Mr. Nicholson’s Defining Moments

Gr. 10 Canadian History

Beginnings

Born Sept 6, 1964

Toronto, ON, Canada

Parents Murray (27) & Sieglinde (28)

First born child with one sister 17 months younger

Parents married April 28 1962

Met at McLaren Advertising 1961

Roots

Father born in Port Elgin, ON

ancestors came from England mid 1800s for farm land

Mother born in East Prussia, Germany (now Poland)

Came to Canada 1959

Bad memories of WW 2

Father killed in war

Lost farm in East Prussia

Mother’s Immigrant Experience

Mother found Canada too cold in March

Ugly power / telephone lines

Bad bread

Buses / Trains not on time

Exploited working as maid

Language barrier

Mother’s Immigrant Experience

Mother & Brother immigrated as well

Good German friends

Plenty of jobs

Houses / Land cheap

Peace i.e., no war

Freedom from German cultural expectations

Fell in love with Murray

Great Depression & WW 2

Both parents born during the Depression

Mother’s family lived under Hitler tyranny

Invading Russians brutal

East Prussia Poland

Germany split in two

Communist East shut off from Democratic West

Life Comparisons

Parents

Grew up on farms

few material possessions as children

Culture Teen years clean cut 1950s with no divorce, drugs, sex

Finished high school lots of career opportunities

Housing cheap

Married with children in their 20s

Mr. Nicholson

Grew up in city

Travelled to Disney World Florida as child

CultureTeen years wild 70s/80s with drugs, sex, rock music

Finished university good career as teacher

Housing expensive

Married with children in my 30s

World Events

1969 Man on the moon

1972 Summit Series

1976 Montreal Olympics

1981 A.I.D.S.

1989 Fall of communism

1990 – 91 Gulf War

1992 – 93 Blue Jays World Series winners

2001 9/11 terrorism

Influences on my Life

Bicultural family –German / Canadian

Multicultural society – starting in high school

Travel – cottage, Florida, Europe

Christ – Trent U. 1985

Thailand – 1989-99 met wife

Thailand Experience 1989-1999

Church Youth Worker

Language study

Culture shock (rice for breakfast?)

No snow bonus

CMIS – teaching again

Living the simple life – bicycling & no TV

Its all about relationships

Conclusion

Taught at Markville since Feb. 2000

Live in the community

3 children

Love to travel with family / friends

Future – live simple life Thailand, Florida, cottage, relationships