August, 2005 - Nr. 8
Letter from the Editor
Dear Reader
It has been hot, and you know it! How hot? Sizzling! Just as Caribana came to us we felt like going in search of cooler weather…perhaps in the Caribbean…?
Kenrick Bobb of Ambassador Magazine contributed our front page and his personal notes on the event. As a native of Trinidad he knows all about the origins of this exiting annual happening that brings a lot of music, dance, food and joy, as well a lots of tourist dollars to Toronto. Personally I do no longer have the nerve or verve to attend. But I do recall being on floats and dancing up a storm along side the parade in days gone by. The secret to not suffering heatstroke then and now is the same: plenty of water and salt and potassium intakes.
It
has been so hot that planned BBQs were moved indoors, as was the case with
the Student Exchange Program of the German Canadian Society, sponsored by
the German Canadian Business and Professional Association. Luckily the Delta
Chelsea Inn is flexible and can supply anything needed or wanted.
On
hand were Leonore Kussmann and Sibylle Otto of the German Canadian Business
and Professional Association to greet 70 young people who came to work here
and experience Canada. About 30 members of the association also turned up to
welcome the young people, some of which are still looking for any kind of
summer job. So if you can help out and would like to give a young person
from Germany a Canadian experience, please get in touch with Mr. Brummermann
at
bernd.brummermann@sparkasse-koelnbonn.de . He is here and will happily
help to make useful connections. He also received from the Business
Association a cheque for 1,000 dollars to help him in his work of placing
German Students in Canada.
No doubt a few friendships are being forged and futures plotted and the delicious buffet of the Delta Chelsea Inn certainly contributed.
Despite the heat the city has a lot to offer for those that stay around rather than travelling to far shores. Many a picnic was held, some of which we attended.
Performance venues, like the Jazz Festivals in and around town, are a good way of spending an evening; and museums make for interesting visits, even if some of them, like the AGO or the ROM are in the middle of a major architectural revamp.
A panel discussion on China’s future and Canada’s involvement was of much interest, Soulpepper is performing its stunning program again, and Massey Hall has a nice long run of "Annie get your gun" going on. And of course we are looking forward to the Toronto International Film Festival starting September 8th.
It is lucky that we live in a city with so much cultural and artistic diversity. We do not have an opportunity to get bored. There is always something going on: A Taste of the Danforth, a Ukrainian Festival in the Bloor Village, Shakespeare performances in the open air venues of the city parks, Sunday afternoon folk fests at Sunnyside Pavilion on the Lakeshore. Looking to September 11, they are trying another Oktoberfest German Style. This is a City of Toronto venue, with a contracted concession to the same folks that have the concession for the High Park restaurant in Toronto. Much effort has been made to find players that take on the work to make it successful. We were asked to do it but could not find interesting parties to set up shop for one afternoon. The city vendor wants to sell beer of course and lots of it. A band has to be paid, entertainment found…other vendors were supposed to setup shop for the afternoon and thus help finance some of the costs, like the big bill for a band.
Our not forgotten Forget-me-nots are singing this year, sharing the spotlight with someone they want to promote, a fabulous father–daughter team, and a well known band with a head standing, beer guzzling band leader is to attract people of all walks of life to what could be a mini Caravan experience. Hopefully this year the experience is more German like than last year. If you go you have to tell us what it was like, because we will be out of town vacationing some more with family from Germany and I will of course visit much of the Film Festival.
So let us enjoy what this city has to offer during this hot and sizzling summer. We are taking off as much as possible, that is why this is a skinny summer issue. Most of our young folks are too busy enjoying themselves and, understandably so, do not feel like writing. Like us they will be back in September and October with interesting reports…
Have a great summer!
Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
Comments to: editor@echoworld.com
