Go Team Canada - Go Canada Go!!!!!!!!

It has been an amazing two weeks of an extremely successful Olympics for Canada, I must say!! From screams of 'Go, Canada Go' to people everywhere wearing Red and White colours, to 'Canada' written all over any kind of clothing........the spirit, patriotism and pride of a Country was practically in your face for two weeks. And what a glorious two weeks it has been!

Canada finished third in the overall ranking, behind the US and Germany, but if you ask any Canadian, they will tell you that after beating the US in BOTH women's and men's hockey, that they came out the winners!

14 Gold medals, more than any other host country for any Winter Olympics before 2010. That is just awesome! Today, most of Canada was sitting on the edge of their seats, watching the men's hockey finals. At one point, the US and Canada were both neck and neck with two goals each, and then at the last second possible, Sidney Crosby scored the third goad for Canada. The entire Country erupted in unision..........screaming with joy....that the impossible had finally become possible. (Like India playing Pakistan in a cricket finals!!)

It is late, just watching the Closing ceremony. Will fill you in tomorrow and add some pictures at this spectacular finale of a truly memorable Winter Olympic Games!

We're up to 7 golds and counting!! Canada in fourth place right now.

The Olympics took a back seat this week for many Canadians who got hit with two days of continuous snow, and another three more days to go. So instead of watching the Olympics on t.v or reading the newspaper, most people were out shoveling snow and cleaning their car windows! Also, driving anywhere took longer because of the slippery roads and iced road conditions.

Canada is doing pretty well considering the odds when they first started. In fourth place, ahead of Russia is something to cheer, although the US seems to be way ahead in the medal tally. Doesn't look like there are enough medals left now to catch up!!

The biggest medals left now are of course the men's and woman's hockey finals. The woman's team made the finals and will be playing the US. The men still have to qualify. I'll keep you posted on what is happening.

One really interesting piece of news that I'm sure every Indian knows already is that Sachin Tendulkar became the first person to get 200 runs in a one day international cricket tournament!!! It was so awesome to see him cross that line and get that run.....then to have him later dedicate it to the Country. Congrats Sachin from all Indo-Canadians too!!

Canada is up to Four Golds!!!

Jon Montgomery

We have a new hero in Canada today!!!

Jon Montgomery claimed victory in the men's skeleton event on Friday night. He says his gold is "Canada's medal." Jon is a 30 year old used car salesman from Manitoba, Canada.

Jon's win is the second straight victory in men's skeleton for Canada at the Winter Games. Duff Gibson won the event at the Turin Olympics four years ago.

Canada is in fourth place with four gold medals, three silver and one bronze.

First Canadian Woman to win a Gold Olympic Medal on homeland!!

Canada's Maelle Ricker - Gold Medalist 2010 Olympics!!

Canadian Maelle Ricker won the first ever Gold Medal by a female athlete during a winter Olympic games on Canadian soil for Snowboard Cross!!

It was really exciting to watch and the expressions on the faces of the spectators was just priceless when they realized that she had won.

Keep reading this blog for updated information on how the Canadian and Indian athletes are doing.

Moving to Canada? Start reading my blog from the July 2008 posts.

Many readers keep asking me about the schools, how to find a house, and other questions relating to things I've written all about in my earlier posts. If you are moving to Canada, I suggest you start reading the posts, basically 'backwards', starting from July 2008.

If you see the right hand side of the blog and scroll down, you will find the calendar year and click on 2008. Then click on July. You will find information on everything from what you need for school admissions, school rankings and what to look for when buying or renting a house.

This month I know of four readers who are moving and making the final 'landing' to Canada. I wish them all the best and hope they like it here as much as we do!

Medals so far

Day five of the Olympics and so far the medals table looks like this:


USA 2 gold 2 silver 4 bronze

Germany 1 3 1

France 2 0 2

Canada 1 2 1

Switzerland 3


With many more events to go, we'll keep watching the scoreboard closely to see if Canada can rise up the ranks. (Which I'm pretty sure they'll do!!)

Discovered on YouTube and showcased to the world during the Olympics!

