UPDATE!

Here are some things that happened after my trip to Montréal till now:

1: We got to talk at the VSB!!! We were the first students to talk in front of many Teachers, Vice Principals and Principals of the schools in Vancouver. I was so scared but it worked out great!

2: Many meeting leading up to the summit at the end of the year. Great progress happened during the meetings concluding to hopefully (which was) a great summit.

2: THE SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT! The summit was great, the turnout was awesome and the food was yummy and SUSTAINABLE! I loved how everyone got together to easily and without any hesitation. I thought that everyone did a great job, it was well organized and we had more than enough time to gather ideas threw. It was truly a great experience and happy to be apart of it.

3: Yesterday (5/26) Minna, Aiko, Mr. Howe and I had an interview ON TOP of the roof of the school with some people from the Shaw network. I was kind of scared at first but stepped up to the base and had fun. I took pictures while I was up there... what a view... i mean a little view... ahha!!!

Day 5 In Montreal - Going Home

So today is the last day in Montréal. This morning minna and I decided to shop and later we would meet ms.sorchan and mr.mcgerr later. We went back to st. Laurent just in time when the stores opened. We were starving during the whole shopping but got great deals! Lets just say in the end I only had 20$ left…hahaha. Later we all met back to the hotel making sure we got everything packed. We left the hotel dropping our luggage at the luggage room (where they keep it till you want it). We walked around Old Montreal once more trying to find a place to have dinner. We found this restaurant underground, well it was actually a café but still filled our purpose for eating. I had this sort of Quiche / bread pudding of sorts really good. After eating we took a long way back to hotel, getting to see some places we haven’t yet. Going back to the hotel we got our luggage back from the lady and too the taxi to the air port. Luckily we where there 3 hours early so minna and I had to find out ways to keep ourselves occupied. We ran around playing in the air port, then found a spot where we could use our laptops to go on the internet. As we got on the plain it felt like it was all just a dream, the days went so fast but I cant wait to get back home!

Day 4 In Montreal - Home Stretch

Today we did a lot of work on how to present the slides. The presenters talked about accuracy with your information and how to answer question from the audience. To be honest I was exhausted and didn’t really pay attention like I did the past 2 days. I dosed off in and out but I did understand what the presenters were talking about. We had the usual breaks every few hours and the lunch but at the last break (guessing because it was our last day) that we got free Hagendaz with an assortment of deserts and pastries. This day everyone had different seats that the day before and I got to sit with the smallest environmentalist in the world Corrina. Each group was supposedly supposed to have similarities buy neither did minas and my group had any relation. I got some more great networking done today, people form Halifax, Toronto, Calgary, the Yukon and many more. The last presenter woke me up the most. A biologist by the name of jean lemire talked to us about these adventures in the Antarctic and how he saw eye to eye how global warming effected the environment. It was amazing. The video clips really helped see what he saw. It was really nice to see all the animal life and the effect on how there wasn’t enough ice made for the mating process to begin. The closing remarks were really encouraging, giving people comfort and advice. We got to see all the mentors up on the stage from numerous parts of the province. Many of the questions related to everyone, and I got a lot out of it. It was sad that we had to finish this great experience and I couldn’t wait to get presenting. I said my goodbyes and after minna and I went back up to the room to get ready for the night. All of us walked around St. Laurent looking for a restaurant to have dinner. Minna and I found a lot of stores but where closed, so we planned to go the next day before the flight. Finally we found a Japanese restaurant up St. Laurent the food was really good. It was my first time to try soft shell crab… yummy! I latter asked the waitress to do something for minna because it was her birth day. After paying for the food I let a signal and the lady came in with a scoop of green tea ice-cream and a candle. We started singing and minna was very surprised. We walked back home but after a while we got too cold so we took a taxi the rest of the way. Tomorrow will be our last day… can’t wait to start buying!

