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Our IMAX Experience
After eating at the Noodle Box, we went to
the IMAX theatre to watch Jumanji. I had already watched this movie in Hong
Kong, so it wasn’t as exciting as a new movie would have been, but I did watch
the movie without any sub-titles, so I still got to practice my English
listening skills.
Redlen Technologies Tour
I was really curious about Erik’s job, so much so, that I often asked him questions about his work and the company he worked for, so I was delighted when Erik offered to give us a tour of his place. We got to meet and talk to the people in his office, and then he took us on a tour to help us understand a bit more about new incoming high-resolution sensors
Victoria Shopping Day
We
went shopping today! Because I was so busy shopping, I took no pictures, but my
friend took this one! There were tons of stores to shop in! I bought a lot of
things again! I bought a jacket, a shirt, and a t-shirt to name but a few. I
spent almost 2000.00 HKD in one day! We went to both the Mayfair mall and the
Uptown mall, both were very different and big. What I liked most was that there
were lots of brand names, but with some different styles than in Hong Kong.
Victoria Harbour
In
the afternoon, we went to Victoria harbour to see float planes take off and
land. I have never seen this before, so it was good to watch, because the views
were great at the same time. We saw kayakers, and even wild life, like the
otters, and there were other tourists that we could talk with.
Also, Victoria
has a much slower pace than Hong Kong, so I was very relaxed. I didn’t feel the
need to rush, like I do in Hong Kong. We also went to some tourist shops and
looked at souvenirs for our family and friends. I LOVE shopping, so I
especially liked this, and I spent more money than I thought I would.
On Our Way to Canada
The day has finally come! We are so excited to travel to Canada.
We have worked every day at lunch hour to
help research, organize and practice for our trip: however, this trip would not
have been possible without Mimi’s help and the TJCEC’s support. Thanks so
much! I couldn’t wait to get acquainted
with a new culture!Food Court Eating Experience
A Canadian
food court has a myriad of restaurants to choose from – from ethnic foods to
fast foods. We ate before we went shopping. We all had to order our own food. I
love talking to English-speaking people. I am sure I spoke perfect English when
I ordered my food – honest! Speaking in English to everyone is really helping
to boost my self-confidence. I love it!
Meeting Miss Lau.
We had a good time visiting with her and her family. We all went to a park and had fun playing together until it started to rain! What I really liked about seeing Miss Lau was learning more about her family and her new life in Canada.
New House in Kerrisdale
We were all surprised when we reached our new house, because we expected it to be very small, but like 5055 Cordova Bay, it was very big.
There were more bedrooms, so I could spend some time just lying on my bed, and it was sooooo good to sleep with Emily as she likes to go to sleep early as well. It had a big kitchen, so we could still cook our own dinners, which have been yummier than any restaurant food, we have eaten so far! We are great cooks! Traditional Canadian Fire
Butchart Gardens
We
went to the Butchart Gardens today, which is known as one of the best gardens
in the world. Butchart Gardens is very big! I almost got lost in it! There were tons of
beautiful flowers and trees for people to observe and take pictures of. Like
everywhere in Canada, the place was extremely clean and beautiful!
There were lots of tourists, so many people seem to like visiting gardens. And today, we had to interview strangers – yes strangers! We have been practicing in class initiating conversations with others, and this is the first time that we have to video-tape ourselves doing just that. Although this was very difficult for me, because I had a sore throat, I think this activity was very useful, and what I noticed was that the more interviews we did, the easier it became. These types of activities really challenge us and help us gain confidence, not just English-speaking confidence, because it also takes confidence to walk up to a stranger and start a conversation. What really helped was how nice people were, and how willing they were to do interviews with us. I was really impressed by this.
Vancouver Harbour Cruise & Buffet Dinner
Today,
we were very excited in both a good and bad way. First, we were excited because
we were going on a Vancouver harbor dinner cruise with live music and a buffet
dinner. And yes! Finally! We got to dress up.
But when we got near our cruise there was a huge traffic problem, so we
almost missed our cruise! We really wanted to get there, but the traffic just
wouldn’t move.
Meeting Jonnie
Mimi said that Jonnie was a handsome boy, so
I was particularly looking forward to meeting him. And she was right, he is good-looking, but
most of all he was funny and nice. He helped teach us how to stand-up board.
We spent the evening on the beach with
him and his dog, Skye. Skye was a
beautiful white dog! I really enjoy meeting local people and getting to talk
with them. It feels great to just be talking in English to everyone, even my
classmates! I love this the most!Long Beach
Although it was overcast and cool, I really enjoyed
going to Long Beach, not just because it was very scenic, but because we spent
a couple of hours playing in the sand and at the water’s edge together. We had
such a great time. I am so glad I had the opportunity to experience this beach
and I’d recommend that anyone who goes to Tofino should stop in at Long Beach!Black Bear Watching Tour
This was my first time seeing the black
bear! I was so excited! In Hong Kong, it
is impossible to watch black bears in the wild, so this chance is very rare!
Actually, Tofino has a lot of black bears, so we were not allowed to have any
food at all in our tents, and after every meal, we had to lock all our food
into the trunk of our vehicle. There were also special bear garbage cans. They
were hard to open, because there was a special clasp that the bears could not
unlatch.
