Justice and semantics

An interesting article and something I had wondered about (but naively assumed that the people saying "terrorism" had knowledge that I did not).



Why is Boston 'terrorism' but not Aurora, Sandy Hook, Tucson and Columbine?

This is an issue that covers many area, notably, being both political and linguistic.

At what point does the meaning of a word change to fit with how it is mostly being used? What are the legal and social implications?

Can there be justice if someone is falsely accused (in this case: of "terrorism" rather than "murder")? If the media and society makes a decision regarding which crime was committed, yet legally this cannot be processed, will the verdict be accepted? What are the long-term repercussions? Will people feel ultimately that justice was note served? Will they seek revenge?

None of this negates or in any way attempts to diminish the horrific events that took place in Boston. Those affected deserve justice, and the search for justice relies upon facts and evidence.

Reminiscing of snow

Too much writing, not enough pictures! I hear your silent cries and I'm here to sort it out. Also, because after three days of up to 20ºC pretty much all the snow is gone and we're left with the various browns of mud and grass that hasn't seen sunlight in four months. I miss the snow, let's reminisce...

Pointe-au-Père, January

  

Lucky the dog, in snow and looking bashful (for good reason) in front of the snowy balcony window

Walking on the frozen St-Lawrence river, checking out the ice fishing and admiring the town from a perspective I never expected.

And finally, my favourite thing to do on sunny days when I was fed up with unemployment: walking along the riverside and taking photos of the frozen waters.

Making myself at home

The intervals between posts are getting shorter. Honest. And I've not written recently because life has been a little bit manic.

A week ago I was propping my eyes open, trying to be polite as our housemate had friends over. Friends who are also good friends of Denis. Also because I was waiting for Denis to get back from teaching a Rockabilly Jive class. And all because our Winter Wonderland/early St Patrick's Day event had been a hectic success. 

Decorating started at 9:30 a.m.. Although it felt like 8:30 a.m. as the clocks chose the night before our big day to jump forward and "save daylight". And I got home that evening at 6:45 p.m.. Between these times there was, as I said, decorating, there was also: dancing, hot chocolate, live music, homemade maple marshmallows, 400 guests, lots of talking, a small girl who played with my twirly owl skirt, people other than myself snowshoeing, face painting, networking and trying to raise as much awareness as possible of the organisations involved in the event.

The event was brilliant but totally draining. So then most of this week was spent feeling like I needed a weekend. It was also a bit odd because there was hardly anyone in the office. For several days we were just two. Still, had plenty to be getting on with.

I'm quite desperately looking for a car. The problem is that it will be by far the most I've ever spent on anything so I don't want a pile of poo nor something I dislike *cough*Hyundai*cough* but trying to find something fitting, within my budget and no further away than Quebec City is something of a challenge. This is where the small surface area/large population of England makes car buying more convenient. Clearly my parents are taunting me as last week they bought a very specific make and model of second hand car without having to drive six hours. Or maybe it is the universe that is taunting me because one of my friends rocked up in the exact car that I've been looking for. 

This weekend has been pretty relaxed. Friday night was a night of grand vins (if names mean anything to you, they were apparently: Châteauneuf-du-pape Domaine de Nalys, Châteauneuf-du-pape Clos des papes, Cayus, Modus and le Clos St.-Thomas). All I know is that there were different levels of yum. Everyone brought a wine and something to eat. Denis brought the Modus, I brought Brie and Walnut Scones, Crab Choux and Chocolate Melting Moments (a chocolate biscuit base with chocolate ganache topping). Saturday involved brunch with Denis, his mother and brother, looking for secondhand teacups, trying out the new café in town, running into people I actually kind of know and a family dinner. And today has been quiet. Denis had a political brunch followed by a drive to Montreal and is now on a plane to Vancouver. I watched the Australian Grand Prix and very much enjoyed all the action. I was even not too disappointed with the result. 

Denis should be back late Thursday night. It just sucks that for the next four days all the people I'm emotionally closest to are the geographically furthest away. At least I have plenty to be getting on with - yay I have a job!

