| English Refresher
Keeping Learning Alive!!! |
Question: What's a vampire's favourite fast food?
Answer: A guy with very high blood pressure.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
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Dressed to the nines - wearing very fashionable or expensive clothes.
"She wanted to look her best and was dressed to the nines to impress her date."
Think outside of the box - to develop ideas that are different and unusual.
"The manager asked his employees to think outside the box for ways to save money in the company."
Off the top of my head - a phrase used when giving quick and approximate answers to questions, to indicate that a response is not necessarily accurate.
"Off the top of my head, I'd say at least half of KGIC students dress up for Halloween."
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Vocabulary
Upload (verb, used with an object) - to transfer data from one electronic device onto another device or server.
"Upload your old Halloween photos onto Facebook and you could win some awesome Olympic gear."
Headbanger (noun) - slang for a person who likes heavy metal music.
"All the headbangers came out for the Mettallica concert on Saturday."
Ghoulsih (adj.) - morbid; showing a fascination with death, blood, gore, maiming, disease, etc.
"Halloween lets you explore your ghoulish side."
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Capture the Spirit of Halloween: Facebook Photo Contest |
In honour of Halloween the KGIC Alumni Society is hosting a Facebook Halloween photo contest. Entering the contest is as easy as counting 1... 2... 3...
1) Take a picture of yourself dressed up in a Halloween costume. 2) Visit www.facebook.com/kgicgroup and become a fan of the KGIC Education Group Facebook page. 3) Upload your Halloween photo onto the KGIC Education Group Facebook Wall and you are entered in the contest! You could win some awesome Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Gear worth $200 Canadian. The prize includes a Vancouver 2010 hockey jersey, baseball cap, collectors Olympic pin, aboriginal art key chain, capilano bag and collection of Vancouver 2010 Olympic mascots, including the popular Quatchi. Simply add a photo of yourself to the KGIC Education Group Facebook Page in a Halloween costume and you are entered into the draw. You can upload your picture by clicking on the "share" button of the KGIC Group wall.
The deadline to post your photos is November 8th. Any pictures uploaded after that date will not be considered for the draw. The winner will be randomly chosen from a draw so even if your costume is not the best, you will have an equal chance of winning. We will contact and announce the winner on Facebook once a winner has been selected.
The KGIC Education Group will cover any shipping costs of delivering the prize. Any taxes or import duties that may be added by the country being shipped to are the responsibility of the winner. The contest is open to all KGIC, KGIBC, CTC and Alumni students. We wish everyone the best of luck in the contest and look forward to seeing your pictures on Facebook. If you have any questions regarding the contest e-mail alumni@kgic.ca.
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KGIBC is happy to give students real-world experiences in which to practice their skills. In July, the International translation Diploma Program - Japan (ITDP-J) has started a trial project with Vancouver Keizai Shinbun, an online media service. Vancouver Keizai Shinbun is a part of the Minkei Network which provides local news through Japan through various media companies and in Vancouver, New Zealand and Thailand. 
This project provides students with a great opportunity. They translate actual online articles written in Japanese to English. This joint project gives our students real-life work experience in professional translation while still receiving careful review and detailed instruction before being published online. Students receive credit for their translation which will help them if they pursue a career in translation. Working on various articles with real-world subject matter also means students get lots of personalized individual feedback from instructors while working on their translations. This hands-on experience is invaluable at improving their translation skills. Students are expected to meet deadlines and the translation standards of the Vancouver Keozai Shinbun. In this way they learn the actual steps of a professional translator. The trial project will run through to the end of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Even though many students take the ITDP program as a way to improve their English skill, this project introduces them to a whole new world of "Translation" and an advantage at developing a career in the future. We invite you to check out the hard work of some of these dedicated students by visiting the Minkei News Online Vancouver website, www.en.vancouver.keizai.biz/.
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| Greetings!
