TRAVELING WITH THE SUPERTHING: 2010

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Charity

http://www.canadianaid.org/

Canadian Aid Charity helps Shelters and long-term care facilities for children and adults who are permanently disabled.
You can help a child hear or see, give a wheel chair, or give a kid a home. To donate call 1-888-4-CANAID (1-888-422-6243). or mail it to them at
Canadian Aid Charity
5650 Yonge Street
Suite 1500
Toronto, ON M2M 4G3

Helpful words and phrases in Canadian!

Hello/Good morning – Bonjour.
Good evening – Bonsoir.
Yes – Oui.
No – Non.
Okay – D’accord.
Please – S’il te plaît (familiar) / S’il vous plaît (formal/plural)

Thank you – Merci

You’re welcome – Bienvenue (Cdn) / De rien (familiar)

Have a good day! – Bonne journée!

Good-bye – Au revoir. ..... which actually means 'see you again'.

I am sorry -- Désolé / Je suis désolé(e) / Je m'excuse

How are you? – Comment vas-tu (familiar) / Comment allez-vous? (formal/plural) / Comment ça va? / Ça va?
I am fine, thank you. – Bien, merci. (Literally, "Fine, thanks.")
I feel sick. – Je suis malade.
Excuse me – Pardon / Pardonnez-moi / Excusez-moi / 'Scuse (famliar, Cdn) / Madame/Monsieur! (to get a stranger's attention)

Do you speak English? – Parlez-vous anglais?

[Maybe more polite than the popular question above: May I speak to you in English? -- Est-ce que je peux parler anglais?]
I don’t speak French – Je ne parle pas français / j'parle pas français (familiar)
I don’t understand – Je ne comprends pas / j'comprends pas (familiar)
Please repeat. – Répétez, s’il vous plaît / Pouvez-vous répéter?
What? – Quoi?
I would like... – J'aimerais...
I'll have... (in a restaurant) – Je prendrais / J'aimerais commander...
The bill, please... – L'addition, s'il vous plaît / La facture, s'il vous plaît (Cdn)
What is it? – Qu’est-ce que c’est / C'est quoi ça? (Cdn - familiar))
What is your name? – Comment t’appelles-tu? C'est quoi ton nom? (Cdn) / Vous vous appelez comment? C'est quoi votre nom? (Cdn)
My name is… – Je m’appelle… / Mon nom est ...
Pleased to meet you – Enchanté (if you're a man) / Enchantée (woman)
Where are the bathrooms? – Où sont les toilettes?
How much does it cost? – C'est combien? / Cela coûte combien?
May I speak to…? – Puis-je parler à…?
Where is...? – Où est...?
Who is there? – Qui est là?
Who is it? – Qui est-ce?
Can you help me? – Peux-tu m’aider? Pouvez-vous m’aider? (formal or plural)
Good luck! – Bonne chance!