The cunning use of video games

My housemate has stolen my boyfriend. With the cunning use of retro video games. It might look like a playstation remote plugged into a Wii-mote but really it is the highly pixelated Punch-Out! 

I'm leaving them to it for several reasons: 

1) Housemate only has two remotes

2) I'm rubbish at video games (except dancing ones, Plants v Zombies and Peggle)

3) I think they need a little bonding time. I don't know if it was since I arrived but I have rarely seen them behave like friends (which I'm led to believe they were before they moved in together)

Also, since I got a job, I've fallen behind on my fashion blog reading - shameful, I know. Although, given the choice (which I essentially do have) I would choose my new job over fashion blogs. It makes the waiting for the next post go so much quicker!

Things I need to do: find a flat (with Denis, don't worry, things are still good), buy a car (I'm hoping they'll accept cake in payment) and sort out the legality of me staying here past October. Otherwise, I'm sticking Denis with a seven-month contract on a flat, and that would be unfair. Also, if my new job continues as I hope, and believe, it will, I won't want to be going anywhere.

In other news, I went to dinner with my new boss last night. We had sushi and wine and talked about swing dancing and looked at pretty dresses. Could I ask for more? While it is friendly at work, there was definitely a different feeling - a feeling of two anglophones, who have both been through the British school system and who wound up in some dark corner of a desolate land. I joke because I love - I walked 30 minutes to work today in temperatures that with windchill were getting on for -20 and involved large amounts of snow blowing in my face. I didn't mind but I could really do with a car... if only to be able to get where I need to be going for job-stuff.

I'm looking forward to this weekend (my first event with the new company) - a Winter Wonderland with face-painting, ice sculptures, free hot chocolate, a live band and dancefloor. Will let you know how it goes.

I'll stop now. The elaborate québécois swearing directed at Super Mario is far too distracting.

Surprise!

I'm back! (Not sure for how long, probably only very sporadically) 

So I got that job I posted about all those months ago. And it was really not for me and I spent my evenings and weekends tired and in a bad mood and definitely did not fancy writing about it. I didn't move thousands of kilometres away from my family and friends to be miserable. So I quit.

That was scary. After five years of being officially a student I couldn't cope with being a call-centre robot for a billion dollar company that considered 7 minutes per day adequate for "personal" time (but would then pull you up if you used all of this allocated time).  We were given "positioning statements" for almost any situation so that we could promote the company's position. I didn't necessarily feel that this was in the customers' best interests but the company assured us it was. I think the moment that really did it for me was the lecture on tones of voice and how to use different tones for different call types to make the customers trust us. 

I quit because I wasn't happy and the search for a job more suited to me had ground to a halt since money started being deposited in my bank account. Now, after several weeks of writing letters to companies that interested me (whether or not they were advertising a position), meeting people, demonstrating enthusiasm and independent thinking and as many skills as I could come up with, I may just have found something very interesting and well suited to me.

I'm supposed to start tomorrow and I don't want to jinx it. I'm being a bit cautious because during these weeks of unemployment this is the third job I thought I was getting and the other two haven't come up with any work yet. I'm also feeling uncharacteristically superstitious as the way this job came about seems very much to have been some sort of fate. Just as I was starting to think I might have to give up on trying to start a career and seriously look for another just-a-job (funds running low) I got a call, for a job I applied to in November. I met with the executive director (ED) yesterday. This morning I bumped into an employee who said she was looking forward to working with me (my mind is going "I don't remember being offered or officially accepting a job offer"), I met the ED again today and she bought cake to celebrate my joining the team.  She also felt like it was fate (her words) as she very suddenly needed someone just about exactly like me and I just happened to be available. From the news I'd had leading up to this week, I had been expecting to have other work at this point but the people promising the mythical work didn't come through. 

The job is all sorts of things that interest me and is for a non-profit organisation (unlike the billion dollar telecoms company of before). This means the pay is less but the guilt is non-existent. The ED is also a Lindy Hopper. This makes everything more awesome.

Looking for pretty things and a good cup of tea

Ooops, it has been too long, sorry about that.

Turns out I've been living life rather than writing about it ...which has to be a good thing right?

