The Christmas light display is about to start in the 2020 show at the Old Post Office IdeaExchange Digital Library in Downtown Cambridge, Ontario. Photo by Kevin Swayze
Throughout the year, animated light shows are projected on the historic Old Post Office IdeaExchange in Downtown Cambridge. Christmas-themed shows continue on the half hour between 8-10 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays until Jan. 5, 2023.
You can drive and park in the parking lot across the street and watch the show from the warmth of your car. Tune your car radio to FM 92.5 to listen to music choreographed with the show.
Taking the bus from Kitchener, use the Route 57, Route 206 or Route 302 (with onboard Wi-Fi) directly to Ainslie Street terminal. The Old Post Office library is one block west, at 12 Water St. S. Look for the clock tower.
If you’re taking the bus or planning to watch the light show on foot, I suggest dressing warmly and bring along hot drinks.
Every semester I teach at Conestoga College, I use food to get the attention of my business communication students. There are always foodies in my classes of international students.
The Cambridge Farmer’s Market is one of the oldest in Canada. Photo by Kevin Swayze
That means I’m always planning how to share recipes, restaurant recommendations and places to visit and experience food in the Waterloo Region area. In each class, I create an online discussion forum in the eConestoga online learning platform, provided by D2L.
I think of it as an applied business communication exercise. The students are my customers for the information and local expertise I share. I see plenty of evidence about how food builds trust with students facing a new culture, climate, and educational environment.
At the start of a class in January 2020 – before my teaching moved online – I ordered in an urn of coffee to share with my students before we started talking about communication theory.
I’m now teaching students living in Brantford, along with Kitchener, Cambridge, and Waterloo. Brantford is the latest addition to by geographic teaching roster. Now I’m learning what food information I can share in that city, too
I always start by sharing videos about the local farmer’s market.
The St. Jacob’s Farmer’s Market, on the northwest edge of the City of Waterloo, also gets students’ attention. It’s Canada’s largest farmer’s market and a busy place with lots of local fresh farm food and prepared food on open days. There are also lots of vendors with a range of clothing and household goods.
Here’s info about the smaller Cambridge Farmer’s Market, which runs every Saturday morning near my home. It’s the closest farmer’s market to the Doon and Cambridge campuses.
And the downtown Kitchener Market. That’s just around the corner from the new Downtown Kitchener campus of Conestoga.
What other food information do you suggest I share with the students new to the Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Brantford areas?
Most are international students pursuing the dream of studying, living and working in Canada. In class, I shared tips to help them manage their culture shock. I tell them I an ready to help them after arriving in a place with cold weather, funny food and people who talk funny — like me.
Sometimes, later on, I hear from them after they connect with me on my LinkedIn profile. I like the birthday greetings! I more usuallly receive messages looking for jobs or tips to polish their LinkedIn profile. They remembered how I repeated “put your LinkedIn profile to work for you” in class!
Now is the time to put all the persuasion skills we talked about in class to work. It’s time to tell relatable stories that leads to a job interview. It’s time to engage in storytelling with a personal purpose.
Use career support services
After graduation, my essential employment advice is the same as I offered in class. Use every support service and assistance available to you from Conestoga. You paid for it in your tuition.
If you’re not a Conestoga graduate and looking for a job, I urge you to investigate alumni support services at the school you attended. Or, contact Conestoga to access their government-supported free career services: https://www.conestogac.on.ca/career-centre
I also share job postings in my social media feeds and job search links for the Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo area.
The Ontario Employment Standards Act spells out the rules and regulations for employers and employees in the Province of Ontario.
They are international students pursuing a dream of living and working in Canada. I share tips to help them manage their culture shock after arriving in a place with cold weather, strange foods and people who talk funny — like me.
They share cooking recipes, movie recommendations, and a career enthusiasm that inspires me. I learn more than I teach.
Most of my classes are online, which puts our communications skills to the test.
Sometimes, I hear from them after they connect with me on my LinkedIn profile. I like the birthday greetings! I often get messages looking for jobs or tips to polish their LinkedIn profile. They remembered how I repeated “Put your LinkedIn profile to work for you” in class!
Here’s a couple of videos to help you search for jobs on LinkedIn.
After graduation, my essential employment advice is the same as I offered in class: use every support service and assistance Conestoga College offers. Students paid for the services in their tuition. I was consistently impressed with career counselors’ advice when I invited them to host in-class workshops, so I urge students to book a career support session at this link.
And if you’re looking for career advice and you’re not a Conestoga graduate, I urge you to investigate alumni support services at the school you attended. Or, contact Conestoga to access their government-funded, free career services offered to the general public.
Ontario employment rules
The Ontario Employment Standards Act spells out the rules and regulations for employers and employees in the Province of Ontario, related to hiring, workplace environment and dismissal.
I also share job postings in my social media feeds and job search links for the Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo area.
Communitech in Waterloo Region
Technology and high-tech companies work together in Waterloo Region to grow the local tech economy, through the Communitech association.
There’s also a job listings portal under the “Resources” Tab on the Communitech home page.
While the job listings are from around the world, there is a “search by location” option.
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