Abby: Abbotsford, British Columbia; very common in speech throughout British Columbia, but especially in the Lower Mainland.
B
Back East: In British Columbia, anywhere east of the Rockies. See Out East. In other Western provinces, referring to everything east of Manitoba. In Ontario or Quebec, used by Maritimers as a geographical reference where they are from.
The Ballet: Strip club, or exotic dance club.
Baywop: Someone living in a rural area centered around a bay. Mostly used in Newfoundland. A pejorative term.
Beauty: A term used to express thanks, or alternative way to say thanks. Additional meaning for "good fortune" or "cool".
Beaver Tail: Fried dough, a dessert food basically consisting of a pastry, usually covered with lemon juice and cinnamon sugar. Given its name because it resembles the shape of a beaver's tail. Usually known as an Elephant Ear or Whale's Tail in British Columbia.
The Big O, The Big Owe: Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
The Big Smoke: now pervasive enough in Ontario to have come into use in the Canadian (Toronto-based) media to mean the City of Toronto, this term is of British Columbian origin and has been used to refer to the City of Vancouver since the milltown era of the 19th Century. The term was either a reference to the heavy mill-smoke locally, or to the pervasive cloud and fog of the city's location ("smoke" in the Chinook Jargon meant cloud and fog as well as smoke). Independently used for many cities around the world, notably London (where its usage may also have its origins in the old close ties between the UK and British Columbia).
bismarck: jelly doughnut (Prairies; also used in BC).
Blochead: A derogatory term for Anglophone, or English speaker in the province of Quebec. French translation tête carrée. Often used as a derogatory term for a member of the Bloc Quebecois.
Blue-eyed Arab: a term for a resident of Alberta, eminating from the oil industry in that province.
Bluenoser: a term for a resident of Nova Scotia.
Bogtrotter: a term for a resident of New Brunswick, also a term used by Newfoundlanders for inhabitants of the other Atlantic Provinces.
Booze can: an after-hours club or blind pig.
Boston: In the BC Interior, a slightly derisive and sometimes aggressive First Nations term for "white man". Derived from the Chinook Jargon term for an American, boston man.
Bramladesh: refers to the city of Brampton, Ontario because of its large Indian population
British California: alternate name for BC; a reference to the similarities between that province and the US state of California, including physical location and relative climatic differences to the rest of the country, liberal society and political-cultural climate; and also because of the general resemblance of geographic shape of the state and the province . See also "Left Coast".
Bunny Hug: commonly used in Saskatchewn referring to a hooded sweatshirt.
Bush, the Bush: commonly used in Western Canada in the same way that Australians refer to the Outback, i.e., as a generic term, whether in relation hunting/outdoors or employment at mines or in the woods. In certain uses interchangeable with upcountry, but "the Bush" is never used to refer to any significant-sized town or agricultural area (relatively speaking, that is).
Bushed: in British Columbia and Yukon, somebody who's been in "the bush" too long, typically eccentric from being alone too long; possibly smelly and otherwise without civilized habits.
b'y: A term from Newfoundland and Cape Breton Island. The equivalent of "man," "dude," or "pal." Possible contraction of "boy," but more likely of "buddy." Example: "Go on, b'y".
ByTown: Ottawa, Ontario (Bytown is the former name of the capital of Canada).
C
CanCon: short for Canadian Content. Refers to the requisite number of Canadian songs, films, programs, etc. that Canadian broadcasters must air.
CanLit: Canadian literature, of the variety that exists only because it's government-funded, and of a certain style. Originally derisive, ultimately adopted by the Canadian literary establishment as shorthand for itself.
Canuck: Canadian. Often used in the US as well, sometimes derogatorily. Originally used to mean French-Canadians only, and archaic pron. can-OOK (which Americans often use, and which also can still be used in a humorous or mocking sense). Also the name for a player on the Vancouver NHL team. See Canucklehead.
Caper: Someone from Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia)
Cariboozer: Someone from BC's Cariboo Country, and more jocularly than derisive. Need not be an alcoholic to be applied to someone, but definitely coined concerning the heavy-drinking culture of that region (which has one of southern Canada's highest rates of heart disease and other drinking-related mortality).
CBC: Canadian Born Chinese. Refers to the generation of Chinese born in Canada whose parents were landed immigrants. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is also the CBC, but is referred to as Mother Corp.
Case (of Beer): In Central Canada, a box of 24 bottles of beer. In the Atlantic provices and the West, it more often refers to a box of 12 bottles of beer.
Centre of the Universe: A common sarcastic term for Toronto, Ontario, derived from a belief about how Torontonians view themselves and their city.
Citidiots, a portmanteau of "City" and "Idiots". Commonly used in rural Southwestern Ontario, particularly Bruce and Grey Counties to describe tourists or cottage-goers from the GTA.
The Chuck: Edmonton, Alberta, short for its other nickname Edmonchuck, a reference to the city's dominant population of Canadians of Ukrainian descent. In British Columbia, the chuck is a reference to water, usually the straits and other inland waters between Vancouver and Vancouver Island from the Chinook Jargon and commonly used in marine English and in weather forecasts, e.g., it'll be fine out on the chuck. Also saltchuck.
Chug: A derogatory expression applied to First Nations people (originally in reference to alcoholism).
Coastie: In the BC Interior, a slightly derisive term for someone from Vancouver or the Lower Mainland, implying city attitudes and dress.
Constab: pronounced cun-STAB; the police in cities of Newfoundland and Labrador serviced by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary.
Cow-Town: nickname for Calgary, Alberta.
CPR strawberries: Prunes or dried apples.
CSL: refers to the Côte-Saint Luc district of Montreal
D
DDO: refers to the Dollard-Des-Ormeaux district of Montreal
