sicwpadmin - Camp Quest

Finally! A Yellow School Bus!

Quest students happily pose in front of a yellow school bus in Toronto

Each summer, students quickly ask us upon arrival to Canada: when will be see the yellow school buses!?

While it’s something all kids in Canada are accustomed to, some countries do not have big, bright yellow school buses that shuttle children to and from school.

Constantly featured in American movies, the yellow school bus has become a symbol of American life, so you can probably understand why many children are excited to take part in the ride!

Here at Quest, we use the yellow school buses to transport the students to far away attractions, so you can rest assured that you will get to see the famous yellow school buses.

Vroom…Vroom!

Quest students and teachers smile on their yellow school bus in Toronto.

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-16T18:47:00+00:00July 16th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

Bonjour, French Canada!

Quest students visit Canada’s Parliament Buildings in Ottawa

For those who didn’t know, Canadians don’t just speak English!

Canada is home to a vibrant French-language population, with some areas of Canada only speaking French and having zero knowledge of English.

French Canada, which is predominately in the province of Quebec, but also in the provinces of Ontario, New Brunswick, and Manitoba, houses some of the oldest communities in North America.

French Canada is also home to countless internationally acclaimed musicians, artists, researchers, architects, athletes, and politicians.

Thus, this summer, we were proud to show Quest students the culture and history of this culture.

Students start off in Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, which is an officially bilingual city (English and French) and home to the Parliament Buildings, the Rideau Canal (an UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the tasty Byward Market.

Next, the students head to Montreal, Canada’s second largest city and the fourth largest french speaking city in the world. In Montreal, students get to explore new neighbourhoods, try different food, and practice some conversations in French.

“Bonjour…Comment ça-va?”
Quest students smiling as they explore Montreal, Canada’s second largest city.

Then, on their last day, students embark east to Québec City, one of the oldest cities in North America.

Students love exploring the cobblestone streets and artisanal shops of Québec’s Old City, which offers tons of opportunities for amazing photos full of history.

Fun Fact: Canada’s Québec City was founded in 1608 and is the only city in Canada and North America to be surrounded by ramparts and city walls.

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-15T13:34:00+00:00July 15th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

Class Trips: Grange Park

A classroom from Quest smiles with their teacher while hanging at Toronto’s Grange Park

After a week of learning grammar and communication in the classroom, students occasionally had the chance to kickback on Fridays at Grange Park.

Situated near Quest’s summer campus, Grange Park occasionally acted as a meeting place for Quest students on Fridays.

It was here that they could interact with other classes, make new friends, and catch up with other students they met earlier in the program.

These class trips gave students the chance to relax in the grass, play soccer in the field, or teach each other games from their own countries. The game “Brother” from Spain appeared to be a big hit among the students.

It was amazing for us teachers to see students from all over the world interact with each other so confidently in English. Many students later stated they enjoyed their time at Grange Park since it allowed them to expand their social circles beyond their own classrooms and countries.

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-14T18:59:00+00:00July 14th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

Canoeing to Toronto Island

Quest students paddling through Lake Ontario on the coast of Toronto

Is there anything more Canadian than canoeing in a freshwater lake?

Not according to our Quest students!

Today saw our students dip into Lake Ontario, one of the largest lakes in the world, to try canoeing. For most of the students, this was their first time in a canoe and they all did amazingly well.

The students had to work together by speaking English in order to ensure they paddled in unison. It was a great team building activity!

For those who don’t know, a canoe is a type of vessel, similar to a kayak. It was used for centuries by the indigenous peoples of Canada and was instrumental to the development of Canada by European settlers.

Thus, it’s intertwined with Canadian identity and represents a great way for students to interact with Canadian culture…. plus, it’s super fun!

Quest students pose for a photo before hoping into their canoe

The students were able to paddle around Lake Ontario and head over to Toronto Island, which offers spectacular views of the Toronto skyline.

After the day finished, many of the students exclaimed that this was their most enjoyable part of the exchange yet!

Fun Fact: Lake Ontario is one of the 5 Great Lakes, which collectively hold 21% of the world’s surface freshwater!

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-13T17:55:00+00:00July 13th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada

A Quest student gets in-touch with nature at Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto

Situated in the heart of Toronto is Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada.

This aquarium is home to more than 20,000 exotic sea and freshwater specimens and is amazing place for students to learn about marine life.

It’s also a pretty good place to snap some photos!

The aquarium is home to sharks, jellyfish, and gigantic sea turtles. All of the marine life can be viewed from an underwater tunnel that allows you to feel as if you’re part of the sea.

