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Grandma Lena gave me a gentle reminder that I haven't written something in a while and I'd agree. I'm not very good at this everyday life bloggin' and should probably start writing detailed letters to people.

By the way! Thank you for all the letters and packages. I feel very loved and it really helps to get that support from my family.

This weekend I took advantage of the free museum pass given to all the international students. Checked out the historical and archeology museum of Montreal, Botanical Garden and Insectarium, and the Biodôme. Quite a lot to tackle but I felt that I should take advantage while it was free. Also this weekend, the island had a culture buffet weekend where a ton of stuff was going on from book binding, to African dance. Joanna and I checked out a painting race (the mc would give two groups a theme and while a band played they tried to finish their paintings in time) and film by the train tracks (artsy images and sounds) showing with my roommates. Good times.

Today I had my first French test. We've been moving really fast and I'm bad about studying regularly for a class to the degree that is necessary for the pace of a language course, but looks like I'll have to change that if I'm going to get anything out of it. Cardy offered to study with me so that I could have the practice of saying the words aloud to someone. I've got a really cool friend in French class. His name is Max and he's a sound engineer - a pretty rad study. He even started a site if any of you are interested in the sounds around Montréal: http://cessa.music.concordia.ca/soundmap/ . Anyway, I think next test we'll have to study together. I retain the language better when I have to repeat it allowed.

When it rains it pours. Today was the first heavy rain I've experience in the city. Wish I brought my rain boots. Typically the rain I've experienced here is a temperamental sprinkle that teases with brief spurts. I can't explain to you how awesome I feel walking around in my inspector gadget coat, with an umbrella and a spring in my step. Mom said it was 100 in Stockton last time we talked and while I'm sad the sunshine is diminishing, I'm pretty thrilled to experience this four season thing. Plus, blazing red maple leaves? Pretty awesome.

I love People's Potato! I had no cash today so I went to grab some free delicious lunch and ran into some international friends - we know whats up. I'm going to find out about volunteering next week, if only to wash dishes. Another organization I've been looking at runs the recycling program on campus and I've been thinking about joining them. I don't have a job and I can't get one my first semester but it is important to me that I get more involved. My school is really great about student involvement and there is something for everyone. Gotta take advantage.

Have I mentioned how crazy I am about my Canadian theater course? I have this super political professor who works as an editor for a theatre magazine and is a key part of a politically driven theater organization. He loads us up with information on what's going on in the theatre world RIGHT NOW and in turn we learn about the market and practical knowledge for the biz. My group project is the first to go and we're supposed to discuss the canon. I feel as if I know more about the modern Canadian theater world than I do about the states scene. Of course, Canadian theater is still a bit of a baby in comparison, and their is a lot less of it so the community is more tight knit. The Canadian Council for the arts funds a lot of the projects and the Quebec province especially funds their arts: probably in an effort to preserve both the francophone and anglophone cultures. The arts in Canada make up the 6th largest industry in the nation, generating a fair penny for what the government puts in. Anyway, it is a large course with lots of heated debates, information, and a really academic feel and expectation. I'm learning a lot.

That's all for now, à bien tôt!

Sentimental Lady

Been quite some time, eh?

This isn't a sentimental blog; I named it for the Fleetwood Mac kick I've been in since I heard the cover done by a pretty legit band (my roommate took me with him to see his twin's girlfriend perform with her band, Key for K).

I've settled more officially now that I have a bed (double sized!!!), a bike, a yellow room (thanks to Jo for helping me), a schedule, and more friends.


The first week of school was a little exhausting because my body was rebelling and got sleepy in all my classes. French if fairly early in the morning and I live a good half hour away so I should probably set up some sort of routine that helps me wake up. Tea will be necessary.

My classes all look like the sort I'm going to really enjoy. I've been in school for two weeks now and I finally feel as if I'm really getting into the swing of things. Studying is hard when you're still figuring things out and makeing friends.