deke, deke out: to feint, to trick or avoid someone "to deke out of a meeting" or, to deftly manoeuvre around a sporting opponent (esp. in hockey). Also used to refer to making shortcuts and innovative routes through traffic. Word originates from the word decoy.
dep: corner store, adapted from Quebec French word "dépanneur," especially by English-speaking Quebeckers.
Dipper: a member of the New Democratic Party
Ditchland', also Ditchmond: Richmond, British Columbia, where all streets were lined by deep (and dangerous) drainage ditches, now largely replaced by culverts or otherwise covered.
Doeskin: lumber jacket.
Dogan: a Catholic; abusive, falling into disuse.
double-double: a coffee with double cream, double sugar (especially, but not exclusively, from Tim Hortons), recently added to the Oxford Dictionary. Triple-triple and four-by-four (less common) are three and four creams/sugars, respectively.
downhomer: a person from Newfoundland; sometimes refers to a person from any part of Atlantic Canada.
E
Edmonchuk: A name for Edmonton, Alberta, referring to the large Ukrainian population.
F
Farmer Tan: tan of the lower left arm, obtained by driving with the window open wearing a short-sleeve shirt. Also any tan or sunburn of both arms from mid-bicep and lower. Also used in the US.
Farmer turn: a manoeuvre executed while driving an automobile in urban areas. A right turn that starts by veering to the left, often crossing into the adjacent lane before completing the (often slow) right turn. Name refers to the driving habits of rural farmers accustomed to large vehicles and unused to city traffic.
Farmer vision (also Peasant Vision, Country Cable or TFC - Three Friggin' Channels): The basic three broadcast TV channels that can be picked up almost anywhere (Global, CBC, CTV).
Fish Police (also Tree Cop and Critter Cop): Derogatory reference to Federal or Provincial Fisheries or Wildlife Officers.
Flat: An Atlantic Canadian term used to refer to a box containing 24 bottles of beer. (see also, 2-4) Central and Western Canadians usually use the term 'case' to identify this quantity, although the term flat is also sometimes used for the same thing in Western Canada. Also slab. ("Flat" is almost never used to mean "apartment" in Canada, even though this usage is common in both the UK and some regions of the US.)
Flippin: increasing in use; also Friggin as alternate use for fucking.
Fuck the dog: A term used to indicate doing nothing (e.g. I fucked the dog all weekend). May be referred to as Making Puppies in polite company. Also refers to slacking off at work or getting paid to do nothing.
forty pounder (forty ouncer) — a 40 oz. bottle of alcohol
G
Garden City: Richmond, British Columbia's official sobriquet. Often mistakenly applied to Victoria
Gastown: the old part of Vancouver and the original colloquial name of the settlement , a contraction of "Gassy's town" after steamboat captain-cum-bartender "Gassy" Jack Deighton. Sometimes used to mean Vancouver in general in the way that Hogtown and Cowtown are used for Toronto and Calgary respectively, and also often mistaken or at least fudged to include the Downtown Eastside of that city, which includes Gastown proper.
Ghetto: someone whose behaviour is perceived as acting or posturing a gang-like image even if unassociated with a street gang "Mike is ghetto" or a residence in a state of disrepair and very dirty "they live so ghetto", growing usages in Ontario, not unique to Canada.
Ghetto Blaster: a portable stereo system. The term was common throughout North America at one time, but is still common in Canada.
Giv'n'r: used to describe any act carried out with extreme exuberance or to its fullest potential. "We were just Giv'n'r last night." Often used to describe heavy alcohol drinking and partying. Short for "giving her (hell). Variation "Give 'er" used on east coast ('I'm gonna just give 'er in tonight's game' or 'We really gave 'er last night at the game.')"
Goal Suck: In ice hockey, somebody who stays around the opposing teams goalie and does not play defence.
goof: 1: cheap sherry or fortified wine ("I could buy the Indian chiefs off with a case of goof," – Ed Havrot, chair of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, Toronto Globe and Mail, May 16. 1975); 2: a major insult, often precipating violence.
Goolie: In Manitoba, a derogatory term for someone of Icelandic descent. From Islendigur, meaning Icelander.
gotch, ginch or gonch: underwear, especially men's briefs. A "gotch-pull" or "gonch-pull" is another name for a wedgie.
Gouge-and-Screw Tax: Goods and Services Tax (Canada)
Grit: a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. In British Columbia, a neo-Grit is a new-era BC Liberal (distinct in character from the pre-1970s BC Liberal Party), although Grit is commonly used in the media, though usually to mean the federal Liberals only.
Gripper: a former 66 imp fl oz (1/2 U.S. gal) or a 1.75 L (61.6 imp fl oz) bottle of liquor. So named for either having a looped handle on the bottle neck, or matching indented "grips" on the body of the bottle.
Grocery Police: A Canadian Customs and Revenue Border Agent.
GTA: frequently used acronym for 'Greater Toronto Area'
H
Habs: Historical Quebec: Habitants - Nick name of the Montreal Canadiens NHL team.
Had the biscuit: Dead, broken, spent, "My old car has had the biscuit".
half-sack: A six pack of beer.
Hali: Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Haligonian: a resident of Halifax (and of its namesake in the UK).
The Hammer: Hamilton, Ontario
The Hat: Medicine Hat, Alberta
Head'r: Used as a verb, to leave. eg. I guess I'd better head'r.
Here Before Christ: The Hudson's Bay Company (founded 1670).
Hog Town or Hogtown: Nickname for Toronto.
Hollywood North: a reference to Hollywood, used to describe Toronto and Vancouver as two major sites of Canadian film production. Usage and context differ for both locales, particularly for the latter which – like Hollywood, a centre of the American film industry – is on the Pacific coast, in the same time zone, and less than two hours by air from Hollywood proper. The term was originally coined by the industry to refer to Vancouver, but has since been adopted by Toronto to describe itself (as with Big Smoke, also originally a reference to Vancouver only).
Honger or Hong: Derogatory name for immigrants from Hong Kong used by Mandarin-speaking and Canadianized Chinese. NB "Hong Konger" is not derisive.
Hoodie: A hooded sweatshirt with or without a zipper.