Shane Koyczan

Shane until the Olympics was an ordinary guy who wrote poems. Then he was discovered on YouTube and asked to say his poem during the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. It was the highlight to many Canadians, and with that, Shane became an over night sensation! Here is his poem:

A transcript of Shane Koyczan's poem, "We Are More," as delivered during the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Olympic Games:

"Define Canada

You might say the home of the Rocket

Or The Great One

Who inspired little No. 9s and little No. 99s

But we're more than just hockey and fishing lines

Off of the rocky coast of the Maritimes

And some say what defines us

Is something as simple as 'please' and 'thank you'

And as for 'you're welcome,' well, we say that, too

But we are more than genteel or civilized

We are an idea in the process of being realized

We are young, we are cultures strung together then woven into a tapestry

And the design is what makes us more than the sum totals of our history

We are an experiment going right for a change

With influences that range from A to Zed

And yes, we say 'Zed' instead of 'Zee'

We are the brightness of Chinatown and the laughter of Little Italy

We dream so big that there are those

Who would call our ambition an industry

Because we are vineyards of good year after good year

We reforest what we clear

Because we believe in generations beyond our own

Knowing now that so many of us

Have grown past what we used to be

We can stand here today

Filled with all the hope people have

When they say things like 'someday'

Because we are more

Than a laundry list of things to do and places to see

More than hills to ski

Or countryside ponds to skate

We are the abandoned hesitation of all those who can't wait

We are first-rate greasy spoon diners and healthy living cafes

A country that is all the ways you choose to live

A nation that can give you variety

Because we are choices

We are millions upon millions of voices

Shouting, keep exploring

We are more

We are the surprise the world has in store for you, it's true

Canada is the 'what' in 'what's new'

So don't let your luggage define your travels

Each life unravels differently

And experiences are what make up

The colours of our tapestry

We are the true North

Strong and free

And what's more

Is that we didn't just say it

We made it be"

Canada wins its first ever Home Won Gold!!! Bilodeau makes history!!

Alexandre Bilodeau carved his way into Canadian history Sunday at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

The 22-year-old from Rosemère, Que., became the first Canadian to win an Olympic gold medal at home, finishing first in the men's moguls skiing final at Cypress Mountain.

No Canadians won gold at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal or the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary. Over 500 Canadian athletes had missed reaching the podium's peak on home soil and Canada had been the only multiple Olympic host never to win gold at home. So you can imagine the pressure that Vancouver was under!!

Until Bilodeau won gold yesterday!!

The opening ceremony opened with a bang leaving everyone who watched with wonderment and excitement over what was to come. Well let me tell you, that the pas two days of events like the ski-jump, luge and the 10km Cross Country has been nothing short of exhilarating to watch!

Skiing - a sport that has speed, tremendous expertise, skill and sometimes even spills.....adds to the thrill of watching a sport like that either live or on t.v.

The day before, all of Canada watched as the country just missed it's first Olympic gold on home ground. Jenn Heil came in second on the short downhill ski run, winning the Silver medal while her American rival, Hannah Kearney won the Gold.

So with the first Gold won, it can only go uphill from here on the medal tally.....

Go Canada!!

Feb 13th at the Winter Olympics

Spectacular opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics that started Feb 12th 2010

The Medals of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics

The Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics

Yesterday, at 6pm Pacific time, the Opening Ceremony started with the singing of the National Anthem of Canada in front of 60,000 people at the indoor stadium, and millions watching on t.v.

The opening ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics began on a somber note Friday night as members of the delegation from Georgia mourned the loss of one of their fellow athletes, who died earlier in the day, in an accident at the Luge site where he was practicing for his event.

The seven-athlete delegation, wearing black armbands for 21 year old Nodar Kumaritashvili, entered the stadium to a standing ovation.

"The whole Olympic family is struck by this tragedy, which clearly casts a shadow over these Games," International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said.

The ceremony then went on to lively performances from Canada's indigenous people, who danced throughout the lengthy introductions of the delegations from the 82 competing nations.

A high-flying snowboarder opened the ceremonies by jumping through a giant set of Olympic rings, prompting roars from the crowd inside the domed stadium -- a first for a Winter Games.

The crowd erupted when Canadian speed skater Clara Hughes, carrying the Canadian flag, led her team into the arena. The Canadians hope to top the medal tally at these games, and count on winning gold in both men's and women's hockey, the country's favorite sport.

After a tribute to the athletes, sung by Canadians Bryan Adams and Nelly Furtado, the ceremony turned into a technological spectacle celebrating the country's diversity and natural beauty. More than 100 screens around the stadium projected video and images to turn the venue into a re-creation of Canada's constellations, oceans, rivers and forests.

Singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, a British Columbia resident, sang as members of the Alberta Ballet danced among holographic images of the huge trees of an old growth forest.

There was a mechanical glitch when four Canadian sports legends tried to light the Olympic cauldron. Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, speed skating hero Catriona LeMay Doan, NBA star Steve Nash and alpine ski star Nancy Greene each were supposed to light one beam of the structure and then watch the flames rise to meet in the cauldron. But one beam failed to emerge from the floor of BC Place, the first indoor arena to host the opening ceremony.

A second cauldron, near Coal Harbour, was lit because the indoor caldron was too hot for a closed arena.

It is going to be exciting to see which countries win those medals. Keep reading my posts for the latest!!

