I've finally created my travelling blog for my exchange year: My year in Canada. My ambition is to give you a picture of my stay the coming school year, with some reports and some pictures along the way. I will be spending the year with my host family in Boundary Creek, New Brunswick and attending high school in a nearby town.
On saturday I'll be departing for Toronto at 07,10 am. On friday me and my mother will go by train to Malmö, to sleep a few hours in a hotel before we take the train to the Copenhagen Airport. There we're going to meet a representative of EF at half past five in the morning. If you want to, you're welcome to say a little prayer for me between nine a 'clock and half past ten, because then I'll be changing flight all by myself on the huge airport Charles de Gaulle, outside Paris.
The first two weeks in Canada I'll be staying in Toronto, participating in the EF Language & Culture camp. At the arrival in Toronto it will, on the count of the time difference of five hours, still be morning. So the first night I suppose I won't exactly have any sleeping trouble.
This week is, as understandable, mostly about packing and getting ready to leave the country for a year. When I'm coming home my personality will have been changed, in one way or another. Right now I can't really say that I'm nervous or so, it's useless worrying about accidents that maybe won't even happen. But the departure is almost a week away, sooner or later the nervousness will come.
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Påstående: I Kanada uttalar man 'about' ungefär som om man pratade om en stövel: 'A boot'.
- Falskt
Påstående: I Kanada känner alla varandra.
- Falskt. Kanadas befolkning ligger just nu på 33 miljoner.
Påstående: I Kanada bor folk i igloos och tar hundsläden till jobbet.
- Falskt. P g a den aktuella bristen på moderna kommunala kommunikationsystem har de flesta människor bil, inte häst- eller hundsläde. Och oftast inte en kanot heller, även om det hade varit ganska coolt. Och det där med igloos, jo, det finns eskimåer här, det är möjligt att de bor i igloos.
Påstående: I Kanada finns det en massa bönder.
- Sant. En mycket stor del av befolkningen sysslar med 'farming' och Kanada har kallats 'the land of the farmers'.
Government type: Federal constitutional monarchy.
Capital: Ottawa.
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*.
Independence: 1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK).
National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867).
Political parties and leaders: Bloc Quebecois [Gilles Duceppe]; Conservative Party of Canada [Stephen Harper] (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party); Green Party [Elizabeth May]; Liberal Party [StephaneDion]; New Democratic Party [Jack Layton].
New Brunswick
About Me
Myterna om Kanada - Sant eller Falskt?
Påstående: I Kanada uttalar man 'about' ungefär som om man pratade om en stövel: 'A boot'.
- Falskt
Påstående: I Kanada känner alla varandra.
- Falskt. Kanadas befolkning ligger just nu på 33 miljoner.
Påstående: I Kanada bor folk i igloos och tar hundsläden till jobbet.
- Falskt. P g a den aktuella bristen på moderna kommunala kommunikationsystem har de flesta människor bil, inte häst- eller hundsläde. Och oftast inte en kanot heller, även om det hade varit ganska coolt. Och det där med igloos, jo, det finns eskimåer här, det är möjligt att de bor i igloos.
Påstående: I Kanada finns det en massa bönder.
- Sant. En mycket stor del av befolkningen sysslar med 'farming' och Kanada har kallats 'the land of the farmers'.
Canada - Facts
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.
The name of Canada itself, and the names of some provinces and territories, come from place names in Aboriginal languages.
- Canada: is from Kanata, meaning "settlement" or "village" in the language of the Huron.
- Saskatchewan: the province got its name from the Saskatchewan River, which the Cree called Kisiskatchewani Sipi, meaning "swift-flowing river."
- Manitoba: the likeliest source is the Cree maniot-wapow, "the strait of the spirit or manitobau." This name refers to the roaring sound produced by pebbles on a beach on Manitoba Island in Lake Manitoba. The Cree believed the noise sounded like a manito, a spirit, beating a drum. It has also been suggested that the name comes from the Assiniboine words mini and tobow, meaning "Lake of the Prairie."
- Ontario: this Huron name, first applied to the lake, may be a corruption of onitariio, meaning "beautiful lake," or kanadario, which translates as "sparkling" or "beautiful" water.
- Quebec: Aboriginal peoples first used the name kebek for the region around the city of Québec. It refers to the Algonquin word for "narrow passage" or "strait" to indicate the narrowing of the river at Cape Diamond.
- Yukon: this name belonged originally to the river, and is from a Loucheux word, LoYu-kun-ah, meaning "great river."
- Nunavut: the name of Canada's newest territory, which came into being on April 1, 1999, means "our land" in Inuktitut.
- Hockey and lacrosse are Canada's national sports.
- John Cabot was the first explorer to reach Canada in 1497.
- Canadians consume more macaroni and cheese than any other nation.
- The oldest person in Canada was Marie-Louise Meilleur. She was born in Kamouraska, Quebec on August 29, 1880 and dies on April 16, 1998 at age 117.
- Canada is the largest producer of ice wine — a refreshingly sweet dessert wine with high acidity — in the world. The ice wine industry is centred in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley and Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula. Pillitteri Estates Winery and Inniskillin are the top producers.
- Whistler Blackcomb, BC, is home to the longest ski season in North America, from November to June. The resort also boasts the largest skiable terrain in North America at 3,307 ha.
- Toronto, ON is the third-largest live theatre centre in the English-speaking world after London, UK, and New York, NY.
- Spirit Island on Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, AB is the most photographed island in the world.
- Ottawa, ON’s Rideau Canal is the world’s largest skating rink. It’s a 202-km-long waterway that links Lake Ontario at Kingston with the Ottawa River.
