All You Need for Christmas...

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

...are good dental tips (and your two front teeth)! Christmas is around the corner and any celebration during the festive season would not be complete without food.

During the year-end holiday season, your mouth and teeth will need to work harder to do the chewing and talking. It is important to ensure that your teeth are in good shape. If you have not seen a dentist for more than 6 months, make sure you have your teeth checked before the end of the year. This is to avoid unwanted surprises such as broken fillings, chipped teeth or a major toothache.

Holiday dental tips

1.     Choosing the right snacks! Moderate consumption of sticky, acidic, sugary dishes and food that requires more time to chew or suck, such as sweets and hard nuts.

2.     Watch what you drink. Soft drinks, frizzy beverages, or drinks that are too hot or too cold may not be friendly to your teeth. Whenever possible, use a straw to reduce the contact of the drink with your teeth.

3.     Brush after meals or the least gargle with plain water after eating.

4.     Prepare the young ones! You can help to watch your kids’ diets by introducing them to healthier snacks such as; cheese, carrot sticks, or fruits. If you are visiting your dentist before the holiday, bring them along!

5.     Keep the right contacts handy, such as your dentist’s emergency contact number and the hospital’s Accident and Emergency number.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!




Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

16 Time Grammy Award Winner David Foster Visits Lakeside!

By Michelle Sharp, Head of Communications and Marketing

CIS was proud to have Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer and 16 time Grammy award winner David Foster perform and converse with high school students at the official opening of the Lakeside Campus theatre. David Foster is a long-time friend of Knowledge Universe and the CIS community was thrilled that he took time out of his busy tour Schedule and perform at the new 500 seat theatre Of the Lakeside Campus.

In addition to being one of the most successful Entertainers and producers in the music industry, David Foster has worked with celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Chicago, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Earth Wind & Fire, N’Sync, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton and Charice to name only a few.

It was a privileged opportunity for CIS students to interact in a personal and very candid way with a global entertainment leader whose impact on the industry over the last few decades has been enormous. Inviting students and staff to join him in impromptu Performances, David Foster wowed the packed theatre with his warm, easy-going wit and of course his world class talent as a Composer/producer.

During the assembly, David Foster took the time to thoughtfully and humorously interact with students about their futures while playing several of his better known numbers with the audience singing and clapping along.     A big thank you to Knowledge Universe for helping make this event with David Foster possible!

Race preparation

By Sally Monteith / Photo by Eric Sinclair

We have seen a lot of dedication and determination these past few weeks by the Canadian dragons as we prepare for the upcoming Singapore river regatta races. We will be defending the title in the international business and club (expat) category. The competition is fierce with about 70 teams competing for this prestigious honour.

There is a slight lull until the New Year when we start preparing for the summer river regatta. This is a prime opportunity for new paddlers to come out, test the waters, and see if this sport is for you. There are many fun races coming up to give you a taste of race day and the intensity that is experienced by the team.      We are extremely diverse and welcome all paddlers, regardless of nationality. If you are interested in joining our fun team, come out for training at Kallang riverside park. We train in the boat on Saturdays from 4:00 – 6:00, and Sundays from 10:00 – 12:00. Please come 30 minutes early to sign in, get kitted out – we have PDF’s and paddles, and to warm up. You can always contact us through our website, http://www.canadiandragons-sg.org/?q=node. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Singapore City Gallery and Neighbourhood Tour

Text and photos by + Dolores Parker

This is such a rich area of Singapore that our main problem was deciding what to leave out of our tour.  Last Spring’s exploration of Tanjong Pagar focussed on different highlights and there are still at least two more tours worth of interesting sights...

Our first stop this time was the little known Seng Wong Beo Taoist Temple on Peck Seah St.   This is where some traditional Taoists still perform “ghost marriages”.  Paper effigies of deceased family members are married to ensure higher status and the ability to receive offerings in the afterlife.  We watched quietly as an old lady and a priest chanted before an alter with offerings and effigies.

Next, we walked past some lovely shophouses with their spiraling fire escapes.  We also stopped to look at the Samui women sculptures on our way to the Singapore City Gallery in the URA building.  There was an informative display of the plans for the railway corridor lands on the main floor.  The scale models of Singapore were fascinating to look at and we enjoyed the sound and light show.  The recent renovation of the gallery added quite a lot of interactive displays as well.

