. Unlike some other bubble tea place, this place uses fresh fruits in the drink. So you can actually taste the real fruit.

Not only that, you can replace your pearls with all kinds of different jellies. So you can mix and match the drink and jellies. Try out different combinations and you might find the one that you like the best!

Also, this location just recently added a food menu! Now you can order popular night market food items. My favorite snack is the deep fried chicken and squid tentacles. Never tried squid tentacles before? Don’t worry. There are still a lot of other snacks you can choose from. They have beef noodles, fried rice, etc.

This place is also a great hangout place with your friends. There is a small arcade machine where you can play games on.

The reason why I like this place is because It tastes just like the ones they have back home. I’m really glad how I can still be having food from my home country even when I’m In Vancouver. And that is one reason why I love Vancouver!

Other great bubble tea locations:

Vancouver:

1325 Robson St, Vancouver
3377 Kingsway, Vancouver
6260 Fraser Street, Vancouver

Burnaby:

8888 University Drive, Unit MBC 2282, Burnaby
4300 Kingsway, Burnaby

Richmond:

#1136, 8328 Capstan Way, Richmond

Surrey:

137, 10090 152nd St, Surrey

Coquitlam:

555 North Rd. Coquitlam

New Westminster:

601 Agnes Street, New Westminster

- Lu

What's So Special About Vancouver?

2015-03-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

Source: Jon Rawlinson

As an immigrant coming from a third world country, Vancouver is one of the best places on Earth. There are many reasons to love the city--from its beauty, its opportunities, and its community. All of these things combined make the best city ever.

Vancouver--British Columbia in general--is SUCH a beautiful place. Have you seen the mountains? Have you seen the waterfront? Have you seen the creative architecture of downtown? If you go on a long drive toward any direction from where you are, I am sure there is something amazing bound to be seen. We are blessed to have great beaches and parks. Speaking of parks, did you know that our very own Stanley Park is named as Top Park in the World according to TripAdvisor? Yup!

Most of us moved to Canada for a better tomorrow. Although yes, the living expenses here are quite high, it’s still something worth more than what we had. Vancouver is a place of opportunities- may it be career-wise or education-wise or both.

My most favourite reason as to why Vancouver is so awesome is its sense of community. For example, the Vancouver Immigrant Youth Blog wouldn’t have been established if it wasn’t for a bunch of new immigrant youth wanting to make a difference! And here in Vancouver, there are numerous people who are inclined to change the world. Have you heard that Vancouver is one of the greenest places on Earth (or at least trying to be one)? Volunteerism is also on the incline because of all the beautiful, selfless people inhabiting this little bubble of awesomeness. Vancouver is also a diverse place. Everywhere you go, you meet a person of a different background! I always like to compare Vancouver as a mall’s food court- you can find food from all nationalities in one place! Vancouver is hundreds of countries merged together in unity.

We are extremely lucky to live in such an amazing place. I don’t know about you, but for me, Vancouver is the place to be. So be grateful you live in a great city. Let’s also respect its beauty by keeping it green and peaceful. Vancouver is definitely a place worth bragging about.

To Vancouver, the city of rain

Jose

Vancouver's Prestige

2015-03-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

This city is one of the best places to be in. It has everything any person could ever want. The environment, culture, climate, and the location are all conveniently compatible to my tastes, as well as anyone I’ve ever talked to about Vancouver. For instance, the climate that does not become too hot or too cold, but still changes enough to justify a genuine winter and summer. The drawbacks, ranging from the minute to the serious, are altogether outweighed by the Vancouver perks. Anyone can argue against the livability, the quality of living, of Vancouver, but they will eventually run out of reasons. Not surprisingly, Vancouver is always included within the lists of the best cities to live in, and at the rate we’re going, we can expect a more attractive Vancouver, problems transformed to treasures unique to the city.

For now, I’ll only show the things I like about the revered metropolis, the ostensible problems won’t have a significant effect on you if you’re reading this. So, to begin with, one can experience a perfect blend of temperatures even in the coldest winters and the hottest summers. It never becomes too cold to hibernate in the home for half of winter. It never becomes too hot to drink 8 liters of water during the summer. Vancouver also has an attractive pattern in its weather. Rain doesn’t disparage the beauty of the city, but it highlights the nature found inside the area. In spite of this, on very rare occasions, Vancouver still gets affected by one in a hundred storms. On the other hand, there is a lot of time and good days to do something outdoors in Vancouver. So it’s generally fine to consider Vancouver’s atmosphere, also its favorable air quality, as a wonder of nature.

"ANIREVO 2014, Vancouver" by roaming-the-planet

An obvious reason for our good air is the vast amounts of nature found everywhere. The mountains, rivers, lakes, and forests make great activity places. There is a plethora of possibilities—winter activities, summer hikes, calm boat rides, anything else that makes us feel nature every once in a while. While budget could be detrimental to my points, many people in Vancouver usually do these things for cheap or even free. Stanley Park, as an example, is one of the things I absolutely hold in high regard. It is a charming place, the inside is wonderfully natural, it is a place that serves many people throughout the seasons, and the best part about it is that it’s a park, so it’s free.

