May 1^th, 2012

I learned this from the internet, and it’s really easy. Today, I am going to share with you how to make mung sprouts at home.

First, you will need a pan with a cover. Some people like to use a teapot. Second, put a layer of mung beans in the bottom of the pan and soak in water overnight. Don’t forget to cover it.

Third, drain the water the next morning and single out those bad beans. Rinse with water every six hours. Wait for 2 minutes, and then drain the water again. Make sure to keep out the sun. Sometimes, I put a fabric on top of the cover, just to make sure that there is no light leaking into the pan. If you use the same pan as I show in the photo, you could just drain the water from the little beak on the side. That’s why some people like to use a teapot.

Voila, you will get these beautiful sprouts after seven days. They could grow faster if the room temperature is warm enough. The reason for keeping the sun out is that the sun will turn the leaves green. Once they turn green, they taste kind of bitter. Before you eat them, don’t forget to wash off those green shells.

Now you know how to grow mung sprouts at home. Look at those fat little white legs. Don’t you feel like to taking a bite?

Since I started eating the sprouts, I have more energy, always get 100 points on any test, run faster and make more friends. Next time, I am going to try to grow soy bean, adzuki bean and black bean. Maybe I will win the lottery because of eating them.

After each harvest, I would put these fresh sprouts into the refrigerator and store them in the crisper. They could stay fresh for at least one week. In the mean time, I would grow another pan of the mung. Because of that, I can have the sweet and crunchy sprouts every day. I like to mix them into salads, fry them with eggs and boil them with soups, too.

By the way, I strongly suggest you use the stainless steel pan or porcelain to grow the sprouts. They say it’s safer to use these materials for your food. If you use a plastic or aluminum pan, the plastic and unknown metals may leak into the water and be absorbed by the mung beans.

If you use clean spring water, that would make your sprouts even healthier and tastier. Bon appétit!!

April 28^th +29^th, 2012

Guess where I was? I took a picture to see what was in front of me. It’s a long line and everyone was heading in the same direction.

The line in front of us

My husband and I were in the main gymnasium of the Acadia athletic complex. This weekend, there was a massive garage sale right here. Everyone grabbed a big bag to buy as much as they could because it was super cheap now.

Shoppers in the arena

You could find books, clothes, furniture, toys, sport equipment, televisions, refrigerators, microwaves and dishes. Anything you could image you might find here. I heard that was because it’s the season for students who had graduated from university and they donated their stuff which would be recycled and be used again.

I was standing in front of the skiing equipment and wondering if I needed it or not. Just while I hesitated, a mother took it for her son immediately. Oh man~ I shouldn’t think at all. I should just take it while I have the chance. They are just like the flea market experts. They know what they are doing. “This taught me a valuable lesson”, I squinted and told myself. ”Never make the same mistake again.”

I was hoping to find a washing machine here because ours broke at the end of last year. Too bad, there was none.

On the second day, there were not many people around. Good things were all gone yesterday, I guess. Hey, I didn’t see the TV yesterday.

Sunday

Yesterday, we spent seventeen dollars to buy two pairs of Nike shoes, a reading lamp, a drying rack, and some clothes. Today, we strolled for a while and still didn’t find anything interesting to buy. A lady announced over a microphone, ”To fill up any bag or box only costs two dollars.” Less than a half hour later, she made another announcement, “To fill up any bag or box only costs one dollar. TVs are all free.” Wow, they really wanted to get rid of everything.

They hired some volunteers to help with this event. The volunteers wrote down the price on your note, you could pay what you owed when you checked out. There was a lady who told my husband that if he got a pen, he could guess the price and write it down himself. We spent one dollar today, only bought some dishes, books and wine glasses which were all put together in a box.

Later I heard that if you were a volunteer at this event, you could shop first with a twenty-five-dollar limit on Friday night from seven p.m. to nine p.m. Maybe I should volunteer next time.