Last time I was massively looking forward to a swing social dance. Unfortunately seven people turned up. Three of the seven were 1. Myself 2. Denis and 3. Denis' dance and teaching partner, Caro. Also I've pretty much decided that I don't like East Coast Swing. It doesn't look nice and isn't that fun to dance. Lindy for life!

So, last Sunday Denis and I drove down to Montreal. He had to go for work and as I had no job at the time nor any interviews scheduled I got to go to. I thought it was going to be like a free mini holiday, turned out a bit more expensive than I'd assumed. I bought a dining table and four chairs from IKEA. Denis is in the process of paying me back, seeing as I'm not likely to be paid for a good four weeks, I'm not really in a position to buy furniture.

I'm somewhat more certain about pay day seeing as while I was in Montreal I was FINALLY* offered a job. It is with a huge national telecommunications company, in their Rimouski call centre as a customer service represent-ant (the French is "Représentant(e), service à la clientèle" and, although I shall not be carrying bits of leaf on my back, I'm pretty sure I will be the human equivalent of a worker ant).

* Five weeks after I arrived, four weeks after I started looking. Not so bad but due to the end of uni and the proximity of school starting to my leaving date I feel like I haven't actually done anything since mid-June.

Montreal was fun. It was good to get out of Rimouski and meet other people. Not that I'm short of people to meet here. I mostly pounded the streets, looking for pretty things and a good cup of tea.

I also got a catch up chat with Jamie, who assistanted in Joliette when I was in RDL. It was fun to talk English with someone who a) speaks exceedingly good English and b) has a very British sense of humour ...In real life. Skype is a great way to keep in touch but it isn't a patch on actually sitting a matter of centimetres from someone. Although, throwing playing cards at someone in real life is slightly less entertaining than it is via Skype.

I found a cafe in which I'm pretty sure the guy in charge is the brother of C.R. Avery and where soup is served in wooden bowls and the large chai latte is only $4 but comes with a cinnamon stick in it. Also, when I bought my lunch the till didn't have change for a twenty so, in a totally laid back way, C.R.'s brother said he'd bring my latte and change over when they were ready. And he did. I was really thinking that I'd just donated a rather large tip (as in more than 100% of the price of the meal) but nope, C.R. clearly has an honest and reliable brother. I shouldn't be surprised, he is Canadian.

Right, first day of work/work training tomorrow. Time to get myself ready. Wish me luck.

Walk the Chewbacca

This post is starting life in Denis' office at 21:20, Tuesday. He has to speak to someone in China at a time convenient to them. I don't have to be here, I mostly came along to make going back to work after 9pm slightly less painful.

Wednesday there will be no working in the evening. There will be dancing! At possibly the worst advertised social. This has been on the cards since last week (when the venue decided to wait until 10 hours before the event to confirm and then moved it to this week) but the one person who is in a position to put the event on Facebook waited until about 8pm this evening. Oh well, probably will mean more space on the dancefloor for me, muahahahaaaa!

So Saturday night we celebrated Hallowe'en by dressing up (as Jessica Rabbit and Chewbacca) and playing Beer Pong with the Queen of Hearts, some kind of Sexy Rabbit Princess With Feathers (??), Fairy, Prisoner, Baseball Player, Harry Potter, and a bunch of people who couldn't be bothered to dress up. Beginners' luck did not help at all and my team lost. My team also mostly refused to drink all the beer we were supposed to; but it was really horrible beer and we lost really badly so I don't feel bad about essentially cheating. 

We then headed to a bar where Chewbacca was a huge hit and I couldn't hear anything anyone said. My lip reading in French is terrible so I mostly just nodded; they could have been saying anything (Denis recently introduced me to How I Met Your Mother - turns out the secret is to start with season 1, episode 1 and get the proper character introductions otherwise it is far less funny).

Sunday I watched Ghostbusters for the first time, except it was actually S.O.S. Fantômes, because I watched it in French. Still good, in a very 80s way. Talking of the 80s, I have been reliving my childhood and listening to songs from NOW 1987 such as the exceedingly dated but no less funky Walk the Dinosaur. 