We ended with a quick look at the Maxwell hawker centre as well as the Jinricksha station.   We were glad we didn’t try to pack any more into this tour because about two minutes after settling down for lunch the skies opened up and the Singapore rain poured down.

Some thought to Chew On

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

Have you ever thought how chewing gum may benefit you? The Singapore government banned chewing gum from being imported and sold in the country in 1992 to preserve cleanliness as people were disposing of their chewed up gum in inappropriate places. In 2004, limited sale of chewing gum was allowed for therapeutic purposes by pharmacies and dentists.

Depending on the ingredients, there are certain brands that contain small amount of nicotine, helping smokers to quit their habit gradually. We all know how smoking destroys one’s health, including oral health! Or if you are susceptible to tooth decay, gum containing Xylitol (a sugar substitute) may have some benefit for you. Some studies have indicated that one of the benefits of Xylitol is caries prevention.

Chewing of gum after meals also helps to stimulate the production of saliva. Saliva helps to neutralize the acid produced by bacteria in plaque, which if left untouched, will erode enamel and cause dental decay and bad breath. Chewing gum can also help relieve pressure in your ears and sinuses by encouraging jaw movement.

Despite the dental benefits, however, frequent chewing may cause muscle fatigue, jaw joint pain, or headaches. Thus, moderation in consumption is always advised to prevent your jaw from overworking. Chewing gum fans should also bear in mind that gum chewing cannot replace the need to brush, floss and make regular visits to your dentist to ensure your teeth and gums are in tiptop condition.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Dragon News

Text and photo by Sally Monteith

Overlooking the water with a back-drop of lovely greenery, the setting was beautiful. The music was interrupted by a horn and it was announced that the next race had started. Looking up the reservoir you could see paddles flying and water splashing. Although the race was a short 250 metres, it was intense. A lot could go wrong in less than 90 seconds and it did for a few teams. Many of the races were won or lost that day, by less than a dragon’s head.

The Canadian Dragons had boats in 5 categories, including a “Senior’s” category - which we prefer to call the “Mature” boat.  These races gave our newest members an opportunity to experience a race situation. We will be gearing up for the big Singapore River Regatta at the end of November.

The Canadian Dragons always welcome new members, whether or not you have paddled before. We are multi-cultural with many nationalities represented in our boats – including Canadians!  If you are interested in joining our fun team, come out for training at the Kallang Riverside Park. We train in the boat on Saturdays from 4:00pm – 6:00pm, and Sundays from 10:00am – 12:00 noon. Please come 30 minutes early to sign in, get kitted out – we have PDF’s and paddles, and to warm up. You can always contact us through our website at www.canadiandragons-sg.org/?q=node.

High School Students Ready for Action!

Grade 11 CIS students taking the OSSD Healthy Active Living Education course are now certified in First Aid and CPR through the American Red Cross. As a result of this training, our students are prepared to help any organization needing First Aid support at their event.  This three day certification is recognized globally and teaches the latest life-saving techniques for a variety of situations; from cuts and scrapes to muscle, bone and joint injuries as well as CPR and resuscitation.

The Healthy Living course not only focuses on being active, but also emphasizes the relationship between schools and their communities. One activity planned to enhance student understanding of the community is to hear a guest speaker from the Singapore Red Cross explain the important role that blood donation plays here in Singapore.  After an interactive presentation, students tour a blood donor clinic and have the opportunity to donate blood themselves. This experience helps students understand community needs and provides them with an engaging and safe environment in which to help support our community.

One of the desired outcomes for this course is to see students being proactive in their lives, throughout their schooling, and in the community by volunteering their time and resources in meaningful and effective ways. 

If you would like to support this programme or if you are in need of volunteers certified in first aid and CPR for an event, please email Renee Bellavance at rbellavance@cis.edu.sg  for more details.

THE PERANAKAN TRAIL OUT & ABOUT TOUR

Text and photos by Dolores Parker

This was a wonderful tour to kick off a new season.  We were fortunate to have Irene Boey and her colleagues from Far East Organization sponsor this tour, beginning with a lovely breakfast at the Orchard Scotts condominiums and a tour of the impressive grounds and show flats.