Horny Tim's: Tim Hortons doughnut chain
hose: used as a verb 'to hose' meaning to trick, deceive, steal, etc.
hosed: Broken or not working. e.g., "There was a power surge and now my TV's hosed."
hoser: a stereotype and a mild insult; exploiter; from Depression era prairie gasoline thieves.
The Hub City: the city of Moncton, New Brunswick, the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia.
I
Inside Passage: a "marine highway" linking BC's south coast with the Central Coast and North Coast/Prince Rupert via a chain of channels. The route is "inside" because it is sheltered by the coastal archipelago.
The Interior: used (without further description) by residents of British Columbia to describe essentially the entire province outside of Greater Vancouver, the Islands and the North Coast. Often seen in compound forms, Central Interior and Southern Interior especially (which almost mean the same thing, but not quite)
The Island: Vancouver Island, in common British Columbia usage; other islands are referred to directly by name, except in context.
The Islands: in BC, the Gulf Islands. In a general sense can be used to include Vancouver Island. In the capital 'I' sense this refers generally to the inhabited islands of the Strait of Georgia, usually the southern Gulf Islands; does not usually include the archipelagos Desolation Sound, Discovery Passage, the Queen Charlotte Strait or Inside Passage.
J
jam buster: a jelly-filled doughnut, generally covered with icing sugar (Manitoba, possibly Ontario)
Jesus Murphey: a common exclamation
jib: methamphetamine or crystal meths (West/Central Canada).
joggers: a term used for jogging pants or sweatpants
K
Kentucky Fried Pigeon and Kentucky Fried Rabbit: disparaging term for Kentucky Fried Chicken, due to suspect quality of poultry used in preparation of this food.
Ketchup Potato Chips: a common flavour in Canada for potato chips but difficult to find in much of the USA, as is the most common Canadian chip flavour, Salt And Vinegar.
Kraft Dinner: A popular brand of macaroni noodles, often used to describe any macaroni or macaroni-like noodle meal
KV: A term for the Kennebecasis Valley, which consists of two towns, Rothesay, New Brunswick and Quispamsis, New Brunswick, which are affluent suburbs of Saint John, New Brunswick.
L
Lakehead, The Lakehead: Thunder Bay, Ontario
Language Police: A Quebec provincial government body titled the 'Office de la Langue Française' who under Bill 101, the controversial language law passed in the 1970s, were charged with ensuring that Quebec businesses feature the French language at least on par with English on signs, menus etc.
L.C.: Slang for Manitoba Liquor Control Commission (MLCC), the government-run liquor stores in Manitoba; also for Nova Scotia's 'Liquor Commission'. Abbreviated as the 'Mission. The phrase Lick-Bo is used commonly in Ontario, as a reference to the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) government run liquor stores.
Liquor Store: A specific reference to a government operated liquor store, as privately owned liquor stores are uncommon or illegal in Eastern Canada, depending on provincial liquor laws. A private liquor store is generally referred to as a Cold Beer & Wine Store or off-sale. Alberta has no government run liquor stores but still refer to the private stores as liquor stores.
Left Coast: term used to refer to British Columbia; the phrase is often applied in the United States to California; both are a reference to left-wing politics and used to describe the more liberal attitudes of those regions in comparison to the rest of the country. An early user of the phrase was Allan Fotheringham, then writing for Vancouver Sun.
Lord Stanley or Lord Stanley's Mug: slang reference to the Stanley Cup, awarded annually to the champion team of the National Hockey League.
Lotus Land: British Columbia, especially the Lower Mainland around Vancouver; often in reference to the absurd theatrics of BC politics and political personalities. Sometimes written as one word. Originally coined by Vancouver Sun columnist Allan Fotheringham; derived from the Homeric "Land of the Lotus-Eaters"
Lower Mainland: the Greater Vancouver-Fraser valley area of BC, apposite to "upcountry" (q.v), the Interior, the North, and the North Coast. The origin of this term is that the Fraser delta-Vancouver area is virtually at sea level, vs. the extreme heights of nearly all the communities on the Interior Plateau, the "upper mainland" (though it is never called such).
M
Mackinac: pronounced Mackinaw and sometimes spelled that way. A plaid Melton jacket, typically red or green, at one time a hallmark of the Canadian workingman. Later popular in artists and fans of the grunge movement.
Mainlander: Used by Newfoundlanders, Prince Edward Islanders and Cape Bretoners to refer to a person from mainland Canada; often used in the derogatory. Also used by Vancouver Islanders in the same way but primarily referring to residents of the Greater Vancouver area.
Maritimer: Used to describe residents of the Maritime provinces on Canada's east coast. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward's Island make up the Maritimes, but not Newfoundland due to climatic and geographic differences.
Member: Used by the RCMP to refer to fellow Mounties in place of the usual "officer" or "constable" (or equivalent) in other police forces. Mounties have their own lexicon of special terms and usages, which are familiar the general public because of their use on-air by RCMP press relations officers. Sample usage: "the member approached the suspect with caution".
mickey: a small (13 oz.) bottle of liquor, shaped to fit in a pocket, much like a hip flask. Also fits conveniently alongside the calf of a cowboy boot or rubber boot.
Monster house: In Vancouver, a newly-built and very large, post-modern residence taking up nearly all of a city lot, often overshadowing neighbouring houses and usually in a bland stucco out-of-character with the older flavour of the neighbourhood. Monster houses began going up in the 1980s during the influx of new immigrants fleeing the PRC takeover of Hong Kong. The term was denounced by Chinese organizations as racist, since most houses being built this way were owned by Chinese. Originally limited to the city's West Side, they are now common throughout the suburbs and have no particular ethnic association, and the term has fallen into disuse as "politically incorrect"
