The Toronto International Film Festival, now underway all over the city cannot possibly be as successful as it is without its volunteers. Prospere Magazine recently had the chance to speak with two of TIFF’s volunteers. Stephanie Jones is volunteering at TIFF for the first time. A recent McMaster University grad with a degree in psychology, Stephanie is now interested in a career in event planning. This is one of the reasons why she decided to volunteer for TIFF this year. Stephanie will be working in the communications department as well as with the Canadian Initiatives event this year.

Stephanie on other reasons why she is volunteering for TIFF:

[The Toronto International Film Festival] is such a grand event that attracts a great diversity of people from all over the world. This multicultural aspect of the festival really reflects the diversity of the people of Toronto. To bring so many various people together for the art of film, it definitely inspired me to want to lend a hand.

Stephanie on her experience with the festival so far:

I believe my one expectation that has been blown away, is the scale of the festival. I did not realize how many departments and employees there were. I’ve met so many people fulfilling very different roles for the festival, ranging from theatre technicians to the co-director of the entire festival.

On what she most looking forward to:

The excitement of it all. The hustle and bustle of working behind the scenes. It will also be interesting to see the other side of the festival, who will attend, the industries that they will come from, and their reactions to the films and the festival as a whole.

On potential favourite films at TIFF 2008:

The Toronto Star, Now magazine and the TIFF website have listings that will help anyone find their favourite festival film. The prospects I have right now include, Blindness, Borderline and Che. I’m attempting to keep away from blockbuster, big-name films that may be released in local theatres in the coming year.

Any favourite directors/actors/writers who are involved with the festival?

I anticipate seeing Benicio Bel Toro, as Che Guevara, in Che. As an actor he has an essence that draws me in. I can only imagine how great his performance as such a legendary figure will be. Furthermore, I believe that an actor that stays loyal to festival films usually chooses great films to be a part of. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is no stranger to indie films, is a favourite of mine whose film Uncertainty will be screened.

Thanks so much, Stephanie for your time! Later this week, Prospere Magazine will have a profile of a volunteer who has been with TIFF for 10 years. Look for it on Wednesday.

• Working with dynamic women
• Participate in Training and Leadership
• Building a Volunteer Career
• Promoting Community Involvement
• Supporting Exciting Fundraisers 
• Developing Life-long Friendships
• Caring, Sharing and Daring

Then come to the Junior League Information Night to find out more about what the Junior League does!
Date:        Wednesday,  September 10th 
Time:        6:30 PM -8:30 PM
Location:  JLT Office, 539A Mount Pleasant Road

Please ask your friends and colleagues to consider joining the Junior League.    For further info, please contact:Cara Thomson, Recruiting Chair at recruiting@jlt.org or 416-485-4218

It’s that time of year again! The Clothing Show will be held September 26-28, 2008 at The Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto. There’ll be tons of exciting vendors at the event, including Dagg and Stacey, Dara and Crystal Trendz. Tickets are $8 online until September 25, and $10 afterwards. However, Shorty Stories and Prospere Magazine are giving away three pairs of tickets. Just send an e-mail to us no later than September 20. We will pick three names on September 21.

Where to begin…My name is Katherine and I am a 31 year old expat living in South Korea.  I’ve been here for about two months and this is my attempt to document some of my experiences living and working here as an ESL teacher. I would imagine life is the same everywhere and people experience their own individual struggles and wins, but I gotta tell you… life here is always entertaining if nothing else.

When I first arrived here I loved the markets.  Namdaemun market is one of the largest markets in South Korea and for a girl who loves to pay wholesale and loves to haggle - it’s my form of retail therapy.  So I came here on the notion I could get away from the stresses of the rat race back home. Working for a large corporate security department in loss prevention for a large telecommunications company, I loathed what I did.  Sound new folks? I’m sure a lot of you like what you do and truly enjoy going to work but for myself I had reached my max and it was time for a change. Needing some downtime to re-plan “life” (can one really plan life though?) and still needing to pay bills, I took off to South Korea.

Working here as an ESL teacher is a pretty good gig as things stand.  Your airfare is paid for as well as apartment and you also receive (if you deal with a good school) a relocation allowance to start you off. So, it’s just a matter of making sure you stay with an established school who pays you on time and doesn’t exploit you TOO much (but that is another article for another time…he he.)

That being said, I hope each passage I write fills you with images of rice fields and wanderlust and so that you too can grow to loathe ‘the man’ you currently work for and take off to Asia and stick it to the large corporate entity who has sucked the life out of you day in and day out… but I digress.  Maybe at least making you wanna travel would work for me- take a breather from the insanity of ‘responsible adult’- if at least from your armchair kickin’ it with a bottle of wine and some Doritos (very tasty combo too might I mention).

Let’s clear the air right off the bat and acknowledge that we really do care about the ozone layer and the baby seals and the starving children in Africa.  Every December, we write checks to provide seeing eye dogs for the blind, food for the homeless, and funds to research cures for diseases. These actions may make us responsible citizens but, really, other than alleviating the guilt that comes from being middle class, the overall impact of those acts would probably be considered very low.