Once aboard the tour bus we were introduced to the Peranakan culture enroute to the Peranakan Museum.  Our guide, Agnes, showed us the highlights of the beautiful museum and explained Peranakan customs as we admired the distinctive beadwork and pottery.  Many of us have plans to go back and spend more time there. 

Our next stop was the Kim Choo Kueh Chang shop on East Coast Rd, where we had tea and Nonya snacks.  We watched a dumpling making demonstration and Joy tried her hand at making one.   It’s harder than it looks!  Next we learned more about the unique beadwork and how to wear the sarongkebaya.  Our model, Sara, looked gorgeous.

We ended with a delicious lunch at the Kim Choo Kueh restaurant.  The only problem was that the tour ran over an hour!  Oh well, I suppose that can happen when you spend a fun morning with 30 old and new friends, mix in some good food and shopping, and explore another aspect of Singapore’s history. 

Smile with Confidence, when it Matters!

A healthy skin, silky soft hair and a beautiful wedding gown would be worthless if there is no smile on the bride’s face! There is a wide range of smile makeovers available so that the bride may be camera perfect on her special day.

Assuming that everything is in order, a dental cleaning would ensure that a bride’s teeth and gums are clean and fresh. If her teeth are a little stained, or if she just wants to give them the extra glimmer, teeth whitening would be another option.

If the bride-to-be has a chipped tooth or small gaps between her teeth, composite bonding is a quick option to restore her teeth. In  other cases, dental treatment for the bride-to-be may include placing veneers for teeth discolorations that cannot be resolved with whitening alone, replacing failing crowns or having Instant Implants to replace missing teeth.

Last, but not least, if having perfectly aligned teeth has been the bride-to-be’s dream but the thought of wearing unsightly braces on the wedding day was a major put-off, the good news is that Invisalign treatment allows teeth to be straightened virtually invisibly with the used of clear, removable custom-made aligners series. Invisalign treatment should start several months before the wedding day for best visible results.

A dental consultation should be the first thing that a bride-to-be should schedule in respect to ensuring that her pearlie whites are in tip top shape for the all important day.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS).
For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

October Out and About Tour: Singapore City Gallery and Neighbourhood

Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Time: 9:30
Friends and visitors are welcome to join!
Tour fee: $0, Lunch: Under $25 per guest

With 10 thematic areas and more than 50 audiovisual and interactive exhibits spanning three floors totaling 2,400 square metres, the Singapore City Gallery offers an exciting, multi-sensory learning experience about Singapore’s planning journey. The Gallery has been recently renovated, so even if you have been there before, you’ll find new areas to explore and new things to learn about Singapore.

Some other points of interest in the area will be included such as the fascinating Seng Wong Beo Taoist temple, where “ghost weddings” are held, and the former Jinricksha station. We’ll finish off, as always, with lunch!

O&A Tours take place on the 4th Wednesday of the month, but as it is Deepavali holiday and CIS is on break the last two weeks of October, the tour is a couple of weeks earlier.

Contact: Lynda Sellars: lyndasellars@hotmail.com, with email subject: “October Out and About”.

Please advise names and mobile numbers of participants and if how many will be joining for lunch. Lynda will send detailed info a few days before the tour.

Looking forward to seeing you in October!
Dolores Parker and Lynda Sellars

U19 Huskies Basketball Teams Win Season Openers

The Canadian International School’s (CIS) U19 Huskies boys’ basketball team won their season opener in convincing fashion against Waseda with a score of 67-35.

The fury of relentless zone defense lead by Edwin Luo, and fast transition offense created an unsurmountable lead that was never threatened the entire game. Even with league MVPs Mingsan Boulter and Jamil Schulze returning, the Huskies scoring was evenly distributed, with over 20-points coming off the bench. This year the Huskies have more depth to the team than ever before.

Rookies Ethan Anderson and Lionel Kisoro made a deafening impact both on the floor and on the boards, and will be two key players to watch this year as they wear the Husky uniform for the first time.

On the CIS U19 Huskies girls’ basketball side, shrewd teamwork and sheer Husky grit handed the U19
Huskies girls’ basketball team their first victory of the season against their opponents from Waseda.  In a hotly contested match, the returning senior quintet of Angela Butler, Ayaka Harada, Danna Gulanes, Puti Lee and Chanutda Wittemaier overcame a stubborn Waseda defense for the win, 28-21.

