WHAT'S HAPPENING?

There are lots of special events/holidays occurring within a very short time frame; learn more about some of these by following the links.
Valentine's Day

Celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14th.We are all familiar with the current representation of this day, but find out about the history behind Valentine’s Day. 

 Gung Hay Fat Choy
 February 14^th also marks the start of the Chinese New Year. This is the Year of the Tiger. There is a long history behind this festival. Besides eating special food (see the guest column below), one of the traditions is the Lion Dance. This one is a especially exciting and energetic!

Ash Wednesday 
The first day of Lent in the Christian calendar is Ash Wednesday. The day before, is known as Shrove Tuesday in much of the English speaking world or as Mardi Gras  in other places; there are many traditions associated with that day, too.

Winter Olympic Games

Today marks the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver; it’s a huge event both for Canada and for winter sports fans around the world. There is an Athabasca University interest in these games: Madeleine Williams who is competing in cross-country skiing, graduated from AU last summer. Also, her mother is an academic coordinator at AU. Here’s wishing Madeleine good luck!

Family Day

Monday, February 15th, Family Day, is a holiday for some of us; it's a day in which to spend time with family--hence its name.