Well, I had a pleasant return visit to Upstate New York, but tomorrow I'm hitting the road to go back to the Great White North. I've spent the past few days gathering my provisions and supplies for the journey ahead.
Already acquired:
One (1) Large box of Nerds (to give to my friend Hannah if I do not eat them all on the bus.) (I would like to apologize in advance to Hannah for eating her Nerds.)
Two (2) Flannel shirts, purple in hue (Never thought I'd say this, but I need to wear more plaid if I want to fit in)
One (1) Complete season of South Park (As the DVD's of Futurama were too expensive and Comedy Central doesn't stream to Canada.)
Two (2) Books: Dostoevsky's The Idiot (so I have something to read when I'm feeling like the only sane person in a world gone mad), as well as a guide to humorous Quebecois expressions (when I'm in a more lighthearted, utilitarian mood.)
Seventeen (17) containers of various types of medication and nasal sprays (I'm not sure why they gave me nasal sprays because my ear hurts. Maybe my pharmacist is just sadistic.)
Yet to be acquired:
One (1) decent pair of Smugglin' pants
Two (2) bus tickets
Various (4<) Garden gnome accessories.
I feel really bad because I screwed up my schedule and was consequently unable to visit my best friend in the whole wide world this week. I had a Quebec-pride flask to give her, but she never got it. (I'm sorry, Erin.) So I have decided to start dressing up the garden gnome she gave me at Christmastime in seasonal outfits when I get back to TR, and I will send her pictures. That way, it'll be almost like we are together for HolidaySeasonPreparationTime! again.
Any suggestions for what I should pack the next time I make the trip? Or for HolidaySeasonPreparationTime! ?
Much love,
D
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Hockey!
On Friday night, I went to my first Canadian hockey match. The UQTR was playing Laurier. Unfortunately, we arrived after the match had started (there was some confusion as to which arena we were supposed to go, and then we got very lost on our way to the correct location.) But what we saw was quite entertaining. Hockey is a fast-moving sport, and there is a lot of sportmanslike violence.
At the end of the match, I was a bit disappointed- no fights had broken out, and there was no blood on the ice. I did, however, enjoy some deliciously greasy frites during halftime, so that made the players' safety a little less disappointing.
And, for all of my Upstate NY readers- I'll be coming round the mountains in a week for a visit home! Call me if you want to hang out.
At the end of the match, I was a bit disappointed- no fights had broken out, and there was no blood on the ice. I did, however, enjoy some deliciously greasy frites during halftime, so that made the players' safety a little less disappointing.
And, for all of my Upstate NY readers- I'll be coming round the mountains in a week for a visit home! Call me if you want to hang out.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
New Post!
The weather is terrible right now, but I am in a great mood! Do you want to know why? Well, I'll tell you!
I tried to walk to Loblaws about an hour ago but I had barely left my apartment when the sky got black and the rain started pouring. (It's been pretty wet here in T.R. lately.) I was going to keep going, but the wind was making this weird buzzing noise, and figured that I should go back inside just in case we were having another tornado. Since everyone in New York knew about the tornado before I did last time, I decided to turn on the Quebec news, so that I wouldn't feel like an idiot again incase something newsworthy happened.
Well, there was no tornado reported, but I noticed that I was understanding all of the stories! Which is pretty exciting, as I've only been here for less than two months. My French really has gotten better! While I still struggle to speak it sometimes, it is much easier to understand what other people are saying, even on TV, where they aren't slowing down for me.
I've also been watching a show on Canal D called Legendes Urbaines, which is about- you guessed it!- urban legends. Tonight's episode told the story of a woman who supposedly got herpes in her eye after a male stripper threw his underwear on her face, and that of a guy who was pretending to talk on his cell phone in a very exclusive club that didn't get cellular service, and everyone knew but him. It's kind of like Snopes, but the stories are told in the style of a true-crime TV show, so it's hard to figure out whether or not the legends actually happened. (For some reason, re-enactments make everything more believable for me.)