Day 3 In Montreal - Time to Listen

Today was really crank time. We started off with a breakfast buffet then went straight to work. Everybody still stayed in the same seats as the other day I think to get a little more networking done. It started off with some opening remarks by The Climate Project staff and the Quebec premier Jean Chareset and Quebec environment minister Line Beauchamp. The al Gore comes in, again excitement as the day before. All gore starts off with some bonding with the audience, making jokes having some fun before he starts section 1 of the presentation. After Al Gore finished the first section our group had a talk, it was so interesting listening to these people who obviously knew more than us. I just sort of let the people talk as I listened. Each group had to come up with some question for al Gore about what he was talking about and the top 3 most common would be asked. We had 45 minutes + the 15 minutes of break which had some refreshments and snacks. That’s when I tried to look for Dr. David Suzuki, but he was a bit busy so I just healed it off for lunch. Minna and I went around the underground mall with some other trainees from BC then we split up and meet back later at the lobby. I walked around the mall sort of fast, boring things nothing that really interested me so I ventured off. I went outside remembering the route we took the day before to Old Montreal, and remembered the Chinatown. I ran down the street and found the gate of Chinatown. It was a sunny day, blue clouds and there were many people on the streets. The Chinatowns size was smaller than the china town back in Vancouver. It must have only been 4 blocks or so. Then as I saw the time I had 10 minutes or so to get back to the hotel. I made it on time though so I was just fine. After the break it was back to work with Al Gore starting off with section 2. The process again of making up questions after was done again. And this time I actually talked!!! It was nice… hahaha. After finishing the questions we had dinner, um…. Yum… during dinner I meet a woman named Pat Kinch from Toronto. We meet by eating at the same table and I introducing myself. She asked Minna and I what we wanted to do when we grow up and when she heard I wanted to be a chef she was jumping for joy. She told me about this woman that had the best restaurant in Halifax which was all organic and used locally grown foods. After eating she urgently tried to find her for me so that I could talk to her. There were a number of questions in my mind like, what and how did you think of this idea??? Sadly she said that she couldn’t find her but sort of made it her mission in a way so she said “I’ll get her next break ok ill get you that interview”. She was really nice, helping out a total (well not really) stranger, but she said it was all about networking. We went back in the room with another Q & A with Mr. Gore, sadly none of our groups questions were asked which we thought were more relative. After answering the questions he started part 3 and again another group talk about questions happened again. The next break, Pat found me and we found at the end to help me find the woman. We looked around and she was right in front of us coming back after the break. She was so nice to do that for me I obviously said thank you. The woman that she introduced was named Lil McPherson from Halifax. She told me about her restaurant called The Wooden Monkey, which I remembered I have heard on E news (a Canadian ET not the Canadian ET…). She gave me some advice on how to get a restaurant started and gave me her card and one of her calendars which I was very applicative of. She was as ecstatic as Pat so I must have been doing something right. I couldn’t wait to talk to her more latter. Another Q & A with Al Gore and closing motivational marks with him and David Suzuki, oh yeah I forgot to say I got a picture with DAVID SUZUKI!!! k back on point. We had (or tried) to get a group picture with Al Gore and David Suzuki, I was in the middle but everyone fluttered to the front leaving the picture with my forehead. It wasn’t well organized so it made sense. After everything was done Minna and I had an hour or so to walk around before the comedy show started. So we walked around St. Chatreane, looking around the stores and seeing Paris Hilton in a store advertising her new line of shoes. It was like walking back home, but in a greater scale so many tall buildings and more culture (or repetition of culture). Minna got some sun glasses but I decided to save my money for other stores for the next few days, and besides all the stores were closed by the time we went out. We got back to the hotel and went straight to the Place – des – Arts for the comedy show. It was such a funny show, a great comedy relief and a total opposite of the beginning of the day. Latter we had our last dinner, a great one too but thought it was too late we finished at 10:30. Can’t wait for the next day.

Day 2 In Montreal - The Training Begins

Yesterday our training began. Since it started at 2pm we decided to down to Old Montreal and have some breakfast. It was spectacular, and the buildings were so historic and weather beaten. You could see the history and culture of the city all in one little strip of road. We found this little restaurant that served crepes, fondue and local Montreal favorites. It was delicious. I had a crepe that was stuffed with avocado and bacon with a béchamel sauce that was put in the oven. YUMMMYY!!! After our breakfast we stopped by a local museum showcasing modern art which Minna and I were interested in. Next we passed by the Notre Dame Basilica which was again, beautiful and enriched with the history of Montreal. The inside was so intricate, all the beautiful blue that surrounded the church. The stained glass windows and the many candles around that lit up the church. It was HUGE!!! When you looked up you could see the stained glass that was above and the light which shinned threw. As we got back to the hotel we were rampaged with a light blizzard, there where thick flaks of snow that where really wet and just took a taxi the rest of the way back. After freshening up in our suite we went down and met our mentor and the rest of the trainees from BC. Later we all got together with the rest of the trainees at the room for the conference. Everyone had some connection to global warming and we got some useful networking done for when we get back home. When the training started Dr. David Suzuki gave a talk to us that I thought was very enlightening and inspirational. Then Al Gore came into the room and nothing but cameras turning on and taking a snap of Mr. Gore. Sad that our seat was too far so the pictures that I took were sort of blurry. We had a great Lunch buffet, and when around talking to people about how we got here and what we did back home. It was nice to see everyone’s point of view and what they had to say about global warming. Latter after that we head to the Place – des – Arts for a the live presentation by Mr. Al Gore himself. What an experience that day, I was so exhausted. But I couldn’t wait for the next day.