Mountie: a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Mother Corp: The CBC. Originally coined by then-Vancouver Sun columnnist Allan Fotheringham as the Holy Mother Corporation.
Muni, the Muni : in British Columbia, a municipal government and its bureacracy. "The Muni won't allow that to go through", "He works for the muni".
N
N.D.G.: refers to the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce district of Montreal
Newfie, Newf: a person from Newfoundland; occasionally derogatory if used by someone other than a Newfoundlander.
New West: New Westminster
O
the Oilpatch, or the patch: the local term of the oil industry of Alberta, especially the part involved directly with drilling.
Ontario Piss Pots: Ontario Provinvial Police
Out East: A summary term used in Western Canada (BC specifically) to classify anyone born and raised east of Manitoba- used with less negative connotation as "Torontonian." See Back East.
Out West: Term used to describe the general direction towards anywhere in Western Canada west of the Manitoba/Ontario border.
P
Parish: In New Brunswick, although now defunct along with counties, they are equivalent to townships inother provinces. They are now only geographical expressions (as are counties) and exist outside of incorporated municipalities (towns, cities & villages, as well as the new Rural Communities).
The Peg and Peg City: Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The Peninsula: Refers to New Brunswick's Kingston Peninsula, a rural stretch of land surrounded by the Saint John River on 2 sides, the Kennebecasis River on 1 side, and Kingston Creek on part of one side.
Pepper, Pepsi: derogatory term used to refer to francophone Quebeckers
Pile O' Bones: Regina, Saskatchewan (the latin word for Queen, named for the Queen, and pronounced like vagina); this was the name of the site of the future city when it was selected as the site of the capital of the North-West Territories.
Poco: Port Coquitlam, one of the "Tri-Cities" or "Northeast Sector", which includes Coquitlam and Port Moody. Sometimes all three are described, usually in print, as PoCoMo.
Poutine: a plate or box of french fries mixed with poutine sauce and cheese curds.
Poverty Pack: a six-pack of beer. Used in Southern New Brunswick.
Prairie nigger (derogatory) — A person of aboriginal descent.
Puck Bunny: (AKA 'Puck Slut', or just 'a Puck') In disparaging terms, A young girl who pursues hockey players; a groupie of hockey players. More correctly is "Puck Fuck," but rarely used in mixed company.
Q
Queen City: Regina, Saskatchewan.
Queen's Hotel: local or county jail
R
Rancherie: In British Columbia, an Indian Reserve, specifically its residential section and often specifically the oldest residential neighbourhood of a reserve. Pronounced with a "hard" /ch/ and accent on the last syllable. Derived from Californian Spanish rancheria, the workers' residential village on a rancho.
Reservation Rocket: nickname for vehicle generally seen travelling towards or away from native reservations, typically an old Camaro or Trans-Am, frequently overloaded and over-speed.
the Rez: A First Nations reserve, particularly its residential area. Found across in Canada, generally used by First Nations English-speakers.
Rice King and Rice Queen: In British Columbia, non-Asians who date only Asians, often immigrants from another part of Canada moved here for that reason.
Rink Rat: Term used to describe people who work at a hockey rink and maintain the building/ice surface.
Rippers: term for strippers or exotic dancers. Derived from the fact they rip their clothes off (eventually). They perform in Ripper Bars. See Peelers.
The Rock: Newfoundland. Also, in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, for Vancouver Island .
Rockhead: A resident of the small town of St. George, New Brunswick, which is affectionately called the "Granite Town".
The Rocks: The Hopewll Rocks, in Hopewell, New Brunswick, where the highest tides in the world are found. Also referred to as the Flowerpots.
Rotten Ronnie's: McDonald's restaurants. Also McScumolds, McDick's, or in Quebec, McDo's.
'(The) Royal City: New Westminster, British Columbia. Often mistakenly used for Victoria, British Columbia. Also used when referring to the city of Guelph, Ontario.
S
Sack Vegas: Another name for Lower Sackville, a lower to upper middle class suburb of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Known for a significant concentration of used car dealerships and at least seven seperate Tim Horton's doughnut shops serving the population of around 30,000, one of the highest ratios in the country.
Saltchuck: In British Columbia, the chuck is a reference to water, usually the straits and other inland waters between Vancouver and Vancouver Island from the Chinook Jargon and commonly used in marine English and in weather forecasts, e.g., "It'll be fine out on the saltchuck tomorrow." Also chuck.
Saskabush: Saskatchewan or in some circles, Saskatoon
Sasquatch: A creature similar to Bigfoot or Yeti, from the Halkemeylem word sesqac. In British Columbia often used, especially in the short form Squatch (rhymes with "botch"), to mean someone tall, large and shaggy or bearded. Also a Saskatchewan driver in Alberta, or an Albertan teen with Saskatchewan licence plates.
Sauga: Mississauga, short form.
Scarberia: Scarborough, a suburban part of Toronto, a derogatory reference to its desolation. Also known as Scompton, in reference to its perceived similarities with the Compton neighbourhood in Los Angeles.
Scare Canada: a derogatory term used with regard to national air carrier Air Canada. Originally this was coined in British Columbia as Scare BC (for Air BC).
Scivey: (Pronounced SKY-vee) an untrustworthy person; or someone who is considered un-generous or stingy. Used in Nova Scotia, and with similar meaning to Sketchy.
Screech: a particularly potent type of Newfoundland rum. See Newfoundland Screech.
Shwa (The): Local slang (generally derogatory) for the city of Oshawa, Ontario.
Sixty-Sixer: A term for a sixty-two ounce (1.75 L) bottle of liquor (from the old 1/2 U.S. gallon size, 66.6 imp fl oz).
Sketch'd right out of 'er: Extreme form of Sketchy used in New Brunswick.
Skid: a reference to people who appear down and out with raggedy clothing, sometimes homeless but not always. Derived from skid road.
slack: Term for low quality, disappointment, etc. Often prefaced with ever, as in Ever slack, eh? To slack off is to work slowly and minimally.
Slurrey: Derogatory name for Surrey, British Columbia