I tried to walk to Loblaws about an hour ago but I had barely left my apartment when the sky got black and the rain started pouring. (It's been pretty wet here in T.R. lately.) I was going to keep going, but the wind was making this weird buzzing noise, and figured that I should go back inside just in case we were having another tornado. Since everyone in New York knew about the tornado before I did last time, I decided to turn on the Quebec news, so that I wouldn't feel like an idiot again incase something newsworthy happened.
Well, there was no tornado reported, but I noticed that I was understanding all of the stories! Which is pretty exciting, as I've only been here for less than two months. My French really has gotten better! While I still struggle to speak it sometimes, it is much easier to understand what other people are saying, even on TV, where they aren't slowing down for me.
I've also been watching a show on Canal D called Legendes Urbaines, which is about- you guessed it!- urban legends. Tonight's episode told the story of a woman who supposedly got herpes in her eye after a male stripper threw his underwear on her face, and that of a guy who was pretending to talk on his cell phone in a very exclusive club that didn't get cellular service, and everyone knew but him. It's kind of like Snopes, but the stories are told in the style of a true-crime TV show, so it's hard to figure out whether or not the legends actually happened. (For some reason, re-enactments make everything more believable for me.)
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Who all? You all.
So, one thing that they apparently do not have in England is a specifically pluralized form of`"you."
They think that "you guys" is pretty funny, and "y'all" is even funnier. And I use both. (Which one I use depends on whether or not I`ve had anything to drink.) So when I talk, they think it`s pretty funny.
But they don`t even say "who all" or "what all," either.
Last night, we were hanging out at my flat and I asked Jo "Who all is coming?"
She was confused. "Who is Paul?"
"Huh?"
"Who is Paul?"
"What? I don`t know."
"You said Paul is coming."
"What? No, no. I said `who all`is coming."
"Who all?"
"Yeah. Don`t you say that in England?"
"No."
"Or `what all`or anything like that?"
"No. Is that like `y`all`? "
"Uh, yeah. I guess so."
"Y`all. That`s funny."
But there are more differences. Here are some words that are different in British Englsih (listed first) and American English:
Bathing costume = Swim suit
Car park = Parking lot
Fit = Hot (attractive)
Hot = Warm in temperature
Jumper = Sweater
Shattered = Exhausted
Knickers = Panties
Pants = Underwear
Trousers = Pants
Sweets = Candy
Trainers = Sneakers
Shag = Screw (The sexual term. Not the construction one. You wouldn`t want to say "I need to
shag in this broken table leg.")
Leisure = Leisure (But they say "leh-sure", not "lee-sure.")
Cinema = theater
? = The Man (I had to explain The Man. They don`t think they have one, but of course they do. The
Man is everywhere.)
Can you all think of any other words that are different in one place than in another? Please comment.
They think that "you guys" is pretty funny, and "y'all" is even funnier. And I use both. (Which one I use depends on whether or not I`ve had anything to drink.) So when I talk, they think it`s pretty funny.
But they don`t even say "who all" or "what all," either.
Last night, we were hanging out at my flat and I asked Jo "Who all is coming?"
She was confused. "Who is Paul?"
"Huh?"
"Who is Paul?"
"What? I don`t know."
"You said Paul is coming."
"What? No, no. I said `who all`is coming."
"Who all?"
"Yeah. Don`t you say that in England?"
"No."
"Or `what all`or anything like that?"
"No. Is that like `y`all`? "
"Uh, yeah. I guess so."
"Y`all. That`s funny."
But there are more differences. Here are some words that are different in British Englsih (listed first) and American English:
Bathing costume = Swim suit
Car park = Parking lot
Fit = Hot (attractive)
Hot = Warm in temperature
Jumper = Sweater
Shattered = Exhausted
Knickers = Panties
Pants = Underwear
Trousers = Pants
Sweets = Candy
Trainers = Sneakers
Shag = Screw (The sexual term. Not the construction one. You wouldn`t want to say "I need to
shag in this broken table leg.")
Leisure = Leisure (But they say "leh-sure", not "lee-sure.")
Cinema = theater
? = The Man (I had to explain The Man. They don`t think they have one, but of course they do. The
Man is everywhere.)
Can you all think of any other words that are different in one place than in another? Please comment.
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