This was done, so that nothing would attract the bears into the
campgrounds. Bears are very dangerous, when we were on the bear watching tour,
one of our guides was a cute Canadian guy who was our age. He told us many
things about the black bears, like how fast they can run and how quickly they
can kill their prey. Black bears don’t normally attack people unless they have
young, are injured, have food, or humans are hurting them.
Adam was a great guide as he was very funny and played games with us. He taught me how to make a daisy-chain when he learned that my name is Daisy. I really liked him. He was so friendly, funny, and interesting to talk to.
Adam was a great guide as he was very funny and played games with us. He taught me how to make a daisy-chain when he learned that my name is Daisy. I really liked him. He was so friendly, funny, and interesting to talk to.
Hot Springs
We took a long boat ride to the island where
the hot springs are. I stayed inside the boat, but Takky, Steven and some of
the others went ontop of the boat, but I thought it was too cold. We had to hike through part of the Pacific
Rim National Park to get to the hot springs. It was a gorgeous hike. It wasn’t
like our other hikes though, it was more like a Hong Kong hike.
There was a
boardwalk the whole way, so we didn’t even have to get our shoes dirty. When we got to the hot springs, the air felt
cool, but when we went in the hot springs, it was freaking hot! I got used to
the heat, but at first, I thought it would burn my skins.
This was my first time in a hot spring, so I didn’t know what to expect. By the end, I really enjoyed being able to sit in hot water with cool air all around me. I also liked playing with my friends in the water. It is amazing that nature has its own hot and cold water.
This was my first time in a hot spring, so I didn’t know what to expect. By the end, I really enjoyed being able to sit in hot water with cool air all around me. I also liked playing with my friends in the water. It is amazing that nature has its own hot and cold water.
Saying Good-bye Victoria and 5055 Cordova Bay
Although it was sad to part from Victoria, I
was also excited to travel to Vancouver still as it was a big city in Canada.
There would be a lot of malls to shop. I was so happy at the thought of
shopping! More importantly, it allowed me to know more about Canada!
I couldn’t bear to say good-bye Victoria. I
wanted to stay. We had a beautiful beach in front of the house and everyone was
so nice, thoughtful, generous and friendly. Our departure also meant that we
were getting closer to returning to Hong Kong, and none of us wanted to leave!
Time was flying by so fast! Also, I had learned so much in Victoria. I felt
like I had some how grown-up. I went from having never cooked to cooking and
cleaning every day. I went from being afraid of nature to loving it. And what I
now know is that there is more to life than just academic schooling. Yes, I
still want to go to university, but now, I just don’t want to go to make more
money, I want to go to challenge myself – to experience more, to learn more.
Canada Day Celebrations
We were so lucky as we were in Tofino to
celebrate Canada day! Everyone there was so outgoing, and we played together!
Also, people invited us to dance at the centre of town. I had never been asked
to a community dance before!
So, even though the band was playing and lots of
people were dancing, I rejected the dance invitation – maybe next time! But
what was really interesting was the strong community spirit in Tofino. This
amazed me. I have never seen anything like this before. I think it is really
warm to have such a close-knitted community. It feels so wonderful! So, I am
glad I got to share their Canada celebration with them.
.
Beacon Hill Petting Zoo
We wanted
to go to Beacon Hill Petting Zoo, because we don’t have petting zoos in Hong
Kong. We got to see and touch animals, like goats, pigs and cows.
Even though I really liked watching them, I didn’t want to touch them too much, because I didn’t think they were very clean, even though, lots of other people were petting and playing with the animals. I guess I am truly a city-kid at heart!
I especially
liked the little goats. They have so much energy. They like to run around jump
just like young kids do! went to see
animals, like goals, pigs, cows, to name but a few today. This photo was taken
when I was playing with goats.
Tofino & Shopping
Look at the blue skies. Aren’t they
beautiful. After we came back from Long Beach, the weather began to change and
it became so beautiful. We were to go on
a Rainforest hike, but we were very hungry and wanted to eat and go
shopping. When Mimi agreed to let us go
shopping, we were extremely happy. I bought many souvenirs for my parents and
friends. There was Tofino. We were extremely happy
I
am so happy that I got to go to Tofino, because everyone said that it was a
great place for young people to go, and I agree. There were lots of young people, tons of
handsome boys, but more importantly, I felt so close to nature and it felt
clean and alive. In Tofino, I realized that I do love nature, that is not just
beauty, but it is something that everyone should experience. I think as
city-kids we never really touch nature, even when we go camping in Hong Kong,
everything is pre-made, everything is so removed from nature, but here in
Tofino, I have experienced the heart of nature and I have fallen in love!😍Breakfast with the Bears
This will most likely be the first and last
time I eat Breakfast with the bears. Before breakfast, we had this amazing tour
where the tour guide shared all this great knowledge about Coola and Grinder,
the two grizzly bears. I am sure she did a fantastic job, but for some reason this
morning, there were flies everywhere, and yes, I mean literally everywhere.