Last Tuesday was my roommate Tim's birthday. I went to a free boxing class with him and I'm still sore from the workout but I'm glad I did it because it reminded me how little physical activity I've done aside from walking all over. That night Cardy and I put together a dinner for him and when Ryan (other roommate) got out of his late night French course he brought a little cake so Tim could blow out a candle. The picture is of Tim and Cardy, wish I had a picture of Ryan to share. Never gave the rundown on the boys because Tim was originally moving out and Ryan was the roommate that Cardy and I chose to fill the last room. Tim was born and raised in Montreal by his mother and grandmother from Italy. He is a linguistics major at Concordia and a fun person to talk to and hang out with because he knows his way around. He wants to move to California and I keep telling him that the state is broke and not as awesome as Montreal. Tim, however, has experiened enough of the winter and prefers the sunshine state. Ryan just finished school and moved to Montreal recently to take an odd job and do a lot of reading before going to grad school. He is from Alberta and studied English Literature in Vancouver. Most of his possessions are books - lucky me! He, Cardy, and I are all reading the works of Milan Kundera right now.

I ate at the People's Potato this week. The People's Potato is a student run organization that is payed for by the student union and is all based off of volunteering. While they have a suggested donation box the - if you will - student soup kitchen is funded by fees that students pay the school. A few of the California kids met up and we talked with a Québécois and a British Colombian about transportation, politics, and homeless issues. The Quebecer has biked along the coast of California and wants to settle there eventually.

I made a group of friends at the Concordia International Students Association (CISA) and recently we've been spending our free time hanging out. We consist of two Aussie girls, one New Hampsire boy, and the Cali kids. Last night I had everyone over and we made a delicious Mexican dinner - the Californians missed it. I don't have a large sitting area so we got some pillows and settled around the coffee table in my room.

Ashleigh and Sarah, Aussies, in the front; Cameron, New Hampsire (in the glasses) in the back. Cali's in the middle (Graham, Lauren, Morris).

Thanks to Graham I have a new old bike! He purchased it (helmet, lock, bell, and bike) a while ago but found he didn't have interest in riding around the downtown area where he lives because there aren't many safe lanes for bikers. I got the package for 20 bucks. Wahoo! I rode my little blue baby to Mont Royal today to hang out with my new Finnish friend Emilia. We read a little and then she took some photos for her class - I got to be her awkward model! (I feel weird posing for stuff but it was still lots of fun). The last picture is a view from the top of the mountain that I took while with my friend Joana.

Loopy

I briefly looked for a more official resource but all I could find was Wikipedia's information on labor day: according to Wiki the states took the labor day idea from the Canadians.

Anywho, it's not like labor day in the states where everything is on sale; here, everything is closed. Still haven't done any clothes shopping for school so I've only got my week and a half supply - not to mention no fall coat. I was thinking I would do it today but I'll just wait until next weekend.

The last two days have been eventful. A group of hostel kids planned on renting a car and heading over to Quebec City for it's 400th anniversary summer. My friend Rodrigo headed up the trip as he had done the research and had a friend in the city we were supposed to crash with. As life would have it, we left much later than expected but eventually we were all in the car with Fabio (sweet and smarmy Belgium) driving. The ride was long and Fabio was going a little faster than he should have and consequently got pulled over by the Quebecois police. With a ticket for Fabio, we continued on and got to the city around 10 and went to grab some food. Rodrigo phoned his friend who said he couldn't house everyone - a little disconcerting. After eating we began looking for a hostel to crash at. We got the same story everywhere: no room. We weren't about to stay at a hotel as they were all very expensive in what had become a very touristic city. The two girls (Paola from Berlin, and Judith from Austria) and I agreed that if all else failed we'd just sleep in the car at a park - the boys were indifferent. It began getting pretty late and we were all getting pretty tired and goofy. In the car the three of us girls kept cracking up with little to set us off - often just the boys trying to navigate and take charge in a city they were unfamiliar with was entertainment enough. If it wasn't the boys making us laugh it was the communication barrier that would sometimes sneak up because of accents or an unknown word; Judith and Rodrigo especially have a very difficult time understanding the others English. I mentioned how loopy we were all getting and everyone really liked the word because they hadn't heard it before. It is wonderful that I am able to communicate so well with everyone here because everyone learned English. Even though they can speak French they are all willing to speak English around me (sometimes I feel like a dumb American with my two years of high school Spanish).

At 2:00am the boys had found a motel - I had already fallen asleep in the car. The three of us girls took a bed and the two boys took another. The next day we walked through the streets, enjoyed live music and street performers, explored the market, found a castle,

and hung out at the park.

