How Christmas is Celebrated

As you know, Christmas is one of the most important celebrations in many countries, like USA, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, German. People spend Christmas in winter in most of those countries. The family members gather together to share food at warm home. Kids can go outside to make snow men. But Australia is in the south of the earth, and Australian celebrate Christmas in summer. Instead of making snow sports, they make trips to beaches to dive and fish.
Not until now do I know how Christmas is celebrated in Canada because I am a newcomer, and people don't celebrate Christmas in my mother country. Christmas of this year is coming and all the Canadians are preparing for celebrating Christmas. I am much more aware of how to celebrate Christmas in Canada than used to be. Canadians buy tons of gifts for family members and friends. Shopping malls and stores are decorated with Christmas trees, and children like to take pictures with these shinning decorations. Canadians also decorate their homes, and kids are excited with the coming celebration. There is going to be a big vocation of about 20 days for everyone.
I have to admit that I am very very excited with the coming Christmas. It is going to be my first Christmas spending in Canada.

Difference between Complete and Finished

When you marry the right woman, you are complete. When you marry the wrong woman, you are finished. And when the right one catches you with the wrong one, you are completely finished.

A letter

Dear friend:

Last week I was told that TPL MAP is very useful for our newcomers. Then I searched it on-line and made sure that it can give us a chance to journey through arts and culture in Toronto. Can I introduce it for you?

TPL MAP stands for Toronto public library's museum + arts pass. It lets you and your family (2 adults & up to 5 children) explore Toronto's arts and cultural treasures for free. With your valid adult Toronto Public Library card, you can take out a pass for your family at any Toronto Public Library branch.

There are some rules you have to follow. For example, misuse, transfer or sale of these passes is not permitted and will result in the Library taking action including the suspension of borrowing privileges.  When visiting a venue, you will need to show: MAP pass and date due receipt, your library card and ID(ID requirements may vary, we need to contact the venue direct.

Toronto Zoo is the venue I am most interested with. There are three passes per week available at 32 branches including Victoria Village which is close to your place and my house. Do you want to apply for the passes with me this Saturday morning? Should we meet each other at the parking lot of the library at 8:30 AM? Sorry for advising to meet so early. But the earlier we arrive at the library, the more chance we can get.

Have a nice day!

Your friend
Daisy

Living is like tearing through a museum - Audrey Hepburn -

"Living is like tearing through a museum. 

Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, 

thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering - 

because you can't take it in all at once." 

-  Audrey Hepburn -

Last morning we participated in a workshops on Employment Rights and Behavioural Interviews. The government officer who came to our classroom made a presentation to give us some information, and we were given some booklets about the topic to read. Because of the workshop, I've known minimax wages, parental and pregnancy leaves, our rights when we are fired or laid off. Unfortunately, the presentation had lasted for only almost an hour, and I still have confused with something, like working surrounding. By the way, if the office lady used projector and computer to present, we would get more details.

Three Questions about Workers' Rghts in Toronto

1.What's the maximum number of working hours ?
The maximum number of hours most employees can be required to work in a day is eight hours or the number of hours in an established regular workday, if it is longer than eight hours. The only way the daily maximum can be exceeded is by written agreement.The maximum number of hours most employees can be required to work in a week is 48 hours. The weekly maximum can be exceeded by written agreement and approval of the Director of Employment Standards. However, the ESA provides a limited exception where an application for approval is pending. If, after 30 days after serving an application for excess hours on the Director, the employer has not received an approval or notice of refusal, the employer  may require employees to start working more than 48 hours as long as certain conditions are met including, the employee does not work more than 60 hours in a work week or the number of hours the employee agreed to in writing, whichever is less.    

An agreement between an employee and an employer to work additional daily or weekly hours, or an approval from the Director of Employment Standards for excess weekly hours, does not relieve an employer from the requirement to pay overtime.

2.How much are minimum wages?

Minimum general minimum wage is $10.25;

Minimum student wage which applies to students under the age of 18 who work 28 hours a week or less when school is in session or work during a school break or summer holidays is $9.6.

Minimum homeworkers wage is $11.28. Homeworkers are employees who do paid work in their own homes. For example, they may sew clothes for a clothing manufacturer, answer telephone calls for a call centre, or write software for a high-tech company. Note that students of any age (including students under the age of 18 years) who are employed as homeworkers must be paid the homeworker's minimum wage.

3.What are the rights of pregnant employees and new parents?

Pregnant employees have the right to take Pregnancy Leave of up to 17 weeks of unpaid time off work. In some cases the leave may be longer. Employers do not have to pay wages to someone who is on pregnancy leave.
New parents have the right to take Parental Leave--unpaid time off work when a baby or child is born or first comes into their care. Birth mothers who took pregnancy leave are entitled to up to 35 weeks' leave. Birth mothers who do not take pregnancy leave and all other new parents are entitled to up to 37 weeks' parental leave.

What I Learnt in Skills for Life

Last week a nice facilitator Kathleen came to our class to teach us some skills for life. She told us it was time to step out of our comfort zone because we came to Canada and began to live in a totally different culture. She tried to let us understand the importance of manners and body language.What impressed me mostly is that all of us could express ourselves so well when Kathleen asked us to show our different feelings with body language. The only thing I regret is that the training is too short,  and I hope we have more time to take part in it.