Looking to build on their crucial first success, the U19 Huskies girls’ team will relish a number of away games before returning to CIS on Thursday, November 3rd for the much anticipated home game opener which will take place in the new state of the art gymnasium at CIS’ new Lakeside campus.

Auscham 10km Dragon Boat Race: Saturday August 20th

Text and photo by Anna Sinclair

The Canadian Dragons 20 person team entered the most grueling event of the year….the Auscham 10km Race on August 20th.

The horn sounds signaling the start of the race and the frenzy begins and the water turns to froth as 400 paddlers dig deep to be the first to round corner #1.

As the boats spread out, each team seems to be at ease and more disciplined as they try to maintain a steady stroke rate and move the boat in unison. Just when you think you are done someone in the boat calls for 5 power strokes, giving everyone a much needed lift.

The finish line is in sight!  Reborn with new energy that fills your weary body, you paddle to the finish line. Drained, satisfied, happy and feeling alive, you congratulate your team mates and think to yourself… it was all worth it!

A big thank you goes to Auscham and all the volunteers for organizing another fabulous 10km event.  We will definitely see you next year! The Canadian Dragons finished 11th overall in a time of 1 hour and 10 minutes.  

We are at the start of our season and are looking for new members.  We welcome experienced and beginner paddlers. Come and join us for a practice, Saturday at 4:00pm and Sunday at 10:00am, Kallang Riverside Park (please arrive 20 minutes before the practice time).

Missing a Tooth… What’s wrong with it?

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group


Many people think that losing a tooth is not a big deal, especially if it is a back tooth, as aesthetically few people would notice the resulting gap. Thus, some people may decide to postpone replacing the missing tooth for the time being since there is usually little discomfort from a missing tooth.

There are many reasons to replace missing teeth sooner rather than later:

• Losing your bone: When our teeth are missing, the gums that support the teeth recede and bone loss also occurs. 
• When gum tissue and bone are destroyed, an experienced dentist will be able to carry out bone grafting and place a dental implant to replace the missing tooth. 
• Sunken facial structure: Our teeth and gums provide support to our face. After teeth are lost, ongoing shrinkage of the jawbone occurs, making the face look shorter. Replacing the missing tooth gives support to the cheek and overall facial structure, resulting in a more youthful appearance.
• Teeth start drifting apart: If there are gaps in the mouth, the adjacent teeth will start moving. Over time, there will be gaps between the teeth, making the treatment plan in replacing the one missing tooth more challenging. 

Understanding the need to replace missing teeth is important.  Address the problem when it is simpler and cheaper. Prevention is always better than cure. Brushing, flossing, and regular visits to the dentist will help you preserve your natural teeth as long as possible.


Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Tribute to CIS Graduating Class of 2011

By: Michelle Sharp, Head of Communications & Marketing

After a busy and productive school year, June 17, 2011 marked the end of an era for the 2010/2011 graduating class of the Canadian International School (CIS). We collectively said good bye to a diverse group of talented students who: studied hard throughout Grade 11 and 12 in order to graduate,
negotiated with their teachers, acted as role models for the Middle School students that they shared a campus with, built houses in Cambodia for those less fortunate, and entertained us at CIS events such as Beat Freaked.

The CIS class of 2011 donned their black caps and gowns and jubilantly crossed the stage to receive their High School Diplomas. This year’s recipient of the Governor General’s award was Eashita Ratwani. Eleven deserving graduates also had the privilege of earning the Ontario Scholars award, an award that goes to students with outstanding academic results.

The graduation ceremony included a reflection of student life at CIS across the years that brought a tear to the eye of most people in the room, teachers included. Three of the graduating class had been students at CIS for 13 years, an amazing feat for children of expats.  School Valedictorian Jamil Schultz spoke eloquently and amusingly about his graduating class, his time at CIS, and of his plans for the future. Jamil’s trademark humour came into play as he ended his valedictorian speech with a tribute to a character most of his fellow students remembered from their childhood – Pokémon!

This year’s cohort of graduates will scatter across the globe as they leave to attend universities in countries such as Canada, Australia, UK, USA, Korea, Japan and Singapore in the upcoming academic year.

We wish these delightful, young global citizens all the best for their futures. Bon Voyage and Good Luck!

