Hamar Boussafi

For this blog post about a person from a different country and from another culture, I decided to interview Hamar Boussafi, my friend’s father who is from Kabylia in Algeria. He left his country mainly because of the different problems of the society.

Hamar doesn’t exactly know his age, but he said he had approximately 20 years old when he moved from his country to France. There has been about 28 years since he left Algeria, so we can consider that he’s about 50 years old today. In France, he had the chance to improve his French that he already learned a little at school in Algeria. In his school, when he was young, he had the same education that children have in France, because Algeria is a country that was colonized by France. His mother tongue is Kabyl, a language derived from Arabic, but he also learned some French at school. Unfortunately, his studies aren’t recognized here in Quebec.

He told me that Quebec is really different from his country in many points. A major difference is the food. In Algeria, they eat mainly couscous, olives and bread. The time when they eat is also different; they have a snack at 5 o’clock and they have dinner at 9 o’clock. Traditions are also different from Algerian’s. In summer, they do the Ramadan, this fasting during like a month. During this time, they can eat only for dinner. They also have a lot of other traditions, but this one was the first to come in his mind when I asked him about traditions. Algerians don’t celebrate Christmas and holidays like that, because their religion is Muslim, but it doesn’t affect Hamar who just doesn’t follow any religion.

I asked him what was the most difficult when he moved to Quebec. He was quick to answer the temperature. After the warmth of Algeria, the cold of Quebec was a big shock. He also had difficulty to adapt himself to the different mentalities of people here.

Finally, something really difficult for him was to quit his whole family. He sometimes goes back home, but he just has a sister left.

At least, he has the happiness of having four beautiful children here in Quebec.

  

Algeria

HEY, I'M BACK!

Hello everyone! 

I said it was my last post. I was wrong. After these four months, I'm back! A lot of things happened since the last post... We have been on strike for almost two months and I have to talk about my experience. It was my first real world experience in democracy and I think I liked it. At first, I was not sure of my position. For the strike? Against the strike? For rising tuition? Against rising tuition? I finally took a side. I think it was really interesting to experience this huge meeting with all these students who came to tell what they thought and to participate to the democracy. 

I really liked the experience, but something was wrong for me. I really hated the fact that people always judged people who didn't think like them. There were a lot of confrontations between students and it's bad because in democracy, I think we have to accept the decision we made, even if it was not our choice. When the strike ended, people who were for it didn't harassed the others because they didn't have what they wanted. They just accepted it. I think students FOR the strike was a lot more mature then the others. 

Also, I think it was fascinating to see all these students in Montreal for the manifestation. In facts, it was not only students. There were parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, babies, teachers, etc. Everyone was there to tell what they thought and it was beautiful.  

Finally, we got back to school. I'm happy to be back and to finish my session. I can't wait for summer and for next year! 

What do you think about this strike?

See you tomorrow in class! 

Alexandra. 

Christmas travels

Good morning everyone! This is finally the end... The end of my blog, the end of the session, the end of the stress before exams, the end of many things... BUT! It is also the beginning of holidays!

For Christmas, a lot of people want to go under the sun, far away from their families. I like to travel, but I don't really understand these people. For me, Christmas is all this magic around, with the snow, the decorations, the turkey, the Christmas tree and sweaters with deers on it! I can't understand why some people like to quit their families and to spend Christmas on the beach. I'm not judging it, because I never did it. Maybe it's very nice and I just don't know, but I still think that for Christmas, we need snow and family! What is perfect is to rent a ski chalet with all the family, and after, to go to the beach in Mexico or somewhere else in January.

For Christmas, I'm gonna stay here, in Rimouski, because I'll work for the Boxing Day... I think I'm still gonna have fun. On December 24th, I'll by with my boyfriend's family at his home. On December 25th, everything depends on the temperature. If it's nice, I'll go to Degelis with my father's family that I don't see really often. On December 26th, I'm gonna have the worst day of work of the year because of the Boxing Day and all those crazy people who want discounts!!! The days after, I'm gonna ski every day! On December 29th and 30th, I'll go to Charlevoix with my boyfriend's family at a ski chalet. We'll probably stay there for the New Year. What is really weird with my mother's family is that our Christmas party is on January 7th hahaha!! After, I'm going to Mexico or somewhere else where there's sun with my friend Camille. I think my Christmas holidays will be very nice and I can't wait for it!!!

