| Photo Contest Winner: KGIC Moments! |
 Congratulations to Manuel Salgoda for winning the KGIC Moments photo contest. For his entry Manuel has won one month's free tuition to any KGIC program within the next year. We hope he uses it wisely and are looking forward to seeing him at KGIC once again.
The choice of winner was not an easy one for the judges. The majority of the judges felt that Manuel's picture not only was an excellent photo, but also captured the spirit of students coming together. Unfortunately there is only one prize to hand out, but deserving of honourable mention are Esperanza Downing, who brought new meaning to the sofa at KGIC's Toronto campus, and Leonardo Ruggeri, who reminded us of the joys of the KGIC Banff trip. The Alumni Society would like to thank all those who entered the contest. We truly enjoyed looking at your pictures and reading about your special KGIC moments. If you haven't already, be sure to check out all the photo contest entries on our facebook page. Even though the contest is over, if you have a picture of a KGIC moment you would like to share with other KGIC Alumni members send it to alumni@kgic.ca and we will be happy to post your photo on our facebook page.
Once again, thanks to everyone that entered and congratulations Manuel!!! |
| English Refresher
Keeping learning alive!!! |
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Quote
You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.
- Wayne Gretzky -
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Joke
Question: What word is always spelt incorrectly?
Answer: Incorrectly!!
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Proverb
Out of sight, out of mind
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The best of both worlds - The most enjoyable and attractive features of two different things.
"Students at KGIC get a good education and have an active social life with many new friends. It's the best of both worlds".
Polish off something - to finish something quickly and easily, most often used with regards to food.
"He polished off two hamburgers before I even started my first".
Call it a night - To end what one is doing at night and go home to bed
"After a long day of sightseeing we decided to call it a night early so we would be rested for tommorow".
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Vocabulary
Sitcom (noun) - A humorous television program based on situations that could arise in everyday life.
"My favourite sitcom is The Office."
Recipe (noun) - A set of instructions with a list of ingredients for making or preparing something, especially food.
"This month's newsletter has a delicious pancake recipe".
All-around (adj.) - able to do many things well; versatile.
"Andy Chen is an all-around good student". |
| PJP Corner
Entering the Blogosphere |
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This month the PJP students have been working feverishly on developing their blogging skills. This month's blog includes an examination of the social networking phenomenon "Facebook" and reviews of the latest Maroon 5 CD. Be sure to check them out by clicking here!!!
The students also hit the streets on a scavenger hunt to practice their interviewing skills. This exercise not only gave the students valuable experience on approaching people for interviews, but also some great photos. You can take a look at them by clicking here and here. The students of PJP hope you enjoy them. |
| Good Old Canadian Cooking...
Delicious Pancakes! |
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 Crawling out of bed on Saturday morning, watching cartoons on TV with the smell of pancakes coming from the kitchen...if you had grown up in Canada, this is something you would have experienced. Your Mom would wake up early, start mixing the pancake batter, and put the maple syrup on the table - a delicious way to start the weekend!
Hopefully, while you were in Canada you had the opportunity to try home-made pancakes with real maple syrup. But even if you didn't, you can recreate the experience in your own country. Pancakes are usually eaten on the weekend in Canada, but they're actually easy enough to make any day of the week. You can double the recipe if your friends are coming, add fruit like blueberries or bananas to the batter, or put brown sugar on top if you don't have maple syrup - whatever you like for a real Canada breakfast treat.
Canadian Pancakes
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter
Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. In another bowl, beat together the milk, egg and butter. 3. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir gently. Mix until smooth but do not over-mix (your pancakes will be tough if you do!).
4. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high heat. Pour the batter onto the pan, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. The first pancake is usually not that great so don't worry - lower the heat if the pancakes are getting too dark before cooking on the inside.
5. Turn the pancakes over with a spatula when the bottom is a light brown colour. Serve hot with maple syrup, white or brown sugar, lemon juice, or fruit...enjoy!
Special Thanks to Yoann Barbier, KGIC 2007 Alumni Student,
for requesting this recipe. E-mail alumni@kgic.ca with your newsletter requests!
