A STREET NAMED GOA COURT IN WEST TORONTO & A STRING OF COINCIDENCES ON GOA'S LIBERATION DAY

A STRING OF COINCIDENCES

A street named  GOA Court. in West Toronto

        Four years ago to the day, my short stories and poems were selected to be added to the curriculum of Lakeshore Collegiate Institute in West Toronto.

        Hence, I was invited to read selected poetry and articles to the 'World Literature' Class of Grade 9 students at the school.

        December 19^th was the date set by the class teacher which, in the first coincidence, happened to be the anniversary when the India took over Goa from the Portuguese rule, but the class teacher, principal or the students were not aware of this. The date just happened to be picked up at random or probably a good available and suitable date to fit in the class schedule.

          My presentation to the students, in the presence of their class teacher, included a short personal introduction to the class, reading of poems and stories. I later took questions from students, discussed past culture and traditions and how Goa fits into the modern world. The entire presentation lasted for 1 hour and 20 minutes - i.e. a duration of one full school period. Copies of 2 poems and 2 short stories were distributed to the class as homework prior to this date. So, they were prepared with many questions.

          At the conclusion of the presentation, Lakeshore Collegiate Institute, while acknowledging me as a visiting writer, presented me with a pen and a gift card from Chapters/Indigo/Coles as a token of appreciation. In acceptance I thanked them for the honour and privilege.

          For me personally it was an absolute great moment - and a long way – as a student of St. Anthony’s High School, Monte de Guirim, Goa, to Lakeshore Collegiate, West Toronto, Canada.

          Now here's the second coincidence. You may be surprised to know that while I was driving around the block to the L.C.I. Campus, as a result of a diversion in the main road due to construction work, I unexpectedly came across a street that ends into a 'cul de sac' of a residential area, that is called "GOA Court'. I saw the sign slightly tilted and my immediate reaction and compulsion that I kept under control was to straighten out that sign, but on second thought I later realized that I should not do that for obvious reasons and that perhaps the tilt in the sign was indication, reminding me that Goa is way far beyond and distant, away to the east and momentarily out of reach, should I get lost dreaming about my homeland.

           I have no idea how that street got its name, but I think it is absolutely remarkable that I should find it on my way to speak about Goa, and more so that it was on the anniversary of an auspicious, significant and historic day - 19th December 1961 - Goa Liberation Day.

And a third and final coincidence of the day was that my article “One cold winter morning – a childhood memoir” was simultaneously published worldwide on the 'Goanet' forum on the occasion of this significant day.

http://tonferns.blogspot.ca/2010/12/blog-post_19.html

In the future what I hope is that the word will spread and I may be

visiting other schools in Mississauga, Ontario.

Lakeshore Collegiate, West Toronto.