Hi everyone, my name is Jennifer and as I’m sure you can tell from the title, I’m new at this. Actually I have no idea what I’m doing and I’m not going to lie, it took me over an hour to get this far. I feel like I am this generations technology failure. Moving on from my lack of blogging experience, I am proud to say that I am Canadian. I grew up in Vancouver (well actually Richmond but Vancouver sounds better, lets be honest) but I am currently living in Montreal. What am I doing in Montreal? I have no idea. The original goal of this Montreal adventure was to improve my French and see more of Canada. I have to say the east coast is great, the people are amazing, the poutine is divine, and the temperatures are enough to take your breath away, literally.
I am currently taking all of my classes online through UBC and because UBC doesn’t offer any Anthropology classes online, I finishing my electives. That being said this class is also very appealing from an anthropological perspective. The concept of learning through oral history has such a history itself, not only have the indigenous people of Canada used stories as a way to share their history for centuries, this method of sharing allows for continued communication and learning as group, rather than as individuals.
I’m very much looking forward to finding relationships between stories and our countries history. I’m excited to be able to expand on my knowledge of Canada’s history and literary accomplishments from Quebec, because I will be able to experience more of this beautiful country while learning of its past.
I hope that this will be an opportunity to learn in a supported online community and that we will all be able to feel like we understand more about this country when the course is over.
UBC’s indigenous foundation has a very interesting write up on the importance of preserving oral traditions and stories, as well as some of the challenges that face this tradition. Check out the article in the link below.
http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/culture/oral-traditions.html
This is the Government of Canada’s definition of what makes us Canadian, I feel like it’s pretty impersonal, what do you think?
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-05.asp
Hello Jennifer – good to meet you. I once moved to Montreal for a semester as well – for the same reason; but I was writing my PhD thesis so didn’t have classes, and yes the weather is “breath taking,” but the music and cultural scene is well worth the cold! I am looking forward to your contributions to our course of studies – and a good beginning on your blog. One note, instead of posting the url on the page – simply highlife the word that titles the link and click on the icon that looks like a chain link in the tool bar – when the window pops open, paste the url in the box. Thanks and enjoy.
Hi Jennifer, I’m one of your classmates and am responding to your blog as per our assignment. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to hearing more about your adventures in Québec! I was in Baie-Comeau last year and have worked in the Saguenay before (I also had a Katimavik rotation in Drummondville a few years back), so know Québec decently well. Montréal is a great city, although perhaps not the best place to learn French. I hope you’re managing to improve at least a little!
I found the links you posted really interesting! Thank you for sharing. It’s interesting to see the myth of “three” (better than two!) founding fathers perpetuated on the government’s website! Without the Chinese, I don’t think BC would be part of Canada today! And it’s safe to say the Ukrainians were pretty influential in the Prairies. Obviously, these clean-cut categorizations don’t work as many Métis identify as French Canadian, yet there is little mention of Franco-Manitobans under the French headline (I suppose the government won’t count them as both Aboriginal and French-Canadian)! It’s interesting that they note the English influence of English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish immigrants without noting the Gaelic communities on the east coast. While Canadian Gaelic is quickly dying, it is historically viable and proof that not everyone hailing from Great Britain and Ireland was English-speaking when they arrived (the English colonized the United Kingdom as well as Canada!). Of course, the notion of Canada’s aboriginal peoples being one united group pre-colonization is as absurd as the notion of the British being one united group. If you counted each nation separately, Canada would have a lot more than three founding fathers!
Hi Jennifer!
I’m responding to your blog for our assignment and because I found it extremely relevant to everything I was feeling about blogging for the first time. I too, have never blogged before. It was extremely intimidating to create a blog for the first time and don’t worry, it took me two days to figure out how to create a blog! I know, two days how pathetic! I also took another two days to figure out how to create a hyperlink, and let me tell you that was no ride in the park! Anyways, I too am from Richmond and I always tell people I am from Vancouver. To me it doesn’t necessarily sound nicer but I believe it is easier than explaining you are from a tiny island that may be the first to sink if there is an earthquake. Also, almost everyone knows a specific area in Vancouver, and that creates an easy conversation.
I completely agree with you regarding the Government’s definition of Canada, very impersonal. But then again don’t the people and their personality give name to our great nation? I guess that is an arguable comment. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting a more personal definition of Canada from the Government because I believe that they are writing that definition under the impression that other countries will be researching us. That is how I am making sense of that definition, it seems almost historical and situational and speaks nothing about the people who make Canada, Canada! Do you think they left out anything personal to look more professional from a Government standpoint, if other nations were to look us up? Also, do you think expressing any kind of personality is too in depth for a Government website definition? I look forward to reading more of your blog posts in the near future and I completely jealous of your living situation! Au revoir!
Hey Jennifer, I was just thinking that if you’re taking all your classes online, you may be interested in the U21 Global Issues Program. If you haven’t already heard of it, check it out! It’s pretty cool.