I was reading Alykhan's blog this morning, and was really put off by one bit:
"Trudeau's vision of Canada was an attempt to suppress the country's very real binational heritage and replace it with an abstract and imagined multicultural heritage."
Now, I am not saying I don't understand the sentiment behind this - because I do. But I would like to say that the multicultural (particularly french-english) heritage that Trudeau attempted to bring to the fore was far from imagined. Rather it was something that was and is largely ignored in Canadian society, because the tension surrounding it (and the fact that it's built on a culture of competition) causes general difficulties because of the bipolarity that already exists in our culture.
I will, however, give one example of multicultural heritage, just to be a pain in the ass.
One of the things that is taught in Canadian history is the place of the coureurs des bois and the voyageurs, and the effect they and the Jesuits had on the exploration and mapping of Canada. What is largely ignored is the place of early Anglophone settlers in this same culture. In the beginnings of the Hudson's Bay Company, the vast majority of Voyageurs were Scots, something that eventually changed due to demographics, but which remains a part of our multicultural heritage. In the same vein, we have the fact that these settlers (both franco and anglophone) adopted the canoe, a native method of transportation, in order to ply their trade and decimate the beaver population. It may not seem like much, but that kind of concession in early settlements is fairly unusual, and has given the canoe an iconic - multicultural - role in Canadian history.
Sorry if this isn't very well articulated, but I'm on my way to school and I'm running late. Gotta teach the kiddies.,
"North Central" is what professional linguists call the Minnesota accent. If you saw "Fargo" you probably didn't think the characters sounded very out of the ordinary. Outsiders probably mistake you for a Canadian a lot.
I am going mad. Far too much to do and far too little time to do it in. And for some reason I look something on par with having been run over by a truck. No idea why, but its hella attractive. who wants to write lesson plans for me?,
New week, more things to do. I've actually started teaching now, not just helping out. I taught a lesson on Anne Fine's Goggle-Eyes to one of my S1 classes Tuesday, and yesterday I taught part of a Healthy eating unit to my S2 class and some intro poetry stuff to my other s1s. Today I have the S2 class again, but we're doing internet research and that isn't until period 7. This is my library morning, so I'm catching up on some work and posting this. The catching up on work bit is REALLY essential, because I've had a chance to come off the reserve list for a trip this weekend, so I might be going kayaking. It depends on how much I get done today. It should be a fair amount, because we've got parent-teacher stuff tonight so I think I'll be 'round the school forever. I figure if it's anything like TFS it'll go 'til about 9, then I'll have to wait until 9:38 for my bus. Which means getting in to Edinburgh at 11. Which is bedtime so I'll have to pack QUICK and sleep. Wow I'm nuts. Anyway, we'll see. Based on how much work I get done today, I'll decide whether or not to call Jamie. The idea behind calling Jamie is that if I DO go on the trip I'll need to get picked up on the side of the A9, as there's no way I could get back to Edi in time. So I would bring all my kit to school with me (including homework which I would do in the evenings when everyone is partying) and then walk to burgerking for a pick up after school. I KNOW it's stupid. REALLY stupid. But we'll see. Because I do really want to go, and when we flipped a coin we assigned tails to Nethy Bridge (the trip) and heads to homework (because homework is SO CEREBRAL) and then flipped it. And it came up tails. And I wasn't sure so we flipped it again. And again. And about 8 or 9 times, and it came up tails EVERY TIME. At which point I began to think there was something wrong with the coin, so flipped it a few more times, and it suddenly started coming up heads about 50% of the time. Which makes sense. My mind was boggled. So the coin says Nethy, and my advice-person (just one of the guys I asked) said Nethy, so if I can finish the outline of my unit of work (to the point where I can complete it Sunday night) as well as all the evaluations of my lessons so far, then I am going. Then this weekend I'll do up the rough lesson plans for next week, as well as the evaluations for today and friday's lessons. See... it's FEASIBLE. It just isn't entirely sensible. But I have a new PFD and I REALLY want to wear it :P. Also a new dry top and dry pants (which really need to get some stretch through the ankles) to wear if I wish to stay cozy. Mmm... christmas with the parents was awesome. I got clothes, too. I'm still a little sad I'm not going to be going home, but dude. Christmas in november? Key.,
Hey guys. I am writing this on the bus. Sorry for the disappearance but on top of all that computer business I've just had my first week teaching. Or something like it. Anyway it's interesting. Yes, I have to leave around 6:20 in the morning, but for that I get to see the sunrise over the Firth of Forth, behind the rail bridge. And you know how I love my water (although with the changing seasons, I'm sure this will soon change as well). This will be the first weekend I've not gone paddling since term started properly, but with good reason: my parents arrive tomorrow morning. I feel a little bad as I've had them bring me a load of stuff, but it should be nice to see them. Maybe I'll force them to help me with my homework. As for what's going on in the rest of my life, that's pretty well it. Other than the loss of my baby (computer) about which I've heard nothing, I spend a lot of time working, a lot of time on the internet (sometimes FOR working) and my new bedtime is 11 so when I go out (usually to canoe club stuff) it's brief. So. Thinking of places to live for next year... I'll have to start scanning adverts for private schools soon, and I think I'll look out for schools in England as well as here, and maybe France as well. Just seems like the thing to do. Well, the bus is pulling up in Kinross, and I am going to go read in the park until the school is likely to be open (around 8:15, as classes start at 9:05. I get in just before 8), so that's all for now.,
Name: Cat Home: Edinburgh, United Kingdom About Me: Managed to graduate from Queen's, and am now in Teacher training at Edinburgh.
Not much else to be said. See my complete profile
