First 2014 ESL Cafe Today January 6th, from 7 to 8:30 PM

Free ESL English Cafe Conversation Class in Toronto

Every Monday evening from 7 to 8:30 PM there are free "ESL Cafe" English as a Second Language conversation sessions. (except holidays)

The free English Cafe conversation classes are offered at the St. Paul's Anglican Church located at 227 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. St. Paul's is located about 400 meters East of the Yonge and Bloor Street intersection on the south side of Bloor Street.

St Paul's Bloor Street provides the location as a public service to the Toronto community and provides tea and coffee which usually goes well with cookies. Last week Roy brought my favourite Oreo cookies. They were great. You can bring snacks to the class. Sometimes we all bring food from around the world and share. It is an excellent method of learning about the world.

The following are directions, the Google map and pictures of Bloor Street that take you to the "ESL Cafe" at St. Paul's.

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If traveling by subway you can exit at the Yonge and Bloor subway stop. Exit on the south side of Bloor Street. You then walk east on the south side of Bloor Street for about 4 minutes(400 meters).

After you have walked 400 meters and crossed over Church Street you will see the St Paul's Digital Sign on Bloor Street.

After you have walked past the St Paul's Digital Sign you will see the stairs, the glass foyer and the glass doors to St Paul's..

To enter use the big glass doors between the main church and the Reception Hall. The first thing that you will see is the community information display and brochures. If you see something that will help you - please help yourself - they are for you.

Follow the sign "ESL Cafe" through the inside doors to the classes.

The ESL English Cafe conversations are facilitated by volunteers. The volunteers have patience, enthusiasm, good-will towards all and many have ESL teacher certification and international teaching experience.

The ESL English Cafe conversation tables are divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced language skill levels.

Conversation topics include current events, vacations, where to get stuff cheap, how to study, some politics, funny things about Canada, job training, career suggestions, where to go to school, how to get a job.

The FREE ESL English Cafe conversation sessions have operated at St Paul's for almost eight years now and have helped adults, newcomers to Canada and students from Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, China, Taiwan, Philippines, Cameroon, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Bulgaria, Russia, Poland, Italy, France, Spain, Ivory Coast and many other countries. You can meet new friends from around the world.

We also have ESL Cafe pictures at Pinterest

Supervised Self-Study ESL English Language Programs

Everyone has used a self-study program to learn. A self-study program can be part of an overall program or the entire method of study. A self-study program can be by yourself - with a partner or even a small group.

Self-study is very successful with subjects or skills that require lots of practice or lots of repetions or repetitions with small variations.

Music, sports and languages can all be learned and practiced using periods of self-study to practice and perfect the knowledge the skills and the variations.

Why Start a Self-Study Program

Most schools charge from $800 to $1200 a month for a typical 100 hour ESL English language class program. Students learn new information for about 20 minutes and then practice or repeat information for the remaining period.

Students can join a supervised ESL English language self-study program with an excellent qualified and experienced self-study coach for about $200. for a month program.

Most schools use standard general information books and students are usually completely bored by the content.

An excellent qualified and experienced self-study coach can suggest how interesting topics and content can be used to study the English language. Students are not bored.

An excellent qualified and experienced self-study coach can suggest free classes and language exchanges, free work placements for practice and free study resources available in the community.

How to Start a Self-Study Programs

First decide - are you going to study alone or with a partner or with a small group.

Second decide - what books, websites, TV shows, CD's, videos, workbooks to start with.

Third decide - will you self-test as you learn or use a tutor to test and suggest.

Fourth decide - how to practice - language exchange - small group - free classes.

email us about self-study eslincanada@gmail.com

PAFSO Srike Action will Delay Canada Visa Applications and Extensions

The Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers union is currently taking strike action and these union members responsible for processing visa applications have been walking out of offices in Canada and overseas.

Anyone applying for a visa will experience delays and should submit their application online as far in advance as possible. The CIC suggests online applications to move case processing into other offices with the capacity to handle them.

You can use this link to begin your online visa application: http://www.cic.gc.ca/ctc-vac/cometocanada.asp

How can I check if my application has been received?

If you mailed your application to CIC, you may wish to use a courier service that requires a signature when delivered, gives you a delivery confirmation and/or allows you to track your package. Please note that there may be a delay between the date CIC physically receives your application and the date it is opened. CIC cannot confirm that your application package has been received until it has been opened in our offices.

If you applied at a Visa Application Centre, CIC cannot confirm that your application package has been received until it has been opened in our offices.

If you applied online, you will see a confirmation page after you submit your application. You will also receive an email asking you to check your MyCIC account. A confirmation message with a confirmation number will be in your MyCIC account. Keep your confirmation number for your records. Please note that it may take a few hours for you to receive an email from CIC after you’ve submitted your application.

Link to the CIC Help Center: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/index-featured-can.asp#tab1

The tables below indicate application processing times at Canadian visa offices outside Canada.  The times are based on how long it took to process 80 percent of all cases between April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013 Processing times are subject to change.

• Africa and Middle East
• Asia and Pacific
• Europe
• Americas

Last quarterly update: April 24, 2013

Africa and Middle East

Visa Office	Processing Times IN MONTHS (based on a complete application package)
Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates	6
Accra – Ghana	2
Algiers – Algeria	-
Amman – Jordan	3
Ankara – Turkey	6
Beirut – Lebanon	3
Cairo – Egypt	3
Dakar – Senegal	2
Lagos – Nigeria	4
Nairobi – Kenya	6
Pretoria – South Africa	4
Rabat – Morocco	2
Riyadh – Saudi Arabia	5
Tel Aviv – Israel	7
Tunis – Tunisia	2

Asia and Pacific

Visa Office	Processing Times IN MONTHS (based on a complete application package)
Bangkok – Thailand	3
Beijing – China	4
Chandigarh – India	3
Colombo – Sri Lanka	3
Ho Chi Minh – Vietnam	6
Hong Kong – China	4
Islamabad – Pakistan	9
Jakarta – Indonesia	2
Manila – Philippines	5
New Delhi – India	2
Seoul – South Korea	2
Shanghai – China	3
Singapore – Singapore	6
Sydney – Australia	2

Europe

Visa Office	Processing Times IN MONTHS (based on a complete application package)
Bucharest – Romania	5
Kyiv – Ukraine	3
London – United Kingdom	2
Moscow – Russia	5
Paris – France	2
Prague – Czech Republic	1
Rome – Italy	2
Vienna – Austria	2
Warsaw – Poland	1

Americas

Visa Office	Processing Times IN MONTHS (based on a complete application package)
Bogota – Colombia	3
Buenos Aires – Argentina	2
Caracas – Venezuela	3
Guatemala City – Guatemala	2
Havana – Cuba	1
Kingston – Jamaica	2
Lima – Peru	3
Los Angeles – United States	2
Mexico City – Mexico	1
New York – United States	2
Port-au-Prince – Haiti	1
Port of Spain – Trinidad and Tobago	1
Santiago – Chile	1
Santo Domingo – Dominican Republic	2
Sao Paulo – Brazil	2