- When there is a wind-chill warning in Newfoundland and Labrador, how long does it take for exposed flesh to freeze? Five minutes or less.
- John Cabot was the first explorer to reach Canada in 1497.
- Canadians consume more macaroni and cheese than any other nation.
- The oldest person in Canada was Marie-Louise Meilleur. She was born in Kamouraska, Quebec on August 29, 1880 and dies on April 16, 1998 at age 117.
- Canada is the largest producer of ice wine — a refreshingly sweet dessert wine with high acidity — in the world. The ice wine industry is centred in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley and Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula. Pillitteri Estates Winery and Inniskillin are the top producers.
- Whistler Blackcomb, BC, is home to the longest ski season in North America, from November to June. The resort also boasts the largest skiable terrain in North America at 3,307 ha.
- Toronto, ON is the third-largest live theatre centre in the English-speaking world after London, UK, and New York, NY.
- Spirit Island on Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, AB is the most photographed island in the world.
- Ottawa, ON’s Rideau Canal is the world’s largest skating rink. It’s a 202-km-long waterway that links Lake Ontario at Kingston with the Ottawa River.
- When there is a wind-chill warning in Newfoundland and Labrador, how long does it take for exposed flesh to freeze? Five minutes or less.
Geography
Canada is the second-largest country in world (after Russia); its strategic location is between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border.
Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US.
Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north.
Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast.
Area: 9,984,670 sq km.
Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US.
Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north.
Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast.
Area: 9,984,670 sq km.
Government
Government type: Federal constitutional monarchy.
Capital: Ottawa.
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*.
Independence: 1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK).
National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867).
Political parties and leaders: Bloc Quebecois [Gilles Duceppe]; Conservative Party of Canada [Stephen Harper] (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party); Green Party [Elizabeth May]; Liberal Party [StephaneDion]; New Democratic Party [Jack Layton].
People
Population: 33,390,141.
Median age: 39.1 years.
Birth rate: 10.75 births/1,000 population.
Death rate: 7.86 deaths/1,000 population.
Life expectancy at birth: 80.34 years.
Ethnic groups: British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%.
Religions: Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16%.
Languages: English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%.
Median age: 39.1 years.
Birth rate: 10.75 births/1,000 population.
Death rate: 7.86 deaths/1,000 population.
Life expectancy at birth: 80.34 years.
Ethnic groups: British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%.
Religions: Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16%.
Languages: English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%.
New Brunswick Facts
- The inventor of the ice cream cone was born in Sussex corner- the Dairy Capital of Canada, mid-way along the Fundy Coastal Drive. Locals tell the story of baker Walter Donelly who made a bad batch of dough. He was at a loss with what to do with his hard, crispy pastry. So, he ran next door to the ice cream parlour….and the rest, as they say, is ice cream cone history.
- Fish stories abound in the Miramichi River in the heart of salmon country. The river boasts the best salmon fishing in the world.
- New Brunswick musicians made history in May of 1907 at the Nickel Theatre in Saint John. They were the first to accompany silent moving pictures in North America.
- The world's longest covered bridge was completed in Hartland in 1899. It's 390 metres long and spans the Saint John River. There are 62 covered bridges in New Brunswick.
- The world's biggest lobster "lives" in Shediac, but unfortunately he doesn't breathe. It's 10.5 metres ( 35 feet ) long, 4.5 metres ( 15 feet ) high and weighs 90 tons! And you can climb on him.
- The Eel River Bar, near Dalhousie on the Acadian Coastal Drive, is one of the longest natural sandbars in North America.
- The cymbal factory in Meductic is one of the first in North America. Musicians in over 80 countries play New Brunswick-made Sabian cymbals.
- Fish stories abound in the Miramichi River in the heart of salmon country. The river boasts the best salmon fishing in the world.
- New Brunswick musicians made history in May of 1907 at the Nickel Theatre in Saint John. They were the first to accompany silent moving pictures in North America.
- The world's longest covered bridge was completed in Hartland in 1899. It's 390 metres long and spans the Saint John River. There are 62 covered bridges in New Brunswick.
- The world's biggest lobster "lives" in Shediac, but unfortunately he doesn't breathe. It's 10.5 metres ( 35 feet ) long, 4.5 metres ( 15 feet ) high and weighs 90 tons! And you can climb on him.
- The Eel River Bar, near Dalhousie on the Acadian Coastal Drive, is one of the longest natural sandbars in North America.
- The cymbal factory in Meductic is one of the first in North America. Musicians in over 80 countries play New Brunswick-made Sabian cymbals.
Recently read books
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K Rowling
- Kentucky heat - Fern Michaels
- Kentucky sunrise - Fern Michaels
- Kentucky rich - Fern Michaels
- Fallen angles - Tracy Chevalier
- Inés, min själs älskade - Isabel Allende
- Porträtt i sepia - Isabel Allende
- Ödets dotter - Isabel Allende
- Agnes Cecilia - Maria Gripe
- Damen med enhörningen - Tracy Chevalier
- Tordyveln flyger i skymningen - Maria Gripe
3 comments:
hello!
Now i've created that account, i had to, you know. Then i wrote a comment full of errors, so I erased it. that's why.
Gone fishing? Well, soon, at lest! Have a great time! I know it'll all be nice (like Rome! :P) when you go there. Break a leg!
We'll see eachother after our adventures!
Hej Elin! Vad kul att det blev en Kanadablogg - ska bli så spännande att läsa om dina äventyr. Slår en signal imorgon eftermiddag så jag kan säga hej så länge IRL! Godnattkram, Hanna
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