Our students this summer were amazed by the size of the sharks, the colours of the coral, and shapes of the jellyfish.

Since it was a hot day outside, the aquarium provided us a great way to stay cool!

Two Quest students pretend to be fish while exploring Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-12T19:48:00+00:00July 12th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

Class Trips: Graffiti Alley

A Quest class poses in Toronto’s famous Graffiti Alley

Today, some of our classes got to to learn about urban art in Toronto’s Graffiti Alley.

This alley, which spans about 1km, is covered is true to its name: its simply a dark lane covered in decades of spray paint.

And it’s beyond amazing to explore.

Nestled between the two busy streets, this quiet alley offers visitors the chance to take in world-class urban art that is always being updated and modified.

Artists from all over the world have come and made their mark in Toronto’s Graffiti Alley.

Some pieces are highly politically, while other are simply adorable, as seen in the photo above with the cute raccoon and rat 🙂

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-11T20:59:00+00:00July 11th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

Beach Day!

Quest students playing soccer (football) on at The Beaches in Toronto

Students from abroad are always surprised to learn Toronto has so many beaches!

Whether you’re on the island, in the suburbs, or right in city at the neighbourhood called “The Beaches,” Toronto has plenty of opportunities to soak up the sun, hop in the water, and play some soccer (or football, if that’s how you say it…).

Today we took some of the students to The Beaches and they had blast playing soccer together. It is amazing to see how soccer brings together everyone from across the world!

Since Toronto has a cold winter, locals flock to the beach the second the sun is out and the weather is warm. Make sure to bring water and sunscreen though, as summers in Toronto can get surprisingly hot and sunny!

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-10T11:57:00+00:00July 10th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

Day Trip to Niagara Falls

Quest students are all smiles after being soaked by water of Niagara Falls!

Resting about 2 hours west of Toronto is Niagara Falls, one of the most recognized waterfalls in the world.

Students hit the road on their weekend to spend an entire day touring the falls and exploring the nearby shopping areas.

The Falls, which is actually is the collection of three waterfalls, is amongst the highest in the world and produces the highest rate of flowing water for any North American waterfall.

The strength of the falls can be felt from the shops nearby, with the mist of the water cooling the entire city.

However, if you really want to experience the falls, then you must venture below them in a boat.

And that is exactly what the Quest students did.

Armed with rain ponchos, our students got to experience the majestic waterfalls up close and personal from the viewing deck of the boat. The backdrop of the falls offered an amazing background for photos… until we got close enough to be soaked!

After returning from the boat, students spent the afternoon wandering the nearby “Clifton Hill,” one of Canada’s most famous entertainment districts.

By the time we left in the evening, the bus was full of snoring students, all tired out from another adventurous day!

Quest students take a selfie on their boat ride through Niagara Falls

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-09T18:13:00+00:00July 9th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

Canada’s Wonderland

Students pose in front of Canada’s Wonderland’s famous ‘mountain’

Always a favourite for Quest students, Canada’s Wonderland was especially a hit this summer!

Screaming high above the sky, the students had a blast trying out new roller coasters, playing arcade games, and eating some typical carnival food at the nation’s largest theme park.

Most students agreed that the roller coaster, “The Leviathan,” was the best part of the day, even if they had to wait a bit for it.

We were surprised by the amount of prizes the students won this year. One student came back with a teddy bear that was bigger than himself!

At the end of the program, most students usually rank Canada’s Wonderland as the highlight of their trip to Canada – I think it may be the same this year.

Fun Fact: In 2017, Canada’s Wonderland was the most visited seasonal amusement park in North America with an estimated 3.76 million visitors.

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-08T19:57:00+00:00July 8th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

Class Trips: Kensington Market

Quest Students from Russia and Brazil laugh together while walking to Kensington Market.

Today we left classroom in the morning and headed for Kensington Market.

A favourite spot for locals, Kensington Market is Toronto’s Bohemian district located beside Chinatown. It is a neighbourhood full of local culture, diversity, and a strong history.

The neighbourhood has many restaurants, cafes, clothing stores, and public art installations, including beautiful murals and a car turned into a garden!

Students love exploring Kensington Market and always ask to return. It is a great place for taking Instagram photos, trying new food, and practicing English with people who have accents from all over the world.

In the video below, Quest students from Russia try Brazilian cuisine with their new friends! The joy of Toronto is all students can try food from all over the world, while still speaking English.

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-07T13:01:00+00:00July 7th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

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