News From The Canadian Dragons

In June, eleven female paddlers from the CANADIAN DRAGONS team participated in the Dragon Divas Regatta – 200m race. The annual event was put together by the British and German Dragon Boat teams. It was a friendly competition between the female paddlers of all the dragon boat teams in Singapore. We had lots of fun, but sadly did not place.

Singapore Dragon Boat Festival 2011 – 800m, was our second race in the summer. It was held in July at Bedok Reservoir.  We won silver for the Inter International Business Community (Open) and came second in the plate final for the 12 crew National Championships (Women).

Recently, we had our recruitment drive and BBQ. The attendance was great! It is always heartwarming to see new people trying our sports and paddle with us.

Also in June, we bid farewell to our longstanding members – Ken Tully, Anne Purcell and Patricia Dingelstad who moved to other countries due to job allocations.

Out & About In Singapore: 22 June, Morning Glory boat tour aboard the Cheng Ho, a Ming Dynasty imperial vessel Tour

Photos by Moonlake Lee

We had a picture perfect morning aboard the Ho Cheng, Chinese style junk.  Our lively group included six children as well as well as twelve youthful adults.  We took advantage of the pick up service from Orchard Road hotels, and were then escorted to the South Marina Pier.

Upon boarding we had plenty of room to roam the three levels of the ship.  With indoor air conditioning  and various decks to enjoy the breezy morning air, we were comfortable to wander.  The children enjoyed the space to play, yet were still in view of the adults.

The ship set out and we enjoyed the views of Singapore from the water.  The Marina Bay area and then the Central Business District are breathtaking!  We passed by the tankers and small islands.  The view of Sentosa is also captivating.  A couple of ladies aboard were able show us their condo on Sentosa and pointed out some of the new developments in the residential area.

Coffee, tea, and snacks were available on board as well as a bar offering more refreshments.  The highlight of cruise is the stop over at Kusu Island.  There are three Malay shrines and a Chinese temple as well as a turtle sanctuary.  The well developed island with beautiful garden setting, picnic areas, covered pagodas, and two lagoons make for perfect day trip.

For those who could not make this fun morning, I hope you will consider a fun cruise to entertain your family or visiting friends!

CASCADIA FOR RENT & SALE

Property - On The Move (Park Natura)

Lamdon School Student Receives Long-term Scholarship from CIS

By Craig Gerow, Grade 9 & 10 Lead Teacher

The Canadian International School has awarded Ms Sonam Yangzin (Admissions number 3633) a long-term sponsorship to attend Lamdon School-Leh.

After very thorough interviews with several students, attending Lamdon School, the principal, Mr. Eshey Tundup, has determined that Ms Sonam Yangzin would be the most worthy recipient of long-term sponsorship by the Canadian International School in Singapore.

Sonam comes from a family living in a small village called Bodh Kharbu, which is located near the larger town of Kargil in India. It is quite far from Leh and Sonam's parents have very little source of income because of the poor quality of the soil and its remote location.  Sonam was admitted into the school's girls hostel on a humanitarian basis and is now in the 7th class standard. She is doing very well with her studies and is focused and dedicated to finishing her educational opportunity at Lamdon School right through to 12th standard. Her favourite subjects are English and Hindi. She is also a talented singer and performed for the CIS students during the Cultural Performances that we attended while at Lamdon School.

When she was informed that she was chosen as the recipient of the CIS scholarship she was extremely grateful that her education was no longer a financial burden on the school. She promises to study hard to show her appreciation for the generous support.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the CIS students and parents who helped us in our fundraising efforts. We were able to raise $9,160.35 SGD to sponsor Sonam’s tuition, uniforms, and hostel expenses.  The Ladakh Excursion Group would also like to express their gratitude to everyone in the CIS community who donated and supported our fundraising events.

Robertson Quay Area

By Margaret Wallace / Photos by Sara Tanner & Isabel Jones

On May 25th, our “Out and About” tour was of the Robertson Quay area.  We met at the DeliFrance in UE Square Shopping Centre on Clemenceaux St.  UE Square was constructed to house United Engineers Ltd., one of Singapore’s pioneering listed companies which has played a prominent role since its creation in 1912.  This role is still visible today in many landmark projects, including the Supreme Court, Shangri-la Hotel and the Cavenagh Bridge.