Be prepared, by puuikibeach

by Atsuko

We are new here in the Valley. We just came to Canada from Mexico in June 2011 and found our house in Middleton in September 2011. We had heard  about the difficulties  people had finding a family doctor. It was very obvious that finding a family doctor was a big issue for newcomers as we were always asked if we already had one, and local people explained to  us on various occasions that finding a doctor was a problem. As we have a 5-year-old daughter, it was a big concern for us to find one. We visited the Middleton clinic, but the personnel there told us there was no available doctor and they didn’t keep a waiting list for new patients, so that  the only thing we could do was to keep visiting or calling them to find someone.

And in our English class we talked about this big issue because just like us, Andrea and Udo, who had been here for more than one year,  hadn’t been able to find a doctor. We talked about what we could do to find one. And now we HAVE a doctor. The following are the steps we took.

Step 1:

We called the Physician Help Line to get information, but it was a recording. We had hit a brick wall.

Step 2:

My husband and I went to the Middleton recreation department to pay the town winter program participation fee for myself and our daughter, and we started to talk with the staff, just to make conversation and without any intention. One of the themes of our conversation was the difficulty of finding a doctor. One staff member showed us a web site where you can find a list of doctors who accept new patients. We checked and there were none in the valley. She also told us that even if you find some who are available on the site, when you call, they might not  be available any more.

At that time, the other staff member told us she had heard that a doctor in Berwick was accepting new patients. So she got the information about the doctor for us and passed it on to us. Then we called the doctor keeping in mind the possibility that he might not be available any more. And – surprise, surprise -  he accepted us as patients!

Step 3:

I immediately wrote an e-mail to Andrea with the doctor’s information and she answered me quickly saying she called him and now they have a doctor, too!

Maybe we were just lucky but you don’t know where important information is! We never expected to get information about a family doctor in the recreation department of the town and there it was.

by Andrea

There are several opportunities to meet people in Middleton and the Valley.

You could work as a volunteer. Volunteers are very welcome anywhere in Canada.

For example, the Macdonald Museum offers a lot of special events during the season and they are very happy about each helping hand.

Twice a year they organize a tea party for the volunteers and that is always a fun event to meet people from every age group and status.

You can enjoy one of the craft groups. They make crafts for the spring and Christmas sale to save money for the community and they really like to get off track with your new ideas.

If you like to exercise, you will find a few possibilities like:

Yoga, public skating, curling, ice hockey, organized hiking tours, canoeing and Zumba.

Zumba is my favorite sport at the moment. There I met very nice people with the same interests and the exercises are healthy for my body.

In Greenwood you could learn how to use a bow and arrow or visit the gym on the base. Included in the gym is a swimming area.

You also can go for a walk near your house; you surely will meet some of your neighbors for a nice conversation.

The Valley isn’t deserted.

The only thing you have to do is take advantage of what is available. The people are very friendly and after a while, when they know you a little bit better, they will help you improve your English.

Everywhere you go, you need a driver’s licence for identification. When you want  to open a bank account or in other public facilities, everybody asks you for the driver’s licence.

We can only share our experiences for exchanging a German driver’s licence. The exchange of a foreign driver’s licence works for Germans, Americans and Canadians from other provinces. Nationals from all other countries have to do a road and a knowledge test (the theoretical part).

There are two ways to get a Canadian driver’s licence. But first, find your nearest office.
Visit the link below for more information:

http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/paal/rmv/paal269.asp

1) Go to your Access Nova Scotia Centre, give them your German driver’s licence, and ask them to exchange this for a Nova Scotia driver’s licence without a road test.Then you only have to pass a vision test. The vision test and your nice new picture are made directly by the office clerk. The entire procedure  took approximately one hour.

Disadvantage: you will only get back a class 5 licence (for driving cars, pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans having a seating capacity of less than 24)

or

2) Go to your Access Nova Scotia Centre and ask them to exchange the German licence for a Nova Scotia driver’s licence with a road test. Then you have to take lessons for the theoretical part and a road test. It is the same procedure that every Canadian has to follow . It is important  that you can speak some English  and that you are familiar with the guidelines and rules in the driver’s handbook.