Although we all have dreams and aspirations, most of us were not blessed (or cursed, depending on your point of view) to have a calling to devote our entire life to a noble, selfless cause.  However, if you leave your home on a regular basis and interact with an average number of other humans from time to time, opportunities to do good will present themselves.  Frequently, others will engage you to use your talents, real or perceived, to benefit others.  Your motives may be pure like those who volunteered to assist, clothe and feed rescue workers at Ground Zero or in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Or you could join in an event to rub elbows with big wigs in your industry in hopes to pass along a resume.  Regardless of why you sign on, do what you’re asked and focus on the cause.  Many times, you will meet people who become your friends.  Often, you will acquire a skill or develop a talent you weren’t even aware that you possess.  Always, you will encounter like-mined individuals in varying degrees of involvement, working together toward a common goal, whatever their motives are.  There are numerous organizations seeking volunteers on a regular basis such as Volunteers of America, a faith-based non-for-profit, (www.voa.com), Volunteer Benevoles Canada, which employs a community-driven approach (http://volunteer.ca), and The Red Cross (www.redcross.org and www.redcross.ca).  Additionally, many professional associations have a favorite charitable organization they partner with, which will also afford you the chance to stand side by side with people in your own industry, for potential networking capabilities.  In fact, many charities partner with industry-specific organizations to allow members to use their special talents to benefit others.  Many professionals enjoy sharing their experience with young adults through mentoring programs.  We often acquire skills at our jobs that improve the more we use them.  Volunteering to teach your trade to others can help you hone your presentation techniques or help you conquer a fear of public speaking.

Of course, the best way to find volunteer opportunities is to be open to them.  Keep your eyes and ears open around your workplace, neighborhood, and community.  Charity certainly begins at home and you’re more likely to continue participation if it’s convenient for you and you enjoy it.  Get involved in charities supported by your church, temple, or place of worship.  Check your local newspaper and ask around.  Through volunteering, you’ll meet others who can steer you toward other situations from ushering at summer festivals to reading stories at your local library.  Don’t be afraid to flaunt your special talents by offering to, say, make cookies to a bake sale.  Whatever your motives, you’ll find personal satisfaction from helping others and feel better knowing you’re helping to make a difference.

As a first time home buyer, entering the real estate market can be a little overwhelming.

With soaring real estate prices and fears of a market bubble trickling up from the United States, many first time home buyers are reasonably anxious.

Despite these fears, the Toronto housing market has remained strong. While sales are down from last year’s incredibly fast paced turnover, June 2008 proved that the market is still active and healthy, with the fifth best June on record. Sales for the month of July 2008 were up compared to sales for July of 2006.

The past ten years or so have been phenomenal for sellers, with the number of buyers exceeding the supply of homes on the market. With all the competition for houses, purchase prices were driven up and often offers were drafted without any conditions for financing or inspections. 

We are slowly experiencing a shift in the real estate market this summer as it becomes more balanced. In a balanced market as we’re currently experiencing, buyers have the leisure of taking the time to make decisions without the pressure of multiple offers and price wars. The number of homes on the market is more or less equal to the number of buyers looking to purchase. September would be a great time to begin you search for your first home whether it is a condo or a house.

* Statistics taken from the Toronto Real Estate Board

Five ways to Reduce Real Estate Stress for First Time Home Buyers

1. Write down what is important to you. This will help you and your agent narrow down the area and style of home that will suit your needs. 

Do you need to be close to public transit? Would you prefer to walk to stores and restaurants? Think about the future; five years down the road where and how do you see yourself living? Will you be raising your children in this house? What schools and parks are in the area? How safe is the neighbourhood? These are all just as important as the house itself. Remember you’re not just buying a home; you’re buying a location. The right home in the wrong location will always be in the wrong location. You can always update and modify the house to your needs and taste.

2. Determine what you can afford. A mortgage specialist can help you understand the costs associated with purchasing your first home and how much you can afford to spend. Some costs are ongoing like a mortgage, while others are one-time costs.

3. The largest one-time cost when purchasing a home is the down payment. Traditionally, a down payment represents twenty to twenty five percent of the purchase price of the home. The benefit to this type of conventional mortgage is that there is no insurance required by the government. The minimum down payment for a mortgage is five percent of the purchase price. This type of mortgage is a high-ratio mortgage and requires insurance to protect the lender should the buyer default on payments. This is an extra cost added onto the mortgage. 

4. Every real estate purchase in Ontario incurs a land transfer tax imposed by the Provincial Government. The GTA has a second land transfer tax in effect imposed by the Municipal Government. The good news is that there is a rebate for first time home buyers who have never been on title to a property.

5. Find a real estate agent who can pinpoint homes that meet your needs and dismiss those that don’t. A good agent can advise you of your financial and legal options and recommend appraisal, home inspection and contracting services.