The Winter Olympics is finally here!!

Part of the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympic games in Vancouver!

The Official 2o1o Olympic Logo

The Ilanaaq (stone carving meaning 'friend') after which the Olympic Logo was made.

The three Olympic mascots of the 2010 Winter Games

The 2010 Winter Olympics logo was unveiled on April 23, 2005, and is named Ilanaaq the Inunnguaq. Ilanaaq is the Inuit word for friend. The logo is based on the Inukshuk (stone landmark or cairn) built for the Northwest Territories Pavilion at Expo 86 and donated to the City of Vancouver after the event. It is now used as a landmark on English Bay Beach.

The mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games were introduced on November 27, 2007. Inspired by traditional First Nations creatures, the mascots include:

• Miga — A mythical sea bear, part orca and part kermode bear.
• Quatchi — A sasquatch, who wears boots and earmuffs.
• Sumi — An animal guardian spirit who wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty Thunderbird and runs on the strong furry legs of the black bear.
• Mukmuk — A Vancouver Island marmot.

Miga and Quatchi are mascots for the Olympic Games, while Sumi is the mascot for the Paralympic Games. Mukmuk is considered a sidekick, not a full mascot.

The Torch from Turin, Italy 2006 Winter Olympics

Todays events:

Feb. 12, 10:00- Ski Jumping - NH Individual Qualification Round

Feb. 12, 18:00- General - Opening Ceremony

Feb. 13, 9:45- Ski Jumping - NH Individual 1st Round

Medal Event Feb. 13, 10:45- Ski Jumping - NH Individual Final Round

Everybody knows about the Summer Olympics in countries like India and the Middle East, but don't realize that there is also a Winter Olympics just for winter sports in countries like the US, Canada and parts of Europe.

Infact, only after going through the list of athletes did I come to know that Indians and Pakistanis were taking part in the Winter Olympics too!!! Did you know that? There are more details on the three Indians taking part later in this post.

Like the summer Olympics, the winter Olympics is also once every four years and has exactly the same extensive planning and importance.

In 2003 the IOC awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics to Vancouver, thus allowing Canada to host its second Winter Olympics. With a population of more than 2.5 million people, Vancouver will be the largest metropolitan area to ever host a Winter Olympic Games. Vancouver is a low-altitude, seaport city with a relatively mild oceanic climate. Most of the venues will be located in the Vancouver metropolitan area, with the exception of the alpine, Nordic, and sliding events, which will be held in Whistler.

Trivia: Did you know that Canada has never won a gold medal in Canada? The Govt. has spent 118 million dollars for this Olympics, to study each event in order to give Canadian athletes a scientific advantage. Let's see what happens!

The events that you will see are:

Alpine Skiing
Biathlon
Bobsleigh
Cross Country skiing
Curling
Figure Skating
Free style skiing
Ice Hockey
Luge
Nordic Combined
Short track
Skeleton
Snowboarding
Ski Jumping
Speed Skating


Countries represented include Russia, Switzerland, Canada, USA, France,India, Pakistan, Sweden and about 20 others.

For all the information on dates, events, schedules and all about every single Country and Athlete taking part, take a look at the official website:

www.vancouver2010.com

The 3 Indian Athletes taking part in the 2010 Olympics are:

K. P. KESHAVAN Shiva

Sport:Luge

LUNDUP Tashi

Sport:Cross-Country Skiing

NAMGIAL Jamyang

Sport:Alpine Skiing

Good luck to all the athletes!

The countdown clock is ticking and it will be so exciting to see who wins Gold at these Olympics!!!

Go Canada!

Shoveling the snow

All about shoveling snow and what to use:



Snow shovels

Electric snowblower

Man using the snowblower

Snow Plough used to clear the roads.

Snow can be both beautiful as well as a big pain to anyone who has a driveway, walkway and or sidewalk in front of their home.

Doctors and physiotherapists across Canada are seeing more patients than usual due to snow related injuries.

Chiropractor Steve Riggleman says poor shoveling technique and falls are major issues in the winter.

You should use the legs and arms more by keeping your back straight and bending at the knees. Push the snow forward and when lifting, straighten the knees.

Also, using a shovel that has a Teflon coating keeps the snow from sticking.

Avoid twisting and throwing while holding the weight of the snow as the turning motion can strain the back.

"You shouldn't lift you should push it forward but the problem with this snow is it's so heavy and wet you can't so you have to take little bites but if you pick it up, bend your knees, use your upper body, shoulders and muscles to lift it, you have less chance of an injury," said Riggleman.

Shoveling can be made more difficult by the weather. Cold air makes it harder to work and breathe, which adds some extra strain on the body. There also is the risk for hypothermia, a decrease in body temperature, if one is not dressed correctly for the weather conditions. Make sure you dress in layers to help keep your body heat trapped in between the clothing.