What is your opinion about Christmas travels? I wanna know what you'll do for Christmas!

We won't see each other until the end of January so Merry Christmas to all of you, have a great time with your family! :)

Alexandra xx

The Social Network

Good morning everyone!


I woke up this morning and... THERE WAS SNOW OUTSIDE!! I will not talk about travels today because the snow doesn't make me wanna go anywhere!! For me, the first REAL SNOW is very important. It makes me so happy! Every year, the first snow represents the end of de semester at school, Christmas and the skiing season wich is almost ready to begin! Haha sorry I just can't stop smiling :)! Are you happy like me about this? If I wanna know, I probably just have to go on Facebook because EVERYBODY always writes about snow on Facebook! The third first posts about it make me smile but... after four I'm like "Ok I know there's snow outside!" Let's talk about Facebook a little bit...


Last week, I watched the movie The Social Network. In fact, I watched it like ten times. Did you watch it? It's the real story of Mark Zuckerberg, the man who created Facebook with three of his friends. First, Facebook was called The Facebook. Cameron et Tyler Winklevoss, two Harvard's students, attacked Zuckerberg on justice saying that he stole their idea about a social network. Their idea was called HarvardConnection and they asked Zuckerberg to help them with it. Finally, he did it by himself with his friends and Sean Parker, the co-founder of Napster. And you know the end of the story...


In my opinion, I think Facebook became too big. I really like this site and I think it's a good way to see what you friends are doing and to see their pictures of the weekend! In the other hand, some people use it too much. They can't stop always go on Facebook and write ALL what's happening in their life. I mean... I don't wanna know that you're going to put on your make up and to go at work. I also don't wanna know that you had a bad day. If you want attention, call your friends or go talk to your mom. I'm not saying that all what people write on Facebook is useless, but sometimes it's just too much. The worst is probably when people "check-in" everywhere they go. I don't really care that you're at your exam (where you're not supposed to play with your cellphone?) and 30 minutes after you're at the hospital because your arm hurts a little bit.


What I'm trying to say is that even if I like to go on Facebook and to do what everybody does, sometimes I see some posts of people and I think "They are really addicted to Facebook..." I'm happy to go to Facebook only few times a week!


What about you? Do you have Facebook? Are you addicted to it?
Feel free to answer, I'm not going to judge you. Anyway, I know you're not like people I described, dear classmates!


Have a good day and please go play with the snow for me, I unfortunately don't have time today...

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF MY HAPPINESS THIS MORNING!! :)

Occupy Wall Street

Good morning everybody!

Have you heard about Occupy Wall Street, the movement that began two months ago in New York City? I heard a lot about this movement but I didn’t really understand what was happening so I did some research to learn a little bit about it. Here is a little summary of what I found:

On last September 17^th, the protests took place in Zuccotti Park in the financial district of New York. At the beginning, it’s Adbusters Foundation, a Canadian organization, who proposed a peaceful occupation of Wall Street to protest a growing disparity in wealth, the absence of legal repercussions behind the recent global financial crisis and corporate influence on democracy. All what they ask for is a presidential commission to separate money from politics. Obviously, they didn’t control the movement for a long time. The first day, approximately 1000 people were there to protest. Every day, more people came to camp in Zuccotti Park. After October 9^th, there were manifestations in 70 metropolis and 600 communities of the USA. On October 15^th, the movement became international and took place in 1500 cities of 82 different countries. Even in Rimouski, we have an Occupy site on a park. In the night between November 14^th and 15^th, the police of New York expelled people of Zuccotti Park and nobody has the right to camp there since this night. In Montreal, people who protest for it support people of New York and want them to come in our parks to stay in the movement and to have a new place to camp.