Technology in the twenty-first century has brought us highly efficient and effective ways of organizing pictures. Some people upload them online to photo sharing sites like Flickr, others email them to friends and yet others use social networking. However, there are still people who prefer the old fashioned photo album. With old fashioned albums, pictures need to be printed and then placed in an album. This not only takes up a lot of time, but can be devastating to the environment due to the amount of paper used. But no longer do album-lovers have to worry about that. There are plenty of services, including those found at photography shops and big box stores where people can upload, organize and have their images printed and bound in book format. One of these services is Photobook Canada, founded in 2006. It is the Canadian franchise of Photobook Malaysia, launched the year before.

Photobook Canada is very easy to use. The free software is downloaded to the computer from the Photobook Canada website. Clients can then choose the size and style of the book (there are six covers to choose from) and organize their images any way they want. There is also a quick editing format which takes half the time otherwise necessary for the task. The program is similar to other image editing software in that clients can resize your pictures and add text. One drawback, however, is that the font cannot be changed without creating an additional textbox. In other words, italicizing or bolding titles within a caption would be difficult. Pages can also be decorated with different borders. After all the pages are organized, the client gets a preview in PDF format before saving the file and sending it to Photobook for printing. The book itself is usually ready in 7-10 business days. It is also fairly affordable, better priced than sending a file to chain print services. A 40 page book at 8″ by 6″ costs around $30 Canadian for one book.

Photobook is very popular for weddings albums and baby books, according to Photobook Canada’s marketing and communications director, Charlene Callaghan. “We see a surge in printing around November and December, when everyone wants to print their summer wedding photos to show off when guests come for the holidays.” In addition, Photobook Canada is involved with many not-for-profits, including Camp Towhee. Recently, Photobook Canada also printed yearbooks for a Toronto-area elementary school. Some people use Photobook to put together business plans and portfolios. I did exactly that with the business plan for Prospere magazine, and I thought it looked quite impressive.

Incidentally, Photobook is also environmentally conscious. The paper used is certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC). Everything, including the ink used to print the books is environmentally friendly. In addition, to save paper, no proofs are sent out to clients unless they are a professional group.

While the limited font arrangements may be enough to turn off some people from using Photobook, this is probably more than offset by the relative easiness of the software, price and environmental awareness of the product.

Making it in High Heels, an uplifting and inspiration collection of writing by women held its launch party at C Lounge in Toronto on August 25.  The book, which is published by Burman Books, was written by 39 women from all over North America and its stories are comparable to the Chicken Soup for the Soul franchise.  The writers come from very different backgrounds, ranging from “small-town girls” to daughters of environmental activists to former Degrassi actress, Andrea Lewis, who talked about her career.

While writers represented a variety of different careers, the industries these women are involved in are not diverse enough.  None of the writers seemed to be from historically male-dominated careers such as medicine, law and finance, or at least didn’t discuss it.  But at the same time, these women weren’t old-line debutantes either.  One writer is Emily Hunter, a second generation environmental activist.  There were also other stories that involved women who come from challenging lives, including teen mothers, victims of abuse and so forth.

C Lounge was the perfect spot for the event.  The large, spacious interior as well as the patio gave guests lots of room to move around.  In addition to hearing a few of the writers speak about their pieces, guests were also entertained by a Samba band.  Unfortunately, the lower ceilings of C Lounge made the drums seem louder than they really were.  C Lounge was not the best venue for a Samba band.  In fact, my ears hurt for a long time after I left the party. The concert would have been much better had it been held outside.

Making it in High Heels is now available for pre-order at Amazon and will be set to hit stores around the holiday season.  There are plenty of stories in the book. I enjoy reading it tremendously, It is a great read, especially for teenage girls and young women who need inspiration, and will make a very nice present for the holiday season. It is also worth noting that Burman Books has teamed up with StepStones for Youth, an organization which is committed to addressing life skills to youth in Ontario.  Twenty percent of the proceeds of the book will go to the organization.

Another aspect of The Ex is the food.  While I’m not much of a junk food fan, the traditional food served at fairs (ice cream on a stick, corndogs, cotton candy, etc) was a treat, especially their famed  Tiny Tom donuts. Like the rides, the fare at The Ex remains, for the most part, traditional.  While newer, more sophisticated fare has been introduced, the old favourites remain.

Perhaps the best part of the Ex is the controversial Canadian International Air Show, which occurs every Labour Day weekend. Over the past few years, there have been some tragedies with the Air Show, and there were times when people have called for its cancellation.  However, it remains The Ex’s big send off before its closing.  Many different planes are involved, and this year is no exception.  Planes in the 2008 show include: the F-16 Viper, V-38 Talon (both from the US Airforce), the Canadian Harvard Aerobics team and of course, the Canadian Snowbirds.

For many, The Ex is about nostalgia.  It isn’t about the biggest and scariest roller coaster, licensed characters or the “inest” cuisine.  It’s two weeks of old fashioned fun, something that everyone needs to enjoy, at least once in a while.