It can be dangerous to shovel snow if you have a heart condition or a bad back. Get someone else to do the hard work if you have any underlying medical condition. Fifteen minutes of shoveling snow is half the exercise you need in a day according to a study done in 1995.

Deciding whether to get a shovel or a snow blower is upto you. If you have a health problem that prevents you from shoveling, or too big an area, then the snowblower would be a better option.

Some people also buy salt that is available in most big stores to put on the driveway and sidewalk. This melts the snow to some extent, making it un-necessary to shovel if you have a very light snowfall. The salt is different from what you cook with, and is big and coarse. See the image below.

Coarse driveway salt

During or after a heavy snowfall you will see snow ploughs (one of the pictures above) on the roads clearing it up immediately. Main roads get cleared first and then the side streets.


Remember, if there is any sidewalk in front of your house, you are responsible for clearing the snow off of that too. If anyone falls and gets hurt because you didn't shovel the walk, you could be fined.

You can a lot more information from this website : www.brampton.ca

Happy winter and safe shoveling everyone!!

What's happening here in Toronto

All about Canadian Ice hocky, Curling and American Football !!


Ice Hockey - This is the goalie of the Maple Leafs of Toronto

curling

American Football

This was a very exciting weekend, with the Superbowl on Sunday evening. When you move to Canada or if you live here already, to really integrate with your Canadian co-workers and friends, you have to learn something about the games that are played here. Mainly Ice hockey, Curling and American Football.

For Canadian Ice Hockey you can check out this website that will give you more information on the teams and the league.

www.hockeycanada.ca

www.nhl.com (The National Hockey League)

www.mapleleafs.nhl.com (The Maple Leafs is the name of the Toronto hockey team)

For Curling: www.curling.ca - This is a game played on ice in which heavy stones with handles are slid toward a target. This game is also played during the Winter Olympics.

Superbowl: In professional American football, the Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League (NFL).

www.superbowl.com

Yesterday was the Superbowl for the year 2010 played in Miami, Florida in the United States.

The two teams that played the finals were the Saints of New Orleans and the Colts of Indianapolis. The Saints won the game which was great for the state that got hit by the massive hurricane Katrina a few years ago, and deserved something worth celebrating after so much devastation.

This will give you a head start on learning about these games, the teams and the main players.

My next post will be on the Winter Olympics starting on Feb 12th in Vancouver!!!

Have a good week!!

Schooling in Canada

When you are moving to Canada with school or university age children, like most Indians, your top priority will be to get them into good if not the best educational institutions.

Every region of Canada has different school boards. Each board is in charge of a number of schools in the district and control the syllabus, teaching staff and anything to do with the students in those schools.

Some of the board sites are:

http://www.cdnsba.org/ This is the Canadian School board association

http://www.peel.edu.on.ca/ This is the Peel board for schools in Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon

http://www.vsb.bc.ca/ This is the Vancouver school board site

http://www.tdsb.on.ca/ This is the Toronto school board site

http://www.ucdsb.on.ca/ This is the Upper Canada school board website

http://www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/ This is the York region school board

For information on rating of the schools:

www.fraserinstitute.org This institute rates schools and will give you an idea of where the top schools are. Don't forget, only the schools that have been in existence for at least five years only will be on the list. Also, a school that has a ranking of 200 may still be one of the top schools considering the number of schools in the region.

Hope this is of some help to you!
Here are some websites that will help you with the different types of schools and admissions processes.

http://www.studycanada.ca/ gives you information on higher studies and institutions.

http://www.schoolsincanada.com/ will give you more information on the same as above.

http://www.schoolfinder.com/ will help you find schools in different parts of Canada

If you have any specific questions please do write to me at the email id mentioned on the home page.

Thanks

Nal

Immigrating to Canada information

It is -17 C today, the sun is shining bright..and it is just another winter day here in Toronto.

The last month or so, I have been answering the dozens of emails I receive on a daily basis, from potential immigrants to Canada from all over the world. Mostly Indians who live in other countries and in India.

Some of the questions that many have are related to the actual paperwork, documentation and what is expected from the immigration officials on landing. One of the best websites that you can take a look at that gives this information is www.canadavisa.com

www.cic.gc.ca is another website that will give you information on many questions you may have regarding work, getting the different paperwork once you land (permanent resident cards, police check for a job, etc) and the different options you have for further studies.

www.vivelecanada.ca will give you first hand information on problems that other immigrants have faced, which may help you avoid making the same mistakes. Lots of good reading here.

www.garamchai.com/canada is another wonderful website that gives many first hand stories about people who have immigrated. Lots of advice and information here.

All the best to all those who are moving in to Canada this year!