 Canada
Styles is the brainchild of a third generation Japanese Canadian who briefly lived
and worked in Japan. After his return to Toronto, he saw an opportunity for Japanese
people to partake in the similar experience that he went through, living in a
foreign country. His goal is to allow Japanese people the opportunity to travel
to his home town of Toronto, Ontario and experience life as he did.
Brett James Akira Yamashita, was born and raised in Toronto. He had never
traveled over seas before, and knew even less about his Japanese heritage and
culture. It wasnÕt until he graduated from York University that he decided to
travel to Japan and see first hand where his descendants originated. His first
year living abroad was a tumultuous one. Not being able to speak the language,
and knowing practically no one, made life difficult at first. The simplest of
things in everyday life was always both a mental and physical chore. From learning
the transportation system, to buying groceries, life was not easy in a foreign
country. However, as time progressed and the fact that he began taking Japanese
language lessons, his life slowly became easier and more enjoyable. He quickly
made friends with both native and foreign people (whom he met at his language
school), and he began traveling and sightseeing all over Japan. In the four and
a half amazing years in Japan Brett eventually met his wife and had two children.
After both his children were born, he and his family decided to return to his
native Toronto. It was upon his return that the idea of Canada Styles and a travel
abroad program was born. |
The mission of
Canada Styles is to have the experience of living in a foreign country, without
the troubles that Brett had when he had traveled to Japan. Canada StylesÕ program
is to arrange, and assist those people chosen for this project with their temporary
life in Toronto. The Canada Styles staff will arrange everything, from their
departure in Japan, arrival in Toronto, living accommodations, to English school,
and other optional activities. Canada Styles will also give a seminar teaching
some of the important but over looked skills needed to live in a foreign country.
Tasks such as using the public transportation system or tipping at a restaurant
will be some of the more basic but necessary skills taught at this seminar. Also,
emergency numbers and addresses will be issued to the program attendees, in case
an emergency should arise. Of course the staff of Canada Styles will be willing
to offer assistance day or night should any problem surface.
This program, as briefly mentioned will only be for a selected few. This
is the greatest strength of this program. We will only be taking a total of 20
people for this program. The reason being, we feel that we can better serve 20
people then we could any more. Canada Styles wishes to cater to the needs of
these 20 people to make their experience unique and exciting. With only 20 attendees
we can try to arrange a more personalized experience, rather than a group tour
atmosphere. We want every one of our attendees to walk away from this program
with a different kind of experience then the next person. This is the heart of
Canada Styles, giving these selected few a hands-on familiarity of living away
from their families and seeing what life is like overseas. |