 Turkey, pumpkins, falling leaves, ghosts and goblins all make us think of October. Thanksgiving has recently passed and we find ourselves full of turkey and pumpkin pie. KGIC campuses are preparing for Halloween. Halloween is always a popular time at KGIC as students love to dress-up and express their creative ghoulish side. This year the KGIC Alumni Society is hosting a Halloween photo contest. Read more about it in this issue of the newsletter or visit our Facebook page. Fall is a perfect time to rent a scary movie and curl-up on the sofa with someone dear while sharing a bowl of popcorn. Some great horror movies recommended by KGIC teachers and staff this Halloween are, The Exorcist, The Shining, The Ring, and Dawn of the Dead. Practice your listening skills with one of these great movies this Halloween, and don't forget to carve your pumpkin. 
We hope you all have a Happy Halloween. We look forward to seeing your Halloween pictures and hearing from you.
Send an e-mail to the Alumni Society any time to alumni@kgic.ca .
Sincerely,
Your KGIC Alumni Society
King George International College
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KGIBC Teacher Focus
Luc Corijn
This month The KGIC Alumni Society sat down with KGIBC Director and teacher, Luc Corijn. Many KGIBC Alumni students fondly remember Luc. He started teaching at KGIBC in August, 2000. He became Director of KGIBC in 2001, but has always maintained his role as teacher. Since 2004 he teaches KGIBC's International Translation Diploma Program - Japan (ITDP-J) three hours a week. He also teaches Business English as part of the International Office Management Diploma Program (IOMDP).
 Luc insists on keeping a minimum of teaching hours for two reasons. One is so that he can stay in touch with the concerns of teachers and students. The other is so that he can get to know students personally and by name. This approach has made him a very popular teacher and director of the KGIBC campus.
Those who know Luc may well be aware of it already, but he is a big fan of both opera and extreme heavy metal. His favourite metal band is Motörhead. This is because of the fond memory he has of one of their concerts. Motörhead was the first concert he ever took his wife to. According to Luc, "she was dressed to the nines and couldn't believe how all the headbangers dressed and behaved."
Of all the great Motörhead songs, Luc recommends you listen to "The Chase is Better than the Catch", an idea that he finds connected to teaching and learning. The song is about being in the moment and it is a message he often relays to students as an approach to their studies and learning.
As director of KGIBC, Luc is proud to introduce a recent new initiative to help students with their studies. Every three months KGIBC now offers one-hour seminars to all students. The seminars focus on professional topics of general interest with the goal of helping students learn a few extra skills. The next seminar at KGIBC is planned for the end of October. The topic is a catchy Halloween play on words, "Trapped in the Web!" which will address improving your internet skills.
These days Luc is finding it much easier to relate to the life of a student as he has recently become one again. He is currently doing a Masters in Religious Education at St Mark's College on the University of British Columbia campus. By maintaining his connection to teaching, life long learning and a philosophy of living in the moment Luc has been able to keep his passion and empathize with students. He still gets regular e-mails from alumni students. "No matter what year you were in my class, send me an e-mail (director@kgibc.ca) and if you get married send me a plane ticket," Luc told us with a grin. He promises to respond to your e-mails promptly and hopes that he might one day get that free ticket to the wedding of one of his former students.
We here at the Alumni Society would like to thank Luc for his time this month and for all the years and dedication he has given to making studying at KGIBC an experience for students to remember and cherish.
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KGIC is Growing!!!