Monday evening started with a "cocktail" (where beer, wine and soft drinks were available for consumption). It was for the Liberal Party of Quebec and I met Michelle Courchesne who was very taken with the story of how I came to be in Rimouski (i.e. Denis). She said we should turn it into a book. Unfortunately, I think the book would be pretty short and probably very chick-lit-y due to subject matter and lack of content. Although, if it looks like I'll never find a job that would give me something to do.

Then we headed off to Denis' wine-tasting class. I was allowed to come for free because it was Denis and Marc who were "teaching" that evening. It was a good job I was there, otherwise a paying customer would have had to hold the map of Lebanon in the style of glamourous assistant. And then there was whisky tasting. Not quite sure how that fits in with a wine class but at least it was something I wanted to hear about (as obviously I'm happy to taste as much free wine and whisky as people are willing to give me). I didn't learn anything new as the focus was very much on Scotch whisky - the one type I know a little about. Unsurprisingly the English girl with Scots blood did know more about it that the bloke from Quebec.

So a "cocktail" where no cocktails were served and "wine tasting" with whisky sampling. Clearly Monday was a night of things not being what they seemed - appropriate for Hallowe'en.

Tuesday afternoon was not only productive but good fun. I met up with Claire as she's not working this week. We drank tea and talked painting and knitting. Plus, in the really cool tea room Claire took me to (that I'd totally walked past not realising what it was) I bumped into Raf, who I'd met at the "cocktail". It's almost like I know people here.

Right, people have arrived, pre-dancing. I should be less un-sociable and get my head out of my computer.

Swing Station

Last night was Swing Station which was totally AWESOME. 

I have tried four different ways to sum it up and it seems I cannot in any kind of cohesive and grammatical sentence. Therefore: bullet points! The order of the ideas has no relation to the importance of the idea in relation to the other ideas.

• dance
• video
• clown/percussionist
• live band
• tap/balboa/lindy/charleston/air steps
• train station
• train
• club
• couple
• gang
• children
• underwater
• mime
• drum solo with smoke
• THOMAS BLACHARZ

I had a ridiculous grin on my face for the rest of the evening, it was so charming and the musicality was fantastic. The choreography and the music are specific to the show but I couldn't work out if the music was written to the movements or the movements were choreographed to the music. There was a really interesting vignette in which three dancers each represented (or were represented by?) a different instrument (piano, double bass, violin). The interplay and choreography was very impressive. 

I so badly need to dance. Unfortunately the social dance I was looking forward to on Wednesday will not happen until next Wednesday due to the venue not confirming until a couple of hours until the social was supposed to take place (seriously, wtf?).

However, it turns out these dances will be every other Wednesday and the university wants a social dance once a month as well. No classes at the moment but there will be dancing!

As for the job front, I've handed out a number of CVs and taken the initial test for one but not heard anything so far. There seem to plenty of offers for shop assistants but having done that (when I was 16) I'm really looking for a post-uni job. Surely someone in this town must want someone who can speak English and not just people with a degree in administration (?!?)

A is for Abby, B is for Barbeque, C is for Canons

Saturday may just have been my best day in Quebec so far. It had the unlikely start of waking up alone. Completely alone. Denis was on the way back from Montreal and housemate Fred went somewhere Friday afternoon, taking Lucky the dog with him, and hadn't returned. Good job this is Quebec otherwise I might have been afraid of intruders.

The quiet in the flat meant that I slept in until 10a.m. and could eat my breakfast in bed (being careful about crumbs, of course). Then I had an epic skyping session with Abby which I really needed. I'm definitely missing my best friends; apart from Denis, there isn't anyone in this town who really knows me and can make me laugh with inside jokes. I miss having inside jokes, at the moment I'm the person who looks blank while everyone else is falling about - and not just because they're speaking French!

Denis got back earlier than expected and the afternoon continued the relaxed theme of the morning. And then. And then he took me out for a meal (it should be noted that this was the first time we've eaten in a restaurant together, without other friends around, because we wanted to and not because we were on the road and needed some food, you know, like a real date) and to a concert of l'Orchestre symphonique de l'Estuaire with the Royal 22e Régiment. 