Aerial shot of Vancouver, courtesy of Evan Leeson

*Just beside Downtown Vancouver is Stanley Park… which is consistently recognized as one of the best parks in the world.

Any rational person would agree that cultural integration is a problem for the old, not the young. It has also been stated, by many experts and TV figures, that racism would die with older generations. I would even assert this myself, I never notice anyone young projecting offensive behavior to others. This means that schools and their students are in good shape, the youth population will just add to Vancouver’s praises. A huge reason for this is the immigrant groups, the foreign transfers, and the location of the city. There are many newcomers here, barely any of them would feel alienated, they always have groups during their first moments, then they join the mainstream after they feel comfortable enough. Another reason is Vancouver’s location—it is at the bottom of Canada, beside the shoreline, and above another cultural hub, the US. It’s plausible to say that Vancouver has the stereotypical Canadian values and beliefs but devoid of the countryside-ignorance an isolated place could have. The high amounts of technological development is a reason, as well as the government of Canada itself, and again, debunking preset stereotypes, and behaviors, by fusing multiple cultures into one city.

Overall, I’d like to live in Vancouver, it would also be the most logical choice. However, personally, I just don’t want to settle in the place forever. Adults, especially those who are “easily bored,” won’t really like the perceived boredom in the city. A lack of infrastructure, perhaps as a result of a lack of population, might be the cause, besides the job problems. Anyway, this won’t be Vancouver’s conclusion, this is just the present. I won’t consider myself as part of the adults for around 10 more years. So, if Vancouver transmutes rocks to gold by then, I might just stay in here forever. A truly rare combination of simplicities.

"Telus World of Science" by Jason Mrachina

Rogers Arena (left) and Science World (right; sparkling dome)

We lack many things, from zoos to respectable financial districts… Vancouver is still a budding city compared to other metropolises, it is quite young, but we have enough, like Science World, for young thinkers; and Roger’s Arena, for sporty youths. Despite all the shortages, our infusion of nature with a diverse society (more than 40% have an Asian heritage)… offering us an influx of Asian restaurants, yum… altogether makes Vancouver one of the most livable cities in the world.

- Angelo

What's Up, Vancouver? (March 2015)

2015-03-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of: John Biehler

Cannery Farmer's Market
March 1, 15, 29, 2015
12138 Fourth Avenue, Richmond, BC V7E 3J1
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FlyOver Canada Presents AboveUSA
March 6-April 12, 2015
201 – 999 Canada Place Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1
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International Women's Day Youth Forum
March 8, 2015
Mount Pleasant Community Centre
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PlayDome - Canada's Largest Indoor Carnival
March 14-22, 2015
BC Place Stadium
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St. Patrick's Day Vancouver Parade
March 15, 2015
Granville Street
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Gathering Our Voices Youth Conference
March 17-20, 2015
Prince George, BC
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Theatre for Living Presents: Maladjusted
March 20-28, 2015
The Firehall Arts Centre
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Ballet BC Presents: Trace
March 26-28, 2015
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
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Defeat Depression 5K Walk/Run at UBC
March 29, 2015
UBC Vancouver - Thunderbird Park
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How is Immigration a Reset Button?

2015-02-19T14:17:00.001-08:00

A few years ago, before immigrating, I was ostracized in my old school, I was called “special” and was teased for my eccentricity, and then I became the black sheep. All of that because I was raised with foreign beliefs, something my xenophobic home country has no tolerance for. Luckily, a major change happened, it opened up a million possibilities, an ongoing story’s new chapter—immigration.

The chilly winds did not remind me of home; the snowy fields did not even cause surprise; budding flowers inspire; the hot summer breeze desired. Coming to Canada made me realize that I should not waste a hefty privilege by sticking to my old, pre-immigration self. As much as I regret to say, I don’t miss my past, and having a new life, a new society, peers and expectations, is a really big change for a young person. However, I’m not trying to persuade you to relinquish your background, just try to integrate it into this Western environment.

Possible reasons for leaving your old self behind:

- People from your country have terrible attitudes towards your new society
- Afraid of racism and discrimination
- Your old society’s habits may be harmful, especially to the new environment you’re in now
- Can’t progress without adopting some Western attitudes
- And a lot more you can probably think of

Now, I want you to think about a choice. If you could ever relive the first days after immigration, what would you want?

- Speak English without a thick accent?
- Handle culture shock in a better way?
- Have your family and friends be more Canadian?
- Be an advocate for your country, being an exemplary immigrant who fares better here?

These are all wishes many of us did not receive as newcomers. The first weeks were the hardest, but it is also one of the most memorable, a puzzling era of your life.

Just start changing. Immigration has many positives as well as negatives.

You will experience negative stereotypes, ultimately causing you to ignore the underlying causes, then you will not be able to adapt to the new culture. A few years later, your life plans become awry, your life in the self-segregating ghetto groups, you lose contact with your family as a bonus too. This actually happened to a person my family knew, he could not CHANGE because he was AFRAID. No matter how we look at it, his life got ruined, his extreme attachment to his long-established beliefs caused his downfall.

