Refugees get crash course in curling as part of ‘welcome to Canada’ event
TORONTO — Roughly two weeks after arriving in Canada from Thailand, Arun Daniel isn’t quite used to the cold — but he’s getting better acquainted with one of the country’s favourite winter sports.
The 11-year-old and his mother, who originally fled Sri Lanka, were among some 45 government-sponsored refugees getting a crash course in curling at a Toronto club on Wednesday in an effort to welcome them to their new home.
Laughter rang out on the ice as Arun and refugees from several countries, including Syria, Iraq and Iran, took turns sliding, throwing stones and sweeping the ice, with varying success — and, inevitably, the occasional tumble.
“When I see it on TV, I thought it was boring really but then when I really do it, it’s so hard,” he said. “And plus it’s fun when you always fail and you really have to try again, I feel so fun doing it.”