Saturday, February 19, 2011

Reading Week in Canada is not really about reading books


A friend of mine here in the states has a son who is a student at the University of Calgary. Lo and behold, she had never heard of Reading Week, which this year is held Feb. 20-27, 2011. I wasn't familiar with it either, and it's really not about reading. It's more about a mid-winter break.

Reading Week, also referred to as Study Week, is a Canadian event. But it's also observed in Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, South Africa and some places in the US.

Although it seems like it's more about a vacation than literary immersion, it's not all about boozin' it up on the beach. The University of Calgary has alternative spring break programs called Calgary Serves Canada.

I recall my son participating in something similar while attending Boston College. Instead of the traditional spring break, students at BC may sign up for the Appalachia Program or the Service & Immersion Programs.

Or they can just go home and have mom and dad cook and clean for them.

Flower boxes at Moonraker Books in Langley, Whidbey Island (WA)
Photo by Sue Frause

2 comments:

Bitterman said...

Sue I just stumbled onto your blog, I'm a bred in the bone saskatonian. At the U of S reading week was alternately known as suicide week. Supposedly because profs would assign loads of papers due immediately after the break. Rob

Bitterman said...

Sue I just stumbled onto your blog. I am a bred in the bone saskatonian. At the U of S reading week was alternately known as suicide week, supposedly as profs would assign loads of papers due right after the break.

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