While his case was severe, it does not mean it can’t happen to anyone. His projections to society were pathetic, they just reinforce negative stereotypes. YES, negative stereotypes are the problems! A black person who is not a brain-dead athlete, an Oriental who is not a robot mathlete, Muslims are not brainwashed terrorists, and whites people are not racists; and a lot more. Society is built by humans, so society should not force humans its beliefs. Be an individual, not a boring, hollow, insignificant, ignorant sheep. Start changing for the better now!

To simplify my point, think of an elastic metal spring, stretch it too much then it breaks, not stretching it means it won’t be of any use. I like to think of people as metal springs, they need to stretch to have some use, they become useless and rusty if there is no change after a long time, changing too much will break the spring and make you an individual, free from self-stigma if you ever try to do something different in a conformist environment. A heavy load breaks a spring; a lot of effort can go a long way. Why try?

Every person has special talents, traits, abilities, potentials… they just don’t get to use them. Everyone you know has a niche in society, not everyone can be rich, not everyone can be popular, not everyone can be like Leonardo DiCaprio. However, you can be as best as you can be, limitless, by changing into a better, productive person.

"Haters gonna hate cuz I'm doing great" - Anonymous

- Angelo

What's Up, Vancouver? (February 2015)

2015-02-08T22:59:00.003-08:00

Photo courtesy of: truth24times

Flight of the Dragon at Flyover Canada
January 5 to March 5, 2015
999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC
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The Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival
January 17 to February 14, 2015
Various coffee shops and food places in Vancouver
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The Cutest Couple Ever
February 2 to 13, 2015
Highstreet Shopping Centre, Abbotsford
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Family Day at Vancouver Art Gallery
February 9, 2015
750 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2H7
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Origami, BBQ, Dance, and more - Family Day at Trout Lake Community Centre
February 9, 2015
3350 Victoria Drive, Vancouver, BC
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Family Day Free Skate at Moody Park Arena
February 9, 2015
701 8th Avenue, New Westminster, BC
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Family Day and Lunar New Year Celebration
February 9, 2015
Britannia Community Centre
1661 Napier Street, Vancouver, BC
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Family Day Free Skate at Robson Square
February 9, 2015
800 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 3B7
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The Canadian Improv Games
February 10 to 14, 2015
181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver, BC
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Talking Stick Festival
February 17 - March 1, 2015
Various Theatres / Community Centres in Vancouver
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Free Movie at Wesbrook Village - Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil
February 18, 2015
3378 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC
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Winterruption 2015 on Granville Island
February 19-22, 2015
1661 Duranleau St., Vancouver, BC V6H 3S3
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Bouncy Castle on Kerrisdale Pool
February 20, 2015
5851 West Boulevard, Vancouver, BC
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Shamrock Dance Competition 2015 at St. Patrick Regional Secondary
February 28, 2015
115 E 11 Ave Vancouver, BC V5T 2C1
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Maple Leaf Monster Jam at BC Place
February 28, 2015
777 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver, BC
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All the World's a Stage

2015-01-26T14:37:00.003-08:00

Shakespeare quoted one of the most important things shared to mankind. Your life is a story and you’re the main character.

In movies, when someone is about to die, they usually don’t go without a fight. Think of humans against a horde of zombies. No matter how futile their efforts are, they still fight to survive, they try hard to live, they work together to make the battle easier. Your life is just like that, everyone’s life is.

Would you believe it if I tell you that your life is just like a video game, a book, or a film? You’re the player, the main character, the protagonist. Everyone else are just supporting characters, antagonists, and stock characters. Think about it for a second, you don’t want to call yourself the minor character in your life story, it is your life, not someone else’s.

Life is a game, your character is either strong at first or strong at the end. In the real world, we call them prodigies and late bloomers. A prodigy is just extremely gifted, born with the skills and talent, gets special attention while young. A late bloomer is the opposite, a random nobody until the day the late bloomer begins a series of hard work (quests) to improve itself. Both, of course, can reach the same pinnacles of the game, the finales (the boss levels), the best moments in life once achieved. Leaving a mark on civilization, just like Mozart, Einstein, Disney, Socrates, Lincoln, Da Vinci, and many others, whether child prodigies or late bloomers, they all reached the same heights of success. Game is not over, work hard from now on, make a plan—they all did, successful people owe their success to their hard work.

Courtesy of: Matthew Paulson

Life is a storybook, you’re the main character. The story can be set in a millionaire’s house, an impoverished country, or the middle-class neighborhood. A good story requires a great conflict, something the protagonist needs a lot of effort to beat. There’s going to be drama, horror, psychological dilemmas, hardships, and sadness as the story goes on. Also, there will be times of happiness, love, excitement, sentimentality, and friendship. Your story continues chapter after every chapter, some long and some short. The story revolves around you and the conflict: could be your school, peers, family, society, and even yourself. The story only ends when one force prevails, you must overcome the antagonist, do not try to escape it. Work hard to achieve success, don’t procrastinate, a good story has no chapter where the main character does nothing important.