We had decided to take the first option, it is the easiest and fastest way to get a Nova Scotia driver’s licence.

But you have 3 months’ time to exchange your driver’s licence if you have a valid international driver’s licence.

Good luck with your first steps in Canada

My name is Rose and I live in Middleton, Nova Scotia. I moved to Middleton in 1986 from Malaysia. During that time, it was very difficult to find a class that taught English as a second language. To my delight, in 2006 the Valley Community Learning Association started an ESL program. I have been attending the classes since then. The classes have been offered at the Middleton Community College. The teachers there are very nice and patient. The classes are very multicultural and I have met many people from around the world, places such as Mexico, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Colombia, China and many more. The classes allow you to meet newcomers to Canada and learn more about the community.

It has been nice to meet people from different cultures considering that when I first arrived here in Middleton it felt not multicultural at all. In the 80’s, when I first moved to Middleton, I did not know of any groups or associations that offered English as a second language or if offered were too far away. There was not a place I knew of where people who immigrated to Canada could go and meet each other. Now there is more immigration to Canada and Middleton so there are more ESL classes being offered. Middleton is a small community, so meeting others that experienced the same feelings as I did when I moved here was comforting and exciting.  Overall, Middleton is a beautiful place to live and to raise your family. There are lots of lovely places to see and enjoy with new friends.

My Learning Journey          By Jennifer

It has been nearly three and half years now since I first met my ESL instructor, Joan.  It is still vivid in my memory.

One afternoon during the fall of 2008, Joan came to my house to assess the level of my English proficiency before I could start attending ESL classes. Actually, I was supposed to go to the VCLA and meet her, but at that time, I had my hands full with 3 young kids, all aged under 6 and it was inconvenient for me to go there.

I started my Advanced English Class at the VCLA on Oct 23, 2008. It was really a fun learning experience. We learned idioms and proper use of articles. We practiced speaking, reading, and writing essays. I had a great opportunity to meet with others who came from different countries. Unfortunately, I was unable to go to ESL when I started working in 2009. Life suddenly became too busy with work and family life.

I reconnected with Joan last year and mentioned to her my desire to improve my English language proficiency. She tried to find someone who could tutor me one-on-one once a week. However, it didn’t work out since there wasn’t anyone who fit my schedule.

Finally, Joan was kind enough to pursue and find a creative way to tutor me. I pick a topic from the CBC podcasts, “The Current”, “ReCivilization” and “White Coat, Black Art” and send it to her via email. I listen to the podcast, summarize it, and verbally explain the written summary as I understand it. We meet on Skype for an hour and discuss the topic once a week. I am given tutorials to work on idioms, vocabulary and collocations after each podcast. It gives me listening, speaking and writing skills.

I enjoy what I’m doing with Joan right now. She provides all the assistance that I need as I continue my English language learning journey inCanada.

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On Sunday, February 12^th 2012, classes from Wolfville and Kentville met at the Wolfville Curling Club for the potluck. Due to icy roads, the Middleton classes couldn’t make it. This was really bad for them because they missed a very delicious buffet of all kinds of exotic foods.

When people arrived, the tables were nicely set up. There was coffee and tea offered. Kids had toys and games to play with…

When the room filled up, we met people we already knew and also newcomers. Families from Sri Lanka, Burma, Taiwan, China, Germany, Romania, Colombia – and certainly Canada – all were in a good mood and chatting with each other.

David taught us folk dances, which was fun and good exercise after the rich food.

In the end, everyone enjoyed that afternoon.

We want to thank our teachers Joan and Marion for their fantastic organization.

We are looking forward to next year’s potluck.

We would like to thank Werner for taking many wonderful pictures.

