TORONTO, DAWN

2012 Winter
  2012.1.22 I started to visit on Washington D.C., Boston, Philadelphia, Montreal and Quebec. The  geographical difference between Korea and Canada is the presence and absence of mountains. In Korea, there are a plenty of mountains. For example, Wherever I am in Korea, I can see and must be near any mountain. So, It is not easy to see the horizon. In Canada, especially Toronto, I really like the fresh morning sun rising. Of course, I am a lazy person so I could see it when I was in a sleepless night.
  Right after coming back to Toronto, I will go to Korea, my home. My Canada life is going to the end.

TORONTO, CANADIAN MONEY

2011 Winter

  There are six kinds of coins in Canada. On a first line, there are 1cent, 10cents, 2dollars. And, on a second line, there are 5cents, 25cents and one dollar. And as you see, Its cost are not relative with its scale, so it was so confused to figure out instantly. 

  Interestingly, each coins have their own names. 1cent is "PENNY", 5cents is "NICKEL", 10cents is "DIME", 25cents is "QUARTER", one dollar is "LOONIE" and 2 dollars is "TOONIE".

  And I heard that there is 50cents coin. But I had never seen this for a year. So.. just pass it.

And there are 10, 20, 50, 100 dollars paper money. They don't have name. A thing which have to be careful is that some store don't allow you to use 50 or 100 dollars. So, I have to retain some 10 or 20 dollars in my pocket.^^

TORONTO, SCHOOL, UCCBT, SEC

2011 IN TORONTO
  SEC and UCCBT was my school where I learned English for a year (2011, FEBRUARY ~ 2012,JANUARY). It was a quite special experience. Teachers were all good and kind and intelligent in not only English but also society, grobal news, health and etc.
However,
  In Summer and Winter vacation session, there are so many other countries' friends like Mexican, Brazilian and Russian. But usually, there are a lot of Korean, including me. In some sessions, there was 100% Korean in a class. I know that was a maximum rate. So, I can say usually there are about 70% Korean in a class.

TORONTO, MOOSE

If I have to choose what is the symbol of Canada, I will choose Maple Leaf. In hockey, flag, brads and etc, there are tons of Maple Leaf symbols. But I usually saw Moose Guardian in CN Tower and Air port. They were always wearing one of the Canadian troop's uniforms. I like them. I think Moose guardian is better than  beavers. Even thought beavers were cutter than moose but moose is more dignified than others. :D 

According to this, When I think of New York, the Bulls pop up in my head. I know the statue of liberty should be popped up but Bull is the first.  

KOREA?..
The bear is just popped up because there is Korean myth which a bear was a main character. :D

TORONTO, ICE WINE

 

 I don't have a lot of idea about wine. But In Toronto, I usually heard that there are so many vine. And one of my teacher was from near Niagara town so she recommended Canadian ICE wine. So I bought a bottle of wine form LCBO. It was not a expensive one but so sweet. And I got tipsy because I had avoided to drink for a while. :D
 If I have some time, I want to learn about wine. I want to brag or bluff in front of my girlfriend, I like that. ^^

TORONTO, CN TOWER, RESTAURANT

2011 Summer

 CN Tower is one spot of some places where I had to go. It was a kind of symbol of Toronto.  Viewing platform was rotated so we could see around Toronto. Also I went there close at a sunset time so I enjoyed both views; day's Toronto and night's Toronto. 

Before being there, I had to reserve restaurant which was called 360 restaurant, Then I did not need to spend money on climbing the tower. 

I ordered pre-fix dinner. And I tasted snail something, it was really delicious but weird. One time experience was enough for me. And this course had so many food; appetizer, bread, stake, spaghetti and desserts.