After a short introduction to the morning’s program and the area of Robertson Quay our group of about 15 headed to the Hong San See Temple (meaning Temple on Phoenix Hill) on Mohammed Sultan road.  This Chinese temple in its current location was constructed starting in 1908 with materials imported from China and originally overlooked the sea.  In 1978 it was gazetted as a National Monument and following a major restoration project was granted the highest UNESCO award for excellence in heritage restoration, the Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2010.  We were very fortunate to have the temple’s manager and caretaker, Mr. Lim, provide a very in-depth tour, pointing out so many important aspects that we would never have understood without him.

Leaving the temple, we walked towards the Singapore River and on the way learned about some of the history of the river, including its commercial importance with its many go-downs (warehouses) and shops and how they were serviced by hundreds of bumboats.  We saw how some of the older buildings have now been converted to government and arts uses, e.g. the Singapore Repertory Theatre. 

We stopped to admire one of the most interesting pedestrian bridges across the river, the Alkaff Bridge.  Shaped like a Songkang it was named after a prominent Arab family, the Alkaffs, who were among the wealthiest in Singapore during the early 20th century.  The eye-catching bridge was repainted by Phillipine artist Pacita Abad, an artist in residence at the Tyler Print Institute, and her crew, using 52 different colours and more than 900 litres of paint in 2004.  Pacita envisioned the design and worked with the SIngapore government to obtain approvals to transfer her vision into a gift and legacy to the people of SIngapore.

This was a very suitable introduction to our next stop, the world-class Singapore Tyler Print Institute.  There we were very fortunate to have the services of not one but two wonderful docents from the Friends of the Museums guide program.  Our first young guide introduced us to and explained the current exhibition, David Hockney: Through the Eyes of the Artist.  A very interesting artist, his exhibition will be at the STPI until July 30th.   Our second docent took us to the learning wall which details the many processes which are used at the institute both to make paper and to produce the various types of prints they are renowned for.  Although we did not have the opportunity to actually tour the workshop area, many of us will return on our own for the tours which include the workshop offered each Saturday.

Enthused by all we had seen and learned, we sauntered over to the nearby Wine Connection for a lovely lunch to top off our morning.

A Canadian Dragon Goes to Practice

Text by Anne Purcell

I went out to practice with the Canadian Dragons on Saturday.  This is not particularly news worthy as I’ve been a team member since not too long after I came to Singapore nearly three years ago - but what with business trips and social obligations, it had been a while.  I was a little worried that I’d gone soft(er) and that my muscles would have forgotten what they are supposed to do but after not quite two hours of:  paddle hard – rest and chat – paddle hard – rest and chat - I remembered why I love it.

I am not exactly what you’d imagine a keen, competitive dragon boat paddler to be.  I am … well, as a woman, I can be coy about my age so let’s just say that I’ve recently moved into a really nifty time of my life.  Physically, I’m relatively fit … but, again, let’s just say that I’m not well matched to the benches in the narrow back end of the boat.  But when I get into a boat with a bunch of other people of all levels of experience, I can hold my own.  It’s like riding a bike, once you develop a little technique, your body remembers.  It’s also like riding a bike in that you get to sit down the whole time – an excellent exercise mode which is only beat out by things that you can do lying down.

Saturday was like most practices; we warmed up, paddled and then toasted our strength and prowess with 100 Plus and beer around the cooler.  As I stood there feeling the good kind of tired and looking at my team mates, I thought about just what it is that I love most about my Singapore sport.  Not to trivialise the camaraderie, team diversity and amazing interval training, but if I had to choose only one thing that keeps me coming back to practice, I’d have to say “back fat”.  Paddling a dragon boat, you use muscles that you just don’t use in sports like cycling or running or even swimming.  When you do it right, paddling is all about your back and core with a little shoulder work thrown in for good measure.  In my first few months of paddling with the Canadians, the biggest revelation was my back.  It got shape and now I’m hooked. 

Dental Tips for Your Young Ones

Contributed by the Specialist Dental Group

Your mouth is the window to your overall health! Make sure that your children have an early start with positive oral habits to prevent future dental and other health problems.

Primary or milk teeth play an important role for the growth of permanent teeth, retaining space for adult teeth to make sure they erupt properly. They are also important in children’s speech development and to ensure that they are able to eat nutritious food so that they can grow up healthy.

