Finally back online!!

Well, with the help of my roommate Olivia, I have obtained a cord that connects my computer to the internet (as well as to the wall, which means I can sit no more than 2.1 metres from the plug.)  I am finally back online.  I didn't realize how much time I wasted on the Internet until I had no wifi access.

Things are going even better than planned.  I used my first few days on my own to grocery shop, gaze lovingly at my garden gnome, and watch the few dvd's I could fit in my suitcase (if you haven't seen Matt Damon in "The Informant!", go out and rent it immediately.)  Trois-Rivieres is a small city by urban standards, but on my scale it is huge.  There is a mall around the corner, and a Loblaws, where you can buy bags of milk (Olivia was surprised that we don't have sacs de lait in America.)  Also, they sell single bottles of beer (collect 'em all!)  The gas station up the street has an entire wall cooler devoted only to beer, a cheap liquor display, a decent liquor display, an expensive liquor display, and all sorts of wine, but no quart containers of ice cream or tampons.  They don't I.D., either. The only indication that there is a drinking age at all is the Bud "are you 18?" sign at the checkout counter. 

So that's different. 

For orientation, all the kids from a particular major tour campus as a group in costume in the day, and then go party at a chalet at night.  Olivia is going to her orientation dressed as a biker chick.  She bought fake tattoos for her neck and cut up a pair of jeans this afternoon in preparation.  I haven't yet heard of an American school having costume parties so that kids can meet the people in their program.

So that's different, too.

I'm loving this new experience- it's nice to be somewhere that's not so far from home, but is culturally worlds away, and I'm lucky to be with people who are patient with me.  There's a lot I don't understand, but I am picking up on more and more French, and my immersion program hasn't even begun yet.  Hopefully there will be more "compris" and less "J'comprends pas" in time.