When I finished my dinning, Toronto already got a beautiful nights and lights. In CN Tower, there were also souvenir shop and history gallery and... moose guardian. :D

TORONTO, TIFF VOLUNTEER

2011 Summer
 I thought it happened about June or July. TIFF was a shorten form for 'Toronto International Film Festival'. I am sure that Everyone who study in abroad wanted to volunteer in tiff because there were good-looking tasks and awards was free tickets. I got 12 free tickets in response to 12 volunteer-days. This volunteer experience was rewarding and had a lot of chances to meet new people. Also I really love movies so there is not any choice to me.
 The one thing I really felt unsatisfied was that I did not took a picture during I volunteered. It was really huge mistake. :D
 I usually used website www.volunteertoronto.ca for applying volunteer jobs. These site is highly recommended.

TORONTO, YMCA VOLUNTEER

2011 June-Nov
 When I came Toronto, I really needed to work out. So, I decided to register YMCA. This place was really neat, compy and good! There were swimming pool, weights, sauna, running tracks and gym. The first time I went there, I just wanted to work out. But after accepting Toronto life, I deserved something more to do for me. So I applied YMCA volunteer. My position was a front information desk official. It was quite challenge for me because I was not a good English speaker. But everyone in YMCA didn't care about that and they helped me to speak English. I won't forget those people and my amigos.

 The real English was faster than I usually heard in a school. Their pronounce and enunciation were not as clear as English tapes did and people could not understand what I tried to say. It dragged me down but also motivated me to study English.
 Sometimes, People yelled at me like 'Don't you speak English?!!!' But there was nothing which made me sad, because near me there were always staffs and usually Native English people had common manners. They never yell at someone who they don't know. Usually, People who spoke English as an second language yelled at me. :D

TORONTO, GARDINER MUSEUM

  2011 Winter
 I went Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. It was in front of the Royal Ontario Museum. Actually, I didn't have those kind of hobby but  My girlfriend taught me(?!). ^^ So I can enjoy ART. Recently, there are a gallery of someone's collection which show me a ceramic creature form yore to now. It was quite impressing. Honestly, I don't understand exactly what the recent creature represent to us but I like old creature. When I saw them, I could imagine those who made it. And I really wondered why they did it.
  Ya! I really don't know what they think . Assume I were one of them. I might be really busy to catch a food. But they made it. Of course, a lot of thing are relative with myth and prey. ^^ I think I have to study about that. Anyway, those made spending time worthy.

TORONTO, NIAGARA FALLS

2012 Winter

I went Niagara Falls by using Go bus and train.It took 2hours and half form Toronto Union station. The officers were so kind, They taught me what I had to do in slow English, because I was not good at the fast English. ^^

I spent $32.30 on taking a bus and train for round-trip, and from Niagara bus stop to Niagara falls I spent $5.

I was just speechless. There was nothing I could do, but just I took a picture. Especially, I went there at around 3~4pm. So, I could see the view of daytime and the view of sunset. I was so impressive. I liked it. The only think I felt the lack was that there were few activities because of a cold weather; No ship, No helicopter. Any way, I was one of the beautiful memories.
 IN TORONTO.

TORONTO , PRIDE FEST

2011 summer
I did volunteer in the Pride Festival. My position was for calling donation. It was quite tough because sunshine was always together with me. I mean I volunteered for 10 hours a day with sun. ^^ However It was worthy. The Pride Fest in Toronto was the most enjoyable and powerful party. In my country, there is no such a thing I have ever been before. I can not explain through some word. Just photo can be enough to know it.

[Toronto/어학연수] 스페니쉬 센터 등록

[ Korean Student's A day in Toronto]   Spanish Center.

[ If you get my English fault, please tell me what I have to change. ]

캐나다에서 있을 날이 얼마 남지 않은 한 남학생의 이야기 입니다. 한 4달 정도 남아있는 것 같습니다. 마음이 조급해서 공부도 뭐도 잘 잡히지 않을 시기에 도래했습니다. 왜냐하면, 생각만큼 성과가 크지 않기 때문이죠. 여튼, 오늘도 무언가 해보려는 취지로 살아가는 살만찌는 남학생의 이야기를 오랜만에 시작해봅니다.