for more go to http://www.aboutlanguageschools.com/language/slang/canadian-slang.asp

Canada flights

I have completed this journey many times before and I have no doubt that this one will be just as terrible, long, and boring as any other. But I also was confident that this was worth it! My sister and I were traveling by ourselves because my family couldn't afford my two more tickets.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

the rest of my philippines journal will be on this sight... http://overtheocean4.blogspot.com/

Thursday, April 8, 2010

language

Titignán natin. We’ll see.

Titignán ko. I’ll see.

Subukan mo. (s.) Try it!

Subukan ninyó. (pl.) Try it!

Siyá ngâ ba? Really?

Siyá ngâ palá. By the way, . . .

Gustóng-gustó ko I really like, I really want . . .

Ikáw talagá! You! (I can’t believe you!

1. Drop the "Alám mo ba kung sino akó? attitude. Replace with "Ayos lang. Nakikinig ako."

2. Drop the "Akala mo kung sino siyá" attitude. Replace with "Ayos lang. Nakikinig ako."

3. Say "Baká malî ako. I could be wrong." and "Ba

2. "Akala mo kung sino siyá."

3. "Ikáw (kayó) na lang. Baká pa akó (kami) mapahamak."

4. "Kasalanan mo (ninyó), eh."

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Money Exchange

USD ($) - PHP (Php)
$ 1 = Php 44.7800
$ 5 = Php 223.9000
$ 10 = Php 447.8000
$ 50 = Php 2239.0000
$ 100 = Php 4478.0000
$ 500 = Php 22390.0000
$ 1000 = Php 44780.0000
PHP (Php) - USD ($)
Php 44.7800 = $ 1
Php 223.9000 = $ 5
Php 447.8000 = $ 10
Php 2239.0000 = $ 50
Php 4478.0000 = $ 100
Php 22390.0000 = $ 500
Php 44780.0000 = $ 1000

Flight Itinerary

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Charitable organization for Yemen

National Organization for Defending Rights and Freedoms HOOD Charity Profile

Hood is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization. It was established in 1998 by lawyers, people working in the media, and MPs, all of whom are activists in human rights issues and the law. Hood is considered one of the first frontline organizations working to defend human rights in Yemen.Hood's main goal is first to report all kinds of violations of human rights. It then defends victims of these violations by offering free legal help and helping to bring the perpetrators to justice.

7th day in Yemen

AAAW my last day in yemen! I wanted to do something fun but I still needed to be on time for the plane so I went somewhere I could just look around, nothing to get to, nothing special to see, just a big market filled with tasty foods! Also I would like to get a little present for my mommy! The first thing I saw was the huge archway into the market area. It was amazing I wish we had amazing stuff like that in santa barbara. Anyways I walked under the big archway and into the market place. Once inside I was constantly being hassled by men and women who wanted me to buy their products. My first stop was at a stand where they sold meat testers, I chose a small piece of rib! After that I just wandered around until I saw a jewelry store, I though that a necklace would make a great present for my mom. I looked at all the jewelry at the stand but none of them looked right and they were all WAY too expensive! So I took my money and continued looking around. A few minutes later I saw another jewelry store. This one had very low prices but all the jewelry looked like poop. I stepped away from that stand and looked some more... I WAS RUNNING OUT OF TIME! I was about to turn back when I spotted one last jewelry stand. I ran over being careful not to hit anyone, and immediately saw the perfect necklace. It was a light turquoise rock shaped like a teardrop hanging on

the end of a long silver chain. It was beautiful! I bought the necklace and sprinted back to the cab and

yelled "STEP ON IT!" like I have always wanted to. I turned out to be early for my flight so I decided to go

across the street to a small... I think it was a restaurant? There they had dancing and music. Sadly I could

only stay for a little bit because my plane was boarding soon. I left the restaurant place and walked across

street. That was the last I would see of Yemen, the place I had come to love so much.

