Summer 2018 - Camp Quest

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

Cheering on the Blue Jays!

Quest students cheering on the Toronto Blue Jays while wearing their new T-shirts.

Get ready to scream because it’s time for baseball!

Every year, Quest students get the chance to watch Canada’s professional baseball team, the Toronto Blue Jays.

This nighttime activity is filled with laughter, clapping, shouting, and the occasional “Wave” (which is when the entire stadium waves together to cheer on the Blue Jays).

Quest students always have a blast watching the Blue Jays, as the games are full of action and there are tons of shopping and eating available.

Also, many students simply enjoy being inside the baseball stadium, which is called the Rogers Centre. The stadium is the largest sports arena in Toronto and has the capacity to fit almost 50,000 people for baseball games – so big!

Let’s go Blue Jays!

Fun fact: The name “Blue Jays” comes from a bird found in Canada called “the blue jay.” This beautiful blue bird can be found by Quest students at parks in Toronto on early mornings.

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-05T12:07:00+00:00July 5th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

A Peak in the Classroom

Quest students smile while working in their classroom in Toronto

Everyday from Monday to Friday, Quest students take part in four engaging classes of English at our downtown Toronto campus (which is at Ryerson University this summer).

Hosted by our talented staff, the classes contain both grammar, communication, and of course, lots of fun!

We work hard to ensure students become more comfortable and confident with their speaking, as well as develop their listening, writing, and reading of English.

To ensure everyone sees improvements, we focus on group discussions and assignments, as well as the occasional debates, as these get everyone speaking.

We find our students love to speak English when it’s an issue they truly care about, so we hold debates on a wide range issues to get them engaged (for example, “Is social media good or bad for our society?”).

Here’s to another summer of fun classes and lots of learning!

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-04T21:43:00+00:00July 4th, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

CN Tower

A Quest student poses in front of the new CN Tower sign

Up, up, and away!

One of the first attractions on every student’s to-do list is the world-famous CN Tower.

Sitting 553.3 m-high, the CN Tower is a symbol for both Toronto and Canada. Being such an icon, it is hard not to fall in love with.

Once the largest tower in the world (now the 9th largest – but who’s counting?), the CN Tower offers an unbeatable view of the city and is a great way for any visitor to be welcomed to Canada.

This year, students were lucky to experience the brand new observation area, offering breathtaking panoramas of the city. We can assure you that many selfies were taken!

Fun Fact: The CN Tower held the record for the world’s tallest free-standing structure for 32 years!! It wasn’t until 2007 that is was beat.

Students pose in the observation deck of the CN Tower

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-03T14:56:00+00:00July 3rd, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments

Learning Differently: Class Trips Explained

Quest students visiting Toronto’s Bohemian district of Kensington Market

Class time at Quest doesn’t always mean you are inside the classroom!

During the summer program, Quest students get the opportunity to explore nearby parks, neighbourhoods, cultural attractions, and residential areas with their teachers.

We complete these class time excursions as they allow students to apply the grammar and communication they learn in class in the real world, while under the supervision of our teachers.

These class trips also allow students to learn about the culture of Toronto and make closer relationships with fellow students. We had many students tell us how helpful these small class trips were for practicing English with their new friends.

Some class trips completed this summer include: Kensington Market, the Grange Park, Chinatown, Queen’s Park, University of Toronto, and Ryerson University (where our summer campus was located).

Stay posted for blog posts on some of these class trips!

By sicwpadmin|2018-07-02T12:46:00+00:00July 2nd, 2018|Summer 2018|0 Comments