I have four months until I leave Toronto. Recently, I am so much impatient because I do not have enough results ( English Skill ). So, I can not control my mind and feel bad. But today also I tried something because I want to have some stories for my life and for my Toronto day.

오늘은 Spanish 에 관한 글을 적어 볼까 합니다. 영어도 못하면서 왠 스페인어냐 라고 하실 수도 있습니다. 맞는 소리입니다. 저는 지금 영어도 제대로 못한 상태에서 새로운 언어를 시작해 봅니다. 그것도 어학연수를 와서 음식과 여행비를 없에고 말이죠. 어쩌면 돌아다니면서 경험을 하는 게 더 좋을 수도 있을 돈을 투자해서 시작한 스페인어 학원에 관한 이야기를 적어볼까 합니다.

I would like to talk about A Spanish Center. Of course, I am not good at speaking English So some people can say to me " It is crazy or out of your mind." But I did enter and became a member of Academy [ SPANISH CENTER ] where is near Bloor Station. For that, I had to save my money frugally.

한국에서 제 2 외국어로 중국어나 일본어처럼 근접한 나라의 언어를 배웁니다. 북 아메리카에서는 멕시코의 영향인지 스페인어가 제 2 언어로 혹은 프랑스어가 유명하다고 하더군요. 또한, 다 민종이 살아가는 만큼 다양한 언어를 배울 기회가 도처에 자리잡고 있습니다. 그래서 생각하게 된 것이 영어만 배우니까 (잘 늘지가 않아서) 답답해서 새로운걸 배워 보자는 것이었습니다. 

In Korea, People usually study Chinese or Japanese as a second language. And I heard that North American usually take Spanish or Franch as a second language. I think that especially Canada has a enormous variety in the world. 

So if you want to study something in Foreign Country, Canada has a plenty of something which you want to learn.  Anyway, someday I think that I have to do something special for me, I have to do something new. 

여튼 그래서 간 곳이 스페인어 학원이었습니다. 제가 나중에 가지고 싶은 직장은 건설 플랜트 쪽인데 중동 쪽으로의 진출은 애초에 활발하게 진행 중이고 최근 들어 중남미로의 진출이 늘어나고 있다고 들었습니다. 그래서 스페인어를 고르게 되었습니다.

I just go to the Spanish Center. Actually I have an excuse for studying Spanish. My dream is being Engineer of Construction Power Plant and these days a lot of Company make inroads in the Construction Market in Latin America. 

스페인어 학원은 사람들과 영어를 쓰면서 이야기를 하다가 수업도 영어로 받게 됩니다. 물론 다들 스페인어를 배우는 입장이라 정말 모두 같은 조건에서 시작하다 보니, 재밌게 할 수 있습니다. 아무래도 스페인어 학원에 영어를 배우러 오는 사람은 거의 없다고 해도 마찬가지일 것입니다. 특히, 한국에 대해 잘 모르는 사람이 있다는 것은 또 다른 영어에의 동기를 부여해 주기도 합니다. ^^

In Spanish Center, I have a lecture which have a teaching conversation in English explains. There are all students who do not know much about Spanish and It was really excited for me. 

신기한 것은 어째서 인지 ^^ 한국에서 새로운 언어를 배우는 것 보다 더 잘 된다는 점입니다. 영어로 설명해주는 것 때문인지 과도하게 신경을 쓰며 집중할 수 있어서 그런 것인지 환경이 그렇게 주어져서 그런 것인지, 잘 모르지만 추천할 만한 것입니다.

It is amazing because I can study new language much better in Toronto than in my hometown, Korea. I do not know why but I can guess it is because I had to concentrate Spanish lecture with English explains. I mean it was so complicated to use both new languages simultaneously. I highly recommend Korean student do it. 

TORONTO, QUEEN'S PARK

2011 Spring

  Near Museum station or Osgood station, there are a huge park behind an assembly. Oh! There are also a free tour program of assembly. Anyway, In the park, there are a plenty of festivals on every summer. 

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Even though there were not any fest, the park was a very nice place for taking a rest. Just seat and release my stresses.