Life is a film, a movie without a specific genre, not just action, not just adventure, not just drama. Life is a mix of many different genres, there’s adventure, romance, suspense, comedy, drama. You either aspire for a movie (life) you want that’s full of satisfaction, or you can aim low and reduce the amount of possible genre mixings. You may not have control of everyone, thus you can’t be the writer of your life, but you’re the director, the one who chooses a vision to follow. Oh, and make sure it’s a cool movie, you’d be able to leave a mark on society.

Dream for a nice life, but don’t forget that a lot of effort goes a long way, studying an hour a day amounts to more than 350 hours in a year. Learning 5 foreign words a day amounts to more than 1800 words a year, enough for language eloquence. I’ve seen a lot of people get the supermodel body after exercising daily, within months. Working hard can get you anywhere, just like when Michael Jordan was in high school, the only thing extraordinary about him, at that time, was that he played as if every game was his last.

Just remember this: dream then start, then you fail, then you succeed… and then you improve.

- Angelo

Preparing for University

2015-01-25T01:37:00.002-08:00

Changes in life can seem scary sometimes. Changes can be quick and unnoticeable; while other times, it’s so sudden and we weren't even prepared for it. That’s why some people describe changes as tornados: they hit without any sign of warning and can turn your house upside down completely. I usually don’t like changes because I will have to adapt to the new environment and I’m usually not good at it.

The biggest change I’m facing this year is to graduate from high school. It will be one of my most important life events. I think it will take me awhile to get used to my new life. So I want to prepare early. I asked my friends attending universities and got some tips that will be useful to adapt to changes in your life such as moving, changing school and going to university.

Tip#1: Make friends

Engage with people, converse, ask questions. When you have friends, you won’t feel lonely. You can have someone to talk to and hang out with. It’s the best to start during the first week, while everyone is in the same boat. It is hard to make the first move, but it will benefit you later on. Be nice and just be you. It’s simple!

Tip#2: Join clubs

There are lots of activities to do on campus. Take a look at the clubs list and join in. It’s the fastest way to make new friends. You get to meet many people with same interests as you do. Don’t be scared.

Tip#3:   Learn to use the library in semester one
Learning how to use the library resources is always important because you will be spending lots of time here researching. It will be painful learning how to research because it’s boring. But it will pay off later in the year.

Tip#4:   Choose courses you enjoy
You can always go to the first class and see how it goes. If you were bored and didn’t find it interesting, then drop it and find a new year. By choosing a course you enjoy, you will be motivated and willing to learn.

Tip#5:   Don’t over commit
Start with a couple classes. Add more if you have the time for it. Do not start your year with 10 courses and a job. It will stress you out! Slow down and take time to learn.

Tip#6:   Don’t Wait
If you feel yourself falling behind, do something about it immediately. Reread lecture notes and textbooks, ask a friend, do extra practice or ask your professor. Don't wait till right before the midterm/exam to deal with it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Tip#7: Ways to save money

Work! Working during school can reduce your debt upon graduation. Most of the schools offer on campus jobs. You can work part-time and save it up. Universities can be expensive! Also, buy used textbooks! Ask around for used textbooks or buy them online (craigslist etc.) It can save you A LOT of money. If you don’t write on it, you can re-sale it next year!

Hopefully these short and basic tips will be handy once you are in university!

- Lu

New is Always Better 2.0

2015-01-12T15:38:00.001-08:00

In my first year here in VANITY I wrote a blog about the advantages of newness, may it be technology, traditions or just plain new ideologies in life. However, that blog was too general. So for this New Year, I am writing about few specific changes that have made my life better since I’ve moved here in Canada.

I guess the first thing that has changed in me is being quieter. Though any people that know me well will say otherwise, I think that I’ve gotten quieter. Usually, I will be the one who keeps a conversation from dying, because dear God I can’t stand awkward silence, but now, I seem to be quite comfortable with it. It gives me peace. Quite antisocial though. I also have a problem of not thinking before talking which often gets me into icky situations even though I did not mean any offense or make myself look stupid, and so being quiet just saves me from this. Being quieter also taught me how to listen. You know that moment when a friend tells you something and you tell him/her something the same from your experiences and you ended up shifting the tide of conversation and you feel like you are not “empathising” anymore and you just look like a big ball of narcissism? (or at least, that’s how I feel) Welp, being quiet once again saves me from doing this. Like I said, as someone who is talkative and uncomfortable of awkward silences, being quiet has finally given me the opportunity to just shut up and realize that not talking isn’t the worst thing in the world and just to drink in what others are saying and being observant is probably one of the greatest pleasures that one should experience.