Pediatric dentists place a significant importance on the maintenance of the primary teeth and in preventing tooth decay. They also monitor the growth and development of the dentition and jaws.

A few tips for parents to keep your children’s teeth healthy and cultivate good habits in them:

·   Your child’s first visit to the dentist should take place between 1 and 2 years of age, ideally, when there is no pain or major dental treatment to be done.

·   Bring them along when you have your own dental appointment to ease their anxiety, manage their expectation and become familiar with the environment of the clinic.

·        Always get your child to rinse their mouths or drink water after eating snacks.

·   Do not let your baby or child fall asleep at the breast or while drinking milk from a bottle. Rinse, wipe or ideally brush their teeth after the bedtime milk feed.

·   If your child is a thumbsucker or on the pacifier, try to wean him or her off this habit beginning when they are about 3 years old. 

2011 Dragon Boat Season Update

The Canadian Dragons have had a good start to the first part of the 2011 Dragon Boat Season. January was a busy month recruiting and training new paddlers for the team. We had great turnouts for our Saturday afternoon practices, and many of the new paddlers have joined as members for the season. Our season officially started in February with our long time
coach, Nasi.

We are currently training for the upcoming Diva Regatta on June 18th and the 800m Regatta July 9/10. The Diva Race is both a competitive and fun event held at the Kallang Riverside Park. Come out and support the Canadian Divas as they battle for the title of Queen of the Kallang! At the July Regatta, the Canadian Dragons will be defending their gold medal title in the expat division.

We welcome new members at any time throughout our season. Practices are held at Kallang on Thursday from 6-7pm, Saturday from 4-6pm and Sundays from 10-12pm. Paddles up!

Chinese Heritage Centre at Nanyang Technological University

By Isabel Jones  (Additional photos can be found on the CAS website)

A small, but keen group participated in our ‘Out and About’ tour on April 27th. We made the journey to the far west side of the island to Nanyang Technological University’s beautiful Yunnan garden campus to visit the Chinese Heritage Centre.

The Chinese Heritage Centre is housed in the former Nantah administration building and specialises in the study of Chinese communities outside China.  This 1950s building is now a National Monument and houses a library, a resource and research centre, and exhibitions. 

Our dynamic student guide gave us a good introduction to the history of the university through the exhibit ‘Nantah, a Pictorial History’. This university began as Nanyang University (Nantah) in 1955. It was started through private funding by the Chinese Community. Chinese language education was not supported by the British Colonial government so under the leadership of Tan Lark Sye the decision was made to found the first Chinese language university outside of China. Donations from the Chinese community from all walks of life, helped create the institution built on 523 acres of land donated by Singapore’s Hokkien Association on Upper Jurong Road.

In 1980 Nantah merged with the University of Singapore to become the National University of Singapore. It was sad for the Chinese community to see the university they founded disappear. Nanyang Technological Institute opened on the Nantah site and in 1991 it absorbed the National Institute of Education to become the current NTU.

Our guide also led us through the fascinating exhibit ‘Chinese More or Less’. Through pictures and artefacts, the theme of “Chineseness” and Chinese Identity is explored. It was interesting to see studio portraits of Chinese people in Canada in the early 1900’s and to ‘read’ what the subjects wanted to communicate about themselves in their photos. We learned a great deal about Chinese history and the issues of identity that come with being Chinese but not from China. A good discussion was had around photos of images of Chinese in western movies and the fact that for a time Chinese characters were not allowed to be played by actual Chinese people.

After the tour, we strolled through the lovely Yunnan garden. Within the garden are two national monuments: a memorial tablet from 1958 which honours the donors who contributed to making the university possible and a replica of the original entrance Nanyang Gateway Arch. Of course, lunch followed the tour. We had a varied Chinese meal at the modern Executive Cafe on campus.

Building a Future in Cambodia

By Scott Little, JE High School Teacher and Trip Chaperone

Each year, a group of Grade 11 and 12 CIS students participate in a community service project in Cambodia during Excursion Week.  On April 22nd to 30th, a group of 25 students visited Siem Reap and Phnom  Penh, Cambodia and made a difference in the lives of many marginalized individuals.

The accomplishment of our goal was a year long process that started several months before the actual trip.  Several fundraising events were held throughout the year, and combined with other entrepreneurial ventures; a total of $18,500 was raised.  These funds were used to assist a number of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) or charities.