Personally, I don’t really have an opinion about the situation. I’m not for it, but I’m not against it either. I understand why people protest for it, and I think they have the right to do it. I feel like it’s a good way to express their opinion and to try to change things that affect the society. In the other hand, I don’t know if all those manifestations will really change something. We all know that this type of protestation never works. For example, when people protested for increase in tuition, all what we saw on TV and everywhere was about them, but two weeks later, it was done. I know it is not the same situation but… I don’t know… I have the feeling that police will expel people in all the cities where there are manifestations and camps. For the moment, I don’t want to take a side because it doesn’t really affect me and I don’t know if it will change something in my life. Also, I understand the situation but I don’t know all about it and I don’t want to have an opinion on something big like that when I didn’t take a time to understand the entire problem and the two sides.

What do you think about Occupy Wall Street? Are you for it or against it? Do you think it will really change something?

Have a good day J!

Some tips to travel

Do you like to travel in other continents? There are some things you have to know before to leave you home if you don't want to have problems or to contract some diseases... Look at him;

There are a lot of things to know and to prepare before to go in another country you don't know if you don't want to come back home like him.

First, you have to make sure your passport in valid. If he's not, too bad for you, you'll go nowhere. Prepare it a long time before travelling to be sure you'll have it on time.

You must know which medical insurance coverage you need and take all the medication necessary. If you're there and something happens to you, remember that it's not all like in Canada. You won't have a hospital near from you. You also must know the local conditions and the laws of the country where you're going. There are some things you can do in Canada, but if you do it somewhere else, you'll just go to jail.  

Inform yourself about the culture and what is polite or not. In some countries, traditions are different. For example, in Abu Dhabi, which is a Muslim country, walking in the street with nothing on your head when you're a girl is very impolite. You really have to know those traditions before travelling to be a good traveller. When you think about it, you're going to somewhere which is the home of some people, you have to respect them.

Another tip to travel I can give you is to be very careful when you're in a place different of your country. You can contract a disease or something else more dangerous. On the picture on the top of the post, there's one of my friend having some little fungus on his shoulder because of a trip in Indonesia. There's nothing dangerous on it, but it could be worse.

Be good prepared before travelling and everything will be perfect!

Do you like to travel? Where did you go in the past? Where do you want to go for your next travel?

Personally, I really LOVE to travel. I could do it every month. I went to different places but the place I would really like to go is in Asia. I hope I'll go in the next year! Did you ever go to Asia?

Have a good day dear friends! :)

Alexandra

Halloween

Halloween is a day celebrated by people all around the world. Kids like it because of the costumes and candies. Some people like it because of the witches, goblins, ghosts and ghouls. In the other hand, some people think it's a demonically inspired night. There's a question I want to know the answer;

Where is Halloween from?

Ifound some sources saying that Halloween is from ancient Ireland and Scotland around the time of Christ. It supposed to be the Celts who celebrated the end of the summer on October 31^st. The new season was marked by a festival called Samhain (pronounced "sow-ane") that means "end of the summer". A lot of superstitions was associated with this time of the year. For example, the fact that the spirits of dead looked for bodies to inhabit stayed in people's mind for a long time. Today, some people still believe in those superstitions. At the beginning, people dressed the costumes and paraded in the streets to confuse the spirits and to convince them to go somewhere else, far far away from them… On November 1^st, it was the beginning of the new year for the Celts. In this way, the day of Halloween represented the last day of the year and something new for the next one. Some continued the tradition and it became a “joke”. Every year, on October 31^st, we can see witches and ghosts in the streets which are supposed to drive out the bad spirits.

I don’t know if the story is true, but who knows? There are so many different explanations of the reason why we celebrate Halloween every year.

 By the way, today is October 31^st! Will you walk in the streets to collect some candies? Who will you be? Personally, I won’t be costumed tonight but this weekend, I was Hulk Hogan at the bar. I LOVE Halloween!! I think it’s exciting to wear clothes you would never wear and to be someone else for one night. Every year, it’s a pleasure to find something new and original. Do you like Halloween as much as me?

Have a good day dear friends! Sleep with an eye open tonight, who knows if a bad spirit will be in your room!