Mohammed and Sayaka fire the Cannon

You can watch the YouTube video of Mohammed and Sayaka firing the cannon in Nanaimo on the last day of class, August 25, 2011 here.

Endnotes

We have come to the end of this one month English language and culture program.   Endings are always bittersweet.     I hope that the time you have spent in my class and in Canada has helped you and will continue to help you --  with your English  and with your life.   I hope that you have learned something(s).

You could probably 'get by'  with English for the rest of your life only using Google Translate or your dictionaries.    But machines and software are no replacement for the human brain and heart.   English is more than just language.  It is culture.   It shapes how you think.

I believe that to be happy in life a person needs five things:

          Wisdom
   

          Freedom


            Peace


                 Beauty


                     Love




One of my favorite writers/philosophers is Henry David Thoreau.   Everything you need to know about how to be happy and successful you can find in his writing.    My two favorite quotes are:

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation."  and
"Oh, to have reached the point of death only to realize that you have never lived."

He wrote the famous book Walden (which you can read at this link).

Here is a great collection of his quotes.


Congratulations on completing this course and good luck in the rest of your life.   Be wise.  Be free. Be peaceful.  Have beauty in your life.   Be loving.  Be happy.


Les.