Wired.

I have internet in my room now (finally) I had to buy a cord at the University's co-op bookstore run by their SA I believe - I liked it a lot that it's a co-op (made me less pissed about forgetting my cord at home). Then, I had to figure out how to configure my computer from instructions all in french which came with handy pictures to help you but showing an operating system from like oh I dunno Windows '78 or something...... it was a "fun" time....

For those of you unaware why I'm here - I'm here for a 5 week french language program (to learn me up some french). We were tested today using "the laval test" then orally (individually). When I was tested orally they were like WOAH your french is way better than you tested... I mean.... it was kinda awkward. There are apparently 6 levels and she anticipates I'll be somewhere around 3. So we shall see - find out tomorrow.

What else? I am living in Residence (apartment style) and I quite like it. I could have stayed with a family but, I'm too old for that I think I want my space and while it'd have been better for learning the language... meh, these are the trade offs. I am living in an apt with three other women - 1 is from Newfoundland originally going to UNB she's like 21ish (she's in education/ba); one is from Vancouver but originally from Bosnia H. and is Croatian, who lived in Germany for a number years... I suspect her family fled during the war but she didn't explicitly say as much... she wants to move back to Europe after her undergrad she's younger (19ish I think) but very chill and quite interesting. Finally, we have a roommate from Saskatoon who is 18! Zuts Alors! She is not into partying (ie drinking "even if I'm legal here"...) but is into being very naive, and just well I dunno young. I'm unsure when I became an older curmudgeon but man oh man is there a real difference between 18 and 24. How does that happen? Ah, well. Most people here seem to be about 18-21ish so I feel a bit old but it's only been 1.5 days and I haven't started classes yet. None of my roommates really drink which is kinda good insofar as there won't be like Chestnut, Liquor Dome, or On Tap (a variance of options depending on how I know you) like parties in my apt ... but, on the other hand man there's a huge SAQ here I have to get shitfaced a few times....

It's a bit like high school or actual summer camp so far like PSE demographics the women tend to outnumber the men, and most of the men I've seen so far seem to be boys ... however, there are just under 300 of us and I haven't seen that many people yet, well, all of them or had a chance to meet very many people yet. While I haven't experienced as much as Canada as I would have liked to I do feel privileged to have seen as much as I have and to have met people from different regions as much as I have. I'm taken aback by how many of the younger people I'm meeting have these crazy misconceptions or ideas about different parts of the country and speak about with them with such authority (i.e. my sask roommate explaining to me the east coast - so hard not to have laughed in her face) - ah again my age-ism, but, I wonder how naive I was then and how much I am still now.... I wonder if I've at least developed some more self-reflexivity...

French man wise haha - things are looking up as there is a hot-ish older (than me not
old like 58 year old - which Wes Cocks thought I meant by saying I want a older french man and was like ewww) grad student across the hall whom I just discovered while literally running up my 5 flights of stairs - not a smooth move...

Speaking of running, I wish I had of remembered the cleaner I compulsively use on my birks...all that hard maintenance work is going to go down the tube after 5 weeks here. This program though does make me feel more okay about my life as of now as a lot of people who are younger than me have definitely not had the same great experiences I was fortunate enough to have had by that age or if they are my age the same thing. So, it pays to not always surround myself with extremely amazing, driven and brilliant people (no offense, because if you're reading this you're likely one of those friends that makes me feel like I have so much more that I should be doing or have done by this age).....

Chicoutimi despite being bigger than Fredericton is a very different feel (obviously) but beyond cultural etc. I can't articulate it... But it is a town built on a big fucking hill .... makes Regent street seem kinda "meh-ish" but, it has been awhile since I hiked up regent.... maybe this is why I like Ottawa so much, no big hill like Hali and Freddy (I almost just wrote "comme" and I also dreamed a bit in french last night...) Okay, well I'm skipping a walking tour of the town right now to finish a paper (as you can see) the last one due by Wednesday or an incompleto for me. :|

School starts every day at 8:45 am, ick....

Peace.

PS - I wish I had a digital camera.... I don't even have an old school one. I might buy a toss away guy... (camera, not guy, although...)