International Religious Holidays in March 2013

Happy March!

Lion or lamb?  So far snow storms across the country have pounded any glimmer of spring out of our minds, but it's around the corner.  We promise!  This year March is packed full of special religious holidays that your co-workers or clients may be celebrating.

It's nice to be aware of special events, as well as be sensitive to those who may be expressing their religious devotion on certain dates.  Here's what this month looks like:

 
 

Traditional holidays

8 March:

International Women's Day

The day was commemorated for the first time in 1911. At a meeting in Copenhagen in 1910, the Socialist International established a Women's Day to honor the movement for women's rights and to build support for achieving universal suffrage for women.

 

21 March: Norouz  

This festival of Persians, Kurds and Bahai. Eggs and evergreen plants serve as symbols of life, continuity, and eternity. On this day Alevi also celebrate the birth of Ali who was born in Mecca on the first day of spring or Norouz in 598/9 AD. Ali ibn Abi Talib was a cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad.

 

 

 

Christianity
 

24 March: Palm Sunday

   

28 March: Holy Thursday/Maundy Thursday

 

Catholic Christians commemorate the anniversary of the institution of the Eucharist by Jesus at the Last Supper and of the washing of the disciples' feet which is symbolically reenacted in many churches as a sign of humility.

 

 

29 March: Good Friday

Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus, when He sacrificed Himself for man's redemption.

 

30 March: Holy Saturday

A Catholic mass without bells or organ music.

 

31 March: Easter Sunday

The most holy of Christian sacred days. The day commemorates the resurrection of Jesus and the victory of life over death. Customs: the Easter Vigil is held in the night of Holy Saturday, the Easter candle is sanctified and lit. The Easter Bunny and Easter eggs are a commercial aspect of the holiday that has become a children's tradition. 

 

 

Hinduism
 

27 March: Holi

Holi is a colourful spring festival and commemorates the rescue of Prince Prahlad from a fire pyre where his sister Holi had taken him. A bonfire is lit to signify the burning of Holika and to thank Lord Vishnu for his good deed. Ashes from the bonfire are marked on worshippers as a sign of inner cleansing.

 

 

Judaism
 

26 March to 2 April: Pesah/Passover

The feast of unleavened bread is dedicated to the celebration of the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. At the Seder, a unique dinner ceremony, Jews commemorate the "pass over" when God would send the Angel of Death to kill the firstborn males but would see that the Israelites had marked their houses with lambs' blood and would command his angel to "pass over", to kill no one there. (All Jewish holidays begin at sundown on the previous day.)


To learn more about improving your workplace, visit us at Workplace ESL Solutions!

Merry Everything in December!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hannukah!
Merry Everything!

December is a month filled with many happy holidays
and reasons to celebrate with friends and family. Workplace ESL Solutions wishes you the merriest month ever!


International Holidays in December
01 Independence Day in Central African Republic
06 Independence Day in Finland
07 Independence Day in Ivory Coast, Panama
07 Prophet Mohammed's Birthday in Fiji
08 Mother's Day in Panama
08 Blessing of the Water in Uruguay
10 Thai Constitution Day in Thailand
10 Foundation of Worker's Party in Angola
11 Independence Day in Upper Volta
12 Independence Day in Kenya
13 Republic Day in Malta
15 Statue Day in Netherlands Antilles
16 Constitution Day in Nepal
16 Day of the Covenant in South Africa
16 National Day in Bahrain
16 Victory Day in Bangladesh
17 National Day in Bhutan
18 Republic Day in Niger
23 Victory Day in Egypt
23 Emperor's Birthday in Japan
25 Christmas Day in USA, South Korea, Singapore, Phillipines, Macau, Germany, France, Australia
25 Constitution Day in Taiwan
25 Children's Day in Congo
26 Boxing Day in England
26 Family Day in South Africa
26 Feast of Our Theotokos in Greece
27 Constitution Day in North Korea
29 Civic Holidays (3 days) in Costa Rica
29 His Majesty, the King's Birthday in Nepal
30 Anniversary of the Democratic Republic of Madagascar
31 Proclamation of the Republic in Congo

International Holidays in November

Here at Workplace ESL Solutions we adore our international students!  Our hearts are touched as we hear their stories of what brought them to our country.  We thrill as they learn English and a new culture.  We cheer as they begin a new life here, but we also encourage them to remember their roots and celebrate their own heritage.

