It’s an event run by the Greater Toronto Area Airport (GTAA) Community
Engagement department; and the idea is, you meet a bunch of newly arrived soon-to-be-Canadians
and, in the words of the GTAA, “your responsibilities include facilitating
conversations with New Canadians, asking people at your table questions, and
sharing your own Canadian stories to help make lasting memories for all those
involved on this special day.”
I would
sincerely love to attend but can’t. Meeting new Canadians is always a bit of an adventure.
Because next
Friday, December 9th, I will
be--for what might be the eighth or seventh year in a row—talking to the grade-seven
and eight students at Mary Shadd Public School in Scarborough, where my nephew
Paul Fairman teaches.
I tell them about
how much fun it is to read and write for a living. Paul thinks it helps them
enjoy learning a bit more.
Every year I look forward to my Mary Shadd day with such enthusiasm that it surprises even me. I think it's because I learn so much from them. (We'll get to that.. hang on.)
Interesting
coincidence that this year, my Mary Shadd day is the same as the Pearson
Airport “New Canadian” thingie, because almost all of Paul’s students are from “New
Canadian” households.
Many are
Tamil, so their names are longer than the kids are tall and some surnames
miraculously contain more vowels than there actually are in the alphabet.
I’m very
impressed by Paul’s ability to remember all the euphonious handles but he does
with ease. When he’s calling out the students’ names, I am reminded of when I
was the Editor of Harrowsmith Country Life and I would listen quizzically to
the gardening editors discuss their favorite flowers, and I would ask myself, “How
did I ever get to be editor of Harrowsmith Country Life?”
BIGGEST MAN ON CAMPUS: My six-six nephew Paul towers over his students, who are head-n-shoulders above me. |
Hi
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