We tried some very sweet maple taffy which is created by rolling maple syrup up from ice - was cool to see that done in front of me.

I fell in love with this grassy bridge street overpass thing (I'm sure it has a better name than that). I like taking pictures of things like this, and people more than buildings so that is the majority of the pictures I took.

grassy bridge

View from grassy bridge

Rodrigo, and Fabio in the right hand corner

Paola

Judith

In the evening, after eating at a mediocre Irish pub, we made our way to the Cirque du Soleil FREE street performance! Quebec city pays the performers to perform for some time in the evenings. The performance is divided into three sections and eventually the three divisions meet in the middle so the audience has to follow the performers. Really a spectacular event.

My favorite part of the performance was a female who did all sorts of amazing feats in a solo performance, such as doing the splits parallel to a vertical pole that was spinning. The only way I can describe her is a very delicate ballerina pole dancer - she had mad muscle strength. I couldn't get any quality photos but a Flickr member snagged this one - to find out info on him or see the pic up close just click on it.

We left a bit early from Cirque so we could catch what we'd missed the previous night. The Image Mill is a large projection on the old mill in Quebec - spectators watch the 40 minute projection from across the water. As taken from a Quebec tourism site: The Bunge grain silo “projection screen” is over 600 meters wide and 30 meters tall—the equivalent of 25 IMAX screens!

The production portrays the history of Quebec with images and sounds. I didn't get a lot of it, but it was a really cool experience just chilling on the grass across from this humongous projection.

To check it out on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVK5qXfYMwA

Got back safe and sound at 2am. Had a blast and really enjoyed the company I spent the weekend with.

Yesterday the cal state kids got together for some Thai food so we could get to know each other, finally! It was great hanging out with everyone. Afterward I hung out with some friends from the hostel for a farewell to Amy (a girl from California who had been staying in the hostel during her vacation).

School starts tomorrow! I've never been so excited for classes to start; time to learn some French and meet some new people.

Convenience is Key

Yesterday I spent entirely too much time trying to get to Ikea. I swear by the public transit system, its just that Ikea is far and I was going by myself. Ikea really isn't all that fun by yourself but not many people wanted to go to Ikea because all my friends are more settled than I am and I wanted to go early.

Long story short I ended up getting the bed I picked out at Ikea from some guy off craigslist for less. Plus, free delivery. Yeah bed! It is still a mattress on the floor with all the parts scattered about because I'd rather paint before I set it up.

Today was spent talking with the landlord and paying first months rent, going to an orientation of sorts (ended up being geared for freshman, but hey, I found out that Snoop Dog will be at orientation on the first day and got to listen to the president who is one rad lady as far as I'm concerned), window shopping for a hair straightener (I'm sorry, but it has been too long that I've been without), researching banks, and watching a fantastic documentary in the evening through the world film festival.

Have I mentioned the world film festival? Montréalers (and perhaps Canadians in general) know how to live it up during the summer. I love the buzzing evening atmosphere: open restaurants with tables on the sidewalks, bikes, closed off streets, and the film festival going on in the heart of the city.

Thus far I've seen three films: The Escape - a Danish film on a journalist who escapes from a terrorist group with the help of one of its members. Searching for Dragone is a documentary on Franco Dragone (theater director known for work with Cirque du Soleil); a highly entertaining character because he has a temper and I love seeing how different people work in the field I'm interested in. The director of the film got up from the chair right in front of us and answered questions afterwards, I would have liked to say something but he and everyone else were speaking in French. The last two that I saw included Diario del Fin (Diary of the End) - a hauntingly beautiful short film on a woman with a bleak future. Pictured above. The short film was just before the documentary film on Iraqi children in Baghdad: Diary of the Ash City. Many of the children interviewed exuded such insight, intelligence, hope, and innocence when it came to daily explosions and the sectarian war that I kept thinking they'd hired actors. I'd really like to look into more of what the creators have to say, as they were putting themselves and those they interviewed into a lot of danger.

I found out this evening that the YMCA just around the corner provides free swimming hours to the public from now through December - FANTASTIC! I'm wedged between a darling library (pictured below) and the YMCA so I'm all set for winter, kids.For pictures and info on my neighborhood: imtl.org