They are moose?

Occasionally in class we are asked (well... told really) to go off-campus to an event and write about it under a deadline. Last week, we attended a Manitoba Moose hockey game. We had to wander around, talk to random strangers, and find a story. It had to be related to the game, but not necessarily about the game. I found the cutest family ever, and here is their story...

Note: I have changed the names, as I did not tell them I would be posting this online...

“You Canadians love your hockey,” said 53-year-old Gio Thomas. “You are very patriotic people.”

Last June, Thomas moved his family to Canada from Paraguay. He chose Canada because he heard of its reputation of being a beautiful country filled with vast opportunities and kind people.
“I wanted to bring my family somewhere nice,” he said. “I wanted to make them a better life.”

Thomas felt completely out of his element last night as he paced quietly outside the MTS Centre with his family, waiting to enter the arena and watch the Manitoba Moose battle the Worcester Sharks. It was the first time Thomas had watched hockey, and he had no idea what to expect.

“I don’t understand it,” he explained bashfully. “I will cheer for your team, though. They are moose?”

Jimmy Thomas, Gio’s 12-year-old son, was part of a school choir that sang the Canadian national anthem at the beginning of the hockey game.

“That is why we are here,” Jimmy said, with a shy smile. “So I can sing for Canada. It gives me pride to do this for my new home. I work hard at school to learn English so I can be more Canadian.”

Jimmy was especially thrilled to sing at last night’s game after watching the Canadian men’s hockey team perform at the 2010 Winter Olympics. His parents wouldn’t watch the game – because they didn’t understand it – but Jimmy was ready and willing to learn everything he could.

“Lots of people running and yelling,” he said of the images broadcasted of Canadians partying after the men’s hockey team won the gold medal on Sunday night. “Hockey makes Canada very happy.”

Katie, Thomas’ wife, was much more anxious about watching her first hockey game than both her husband and son. She was worried she wouldn’t be able to follow along with the action and keep up with the crowd.

“Canadians are serious about hockey, I think. They are so excited, and me, I don’t know what to expect. I go into the game with worries, but I will cheer and try to make you proud.”

The Moose defeated the Sharks 3-1, placing them fourth in the North Division of the American Hockey League (AHL). For the Thomas family, the final score didn’t matter. It was the experience that was important, and Gio Thomas became emotional as he expressed his joy at watching a hockey game.

“It was very special,” he said earnestly. “My family is one step closer to becoming Canadian.”