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They also learn "how to handle the cold winter weather, how to drive in unusual conditions, the school systems" and sometimes  "we just spend a lot of time practicing English". That's from Eastman Immigrant Services Program Development Coordinator, Lois Loewen Epp.  She says that they don't just offer programs for women, but women seem to learn, socialize and participate better in an environment where "they can just be themselves". She adds that these women come to Canada often without any immediate family or friends so in these groups they can relate to each other and say "I bet you're the same as I am. I don't understand what languages you are speaking but I bet you feel the same things I do".

"A beautiful example of this was a session that we did on weather. I had commented that we had many overcast days in winter and this lead to an issue that many Canadians are aware of called Seasonal Affective Disorder. The women in the group all looked at each other and went 'oh, maybe that explains why I'm so sad'".

Among the variety of topics discussed at these events, English continues to be a lesson.

"The fact that many of these women struggle with language has been a place of commonality for them. They are trying very hard to learn language, learn new culture, learn how to prepare foods for their families that might be uncommon and they come together as a group of women and they can say 'look you're having trouble with this word I wonder if you had trouble with this and this and this....'".

In addition to these information sessions, they also run a weekly fitness class at a local school. Epp says sometimes there is women there from twelve different countries that attend the class.

"Our instructor has been able bind us together without the use of a lot of language. We just follow her suggestions on movement and there is a lot of laughter. We connect well with each other doing some exercises together, some individually. We have even been doing some ethnic things in those classes, recently we were taught the moves for the current dance rage Gangnum Style."