As Happy As A Clam ~ An Interview with CultureWorks Instructor, Man Tran!

Man Tran enjoying Ottawa’s classic Beavertails!

Name: Man Tran

Title: EAP Instructor on Ottawa Campus, CultureWorks

Best Canadian Travel Magazine: Verge

Q. The idiom ‘happy as a clam’ is an appropriate one for you, Man. Your smile is so big it makes everyone around you smile, too! What kinds of things do you do in the classroom to keep students so happy?

Clams
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A. I simply try to welcome my students with a smile and ask them how they are doing. It’s usually pretty easy because they’re already smiling at me and asking me how I’m doing!

Q. Do you like clams, by any chance? Do you have other favourite foods?

A. Mmm…clams! 🙂 I usually crave sushi, onigiri, dim sum, Korean BBQ, kabsa, butter chicken, pad thai, kimbab, banh mi, ramen, red velvet cupcakes, chocolate and my mom’s cooking. Nonetheless, I’m always open to trying new dishes.

Q. Wow! There goes my diet! Tell us a bit about your interest in travelling. Where have you been? Where would you like to go next? What would you say is important about seeing the world?

A. I enjoy traveling because it gives me the opportunity to interact with different people from different cultures. It is also nice to visit relatives and/or friends who I rarely see. Over the years, I’ve been to Niagara Falls, Vancouver, Kingston, Montreal, Quebec City, Tokyo, Omiya, Sapporo, Hong Kong, Macau, Okinawa, Kyoto, Dortmund, Rheine, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Krakow, Warsaw, New York City, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Beijing, Lijiang, Kumming, Taipei, Kenting, Sendai, Nagoya, Seoul, Halifax, Charlottetown, Cape Breton, Hopewell Cape, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, and Bali. Next, I’ll be making my way through Mexico. Well, I think traveling opens one’s eyes, ears, mind and heart to infinite possibilities. So, the following quote from St. Augustine is fitting: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.” So, get out there, explore and keep learning!

Q. You are preparing CultureWorks’ English as an Academic Language students who may want to study at Carleton University in Ottawa. What skills are you teaching them to succeed? What might attract a student to study at Carleton?

Carleton Campus
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A. We are teaching them how to get organized, think critically and cope with challenges. In addition to Carleton’s wide range of programs, I think the university’s underground tunnels are a huge draw. This network allows students to stay warm and dry as they travel across the campus to places like residence, their classes, the gym and our office. Oh, and of course its library expansion will make it that much cooler to study (both literally and figuratively)! Afterall, it’s a modern design with lots more space, a 3.5 Green Globe rating, exterior sun shades and screens, and a projected grand opening in the fall…now, that is cool!

Q. Lastly, for fun, what are your top three Ottawa restaurants you would recommend?

I would recommend Art-is-in Bakery for their gourmet sandwiches and baked goods, Dolsot Café Korean Restaurant for their homestyle cooking and The Whalesbone Oyster House for their fresh seafood.

Thanks for your time Man, we hope to have you back on the Hotspot soon!