It was really bloody good, much much better than I had anticipated. The first "set" was the orchestra playing such classics as the Radetzky March by Strauss and March no. 1 of the Pomp and Circumstance Marches by Elgar (Denis was teasing me about getting overly patriotic during the latter). After the intermission the 22e played less military-inspired pieces and more jazzy stuff with New York as the theme, for some reason. Which definitely made for a nice contrast and an older chap got the audience singing at the end (I didn't know the words).

But really the finale was the truly impressive part where both bands joined together (logistics of setting up the stage disguised by five brass players in Beatles wigs playing With a Little Help from my Friends) to play Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. Some very large drums took the place of the canons but half the audience jumped all the same. 

Afterwards we mingled with musicians and I was introduced to the conductor. Naturally he already knew Denis, for everyone does.

Then we headed to a pool hall to catch up with some people I had met before! Not only that but I met them for the first time about 18 months ago and despite not having met them that many times they clearly count as old friends here. I didn't play any pool, I was considering it but then Denis was far too good and I'd rather be thought a poor player than give it a go and remove all doubt. 

We rounded off the night with a trip to La Cantine de a Gare for a spot of poutine. Man it was good. I wasn't even hungry and I ate most of it (I was supposed to be sharing with Denis).

Sunday evening we met up with the same group for a barbeque. As you do. In October. When you don't have a garden (the barbeque was on the balcony). Then we watched Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and I found geeky lindy hop routines to show Denis. Yup, we're all super cool people.

Today I have finally got myself a local phone number and a phone that works, if only so I can apply for jobs - online application forms refuse to accept that someone doesn't have a phone number; "you must spend money in order to possibly be considered for the honour of earning money," is what they seem to say.

And now I'm watching the Montreal Canadiens not winning, although for the moment they're also not losing which is a vast improvement on recent form. According to a quick google search this is the worst start to the season since 1938, 1941 or 1995. Apparently there are different ways to define the crappiness of their form.

In other news, soft cheese with vanilla-ness is not only not rank but really rather yummy but I reserve the right to dismiss cheese with jam or cheese with nutella without trying it.

To look forward to this week: social dance Wednesday night (yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay) and Swing Station on Thursday. J'ai vraiment trop hâte.

Culture Shock

So we're on weekly updates at the moment. Little and often may be more motivating, I'll try to keep that in mind.

Denis is on his way to Montreal to fetch the pimp car. We've been tooling about in a pickup for the past couple of weeks - made me feel like a local.

Writing is a bit slow tonight as I'm watching the Hunter S. Thompson documentary and typing during the commercial breaks. However, the Baby Bullet advert, which features in every break, is very distracting, not only due to the name but for some reason it seems to be twice the volume of the other adverts and three times the volume of the programme I actually want to watch.

Finally the chest of drawers has been repaired and this afternoon, after living out of suitcases for almost two weeks, I finished unpacking and maybe now I'll feel like I'm not just visiting. Step 2 in feeling like I belong: find a job.

I've been working on my CV and have a couple of leads but have also had a couple of set backs. More news when there is some.

Last Saturday night we were invited to Marc-Andre and Steph's for an exceedingly enjoyable evening of fabulous food and fine wines, finished off with a lesson in poker. Clearly I had good teachers as I won my first game but you know what they say: quit while you're ahead.

Earlier that day I'd got my lumberjack (jane?) on and helped stack a whole lotta wood. We ended up with three stacks, ten foot high, six foot wide and as deep as the logs were long. All I was missing was the checked shirt.

Then on Sunday, continuing with the body building theme, we helped a friend of Denis' move into her first solo apartment. If ice hockey is the religion of the locals, helping people move house is their hobby.

Wednesday was the next eventful day in that we went to see Alexandre Desilets. I'd not heard of him and, due to a problem with the internet, I'd not been able to check him out beforehand. The worry set in when one of our group described the music as being like Coldplay. The worry turned to horror when the support act appeared and proceeded to present forty-five minutes of keyboard noises; think Ross' sound but not a joke. At least, I assume it wasn't some sort of performance art testing the audience's feelings of obligation to applaud any sort of performance.  Those boys need to go back to their parents' basement and, preferably, not leave. Ever. Or possibly they were there to lower our musical standards. 

