A new adventure

To my dear readers:

As some of you already know, my time in Quebec has come to a close for now.  I will of course visit my new friends in Trois-Rivieres from time to time, but I am once again living in Upstate New York.

But I wouldn't want to deprive you all of the pleasure that reading my blog gives you.  I have decided to keep writing about my strange experiences, only this time, I will go out looking for them instead of letting them come to me. (Living in a foreign country is bound to bring more new adventures to your door than hanging out in the same town you suffered through high school in.)

I will start trying things that have never interested me, to see if I'm missing out on anything.  I haven't tried a lot of typical "fun" things because my own bizarre interests take up most of my time.  (How many yodeling, goundhog-feeding foreign-language enthusiasts do you know?)

On the agenda:

-Try World of Warcraft (I realized I shouldn't make fun of people who play it unless I am absolutely sure it is as lame as it sounds.)
-Camp out at a protest (I'm too moderate to be really "into" most political causes, but hey- people and their beliefs fascinate me.)
-Go "hunting" (I'm a strict vegetarian, so I wouldn't be able to do much besides sit in a tree stand.  But still.)

Please, if you know me and know what doesn't interest me-- or if you don't know me but know of something cool that I should try-- comment!  Who knows- you may just introduce me to something I'll end up adopting as a hobby!

Ottawa!

Well, I just got back from Ottawa last night.  Some friends and I stayed at a hostel there to experience the capital of the country we are staying in.  It was really pretty: castle-type buildings, a Parliament modeled after the English one, a lack of litter and urine on the sidewalks...basically, exactly what you would expect of a major Canadian city.

I have run into a bit of problem, though.  Whenever I appear in photographs now, I look quite pudgy.  I haven`t gained weight- it`s just that the camera adds 10 pounds, and the parka adds about 20 more.  To avoid wearing the parka would be to avoid staying warm, so I really have no choice when I`m traveling. So don`t think I`ve "let myself go" when you see the images on Facebook.

Ready for liftoff!

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

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.)

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.