Another change in my life is probably me being more of a friendly person. Don’t get me wrong, I’m one of the friendliest persons I know, but sometimes I tend to be not so approachable. Some of my friends said that I have this habit of raising one of my eyebrow, and honestly, I do that on purpose (or sometimes not on purpose). I know that raising your eyebrows makes people stay away from you and somehow, I do this technique to feed my anti-social tendency; actually, scratch that. I’m not antisocial, I’m anti-stranger. So how did I get friendlier or more approachable? As an immigrant, I started with zero friends when I came here. Everything was twice as hard and being new in a new place didn’t make it easier. I had to put myself out there and put on the biggest smile I can everyday and voila! It actually worked. I have friends and I even find myself eating lunch in the school cafeteria with people I don’t even know! It’s actually better when you’re the one who’s approaching them. Though, sometimes you’ve got to be careful not to come off as creepy! Maybe you should read one of my break-the-ice blog *wink* *wink*

New things in our life can always be seen in a different angle. Sometimes they can be “bumps”, but as I have previously said, try to see the silver lining. New is always better. .. better in some ways we haven’t seen yet!

- Anonymeh

“Change the changeable, accept the unchangeable, and remove yourself from the unacceptable” - Denis Waitley

What's Up, Vancouver? (January 2015)

2014-12-31T03:01:00.001-08:00

Polar Bear Swim
January 1, 2015
English Bay
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Christmas at FlyOver Canada
Everyday until January 4, 2015
Canada Place
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The Whistler Holiday Experience
Everyday until January 4, 2015
Whistler Conference Centre
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Ice Skating at Robson Square
Everyday until February 28, 2015
Robson Square
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Unplugged: How to Hack a Million Dollars (An Open Mic Meetup)
January 13, 2015

887 Great Northern Way #101 Vancouver, BC V5T 4T5

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Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Presents New Music Festival
January 15-18, 2015
The Orpheum Theatre
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Vancouver Sketch Comedy Festival
January 16-18, 2015
The Waterfront Theatre (1412 Cartwright St, Granville Island)
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Divers' Weekend at Vancouver Aquarium
January 17-18, 2015
Vancouver Aquarium
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HTML 500 Vancouver: Canada's Largest One-Day Learn-to-Code Event
January 24, 2015
Rocky Mountaineer Station
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The Now Year

2014-12-29T02:48:00.002-08:00

It’s almost the end of year 2014, which means it’s the season for New Year resolutions again. Have you ever set a goal and achieved it? If yes, then good for you (but still read on)! If no, then keep reading. A lot of us would probably say, “oh I will try my best to lose some weight,” or “I will stop drinking soda,” or “I will stop procrastinating” and the list goes on. But do we follow through? We set resolutions in the New Year to change our lives for the better. That’s good, right? But hold on, why do we have to wait for the end of the year? Why not start now?

I’d like to introduce to you what I call “The Now Year.” Start now, (yes, NOW) and when the new year comes, you’re already ahead of yourself! No more waiting for January 1^st to sign up for that gym membership- start midway December before all the Holiday parties (and all the eating) start!

With this new idea introduced, it brings afloat the topic of “living in the moment,” where one lives life to the fullest now, whilst not worrying much about yesterday and tomorrow. Now is important because that is where you are now. Now is where you can make things happen! So if you want to change something in your life (like what you would say in a New Year’s resolution), you can’t do it yesterday. You can do it tomorrow, but why wait? Do it now, in the NOW Year!

So let’s change tradition. Instead of saying “Happy New Year,” be grateful for what is now and say “Happy Now Year!” Be reminded that the next year is still tomorrow, and what matters most is the present. Be in the moment! Live in it!

Aside: It’s interesting how changing one letter can significantly alter the definition of a phrase. It takes one small thing to change a big thing. Do you ever think about that too, how our little good deeds result in bigger rewards? That could be a good Now Year’s resolution: do more good in the community!

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the ‘present.’” –Shifu, Kung Fu Panda

Live in the moment (yes, that means now),

- Jose

My Christmas Wish

2014-12-24T13:45:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of: Markus Spiske

I was never really given a personal allowance, instead, I was always given a sum of money every week that would be enough for my commute to school, and anything else I needed. Money for personal use, well, that wasn’t really something I had growing up.

Part of it was because money was tight, but that was something my parents never wanted me to know. They took it upon themselves to hide anything that may indicate financial struggle. Even though I never had an allowance, I didn’t think I needed one, because when I was a kid, when I wanted something, they would give it to me. Every time.

My parents struggled to put me through school, mainly because they wanted me to go to the best private school in the Philippines, and not once did they complain about shouldering the huge expense by working longer hours and placing themselves in debt.

I only learned about our financial situation when we moved to Canada, when I was finally old enough to understand why they did all that they did, and why they never wanted me to learn about their hardship. They just loved me so much, they didn’t want me to be bothered with all the stress of not knowing how to pay the month’s bills or this year’s tuition.

Damn.

So now that I have a job, now that I earn money to pay for my own tuition, I think it’s only fitting to pay them back. Every time I get my paycheck, I save some of it for my parents. I have a plan, you see.

Every Christmas, starting from way back when I was five, my parents would always surprise me by pretending to have forgotten about what I wanted, then giving the gift to me when the day was over; it’s a tradition that has so much more meaning to me now that I know the full story behind everything they’ve ever done.