The main act were fine. The musicians were tight but I wasn't fond of the vocals and it wasn't particularly to my taste. My main barrier to enjoying the show was the set up - an audience of under 100 people sat at small tables when we should have been standing up and jumping about.

I guess having lived here before I thought I knew how it would be this time but I'm definitely feeling the culture shock. What place has hard floors in every room of the house and then carpet on the open porch?


These days I'm mostly taking walks and doodling. Five minute's walk from the flat I get to hang out and check out these views:

Flames 4 - 1 Canadiens

My days are still pretty empty but the evenings have been considerably more interesting of late.

I'm going to try and find a sketch book this afternoon as I've got some inspiration brewing and I feel I've spent too long at my computer. Much as I love this thing I am going a little bit nuts. I didn't bring any of my books or arty stuff with me so my principle leisure activities consist of reading random articles about fashion/celebrities/TV/society. That, and keeping up to date with the lives of the inhabitants of TOWIE and Made in Chelsea... it ain't good.

Don't get me wrong, I'm in the right place and I will find a job but at the moment I don't have anything to focus on whilst Denis is at work and I don't have the money or means to go out and meet people - mind you if these imaginary people I'm meeting are as free as I am, either they're exceedingly wealthy people of leisure or are similarly underemployed. Denis is so far putting up with me and my frustrations wonderfully and we're going to go through my CV (I got it done, to some extent) this weekend. I suppose I feel a little bit lost right now but I know he's here to keep me on the right track [/soppy].

So, thank goodness it is almost the weekend and I will have things to do and people to see! 

Wednesday evening started with a 5 à 7 - a post-workday gathering with drinks and nibbles for socialising and networking - during which several people were made aware of a) my search for employment and b) my general awesomeness in that I speak pretty perfect English as well as some French. These people seemed to think there might be something for me but we'll see if anything comes out of it. I can't say I'm especially expecting it to.

After that we went out for a meal to celebrate someone's birthday. It was a nice restaurant with a wholly un-vegetarian theme but thankfully I can now eat meat without spending the rest of the day in pain - hurrah! So I then met many more people and generally remembered their names (even though we were a group of twelve) far better than those I'd come across at the 5 à 7. Which was pretty good as I was well on my way to tipsy by that point.

All this eating and drinking then sitting around is going to make me fat and brain-dead. I would go walking but I did something to my foot about a week before I left England and it still bloody hurts. I'm complaining far too much today. It isn't woe here at all, it is just a bit slow but with very friendly and welcoming people.

Last night was also good fun but again with the drinking! It was the first inter-Canada hockey game of the season and frankly we were trounced. It was shameful. But the snacks were good. We'd gone to a friend of Denis' house and I ended up being a solo female (I was abandoned by a girl I'd met only the night before!) and therefore had to try and ignore the burping and inappropriate comments (thankfully not directed at me). It was fun to begin with but then the boys started playing poker and not knowing the rules of the game I couldn't follow the action. However, there are plans in the pipeline for teaching me the game and soon I shall be a gambling addict and bleed Denis dry. Or become really rich, a ten dollar play at a time.

I believe we're going to the cinema tonight, to see some action film with fast cars, big guns and women wearing not a whole lot. At least, that's how the idea was sold to me.

ETA: Just posted a link to here on facebook and incidentally found out that one of my most favourite musicians Mark Berube (seriously, check him out) played Rimouski two days ago. WHHYYYY??? 

Baseball cap storage facilities

So. All arrived, safe and sound after about 24 hours of travel. Still recovering from that/a touch of the old jetlag.

Monday was a bank holiday as Sunday was Thanksgiving in Canada. It was definitely what I needed, to get out and see people - it made me forget I was tired and it made me feel popular in a town where I know fewer than ten people. Denis' friends are very welcoming and lovely but I do want to find my own friends. Something that could be challenging because, as far as I can tell, Denis knows everyone in Quebec and most people in Ontario and New Brunswick.

