My name is Joshua, and I'm sitting at center ice in the Calgary Pengrowth Saddledome with my father. We are watching the Calgary Flames play the Montreal Canadians in a thrilling hockey game. As I glance around at the cheering fans, I dream that one day I will be speeding down the ice with the puck beneath my hockey stick, looking to score the winning goal. I see myself shifting the puck from left to right, slashing past the defense, speeding around the goalie, and sending the puck to score for the Calgary Flames.

I guess you might say I was born to be a hockey player. My dad gave me my first pair of ice skates when I was three years old. Living in Canada, where ice hockey is the national sport, it seemed only natural that ice skating would become my first love. We live close to a lake, and from October to April, the lake is frozen solid. At first, my Dad taught me balance, then I learned speed and agility. Now I can stop on a dime, reverse direction, and take off at full speed again. He taught me how to shift my weight from left to right and how to fake one way and go the other way.

But there's more to Calgary and the Alberta Province of Canada than ice hockey. From our house, we can see the majestic Canadian Rocky Mountains with their beautiful snowy peaks. In the winter, these mountains are full of people who love winter sports, like skiing. In the summer, people come to hike, camp, and enjoy the scenery. Moose, elk, deer, and bears roam freely through the mountains.

Calgary is actually a very modern city—most of the city was built in the past 25 years. We have lots of tourists who come to Calgary. The city designers created indoor walkways so people could walk through the city without going out in the cold. During the warm summer months, many people visit our China town and see the Temple of Heaven and the Hall of Prayers. In July, Calgary has its annual Calgary Stockyard Rodeo, which lasts for ten days. I am proud to say that it is the largest animal event in North America. My entire family goes to the rodeo to watch the bull riding, calf roping, and speed barrel racing.

As I sit with Dad watching the hockey game, he explains the tactics being used by the players. I listen carefully so I can learn as much as possible. Some of the players are Dad's friends. Sometimes we go into the locker room and get autographs from the players. I hope that one day I will be signing autographs for the Calgary Flames. My Dad tells me that if I work hard and wish hard, those dreams just might come true.

Map of Alberta. Edmonton is the capital.

Map provided by: www.worldatlas.com