My plan is that with the sum of money I’ve stashed away, I’ll use it to buy them the things they want, and as it grows, so will the gifts. Small gifts for now, given that I’ve only been working for a few months or so, but as the years go by and as (hopefully) my paycheck grows and the sum increases, I can give them the things they’ve gone without just for my sake.

I’m a simple guy with no real need for anything other than food and internet connection, so who knows, maybe with enough time and effort I can get them a vacation in Hawaii for the Winter, and, maybe with my brother and sister, buy them a house when we’ve all grown up. It’s the very least I can do.

- Carlo

Trying Out New Things

2014-12-23T01:46:00.003-08:00

Winter is absolutely my favourite season. There is hot-chocolate, eggnog, gingerbread, snow, Christmas…who doesn’t love Christmas? You don’t have to celebrate Christmas, but the general jolly-ness of the holiday always makes my day. In Vancouver, the absolute must-do during winter is to go skiing, or snowboarding. If you feel like speed is not your thing, there is always cross-country skiing, but that’s not what this article’s about. I’ve never skied before coming to Canada. But at the urging of many family members and friends, I decided to go for it.

As a kid (>12 I think), they were very cheap season tickets. Going with a friend is probably a good idea, preferably somebody who knows what they’re doing because learning (at least for me) was not easy. Yes, skiing and snowboarding look cool, but when you’re actually on those flat pieces of plastic, the ground really does seem to move fast. My first time snowboarding, I couldn’t go down the bunny hill. But of course, everything gets better with practice. Unfortunately for me, my dad thought I got enough practice on the very first day.

So off I go, with him at the top waiting and me on a green. Yes, green runs are supposed to be easy but that was actually the first day I was on a snowboard. So precariously I turned and stopped, turned and stopped, sometimes just edging my way down the hill. However half way down, the wind started to pick up and before I knew it, I was in the middle of a blizzard. There was snow and wind blowing everywhere, sometimes so thick that I could barely see which way is up and which way is down, only relying on gravity. And that didn’t work so well as gravity also made you fall. So there I was falling and stopping and going slower than a person walking. And there wasn’t anything I could do; walking back up was way too far, so I kept on going.

After almost 2.5 hours I finally saw the shadow of chairlifts at the end of the run. Words cannot describe the relief I felt; there wasn’t a happier sight. I finally got on the chairlift, taking me up in less than 10 minutes, and of course, falling again when I got off. But I went back. Even though I was terrified afterwards, I went back again and again, and now, snowboarding’s my favourite thing in the world.

So the moral of the story? Skiing is awesome, and there’s a reason Vancouver hosted the winter Olympics. But more than that, it’s to always try something new. To try, try again because one day, you’ll succeed. One day, you’ll look back and realize these experiences have made you far more as a person, and be filled with pride. That day, you’ll be a happy person.

- Selena

The Philosophy of Gifting

2014-12-23T01:21:00.001-08:00

The holidays are within us! A time for wonderful moments. A jolly gift giving season. So, what kind of gift are you expecting? Would you want money-gifts? I wouldn’t, so I’ll explain it, I’d rather share someone’s time. Why? I’ll explain my principles for gift giving.

·       Sentimental Things - cause true, genuine, human EMOTIONS, and they strengthen BONDS.
·       Luxury Items - anything you don’t necessarily need. Something you’d WANT but can’t easily BUY.
·       Functional Stuff - the USEFUL and COOL stuff, the gifts that creates life IMPROVEMENTS.
·       Money and Cash - anything that can be SPENT. I absolutely dislike this option, but I might consider it if I need, not want, something from the HOLIDAY SALES.

To start with, the Sentimental Things are always my favourite, except when they are too sappy. They give you the best emotional reactions to gifts. Sometimes, they might not even look like material gifts, but they exist. Also, they also mean that you care more for the other person receiving this type of gift.

Examples of (Cool) Sentimental Things:

·       Any custom-made gift made by you. Works well if you’re artistic, musical, or crafty.
·       Anything that involves one of the person’s most valuable interests. Tickets for movie lovers, a sketchpad for artists, a fancy pen for academics, a chessboard for thinkers, etc.
·       Finally, what other thing beats sharing your time? Spending your time with a person beats any gift; discuss intellectual ideas, talk about the past and the following year, go around town visiting holiday hotspots, and get a cup of coffee. Make people appreciate you, not your wallet.

Remember that thought does count. Gifting anything expensive without putting thought into it makes you seem materialistic and egotistical. Then it puts guilt and a feeling of awkwardness on the person if he/she returns a “cheaper” gift.

Examples of Luxury Items:

· What a child typically wants, the latest PlayStation/Xbox/Laptop/Apple/Android. Gaming consoles, stationary and portable. Enough said.
· He buys Bvlgari jewellery, Louis Vuitton shoes, and the priciest Gucci bag. Then grandpa gives them to hermit cousin who does not care whether he’d taken a shower or not … seriously, think before buying senselessly.