When you have international employees on your team, it's nice to be able to wish them a happy "All Saints Day" or "Remembrance Day" to let them know you appreciate their heritage and contributions.  Here are a few dates this month to be aware of:

01 All Saints Day
01 Feast of All Saints in Portugal
01 Samhain; Beginning of the Celtic year and most important holiday.
02 All Souls Day in Bolivia, Brazil, El Salvador, Uruguay
02 Memorial Day in Ecuador
03 Culture Day in Japan
03 Thanksgiving Day in Liberia
03 Independence from Columbia in Panama
03 Independence of Cuenca in Ecuador
04 Flag Day in Panama
11 Veterans Day in USA
11 Independence Day in Angola
11 Remembrance Day in Canada
15 Proclamation of the Republic in Brazil
15 Thatlouang Festival in Laos
17 Army Day in Zaire
18 Independence Day in Morocco
19 Discovery Day in Puerto Rico
20 Revolution Day in Mexico
21 Day of Prayer and Repentance in Federal Republic of Germany
22 Independence Day in Lebanon
23 Labor Thanksgiving Day in Japan
28 Thanksgiving Day in USA
30 Independence Day in Barbados, Yemen Democratic Republic

Happy Veterans Day to all of our brave soldiers who have served our great nation past and present. 

Please accept our sincere gratitude for your sacrifices and service!

Several restaurant chains offer free meals to Vets and active duty military as their expression of thanks on Veteran's Day:

Olive Garden                      Arby's
Applebee's                         Chili's
Famous Dave's                   Champs
Outback Steakhouse           Hooters

Every day is worth celebrating at Workplace ESL Solutions!

Making A Difference In People's Lives

Workplace ESL Solutions has enjoyed an excellent reputation for over 20 years for offering classes that truly make a difference in people's lives.  Our Workplace ESL class is a perfect example.  Companies who have a large international staff hire us to help their employees learn English better and improve workplace success.

Our students learn more than English - they gain a new sense of accomplishment and confidence to be able to live and work and succeed in the United States, their new country.  Families and co-workers come to cheer on graduates and more often than not, many happy tears of gratitude are shed.  We're so proud of our graduates! 

                          
(This is our most recent class of graduates from MGM Resorts International!  They just graduated yesterday!)


Workplace ESL offers customizable classes for employees in several different industries:

• General Workplace ESL
  Employees will emerge from this course with enhanced English communications skills and the ability to communicate with a wider range of people, from co-workers to other employees. 
• Workplace ESL for Construction
  Through this Workplace ESL course tailored specifically towards the construction industry, we'll help your employees achieve a higher level of communication project-wide. 
• Workplace ESL for Hospitals
  When the housekeeping staff is better able to communicate with patients and their visitors, a hospital can create a better experience in trying times for those facing health concerns. 
• Workplace ESL for Hotels
  With our course designed specifically for hotels, your staff will be well on their way to greater levels of workplace confidence, enhanced communication skills, and feel they are an integral part in the overall guest experience.
• Workplace ESL for Laundry Facilities
  With the course designed specifically for laundry facilities, your crew will enjoy an enhanced ability to communicate in English resulting in fewer errors, timely machinery malfunction alerts, and a facility that operates with a higher level of efficacy.  

We're happy to create a special class for YOUR company!
Feel free to visit our web site for more details or call for a free consultation!

Helping employees become US citizens

Happy 4th of July!!

There is always a surge of patriotism in July, as Americans celebrate Independence Day and pause to remember the founding of this great country.  

Does your company have employees who are working towards citizenship?  Any business who has employees who are preparing for their citizenship exam should consider hosting a Workplace ESL Solutions' Citizenship Preparation Course!

Show your eligible employees that you're as invested as they are in the process of their U.S. Citizenship interview by offering them the opportunity for qualified and focused instruction on relevant subject matter through their work place.  

Employees passing the citizenship exam will not only appreciate you, but have an increased sense of loyalty and pride that they bring with them each day to the workplace.

What do you do to help your international employees feel at home here in the good 'ole USA?  How do you help them learn about America?
We'd love to hear your ideas!

For more information, go to:  www.workplaceesl.com