Two New Campuses in 2010
The KGIC Education Group is expanding to serve students better. Thanks to the success of our students and the testimonials of our alumni, KGIC's reputation as a quality facility of English learning is growing. As a result, the KGIC Education Group is proud to announce the expansion of two new campus locations in 2010. Boston, Massachusetts USA
As requested by many of our education partners, KGIC Boston will open its doors in January 2010. One of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston has a rich economic, cultural, and social history. Founded in 1630, the city has a deep connection to American history becoming a major shipping port and manufacturing centre after American Independence. The city is the site of several American firsts, including the first subway system in the United States.  With strong schools such as Harvard and MIT, much of Boston's development has been shaped by its commitment to higher learning. Known as a "city of neighborhoods", Boston is distinguished by its many diverse and vibrant neighborhoods. Offering a variety of cuisine, shopping, attractions, and culture, each community has its own personality while still demonstrating Boston's unique charm. Boston is a popular destination for tourists, who want to sample some delicious New England clam chowder in one of America's oldest restaurants, experience one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the country or stroll through shopping districts full of history and culture. Students studying at KGIC's new campus will be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of this wonderful city while making friends with the 250,000 young people who pursue their education in the Boston Area. Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
KGIC Halifax will open in February 2010. Increasing our eastern Canadian presence, the new campus will be located in the heart of beautiful Halifax which is also renowned for its academic reputation.  The leading cultural centre of Nova Scotia, Halifax offers an exciting variety of sights, attractions and people. Founded in 1749, Halifax was the first British town in Canada. It has the world's second largest natural harbour, sandy beaches, rugged shorelines and colorful gardens. The city is home to a diverse mix of people with a friendly charm that welcomes all visitors. You may think that life in Halifax is centered on the sea, but the city has much more to offer. The bustling downtown core of Halifax offers friendly nightclubs, charming sidewalk cafes, fantastic shopping, museums, art galleries and several historic sites and churches. Halifax is your gateway to Canada's East Coast! You can head out of town to nearby coastal communities for a day of hiking, camping or bird watching or enjoy the pleasure of walking along sandy shores beachcombing for unexpected treasures. For warm Maritime hospitality, scrumptious dining, shopping, non-stop fun and terrific live music shows, Halifax offers something for everyone. The small city atmosphere and friendly people will make Halifax an excellent choice for students who really want to experience Canadian life and for those who wish to move on to post secondary education.
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Surrey Student Story
 Hi guys! My name is Marcos. I am 29 years old and I am from Brazil. My wife and I decided to go to Canada in order to study English. Marcelo, a friend of mine, was in Vancouver and Manuela, his wife, had already been studying English at KGIC. So, Marcelo and Manuela told us that we should study at KGIC. Our time at KGIC was wonderful. One of the main reasons is the methodology. It is divided by subjects: listening, reading and writing, communication and grammar. It helped me a lot because I was clearly able to see the points that I had to improve. Another reason was the teachers. In my opinion, all of them are great. I enjoyed Angela's classes; I had the opportunity to talk about any kind of subject to Michael, and I had to memorize a wide range of irregular verbs; Danny knew exactly the best way to teach; and Bernie, with his unbelievable patience to explain our doubts...Without exception, they are great.
We had a lot of fun... I remember when we had to act, when we had to play and I did not even realize that I was learning English - it was very natural. By the way, our greatest memory was when I got the prize as the top grammar student in my level. And even better, my wife got a prize as the best student and the top grammar student in her level. Like in soccer, Brazilians did well!!! I really miss our time at KGIC!
I spent four months in Vancouver, Canada and now I have been back in Brazil for four months. As a financial consultant, I use English at work all day and I can realize the difference in how fast I can read now. When I have to talk in English, I feel confident. By the way, I have just been interviewed by a multinational company. The entire interview was in English and even more difficult because it was on the phone. Nowadays, I listen to an audio book and I look for the meaning of the words and expressions that I do not know so that I can keep my knowledge of English at a good level.
When I stop and think about whether the investment I made was worthwhile, I would answer "yes" and I would do it again. It is not just because of the knowledge in English - it is more than that. It is a great life experience. The opportunity to learn about another culture, visit another country and meet people from all over the world was unbelievable. After a trip like this, when you come back to your country, you become another person and you see the world through new eyes. In my opinion, we are a sum of our experiences. If you have the opportunity to learn English, and learn about another culture, just do it! Do not think twice. You will see the world in a new way and learn to "think outside of the box".
Marcos Batista
Brazilian Financial Consultant
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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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