This made it very difficult to appreciate these huge bears. Grizzly bears are
much larger than black bears. I really wanted to touch them, but it would have
been too dangerous. It was great to be
able to see the grizzlies so close up, but I have to say, I sure wouldn’t want
to meet up with these large bears in the wild.
Farewell Party
On the last day in Victoria, we had invited the
Japanese friends we had met in Beacon Hill Park, two Danny’s and some of Mimi’s
friends. We did water sports with them, had a huge barbecue feast, and sang
music and played together We sang together and chatted with them. Danny, Erik’s son, is a professional
songwriter and musician. His music even plays on Canadian radio stations. It
was so cool to get to meet him and play music with him.
We had so much fun fooling around together.
What I really loved about our farewell party was that by this time, we were all
feeling quite confident about our speaking ability, so we were able to have fun
with everyone in the same way we would have in Chinese.Britannia Copper Mine
We went
to the copper mine today to learn how copper is mine, and how copper is used in
modern industries. I was amazed at the difficult working conditions of miners
in the 19th and 20th centuries. I am glad that modern
working conditions have improved a lot and that safety is very important. I was stunned to learn that early miners often
had to work with no lights, or just the light of a candle, because they had no
electricity or advanced technologies to help them.
From a
science perspective, it was good to be able to go into a real mine and see for
myself what a shaft looks like. Our tour guide did many demonstrations, so that
we could experience the life of miners. I found these demonstrations very
helpful in understanding how copper, and other precious metals, are mined. I
thought this tour was very educational as I came out with a lot more knowledge
and experience than when I went in.
Saying Good-bye to Canada
After 19 days in Canada, I can honestly say that I was starting to miss home. I think the closer you come to leaving, the more you start thinking about where you are going. At least this happened to me, and as a result, I was starting to miss my parents, other friends, and yes – my own bed! So, a part of me couldn’t wait to get back to Hong Kong, but then another part of me didn’t want to leave Canada, because I knew I would miss Erik. He was always so funny, giving and considerate!
I cried when it came time
to say good-bye, but he surprised us when he told us that he is coming to Hong
Kong at the end of October! I can’t wait to see him again! Such fun times to
look forward to! Can’t wait!
Whistler Mountain and Peak-to-Peak
It took
about one hour to get from Squamish, where we did the Coppermine tour to
Whistler. And as you can see, there was snow at the top of Whistler Mountain.
This is the second time that I have seen snowy mountains. They are so
impressive. After walking in the snow, which wasn’t easy, we had a snowball
fight! This totally cemented our friendship! So, I think snowball fights are
the best fights in the whole world! They are fun, and they make everyone laugh
and chase each other around in circles!
After
playing in the snow on Whistler Mountain, we took the Peak-to-Peak cable car
between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain. WOW! The scenery was so stunning. It
is hard to believe that some people get to live in such beautiful settings.
When we
came down from the mountain, we all wanted to go to Starbucks! Oh! I have a
secret I want to tell you. ‘I got all my friends addicted to Starbucks! This is really true. When we got to the ferry
terminal after our flight from Hong Kong to Canada, there was a Starbucks and I
decided to have a chocolate chip drink. No one else wanted Starbucks until they
all tasted mine!’ After this, whenever we saw a Starbucks, everyone wanted
drinks. Starbucks should thank me with free drinks for the rest of my life!
Haha! J
Whistler
was such a cool place to visit! I would love to go again if I have a chance!
My First Impressions of Canada
After landing in Vancouver, we had to take a
ferry to Victoria, so we did not arrive until almost midnight. It is strange to hear only English, but I like
it! We all just went to bed, but we all
woke up very early and we just had to look around. WOW! It was an amazing view from our window,
so we had to get outside and onto the beach.
Although, we were
suffering from jet lag on our first day, we still went out and bought a lot of
groceries and supplies, and then we hiked Mt. Doug. Boy, that sure kept me
awake!! The air is so fresh and clean. I
can see for miles. What a wonderful place to live. I am glad I am here.
Goldstream Provincial Park Trestle Bridge and Waterfall
WOW!
What an experience. I have no idea how high the trestle bridge is, but I can’t
believe that I actually walked across this.
I was extremely scared even though I knew that no train will come,
because the railway is closed. The gaps
between the rails seemed must larger than they really were. There was no way I could fall through, but
just seeing light below made me think that I might fall down. However, after I had crossed it with my
friends and we had helped each other out, because some of us were scared and
others were not, I felt really proud of myself for challenging myself and for
working together to make sure everyone could cross the bridge
successfully. Afterwards, we had a
picnic lunch on the train rail. This was
my first ever, ever train-rail picnic, and I think it will probably be my last!
What I enjoyed most was two really good looking teenage boys from another
Canadian city had also come to cross the bridge, and they stopped and talked
with us.
The waterfall behind me was very pretty! The
whole views All the views were stunning and the hike to the trestle bridge,
although difficult in places, was also very scenic. What I didn’t like about
this hike was there was no way to do it without getting dirty! But, as I’ve
said before the views are always so fabulous that it is worth getting a bit of
dirt on me, and I seem always manage to negotiate with my friends to be the
first in the shower. I am a good negotiator!
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