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Greetings!
Well March is upon us. There is an old saying that the weather in March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. This month certainly came in like a lion. March has also brought upon us the celebration of all things Irish. March 17th is the day when everyone is Irish, no matter where they are from. Teachers and students had a great time together  celebrating Saint Patrick's Day and all things green. All this green has us excited for spring.
The KGIC Alumni Society Newsletter currently reaches over 2000 KGIC, KGIBC and CTC students. We would like to give you the oppurtunity to say hello to these students and give them an update on what you are doing now. If you would like to send a message to your fellow Alumni members please e-mail us at alumni@kgic.ca. Include a recent picture of yourself, what year you were at KGIC and which campus you attended and of course your message. We will select the most interesting messages to post in our next month's newsletter.
As always, we look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Kevin Drager
Alumni Society Coordinator King George International College
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| Win $2000 US With WYSE
As a member of WYSE Work Abroad, the KGIC Alumni Society encourages you to showcase your creative talents by joining WYSE Work Abroad's "Expand Your Horizons" Video Contest. Submit a 2-3 minute video about your work abroad, volunteer, work and travel, or internship experience, at KGIC, KGIBC or CTC and you could win $2,000 US.
To see the WYSE Work Abroad brochure and find out more about this exciting contest, information on submiting your video to WYSE Work Abroad and a link to the WYSE Work Abroad website visit the KGIBC website at www.kgibc.ca. The contest ends on August 15, 2009!
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| Student Success Story
Andy Chen, Victoria Campus
 Andy Chen comes from Taiwan. He studied at KGIC's Victoria campus in the fall of 2008. Andy's time at KGIC made a very strong impression on the teachers and staff of Victoria campus. He is one of the most outgoing and enthusiastic students to attend KGIC's Victoria campus. He brought a positive energy to the classroom and was an all-around remarkable student. When called upon, Andy never hesitated to lend a hand. He treated both the staff and students at KGIC with the utmost respect and kindness and will not soon be forgotten. Maybe some of you know and remember him from your studies at KGIC Victoria. Here is a message from Andy about his time at KGIC and his life today.
"Hi, I am Andy. Now I'm studying at another school, but I always go back to KGIC for lunch. You know what? KGIC is just like my second home. They always take care of me. They are my family. I love KGIC so much. I really enjoyed my classes at KGIC. I think I gained a lot of experience there. I also improved my communication skills. Before I thought speaking English was very difficult, but now I can talk easily to my friends and teachers. It's really lots of fun and I have so many good memories at KGIC. I'm so happy that I made a smart choice.
Lately, I have been hanging out with my buddies on weekends. Since I live on my own, we usually go shopping, cook Taiwanese food, and drink at my place. People say that friends are all that you have if you live without your family. I appreciate having friends and sharing experiences with them. Whenever there's an issue in our lives, we help each other through the difficulties. I enjoy living in Canada on my own, and learning how to be independent and supportive with friends.
Cheers
Andy Chen"
Thanks Andy! We are glad you are a happy Alumni Member. If you would like to send a message to other Alumni Students please send a picture of yourself, along with your message and what year you studied at KGIC to alumni@kgic.ca.
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Listening Through Sitcoms
The Idiot Box?
By Roy Kok 
Does television really turn you into a moron? Well, maybe if you only watch Cheaters or Blind Date. But if you are studying English, TV can quickly and efficiently improve your fluency by expanding your vocabulary (especially idioms) and improving your pronunciation. TV is also a fun way to practice your listening, reading and speaking skills.
First, ask yourself: "what are my favourite TV shows?" If the answer is Prison Break, or House, or Lost...you might want to second-guess yourself. Have you ever been stranded on a desert island? Do you plan to go to jail someday? If the answer is "no", then these types of shows are less helpful (that doesn't mean they're a waste of time, they're just less practical for real world listening practice). These shows are usually called "one-hour dramas".
What you should watch are sitcoms. Why? Although they can be strange, absurd and ridiculous, the spoken English is a lot more like real life. You will often find that the language in a sitcom can be very repetitive. This is useful because it allows you to hear the usage of vocabulary, idioms or slang in different real world settings.
