Blog post #5: Cultural encounters

In one of my stage there was signs about the environment everywhere in the room, recycling boxes too. In the other stage, signs on the walls were talking about respect. With Auvril, it was pretty quiet because I had to translate while she was working on her computer about something important. She was preparing something before the Christmas break. On the walls and the table there was wood sculptures , they looked like coming from the south, I guess my host is not from Canada. I did not have the change to ask her where she is from or what she is doing for Christmas. I have not heard about any informal language in both of my stages. But in both I did some reading and writing ( I wrote about environment ). The most hard thing in my stage so far is the translation, even if it was for my part the most interesting thing to do. Otherwise I did not have problems.

#4 The world is your classroom

In my stage I learned that some people are not very  comfortable with the fact that I wear a hat, I understand that and I will be more careful next times by asking if it is ok.
    
I would say that the way I learn without being in class is asking questions every time I don't understand, for sure I will not remember everything but it really helps me.
The challenge I faced is the translation of text from English to French, I thought it was not so hard but I learned that it takes a lot of skills to do that. Ex : If I make mistakes translating the text for the association, I will take the blame because I di not do perfect. That's why I cant be part of my previous stage anymore and I understand why. I also realized that at the beginning of the stage I don't feel very comfortable speaking in English but after an hour it becomes easier and more fluid.
I could of tell more but because I did not do much ours of stage I will put more info after the break when I will continue to do 6hours and half per week, that should help.

Diving in!

First I would like to say that I am now at (LMRC) : The Lasalle Multicultural resource Center.
My host name is Auvril and she does not speack french, this is an opportunity for me to practice my speech. At this center I did a text translantion from english to french, the text has about 130words in english, and once translated in french the text has 180words! Thats a major difference. I liked to do the translation, I needed help but as she does not speak french she could not help me so I used a website to help me : www.worldreference.com
My host is very polite and she is not stressing me at all, I know that if I dont understand what she say she will not get mad. I learned a couple of new words there like : youth ( jeune ) a word I had to look for the translation. Senior ( personne de lage dor ) I know it because Auvril is a senior and when she said it I did not understand so she said that Seniors are older people. Blossom ( fleurir ) I say this word on a sign in the room and as I did not know this word I asked Auvril its meaning. The hardest work I had to do was the translation but it is a good way to practice and I would like to do more of those. I noticed that in english texts, sentences are longer than in french, I am not sure if its always like that but in the translation I had to do ther were big sentences. I will writ the text down to show you what it is about.

LMRC : Mission.
The Lasalle Multicultural Resource Center(LMRC) provides free prevention, education, therapy, early intervention, cultural competency services for families of Lasalle and surrouding areas, who are marginalized and experiencing social exclusion. The mandate of LMRC is to mobilize the necessary resources to adress and respond to the vulnerability of clients, help develop the streght and capabilities, facilitate their well-being and active participation in society. All programs and services are free and include : Teen Leadership, collaboration with schools, Social Services and the police, to support the children and families ect. individual, couples and family therapy; integration and support for seniors; basic computer program for seniors; Family preservation Program; Single parent program; Information Service and support for newcomers to Canada; Legal Clinic; early job skills program; summer programs for children, youths and young adults.

So this is the text I had to translate in french!
I think its important to say that even if Auvril does not speak french, body gestures helps a lot and I use it very often. Otherwise I dont have much difficulty to talk with her.