It’s hard being a senior, sometimes.
We know this. It’s why we’ve worked to support older adults in our local community for 50 years at the Kerby Centre.
There are plenty of wonderful, incredible parts to aging. It’s a journey, but with every journey, there are always hiccups.
From navigating bureaucracy and a fixed income, all the way to improving your short game at the links: there are always challenges, light or small, that come with aging.
But it’s even harder if you’re a recent arrival.
We have seniors of all backgrounds here in Calgary; some have lived in Canada all their lives and others are more recent arrivals.
Can you imagine trying to navigate downtown if you don’t speak the language? How about trying to navigate a housing application? It’s not easy stuff.
It’s why a few of the popular programs we have here at the centre are our English-as-a-second-language classes.
These have been taught by Merv Graham for four years, and more recently by Carol Wallace. With over 50 interested senior students, Carol came in to help split classes and make things a bit easier.
“[The ESL students] are earnest and really want to learn,” Merv said in an interview. “Kerby gives a lot of support and encouragement for these initiatives.”
Carol, who said she loves Kerby Centre as a second home, enjoys being able to teach ESL right here in Calgary. She has experience overseas, teaching in North China and South Korea, but teaching English here is a bit of a different beast.
“There, it’s more playful with the young students. It’s a school environment,” she says. “Here, it’s about making them feel included. They want to learn, and they are very enthusiastic about learning.”
“Kids want to have fun, but adults want to know why!”
Learning a new language puts folks in a vulnerable place. Trying, making mistakes and learning from them is how any new skill is acquired, language included.
Getting folks to move past the uncomfortable barrier, and facilitating a safe space is a huge part of what the work is, Carol says.
“You can see they have the confidence to try,” she says. “We want to give them things, what they need to know… but it’s difficult when there’s a range.”
The students in Carol’s class have a range of backgrounds: Spanish speakers, those from China or Iran.
But Carol says it’s about finding what unites them, the common things we all share.
For example, Carol was trying to teach some more complicated concepts, like the idea of “tradition.”
She had students talk and share about their own traditions. One of which — written by one of the students! — we’re going to share with you, about her own experience with Christmas.
For Carol, bringing people together like this — by looking at what unites us instead of what divides us — is of personal importance.
She wrote a children’s book, dedicated to her grandchild, called “Finding Bunny’s Garden,” — available on Amazon or through Carol to purchase — that aims to teach kids about finding friends and feeling safe, a gentle way of showing the importance of finding what unites us, the common ground.
Carol said there’s a lot of hate in the world, but when I step into the Kerby Centre, our own common ground, I’d like to think we’re helping make the world a little bit nicer, every single day.
C’s Christmas Story:
Christmas is the celebration of birth of Christ, but it is the most celebrated festival by most races over the whole world regardless of religion. It reminds me the celebration of Christmas during my younger days.
There were no commercial advertisements on this festival as Christmas was celebrated by Christians only. Non-Christians did not participate as it’s different culture and religion. As this happy celebration with exchanging gift and presents and in the fairy tale story, the symbol of Santa Claus bring presents for children. Different races in the whole world are now celebrating Christmas in the recent years.
Therefore, smart businessmen had their ideas to commercialize to make big money on this festival. They attract more people to participate on this joyful day by decorate the Malls with colorful LED lights and to display huge Christmas tree with many decorations and presents placed around the tree. Special arrangement to dress up like Santa Claus goes around to distribute candy to kids and adults and photo shot. Some places implemented “pay to take photo” with the Santa Claus.
Businessmen make this occasion to attract customers to shop and buy.
Colourful lights and decorations at religious worship places and individuals houses appear too. I asked one of my non-Christian friends why she celebrates Christmas. She told me that it’s for the joy of exchanging gifts to interact social relationship but not on religion. She decorates her house with Christmas spirit for welcoming the new year.
I used to send Christmas cards to friends but e-Christmas card took over the traditional culture. Two days ago. I attended a craft session, to do DIY Christmas card. It brings me back to my memory lane.
Merry Christmas to everyone and Happy New Year.