Friday, March 12, 2010

6th day in Yemen

I was extremely excited to see the crater! I had never seen a crater before so I didn't know what to expect! Once I was dressed in shorts, a t-shirt, and TONS of sunscreen! A rushed out the door and hopped into a cab. On the way we passed by a lot of interesting people and a lot more interesting houses. When we finally reached the parking lot for the trail to see the BIG CRATER I hopped right out of the car and ran (for a few minutes, then walked) up to the stairs. This staircase was HUGE and I didn't actually think I would make it (with all my running and everything!) I started to make my way up the long stairway and on maybe my fifth or sixth stair... I looked down! It was then I realized, I am deathly afraid of heights. I turned my eyes back to the wobbly stairway took a deep breath and just RAN, I galloped up those stairs like there was no tomorrow! And when I made it to the top I was amazed by the gigantic gaping hole in this mountain! When I looked back at what I had just accomplished (the hike up the stairs) I felt very accomplished and I held my head up high! Once I had seen enough I slowly climbed back onto the ladder and... RAN DOWN AS FAST AS POSSIBLE! After that I was quite tired so I walked the rest of the way back to the parking lot. Oh but I didn't mention how very HOT it was, I was panting the moment I got out of the car! Anyways I quickly got back into the taxi (so to not let the cold air out) and we got back at about eight o'clock at night. I then had dinner and went to bed!

2nd day in Yemen!

I woke up with the sun and packed up my gear and hiked down to the beach. The captain of the ferry I was about to board had sent a crew member in a dingy to pick me up. I hopped in the small boat and we zoomed away, once we arrived at the boat we climbed up a big black ladder to get to the POOP DECK. Once on the boat I took a seat at a table inside. I had a plate of stewed beef shank REALLY TASTY! When I was done (and VERY full) I set off looking for the wheel because I thought maybe the captain would let me steer. When I finally found him I realized that I didn't have any idea how to say "Hi can I steer you ship for a few minutes?" I decided I would just stand by the side of the ship and watch the waves pass by. We arrived in Yemen a while later and I immediately jumped into a taxi and checked into my hotel. Then I got back into the taxi (wet suit in hand). The hairy taxi man dropped me off at the beach where I then put on my wet suit and my snorkeling gear. Now I was making my way (backwards) into the ocean. My first step into the water was RIDICULOUSLY cold! I figured the water would be warm but I didn't think that the water would still be warming up from winter. Luckily my wet suit was very thick so I got over the sting of the icy water. Sadly since the water was soooo cold I couldn't stay in for long. Just as I was swimming back to the shore I saw a flash of black and white, once I got home I looked it up and found that it was called a Long-Fin Bannerfish. Anyways I swam in and dried off then went home (to my hotel) and had a really good dinner, I think it was called bint al-sahn after that I got in bed and fell right to sleep!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

preview

Today to the MOSQUE!!! I got a ride... BLUH BLUH BLUH aaaaand... I ARRIVED! I walked through the doorway and looked around! Then a few minutes later I jumped back into the taxi and was driven to the castle (this I was MUCH more excited for!) When I first saw the building I thought I was having an illusion! This castle is actually placed on the very top of a large rock! I sat in the dust and took a few pictures! On my way out I stopped by the gift shop. The most surprising thing in the gift shop was that they had a snow globe of the castle perched on the cliff. I took one last look at the amazing castle then I got back into the taxi and the taxi driver drove me back to my hotel.

3rd day in Yemen

AGAIN, I woke up with the sun (obviously) I stepped out of my tent into the brisk morning air. I checked for "ants" down at the river thing, NONE YET! I searched my bag and found one remaining candy bar (thank god for my skills of OVER packing) in which I gobbled up! I waited for about an hour before checking for people down at the swimming hole. Aaaaaaaand YES it looked like a family of yemen's were splashing around in the FREEZING water. I stuffed my tent back into my bag and practically fell back down the steep mountain/hill. When I reached the bottom the mother of the family ran up to me thinking I had been lost in the mountains for WEEKS because suposedly I was kinda dusty and my hair was kinda CRAZY! Thankfully the father spoke some english and I was able to tell him my story and ask for a ride back down to town! He said sure... I think? Anyways they showed me the way to there car and dropped me off in town, making sure I had a ride and plenty of money. I finally got back to the hotel and I climbed into bed and took a nap for a few hours. After that I left again to do what I had planned for the day. Hopefully today wouldn't be SO exciting. The National Museum was fun aaaaaaaand BORING sooooooo boring! Just a little bit too un-exciting! So I wasted time by running through the halls and sliding on the marble floor! Sure I hit (and broke) a few statues but they can be glued! And at least I got out of it alright, I could have gotten hit by a peice of shattered MARBLE! After that little incident I decided that I would just go and find a good park to play in or something. I wasted about 30 american dollars on taxi's driving around and ended up not actually finding a playground. But by that time it was the end of the day and time for me to return to my hotel room. That night I ate another bowl of some strange kind of soup that I couldn't find the name of anywhere! And I slept VERY confortabley in my nice soft CLEAN well, semi clean, hotel bed.