Day 1 - Arriving to Montréal

We have a rived!!! We are now in Montreal… yay!!! We arrived at 5 pm and dropped off our bags at the hotel. After we ate at a restaurant called Au Pied De Cochon which means “Feet of a Pig” or “Pig Feet”. It was soo sooo sooo gooooood. It was my first time eating Fois Gras it was soo yummy. I was so happy to go to this restaurant because I have heard of it before and was amazed on how rustic and down to earht the restaurant was like. His philosophy should be shared with all chefs around the world. I cant wait for tomorrow.

Going to Montreal

So excited!!! Minna and I were invited to go to a training session in MONTREAL!!! By Al Gore of all people, about his presentation An Inconvenient Truth. Just 2 more weeks to go!!! We leave on the 3rd and come back on the 7th of April. I just found out the on the 5th well be watching a comedy show that will raise money for a Global Warming fund.

Interactive Innovations

A few students in my class including myself, were invited to conference about Innovations in BC. It was an after school event that when till 8 pm. In the beginning schools got to showcase their innovations and we presented our PowerPoint. It was nice to see what other schools were doing, but it didn’t relate at all with what we were doing, except for the Bing presentation.
I was followed by a presentation from a man (which whom I forgot the name of) , he started young with technology and put up a website at the age of… I think was 10? He talks about how he sold his website and made a new one that would network teens from across the world. It was very inspirational showing how youth can influence so much.
Dinner with and orange theme. Yummy….
There was another presentation by an Olympic winner. She talked about her life and about her struggle. She also talked about bringing playing back into families and communities. Her idea was that not enough people played outside anymore and that there should be open gym for families. I thought it was completely irrelevant to what we were here for and I don’t think this applies to us. I think this was mostly targeted to parents and teachers, but the idea did make sense.

Summit Planning

Lately our class has been involved in planning for a summit on April 28 about sustainability with representatives of city hall. Our school is taking of lots of work focusing on the budget of the event, the gift bags and the catering (which I am in charge of). We want to inform the Vancouver School Board about global warming and how they can help school conserve more energy, water and how to use less.

Meeting sponsours...

Today in class Diana brought in representatives from VanCity and the Real Estate Foundation who sponsored this program. There names were Calina from the Real Estate Foundation and Michelle from Vancity. We took pictures with the sponsors with the checks from there organization. After that each group were called up to take a picture with them again, we had to use a prop to show what our group was working on… we picked the fountain. The representatives were really nice and in the end in said “thank you”… I hope they got what I meant.

Global Presentation

I’ve seen this presentation before on TV. The first time I saw it, it changed my mind set on global warming and how we can help the world. I knew little about global warming before the presentation, but his just showed me a more worldly perspective. It shocked me on how much global warming affected the earth in such a drastic way. The presentation showed the effects of global warming, like the glaciers that are melting at an alarming speed and the hurricanes that are attacking many costal cities. After the presentation a few of us (from Ms. Kam’s class) stayed to talk to the lady who did the presentation. We talked about what we’re doing in our school and how were the only school that has a solar panel, we also talked about how we could shop locally. There is a conference soon (I don’t think she specified when) on food, and for school’s to shop locally. I can’t wait to get back from her about the conference; I think it would be a really good experience.

Ralph's personal blog...

I think that I’ve been doing good in my group. But I feel like I’ve been taking all the work, but the last class we had made me thing otherwise. That day it seemed as if they were taking more consideration on the work that had to be done, not unlike before when they would just talk. My group, in my opinion, are more organized in on what to do. We all have our numbers on who to call (which we should have done during the winter break… I think…) so ya, can’t wait to meet back after winter break to catch up on what we’ve done.