Last Sunday- Feb 12, 2012. My husband and I were invited to join the potluck at the Wolfville Curling Club which was hosted by VCLA. To tell the truth, the weather was terrible that day. I sat in front of my computer and checked my email once every 15 minutes before we left for the potluck. I was thinking it may be canceled any minute. But I guess Marion would never miss out on Eon’s cooking and neither would I.

So my husband started cleaning the drive way while I was making my dish around 2pm. It was snowing and the snow was so deep, I believe he spent 1 hour outside. When we were ready to go, the sky suddenly turned clear and it stopped snowing. That’s a good sign. I believed that we would have a good time at the potluck.

When we got there, not many people had arrived yet. I was so hungry and made sure that Marion and Joan knew it. But in fact, I just couldn’t wait to try Eon’s dishes. He is famous at VCLA now because he is a CHINESE COOK. I am Chinese and I don’t know how to cook. While we were waiting, we met some new friends and chit-chatted to kill time.

Oscar was the first person who said “Hello!” to me when I went through the door. Then I met Jennifer and Simon who are Singapore Chinese. Eon, of course, the secret Chinese cook. When I chatted with him, in my head, I was imagining that when he is cooking, he must throw an apple or carrot into the air, after “ Xiu, Xiu, Xiu!” brandishing the knife, then they would turn into a rose or an orchid landing on the table. Gisela and her husband were there, too. My husband was surprised to learn that Werner is 89 years old and yet he’s still very dynamic.

I didn’t get to meet the Korean students because the buffet was OPEN. I was among the top 3 people who grabbed the dish and plundered first. My, my ,my. Eon’s dishes were so beautiful and delicious, how could you put the art work into your mouth and destroy it? How could you?! Why did God want to torture me? (I yelled in my heart and looked at the sky with a tear drop in the corner of my eye.) But I was hungry. No pain, no gain.

At our table, we had Marion, Stephanie, and Gisela with her husband to join us. It looks like everyone at this table is now or was a teacher before. So my husband shared a lot of his experiences about teaching kids in Taiwan with them. I am just glad we don’t live there anymore. Stephanie was late, she has been sick for the last whole week. I was thinking that finally I will get to try the dish she mentioned in class before. Her homemade “ Shepherd’s Pie”. Well, maybe next time when she feels better.

Before we went to the potluck, my husband had to eat some food first. Because he is a vegetarian, he almost never got to eat any food at potlucks before. But fortunately Marion prepared a veggie pizza and Joan made some vegetarian food, too. Also, with Gisela’s delicious homemade dessert, he finally could enjoy a good meal this time. I enjoyed 3 plates myself, and 2 plates of dessert. I really wanted to keep eating, but if I had done that, I would have needed to go home to change into bigger pants first.

David saved me from this situation by inviting everyone to join him to dance together. It was my first time to learn this kind of dancing which is from Romania if I remember it right. Everyone held hands and made a big circle together. For a while we ran to the right, back to the left, walked into the center of the circle, walked back and started over again. It was so much fun that people didn’t mind when you accidentally stepped on their feet. Sorry, Marion. We couldn’t stop laughing and laughing.

We had a wonderful night on Sunday. When we stepped outside, it started snowing. That’s lucky for us. I just told Marion that we should have potlucks at least 10 times this year. Why? Because we have Eon. No, I mean, it’s like a free buffet, you get to try different food from different countries and it’s also fun with the dancing, too. This time, I feel like we had a pre-Valentine’s luxury meal. Thanks to everyone who ever made this happen from the bottom of my heart.

A Fun Potluck Party                              by Tharany

If you weren’t in our English class on Thursday, January 26th, you missed an amazing time! I met some new friends. Everyone came from different countries. They talked about their country, food and culture. It was interesting! The food was delicious and it was decorated nicely. I said to myself “yummy”! Recipes were shared by all of us. My daughters drew some pictures and played with puzzles. Both of my children enjoyed the day a lot. We all helped to sort out the books and brought some home to read. My girls also loved to help us. Lastly, when we were ready to leave, they said, “Can we stay a little longer, Mummy?” It was a fun potluck party.