3rd day in Yemen

I woke up at about lunch time (my first good sleep since I arrived there). And got dressed, put on LOTS of sunscreen, and packed my bag full of candy, crackers, and some SHARP cheddar. I left the hotel and got a ride to the bottom of the road that lead up the mountain and over the side. Now all I had to do was find someone to drive me OVER the first mountain on the bumpy dirt trail. LUCKILY someone pulled over as soon as I raised my thumb. Because it was SO HOT out that I am certain I would have shriveled up into a dry heep of dust within moments. I sat SILENT for the first part but I started getting bored so I asked a woman sitting in the front seat what her name was (in arabic). No one answered, they were probably surprised that I could speak to them because all I saw was a quick glance between the two of them. A while later the woman answered "Ameera". After the awkward silence I decided not to talk anymore! We got to the bottom of THAT hill and we came to a giant river thing. I hopped out of the car just before it sped away, a big gray cloud of dust trailing behind. I skipped down to the GIANT pool of water and decided the best way across was to swim. I dived into the shallow wadable water and doggy paddled all the way across (for dramatic effect). I reached the other side stood up and started on my way up a small hill, the small hill soon turned into a large hill, then a small mountain, than a LARGE MOUNTAIN! When I finally reached the top I realized the sun was beginning to go down and I had no way of getting home! Let alone enough time before dark to get back down the mountain! As I had learned in school I decided to stay calm, set up my tent I just happened to have with me and eat all my snacks I had in my bag. By the time the sun was just perching on the top of the mountains I was FREAKING OUT! I had never done ANYTHING like this!!! But I knew that everything would be ok as long as I stayed warm and in my tent. I watched the sun set and all the people (who looked like ants from where I was) slowly disapear. After the sun had set and everything had gone quiet I realized this was JUST like camping! Since I couldn't see anything I decided I would just go to sleep. I would guess that when I finally fell asleep it was about one or two in the morning. But at least I made it through the night!!!

1st day in Yemen

For my first day in Yemen! I got to stay on the Socotra Islands, where I would be camping for the night. I was picked up from the airport by a taxi, and driven to the dock where I was greeted by the ferry. Usually people just go there by air plane but I wanted to use gravity for as long as possible. Theride was long bumpy and not so much fun, but at least I had a chance to enjoy some of the 211 species of birds... and almost 211 different kinds of bird POOP! Anyways we arrived at the island a certain amount of time later (I asked someone how long the boat ride was but they answered in arabic so I didn't really know. I would guess about an hour maybe hour and a half. We were almost to the beach when the captain turned off the motor! I looked at him with a half confused face and half if we crash I will kill you face. He then pointed out that two men were pulling a big, yellow, rubber boat out of the storage compartment and I thought how am I supposed to drive this in to shore!!! I got in WITH a helper and we glided over the water towards the island. I was super excited "What fun things did they have in store for me!" When we hit sand I grabbed my fully packed backpack and stepped out then walked up the beach and over to the side walk. The side walk led to a street which led to three or four stores and ONE was the information building. I walked in and grabbed a pamflet and stepped back out. The directions said to walk down the street and turn up the trail, that led to a mountain trail that was right next to a cliff right off the ocean! I hiked about a mile and then got tired of that trail so I turned up a trail that curled around the hill and ended up at the top. On one side I had a stunning view of the rest of the island and on the other side the wide open ocean! The view was beautiful but I needed to walk hike back down and find a campsite so I had enough time to set up my tent. I ate dinner and went to bed!

7 things to do in Yemen!

1. Hike and camp in the Socotra Islands.

2. Go diving in the Arabian Seas.

3. Hike Hadda Mountains and visit some old villages

4. Take a tour at the National Museum in Dar al-Shukr.

5. Go to the mosque in Rawdha built by Ahmed ibn al-Qasim.

Also see the Rawdha Castle.

6. Aden! to see Crater

7. 1,000 year old Bab al-Yemen Market.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Middle East

Jordan: Camping out under the stars at Wadi Rum.

Kuwait: Public gardens in Al-Ahmadi.

Lebanon: Ruins of Byblos.

Oman: Exploring the archaeological sites around Salalah.

Palestine: Swimming in the natural spring of Wadi Qelt.

Qatar: Going to the Aquarium in the Qatar National Museum in

Doha.

United Arab Emirates: Riding camels at the Al-Maha Desert Resort.

Yemen: Try some tea scented with cardamom!

Bahrain: Watch the local weavers work in the village of Bani Jamrah.

Egypt: Snorkeling in the Red Sea.

Iran: Drink chay tea in front of the sunset in Emam Khomeini Square, Esfahan

Iraq: Visit the hanging gardens of Babylon/ maybe

experience a dust storm. Also try some soft drinks

made from rose petals or orange blossoms.

(Sounds tasty)

Israel: Hulu valley & Nature Reserve and maybe swelter in the heat

a little too!

Flight and Money exchange for Yemen

Money exchange for Yemen

Currency

Yemeni Riyal (YER) = 100 fils. Notes are in denominations of YER1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20. Coins are in denominations of YER10, 5 and 1.

Currency Exchange

Local currency can easily be reconverted at banks, bureaux de change and hotels. US Dollars in cash are the easiest convertible currency.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

Cards generally have limited acceptance; American Express and Diners Club are the most widely accepted. There are very few ATMs.

Traveller's Cheques

Can be exchanged at some banks and hotels. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in Pounds Sterling.

Currency Restrictions

Restrictions apply.

Banking Hours

Sat-Wed 0830-1200, Thurs 0800-1130.

Exchange Rate Indicators

Date	Apr 09
£1.00=	YER299.04
$1.00=	YER200.20
€1.00=	YER265.32

Translation to arabic

Words and Phrases in Arabic

April - Nisan, Abreel

August - Ab, Aghustus