Yesterday I finally met Fred and Lucky - our housemate and his dog. I met Lucky first and was beginning to suspect that Fred was some kind of benevolent ghost that brings people dogs but he is in fact a French guy who is doing a Masters in something about turbines and enjoys the Big Bang Theory. And on the basis of the music he has on at the moment I think we'll get along just fine.

I also unpacked as much stuff as would fit in the limited storage facilities (more to be sorted at the weekend, along with wood bundling and helping someone move house) - I don't think I've shared a wardrobe since my sister and I slept in the same room. Without meaning to be overly soppy, it is pretty nice to see the clothes hanging up (/out) together.

Had a little solo explore of the local facilities and managed to become completely baffled by two different mobile phone sales people. I don't know what I'm going to do about my phone. I could get something awesome/pretty if I was on a three-year contract but I just don't know if I'm going to be here that long. If all goes to plan I will be but what's to say that in a year I won't decide to run off somewhere else? I'm basing this on past form rather than intentions. Mind you, do I really want to stay in a town where shops, next to hanging pocket shoe storage thingys, sell hanging pocket storage things for up to 20 baseball caps?? Welcome to North America.

Today Denis has set me the task of writing an up to date CV in French. I'm currently avoiding this. I don't know what job I'm aiming for and therefore what the focus should be. I also don't know what the conventions are here. I barely know the conventions at home - all but my very first job I managed to get without needing a CV. I definitely need to find a job as I am currently some non-person that knows almost no one, has no money and very little to be getting on with. I promise I'll have a good go at it this afternoon, really.

Haven't had any poutine yet but the cravings are creeping up on me. Especially as I missed out at Easter. Mmmmmmmm....

Hey stranger

Eleven days until I depart for Quebec. This time I don't know when I'll be coming back.

I previously attempted to keep some record of what I was up to during my first Canadian adventure and after a year of manic stress (the official term for a PGCE) with absolutely no time/inclination for blogging... I'm back!

You may recall I headed off to Quebec just over two years ago, to a town named Rivière-du-Loup and had a fabulous time teaching high school kids English. I worked about 18 hours a week and had various adventures with the other teaching assistants (Thanksgiving, Halloween and chalet adventures in Quebec, Chicago for Christmas, New York for Spring Break, the breadth of Canada over the summer ...not that the latter adventures made it on to here.)

Well, things have generally got a whole lot more serious. I tried applying for teaching jobs but didn't really want to get any offers as that would mean I had no excuse to run away. I took this to mean that if somehow I did find a job in these difficult times I would still want to run away and so the best course of action would be to head off to foreign lands for a third time (first being France in 2007).

I've got myself onto the Working Holiday Program, which is now called "International Experience Canada" (IEC) and no longer explains what it is about in the name so you'll just have to go read this if you're interested. I get to live and work in Canada for a whole year and if all goes well I shall be looking to apply for residency.

When I get there I will be doing something (role still to be determined) for AMH Canada, and before you get too excited I probably won't be allowed to play with the welders and the fire and the sharp bits of metal.

If I am going to become a real teacher at some point in the future I feel like a bit more life experience would be a good idea. Yes I've already lived in two foreign countries but I've always had the warm cocoon of education to protect me. From the age of four my life has gone: primary school, high school, two years of university in Sheffield, year abroad (France) teaching English in high schools, back to university, belated "gap-year" teaching English in a high school in Quebec, back to university to train to become a high school French teacher. Now I like education very much but I need to see if I like other things too. So. Welders it is then.

Like I said, things are a lot more serious. Not only am I hoping this year will lead to a) knowing what I want to do with my life and b) a permanent move to Quebec, but it is also getting pretty serious in the relationship area. I'm moving to a town I barely know in a foreign country, that speaks a foreign language and I'm moving in with my boyfriend, whose father I shall be working for (for three months to give me time to find my own job). The last two parts are, in theory, to help my move go more smoothly but sometimes I wonder if I might be taking on rather a lot all in one go. Most of the time I'm too excited to wonder about such things.

Also, I'll get to live with a dog. I spent years campaigning for my parents to buy my one and now I get a trial run before I am a real grown up and have to do things for myself for realz.