Not all gifts over $100 are considered luxury, thoughtless freebies. Some of them actually are bought to add interest and practicality to gift exchanges. Additionally, some of them might be liked by others depending on their functionality.

Examples of Functional Stuff (That Are Actually Cool):
·       iPhone lens. They are absolutely awesome. Photographer or videographer, both would agree that those glassy attachments are the best things ever since Converse Chuck Taylors.
·       A year of Netflix, eBooks, a fitness watch, or a flash drive (USB) are all possible picks. This is the 21^st century, better adapt to it rather than stay traditional in the past.
·       Clothing will always be in someone’s must-have list. However, not all kinds of clothing should be gifted. Usually, scarves, earrings, hats, belts, sunglasses, and other accessories are the safest categories to pick from.

Money and Cash:

Should you even consider it as a possible gift idea? Think about gift cards, cheques, Christmas money. Do you sense the “I-don’t-have-time-to-do-something-thoughtful” feeling when receiving or giving money? The problem is that the gift card or cash has a limit attached to is, $25, $50, $100. Why must you be bought, treated like an object, like you’re just some kind of businessman’s business? Why not be treated as a human whose emotional response is more valuable than temporary feelings of power from having $50 to spend at Walmart? Two answers: the person does not care about you or the person just does not know enough about you, so buys a gift card or gives money to be safe.

To end this, why not think about giving someone a combination of the three? Let’s say, your time and company, something useful but valuable and hard to get. For example, spend the holidays together, give the techy person- a smart-ring or a smartwatch, the gamer- a newly released video game, the fashionable- a beautiful scarf, the artist- sheet music or an arts book, the intellectual- something new to learn.

I have skipped many types of people, you can probably find out the type of person you’d gift yourself. Remember, thought over price. The value of a gift is better found by the reactions of the receiver, not on the price it displays in the stores. A present can be as rare as life, friends and a future to look forward to, or it can be as simple and lovely as a nice conversation under the winter atmosphere.

- Angelo

Things To Do in Vancouver This Christmas Season

2014-12-20T20:23:00.006-08:00

Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. No one really knows the exact date of his birth, but most Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25. On this day, most people go to church, where they participate in special religious events. During the Christmas season, they also exchange gifts and decorate their homes with lights, Christmas trees and mistletoe.

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays because I like how families and friends gather together and have delicious Christmas dinner and spend time with each other. I always enjoy spending time with my families and friends. So I have made a list of activities that I will be doing during the holiday season. You can also go to some of those events and get into your Christmas spirit!

Bright Nights at Stanley Park

It’s nice to go with your family and friends to check out millions of twinkling lights sparkle at night in Stanley Park. For seeing the lights, entrance fee is by donation, meaning that you can pay what you are willing to pay. The money goes to the BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund. You can also buy a ticket ($6-11) to ride on the train for an experience of lights and live music. It opens from November 27 to January 4 (Closed on Christmas Day). This event is definitely on my winter activities checklist. I love looking at beautiful lights and sipping hot chocolate with my friends.

Get a Real Christmas tree

If you live in an apartment (like me), you probably aren’t allowed to have a real tree. However, if you are lucky enough to live in a single house, why don’t you get a real Christmas tree? There are plenty of places around the city to get a real tree and have fun decorating it:

Vancouver Christmas Tree Lot

· St. Stephen’s United Church at 54th and Granville Street, Vancouver

· November 28 – December 21. 7 days a week 10 a.m. – 9 p.m

Vancouver Westside Christmas Tree Lot

· Lord Byng High School parking lot at 3939 West 16th Avenue, Vancouver

· December 4 – 18

· Monday to Friday from 12:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Coquitlam Christmas Tree Lot

· Eagle Ridge United Church at 2813 Glen Drive, Coquitlam

· November 28 – December 21

· Monday to Thursday from 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.; Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Burnaby Christmas Tree Lot

· All Saints Anglican Church at Royal Oak and Rumble, Burnaby

· November 28 – December 21

· Monday to Thursday 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.; Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

North Vancouver Christmas Tree Lot

· Lonsdale Quay – East Plaza 123 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver

· November 28 – December 21

· Monday to Thursday 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.; Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Prince of Wales Secondary School TREK Outdoor Ed Christmas Tree Lot

· Prince of Wales Secondary School at 2250 Eddington Drive

· November 30 – December 21

· Monday to Friday 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.; Weekends 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Scouts Christmas Tree Lot

· Corner of Marine Dr. and Taylor Way, West Vancouver

· November 22 – December 23

· Monday to Friday 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Weekends 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Go For a Walk and Check Out the Light Displays Around the City

There are many amazing light displays around the city. Some places you should check out are: St. Paul’s Hospital, Harbour Centre, Canada Place, Jack Poole Plaza, Robson Square, Trinity Street Christmas Light Festival in East Vancouver. They have amazing light displays there.

