INTERNeX Canada: International Vancouver- Diwali time!

Vancouver is really international as you all know, and there is a big Indian Community living here. These days are special for all of them. Do you know why?

After the monsoon season in India, which is around October or November Indian people celebrated “Diwali” a special festivity that can be translated to “Row of Lights“. This date also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year, and many businesses in India starting a new accounting year on the Diwali holiday.

Ok, right and what’s Diwali about?

It’s a celebration to victory of the Good over the Evil and Light over Darkness, which last 5 days. It has a major religious significance not only in India, but also for Indians living abroad. The actual day of Diwali happens during the third day when it’s really common to see lights around the houses and fireworks.

The rest of the days there are different celebrations, for example the first day the people pray for prosperity and wealth and the last day, the fifth one, is the day for brothers and sisters to strengthen their relationships. In this day sisters pray for their brother’s and they give little gifts to their sisters in return.

Interesting, isn’t it?

And the best of all and this is something general everywhere, is during the celebration time the families are together eating tons of food and sweets! Yummy!

It is also common to send Diwali greeting cards to family members, relatives and friends, but nowadays send e- mails and Facebook are good options as well!

Barbara, our Placement Manager and Neil her boyfriend enjoyed yesterday celebrating Diwali together!

It’s great that a Spanish girl is writing about an Indian festivity that a Canadian coworker celebrated yesterday with her boyfriend’s family. It’s the kind of magical things that just happen in this crazy and awesome city!

Cheers,

Irene

INTERNeX International Exchange
Suite 200 – 211 Columbia Street
Vancouver BC -V6A 2R5-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Phone: +1 (604) 662 8149
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

2010 Paralympic Torch Relay Coming Soon!

So you might think it’s all over now that the 2010 Winter Olympics are over but that is so not true. Vancouver is actually getting ready for Round 2! Ladies and gentleman we bring you the 2010 Winter PARALYMPIC GAMES. Today the torch is actually already in the midst of making its way around Vancouver Riley Park and Maple Ridge. The Riley Park neighborhood is actually one of the signature venues of the 2010 Winter Games. Close to the scenic Queen Elizabeth Park and next to the Nat Bailey Stadium, it is home to the Vancouver Olympics Center/Vancouver Paralympic Center. This event starts at 11am but celebrations will start at 630pm in Maple Ridge at the Spirit Square. Some of the community torchbearers are 14year old Priya (Jasdeep) Sekhon and Jennifer McKenzie. These two have managed to pull through devastating circumstances so if you have the time try to make it out and cheer them on. For more information on the torch route visit this website.

March 11th 2010: Tomorrow you can find the torch making its rounds at the main campus of the University of British Columbia (UBC). This campus located just 30minutes from downtown Vancouver and with its spectacular natural surroundings it is must-see. All around you you see snow-capped mountains, ocean and breathtaking views around every corner of this campus. The community torchbearer for the leg of this race is Bonita Sawatzky. This event will begin at 11am but celebrations will ensue outside of the Student Union Building near the UBC Thunderbird Arena, which is home to ice sledge hockey competitions.

March 12th 2010: Downtown Vancouver will be home to the 24 hour Olympic torch relay near Robson Square beginning at 2pm on March 11th. The Paralympic flame will continuously be carried and passed between torchbearers for 24 hours straight. The event will conclude at 12pm on March 12th where the flame will be finally bought to rest at BC Place for the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Winter Games. The province of British Columbia has nominated Laurel Crosby to be the final torchbearer so come out if you can and support the Paralympic movement.

New PuB NiGHT Location

So thank you again to all those that managed to make it out to the PuB NiGHT last Monday, since i know everyone was pretty tired from all the Olympic celebrations that had been going on for two weeks straight! Everywhere was pretty quiet and it seemed like the whole city was taking a night off but i guarantee you next week Vancouver will get right back up on its feet. And do you know why? Because it’s St. Patrick’s day next week!! Woohoo get ready for some green beers, rainbows, pots of gold, and leprechauns? haha sorry that’s all that seemed to pop up in my head when i thought of St Patties. So INTERNeX will be having it’s PuB NiGHT as usual this upcoming Monday so why not start the week off right with a little celebration. The Blarney Stone is a fun student hangout and since it is an Irish PuB it will be the perfect spot for us to settle in to.Voted the best Irish PuB in Vancouver for the past two years running it will not disappoint you and the food and drinks are cheap too…can’t get much better then that! This will also be the last PuB NiGHT for one of our long time staffhousers, Anandita. I’m sure you have all met her once before but if you haven’t come down and meet her this Monday and buy her a few drinks and bid her farewell because this little party animal will surely be missed.We will be meeting up at the PuB at 8pm and there will be a new INTERNeX face coming too since we have hired a new PR intern….exciting! So don’t miss out on an opportunity to join us and eat, drink and party like the Irish! For more information on The Blarney Stone check out their website

If you have any more questions or queries about our weekly PuB NiGHT and other events that INTERNeX offers please do not hesitate to contact us at the office:

INTERNeX International Exchange
Suite 200 – 211 Columbia Street
Vancouver BC -V6A 2R5-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Phone: +1 (604) 662 8149
Email: info@internexcanada.com