Some sitcoms are better than others. My favourites are the more eclectic sitcoms like 30 Rock, Arrested Development, and (dare I admit it?) The Simple Life. The Office is another gem, with lots of business vocabulary. If you want to listen to people talk really fast, watch Scrubs. Scrubs is set in a hospital, but just like every other sitcom it is full of common idioms and even slang. Anyway, don't take my word for it - find a show you like.
Still, are there any good one-hour dramas? Sure. The best ones are probably reality shows. Next, shows like Gossip Girl, The OC or any of the highly praised HBO series like Six Feet Under are technically dramas, but range from humor to violence to romance to mystery to intrigue. Some are more popular with women (Sex in the City) and others like Entourage, are "guy" shows. If you're feeling truly adventurous - and not prone to nausea - check out Desperate Housewives. Unfortunately, my wife does at least once a week.
Don't just watch: read! Watch TV with English subtitles if necessary, but not with your native-language subtitles. Read the subtitles, pause, and repeat what you hear. Mimic the tone and inflection. If you don't have subtitles, often a script is available for free on-line (simplyscripts.com).
Most TV shows are easily available to rent or buy at your friendly neighbourhood video store. You may even be able to find some on-line.
The bottom line? The best English to improve your English is real English. Watch more TV, but also the right TV!
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Teacher Focus: KGIC Robson
Paul Worsley-Brown 
Students who have attended KGIC's Robson campus in Vancouver may remember Paul. He has been a teacher at KGIC since January of 2007 and has left a lasting impression on many of the students that have passed through the halls of KGIC. This month we are happy to feature an interview with Paul about his experiences as a teacher and what he is doing now.
How long have you been teaching? Please tell us a bit about your teaching experiences.
I have been teaching for 9 years. I have taught both overseas as well as in Canada from ages five to adults. I started teaching here in Vancouver where I got my TESL certificate at university. From there I got the opportunity to teach in North Africa and in the Middle East for a total of four years.
What was your most memorable teaching experience?
My most memorable time was teaching in Afghanistan shortly after the historical collapse of the Taliban. We taught English at a university and were able to educate the young people who had been deprived of proper education for years. I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to use teaching as an opportunity to travel all around the globe.
What kind of students do you enjoy teaching the most?
I really enjoy teaching university-aged students as they are still young and full of life, but are mature enough to talk about real-life issues.
What are you currently teaching at KGIC?
I teach the English for Professional Careers (EPC) course at KGIC's Robson campus. It is a bridge course between ESL and the Business Campus. It focuses on the skills that are essential to thrive both in the advanced business courses as well as in future professional careers.
How is this course useful to students?
It is designed to improve students' speaking and writing skills with emphasis on accuracy and confidence. There is lots of focus on pronunciation and student involvement through presentations, role-plays, debates, interviews and surveys. This course is not a business course but uses business themes, such as trade, advertising, leadership and brands to work on the aforementioned skills.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to KGIC alumni students about English?
Always be a learner. Wherever you are, you can find opportunities to learn English. Take advantage of the internet and spend as much time listening and repeating native English speakers on the news, Youtube, podcasts, movies, and music. Also, read out loud and focus on areas of pronunciation you know are your weakness. And, of course, come to KGIC! I look forward to seeing you again! 
For more information on the EPC course e-mail kgic@kgic.ca and put EPC in the subject line.
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Here at KGIC we appreciate all our Alumni Society members and hope that you enjoy the information and updates offered in our newsletter. Please feel free to forward this e-mail to a friend and invite them to sign up for future updates. If you are not on our mailing list and would like to receive our monthly newsletter click on the link at the bottom left of this page or visit www.kgic.ca and click on the "Sign Up For the Alumni Society Newsletter" button.
If you missed a past issue of the KGIC Mosaic visit the KGIC Newsletter Archives. Here you can read past issues of our Alumni Society Newsletter.
Sincerely,
Your Alumni Society King George International College King George International College
201-1400 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V5K6H6
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