The Christmas Market in Vancouver

Going to the Christmas Market is the number one thing to do on my holiday activities checklist. There are over 50 unique vendors, beautiful lights and delicious food. This is the 5^th annual Christmas Market in Vancouver. People love going there. It is back again in the heart of downtown at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza– 650 Hamilton Street, Vancouver

November 22 to December 24, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on December 24)

VanDusen Garden’s Festival of Lights

Come to the VanDusen Garden (5251 Oak Street) this holiday. Enjoy drinking hot chocolate while walking through the beautiful light decorations. Take photos with Santa and enjoy holiday treats!

Wednesday, December 10 to Sunday, January 4. Closed on Christmas Day

Go Ice Skating at Robson Square

Going ice skating in winter is a must. There are lots of rinks in Vancouver. But my favorite one will always be the Robson Square Rink (800 Robson Street (Robson & Howe)). It is in the busiest section of downtown. If you own a pair of skates, then good news for you, you get to skate for free! Just bring your skates, get changed and have fun! But don’t worry if you don’t have your own skates. Rentals are available for only $4. One thing you need to remember is that they only accept cash. So don’t forget to bring some cash! There is a concession stand right beside the rink. They serve many snacks and drinks.

· Sunday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

· Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

· Christmas Eve, December 24 – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

· Christmas Day, December 25 – Noon to 5 p.m.

· Boxing Day, December 26 – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

· New Year’s Eve, December 31 – 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

· New Year’s Day, January 1 – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Volunteer/Donate

Don’t’ forget to give back to the community. There will be lots of events happening in your neighborhood. Why not taking time and volunteer? Check with your community centers, soup kitchens or food banks. Enjoy your holiday by helping those in need!

Do you have some old clothes lying around in your wardrobe; do you have some canned food hiding in your cabinet? Donate these stuff to the people in need. Your donation can make a difference in someone’s holiday.

Also, don’t forget the animals! Check out the animal rescue centers. Help out or donate. Let the animals have a happy holiday as well!

Get a Job

Christmas is approaching and that means shops are going to have sales. It will be a good time to get a job at the retail shops. They will be looking for employees to help out during the busiest time of the year. Earn some extra $$$!

- Lu

Culture vs. Ethnicity

2014-12-13T14:21:00.002-08:00

Photo courtesy of: Children at Risk Foundation

The Newcomer’s Dilemma

What is your group of friends like? Do you share the same culture and race? Is it your own home country’s culture, more of the Canadian culture, or a bit of both? Are they also immigrants?

The newcomer’s dilemma is this:

Who would your first friends be for your first time in a Canadian school? Fellow immigrants, from the same origin country? Most likely.

Those who share your interests, like video games or art, but are from a different culture? Maybe, but it’s rare because of a culture/language barrier.

Or perhaps, you are a culture vulture who hangs out with different kinds of people, regardless of their backgrounds.

The actual question is: would you join a group of immigrants, or do the opposite, immerse yourself immediately with normal English speakers?

At my school, I usually notice new immigrant teens banding with other immigrants from their home country, myself included, I was ~~sent~~ forced by the school to befriend a group of racially-like immigrants on my first days of Canadian high school. I disliked the school’s decision to do that, it left little room for possibilities, but it paved the way for my adaptation to multicultural Canada. It went like this, I was introduced to friendly newcomers, I felt safe and comfortable, I spoke my language with them, then I slowly, but successfully, pushed myself to adapt to Canadian culture.

Actually, I lied to get your sympathy. That did not happen to me (because I’m just weird) but it usually does to most newcomers (who aren’t weird at all). The forced, and societally imposed grouping reinforces stereotypes, usually negative ones. It’s also extremely pointless if the goal is to achieve a multi-cultural, inclusive society in schools. Placing immigrants to their own distinct racial groups can weaken cultural adaptation, which even at the cost of extra convenience and comfort become counterproductive. This is because people will want to be with other people they can relate with, and this paired with forced grouping, is what makes casual intercultural relationships difficult. Different groups are going to have different expectations from other groups, because their large sizes make stereotypes visible.

Going back to the question, we can say that you either have friends from your home culture, or you have friends who you share specific interests with (video gamers, artists, academics, and all of the other cliques). If you belong to the latter, the second answer, or even if you belong to both at the same time, then you have successfully adapted in some way. However, if you only belong to the first, let’s say an exclusive Asian-Korean culture group as an example, then it means that you need to absorb various cultures around you. It’s effective since it makes the definitions of “stereotypes” and “racism” obsolete, they just stopped getting used, and multiculturalism prevails if kept that way.

So to simplify this, either you belong to a group of friends who share the same ethnicity and still keeps their home culture out of the house, or you have a mixed culture group of friends who you hang out with. Anyway, even if you mostly have country-culture immigrant friends, it won’t give you disadvantages if you become bicultural, having both your home culture and Canadian culture at the same time, proving that multiculturalism is possible.

Finally, some advice I heard from a Croatian friend, “…just accept different cultures, but you also have to observe and understand the differences.”

“Keep your language. Love its sounds, its modulation, its rhythm. But try to march together with men of different languages, remote from your own, who wish like you for a more just and human world.”

- Hélder Câmara, author of Spiral Of Violence