One of the groups we assisted was The People Improvement Organization, which was created by CNN hero Noun Phymean and works with over 800 children each day in 3 different schools in and around Phnom Penh.   We had the pleasure of visiting the dump site school, called Stung Mean Chey and the slum school, known as Borey Keila.  The CIS students worked directly in the classroom with the PIO kids teaching lessons they had prepared in advance and participating in a variety of games and activities.  Thanks to the contributions of the CIS community, we were also able to donate a large amount of clothing, shoes and personal hygiene products as well as providing a financial donation.

The highlight of the week was our Housebuilding Project with the Tabitha Foundation, where we built 8 houses in the village of Prek Sleng, Kandal province, south of Phnom Penh.  The entire grouptook on the project with a great amount of effort and determination,not once complaining about the excessive heat or our fatigue, hunger or thirst.

After the building project was complete, a ‘handover’ presentation was held where each family was presented with a blanket as a housewarming gift.  While the families were quiet and reserved throughout the day, they simply could not contain their smiles at the presentation ceremony.  It was an emotional moment that everyone felt good about, and was the ultimate reward for all of our hard work.

The Expensive Habit of Nail Biting

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

Other than brushing and flossing regularly, and visiting the dentist once every 6 months there are habits that you should break if you want to keep your teeth strong and healthy – e.g.  nail biting.  There are many reasons why one should stop this bad habit before it compromises your ability to smile with confidence.

Nail Biting, which is clinically known as onychophagia, is a condition in which sufferers start biting their fingernails and the skin around the nails and cuticles, whenever they get anxious or nervous.

Apart from the unaesthetic shape of their fingernails, nail biters could also cause damage to their teeth. Nails are hard, so when you bite down on them you are causing stress to your teeth. Over time this weakens the teeth and can eventually result in a tooth chipping or breaking.

Nail biting also causes stress to the gums, as well as increases the risk of bitten nails tearing into the gum tissue. In the long run, it will cause gum disease which will eventually cause loose teeth, missing teeth and other related issues.

If, however, nail biting has already caused damage to your teeth, apart from getting professional help to stop the habit, you need to see your dentist to reverse the damage. Bonding, veneers, or crowns are several treatment options that might be recommended for chipped teeth. Depending on the severity, your dentist will advise on the best option for your situation.  


Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Out & About In Singapore: Dairy Farm Nature Reserve

By Lynda Sellars / Photos by Moonlake Lee

On March 30, our “Out and About” tour was at The Dairy Farm Nature Reserve.  We met at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at the Rail Mall.  This row of converted shophouses on Upper Bukit Timah Road
has a variety of bars and restaurants as well as a Cold Storage grocery store.  Named because of the proximity of the rail line which links Singapore to Malaysia.

The 63 hectare park has walking and biking trails and borders on the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.   It was once Primary Forest, but much of forest is gone now with 400,000 people visiting Reserve each year and housing encroaching from the north.

We followed one of the trails through rolling terrain to view the Dairy Farm Quarry.  Originally the stones were used for building the causeway and betters stones were used for buildings in the city.  This quarry has been filled in after no longer being in use but the nearby Singapore Quarry is developing naturally into wet land rich in diversity.  It is now home to many insects, birds, and fish; some never seen before in this area.

We then continued on our walk to the Wallace Centre.  Wallace was a contemporary of Charles Darwin.  He had also came up with a theory of origin of species by natural selection.  His and Darwin’s theory of evolution were published at same time.  The two men differed over the years in details of their respective theories, but remained on friendly terms.

The Wallace Centre is a converted cow shed building.  We were able to cool off under the fans and read details of Wallace’s life and also information on the flora and fauna in reserve today.  What was originally jungle with tigers and other wild life have become extinct.  There are also videos to view in the beautiful interpretive centre.

On our walk, we enjoyed the serenity and beauty of the reserve with vast plant life, beautiful birds, and even spotted a monitor lizard.  Luckily for our group, we did not encounter the large cobra snake that Dolores and I spotted on a previous walk there.  Although we had a very warm and sunny morning, there was a pleasant breeze and the natural canopy of forest provided us with plenty of shade on our walk.

We returned to the Rail Mall for a lovely Thai lunch at Sweet, Salty & Spicy Restaurant.