AS elementary, high school and college students all over Canada are embarking on their spring break, one of the pastimes to do in this vast and less populated country is to go on a countrywide one-week tour. Canada, as we know, is the world’s second largest country in area so there is really a huge tract of land for an adventure of a lifetime. Whether you’re sharing your journey with your girlfriend or with your parents, it doesn’t matter. The spring break travel is definitely awesome. To make it even more superb, if you come from the English-speaking section of Canada, then travel to the French-speaking provinces such as Quebec. While if you come from the French-speaking region of the country, it may well be your opportunity to be immersed in the urbane and culturally diverse life that is Toronto.

To prepare yourself for spring break, it may even be more enjoyable to enroll in a three-day crash course in English or French language acquisition depending on which region of Canada you are located in. You can enroll in these courses online or if you want, you can just buy language tapes. Languages tapes, whether in English or in French, are so comprehensive that it is guaranteed that you will learn about 20 words and phrases in three days of the second language of your choice. Another way of indoctrinating English or French (whichever the case) in your personality is to watch English or French movies.

Speaking of the Canadian film industry, I’m tackling it a little bit because it is a dying industry and I want it to be saved. Hollywood is still the most popular English-speaking movie industry in the world today and England and Australia lag close behind. On the contrary, the Canadian film industry is in a sorry state for a number of reasons. The first one of this is the proximity of Canada to the United States. With at least five releases on the widescreen each week, the United States is bombarding Canada with its own dosage of movies leaving smaller Canadian film productions precarious. And the Canadian film industry is not united – by language. Because Montreal-based Alliance Atlantis has not been successful in launching French-speaking film productions, it simply folded up and has concentrated in the distribution business only. So if you come here in Canada during spring break, don’t watch Jumper. Watch original Canadian productions instead such as the Carrie Ann Moss-topbilled Normal.

THE Chinese New Year celebrations in Canada are a peculiar one. Most dress as Chinese dancers but a few dress in costumes of other countries. There are even a group of dancers dressed in Scottish kilts. In fact, other cultures have joined in the celebration such as aboriginal groups from the United States, ethnic groups from the Philippines and even cops from the Vancouver Police Department performing a lion dance.

Celebration for the Chinese New Year here is so strong that the Canadian government has even contemplated it as a national holiday. Well in a way, it can be so. Because of the multi-ethnicity of the celebration, it is promoted by the Canadian government to harness tourists from all over the world. And indeed it is. Because half of Canada speak English while the other half speaks French, lots of foreigners are curious to go to the country. For example, there are lots of Filipino and Zimbabwean exchange students there. And in time for the Chinese New Year, the Canadian Post has released a special commemorative stamp for the purpose.
On a more personal level, families gather here in Canada during Chinese New Year celebrations as a reunion. It’s akin to Thanksgiving or Boxing Day for the Chinese-Canadians here in Canada. But instead of turkey, the Chinese-Canadians make do with Chinese food such as chop suey and fortune cookies. They even have these nine types of vegetable dishes where Chinese-Canadians indulge and they are healthier than any South Beach or Atkins diet. Aside from vegetables, they also have seaweeds as viands.

For the Chinese-Canadians, the Chinese New Year celebrations are also a time to usher in spring break. Actually, half of the Chinese here are already Christians while the other half still retains their Confucianism beliefs. So they also believe in feng shui naturally. During Chinese New Year, they also have this ritual in pouring wine and showering oneself with incense.

It is understood that Chinese New Year celebrations here in Canada are not confined in Toronto alone. They are also present in the French-speaking regions of the country such as Montreal. In Montreal, there are also celebrations there as well. Please note too that most of the Chinese-Canadians who are here are already part of four or five generations who descend from Chinese immigrants. Thus, they are able to speak French already. Still, there are people who insist on tradition and the Chinese-Canadians have their own way of being industrious. They are already erecting Mandarin language schools here in several parts of Canada, both in the English-speaking and French-speaking areas.

For the Chinese-Canadians in Montreal, their celebration comes complete with the mascot of a rat because 2008 is the Year of the Earth Rat. It is the first animal in the cycle of years so it’s supposed to bring good tidings to everyone in the Chinese-Canadian community and in all Chinese communities worldwide. Kung hei fat choi everybody!