Final few weeks of England are passing quickly. Had a visit to Sheffield, shall be heading to London, been to the dentist and opticians, going to the hairdresser tomorrow, seeing my uncle and aunt on Friday, fitting in as much dancing as I can, making the most of my wonderful friend Sam being not so far away, seeing family friends. Oh yeah, and culling about half of my worldly belongings so as not to leave my parents with too much of my rubbish as I'm only taking two suitcases this time.

That reminds me: must check hand baggage allowance and check-in time. And go to sleep.

The end is nigh and the travels are about to begin.

Sunday of my last full weekend in RDL and I have done nothing. I've mostly been drinking tea and eating (dunked) choccy biccies. I also stubbed my toe yesterday and it still really hurts but not so much that I think it could be broken. For one thing, I can walk but flip-flops are out of the question.

Ella is getting to Montreal today. I get there on Wednesday. I really need to be more productive today to make sure that I have sorted everything out before I leave as it will be eleven days before I'm back in Wolf Creek, and then I'm only here for a couple of days before leaving POUR LE BON. 

I have found someone kind enough to offer me a place to live in Sheffield which makes the return a lot less stressful and therefore infinitely more fun. But that doesn't diminish my sadness about leaving here. I've had such an amazing year. I've done things I never imagined I would and it has all turned out so well. There are also people here who I'm really going to miss. 

It is official. I've booked my flight home. I've also got transport sorted from Montreal to Halifax, back to RDL, from Toronto to Vancouver, back to Edmonton, then Saskatoon before returning to Montreal. Yes there is a gap between RDL and Toronto but that's not up to just me so we'll see. My bank account is crying. I just hope I've got my sums right.

Hello? Promotion? Anyone? Hello?

No, no, it isn't me that needs promoting, it is an event. Quite a large event (for a small town) to which about 3,500 people may attend. It is Super Motocross Intérieur and it is coming to the RDL arena this weekend. However, it isn't hard to miss, seeing how bloody difficult it is to find out the basics: what is going on, when and where I can get tickets.

I now have a ticket thanks to serious Googling and a bit of guess work: I Googled the event, found a fax number, Googled that and came up with the name of a bar, went to the bar and asked if they sold tickets, they do. However, I'm still not really sure of what the format is and what time I ought to be there, whether I can leave for dinner or if I want to see the main event I must starve/eat skanky arena hotdogs (the hotdogs are skanky*, not the arena). 

I really would not be surprised if the venue is mostly empty. Which could really scupper my chances of running off with a hot biker guy. It'll probably just be the dads of the competitors... Maybe a few mums but judging on the limited photos I've found of similar events, the females are generally wearing not very much and holding up boards. We are not signposts damnit! Or umbrella stands! F1 I'm looking at you.

Why wouldn't you want to promote your event? Unless you don't want people there. In which case, don't hold it in an arena, hold it in a back garden. It isn't too fantastically difficult, you know a few posters with the key info (date, time, location, price, a telephone number/email that will actually get a response) go a long way towards making people decide to go to something. If it wasn't for the fact that my life is so lacking in motorsport right now, I'm not sure I'd've made all this effort. And now I need to decide what I'm gonna wear...

It will be a good weekend though. After an afternoon/evening of watching blokes on bikes (alliteration y'all. I'll be hoping for some broads on bikes too, of course) fly through the air** we have the Monaco GP on Sunday morning. I'm still missing Kimi pretty desperately. A whole aspect of my race enjoyment (namely shouting at the TV to try and make Kimi win/do okay) has gone. I can still appreciate good racing and a good race but it isn't as fun. Don't you dare suggest I try supporting Lewis. When anything goes wrong for Lewis I get a little bit of the joy I got from watching Kimi do well. Sorry.

*I'm basing this on my general hatred of hotdogs rather than personal experience of any from this venue. I should stop talking about hotdogs. It's making me feel a little nauseous. 

**I really do enjoy flying, be it on a plane, watching planes, watching people on bikes or just being thrown about a bit in swing. Most of my thought processes include swing and this blog should be representative of my thoughts.

I suddenly really want a chicken korma. I don't even like curry. Oh, chicken korma...