Blog- May 2013
I apologise that you haven’t
heard from me in three months. You see- I have been suffering from a temporary
bout of climate shock. A rise in temperature of over 60 degrees celsius in
three months have led me- an English girl used to a moderate climate, quite
hysterical. Symptoms have included:
-Wandering around in a daze,
taking appreciative snorts of air. (It’s the first time that we’ve been able to
smell the ground in 6 months. And I never would have thought that
earth/concrete could smell so strong!)
-As soon as the thermometer
hits 15 degrees, sunbathing on the decking by my apartment- reading a book
about German identity, eating ice lollys and having the time of my life. (It
ought to be noted that my apartment is directly opposite the school, so a
torrent of students streamed past my pasty form after the school bell rang at
3.45.)
-Having an outburst of joy
upon the opening of the ice cream shack in April. Skipping to said shack, yet
returning downcast after spending 3 minutes trying to ask for frozen yoghurt
(in Quebec it’s pronounced yog-hourt instead of yaourt). I just kept repeating
the word ‘yaourt’ to the blank faced attendee and sounded as if I was yapping.
-Going to the ski centre for
zumba classes. NOT to ski.
-Being extra appreciative of
not having to wear snow boots and loads of layers to school, which I then have
to change out of in the vestiaire upon arrival (more time to sleep each morning
jaaa!).
-Being tempted, upon walking
by the beach, to go swimming (and I fully intend to this week!).
The task of updating you on
everything that’s happened since my last blog, which was in October (sozzles)
is just too big. I think that this ‘year abroad
blog’ in it’s current state may be beyond help, so I’m just going to put
some of my favourite experiences into an acrostic for you.
A year as a language assistant in
Sainte-Anne-des-Monts EQUALS…
Savouring the abundant sea food. Fresh cod= 1 dollar.
A ski slope lying 5 minutes drive from the town centre.
Inevitably leaving your year abroad dissertation until
the last minute.
Never giving up when trudging to the supermarket in -42
winds.
Taking care when driving not to hit a
moose.
Eating moose.
Adapting to the Quebecois accent.
Not mentioning the Queen. (She’s not too popular here…)
Not laughing when guards at the US/Canada border scream
at you.
Each flight that you take resulting in you being put on
‘standby’…
Doing hitchhiking and hitching rides through car share
websites.
Earning a salary.
Sea Shack (the best shack/hippy bar in the gaspésie).
Mont Tremblant- a resort near Montreal where I first
went skiing!
Organising noisy yet fabulous conversation games with
pupils.
Not understanding the staff room banter… awkwardddd.
Trips to Boston, Montreal, Matapedia and New Brunswick.
Sports! Skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, yoga, zumba,
ultimate Frisbee and volleyball to name a few that I’ve been doing!
To finish, here’s a song by
my favourite quebecois singer: Louis Jean Courmier. I saw him in a concert in
Matane last month and everybody cried.
