Day 14/15

Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24, 2007, Day 14 & Day 15: Saturday: I woke up early, because my body is naturally trained to do so, even when its the weekend (darn it!). I have actually been waking up before my alarm by like 2 hours every day this week. Why?!? I want to sleep in sometime. Oh well, the day is longer, the earlier I get up. I showered, ate breakfast, threw in a load of laundry, and went to PharmaPrix for some emergency items. My mascara is clumpy, so I got a new one (if you didn't know, you aren't supposed to keep them more than a month or two), and a new deodorant, because mine broke this morning. That was fun to clean up, haha. The deodorant was like $4.00 and it is like 1/2 the size of my usual one. It's like going to last me a week, seriously. I just like to buy in bulk, it's what Americans do. More for less. Bigger is better. And all those other catchy phrases. Anyways, so then I returned home and I changed the washer and decided to venture out to the Jean Talon market to buy some cheap, fresh food. And so I Google mapped it out and was on my merry way. I began walking, and I had my iPod on, and life was grand. I stopped and took some random pictures like I usually do, and continued on my way. Speaking of pictures, I put some up finally! Of my apartment, and randomness around Montreal. So I discovered the Indian section of Montreal if I ever crave Indian food. And I found Little Italy! That was awesome. Believe me when I say I walked a LOT of blocks...at least 20 or 25 looong blocks. But I found the market! I was so proud of myself that I did my happy dance. Don't worry, someday I will do it for you in person. It's really more of a shimmy, hip thing....I also do a dance when I get new clothes and I run up to my room and try them on...my sister, Nikky knows the one, haha!! Ahem, anyways...moving on, I was in awe of all of the fruits and veggies and fresh food the market had to offer! I removed the ear buds, realizing this was an experience that would require all the senses. I bought red and green grapes and cherries, and walked around for a bit. Then, I got fish and chips fresh, which was AMAZING! So worth the walk!! And I tried just about every fruit imaginable...free samples galore! WOOHOO! I had apricots, nectarines, apples, mangoes, plums, pears, pineapple, strawberries, cheese, and more! If I was homeless on the streets of Montreal, I would be coming to the Jean Talon market every day to get a meal! I would never go hungry! Then I decided to return home. As I was walking back and jamming to music, I was thinking about walking. I know that sounds weird, but I'm serious. See, I have really terrible balance because I am a big klutz, but I also noticed if there is a guy walking next to me, it doesn't matter who it is, but any member of the male species, I can't walk straight! I trip, I just walk weird, and I don't get it. It never happens when I walk with girls. Weird, I know. I also have this food thing...but I will let Katie explain that to you if you care to hear it. Equally weird. But, so back to my thinking. I am trying to work on my "sexy walk." Because I don't have one. I learned how to walk sexy in modeling school, but it feels so unnatural. I am not very much a fan. But it is a good thing to have! I am trying to get it down, and I have learned it's easier in heels. Last year at my annual hemophilia treatment center check-up, the physical therapist said my walking was a bit 'off.' And I have worn out the front of my flip-flops. Weird--the front! So I am really thinking about and concentrating on my sexy walk, and all of a sudden there's this guy and his friend walking towards me and saying something to me. I pulled out my ear bud so I could hear him, and he told me (in French), "Hello, you are very pretty." I was like, is he for real? I guess that cheesy pick-up lines exist everywhere--even in Canada. "Merci," was all I could manage, with a big cheesy smile. I had so many good sarcastic things lined up in English that I could have said, but I just can't think that fast in French. Don't worry, Rich, I could have taken him. But I mean, the dude had a ponytail! It made me laugh. Besides, if Montreal is all about looks, I was scrubby today by Montreal standards, in my jeans, a tee-shirt, and sandals! This is exactly why I tune out the world with my iPod. My ear buds are specially named: Bull (insert swear word of choice here, I like 'shiggin') cancelling. I discovered another major cultural difference here. I walk very fast, compared to everyone else. Especially couples. I swear, everyone here got together in a big town hall meeting and said, "Let's seek out Shelly Mattson and walk in front of her at the rate of 2 miles per hour." I can't help it I have long legs and a mission! Time is precious, people, and I don't want it to take me the whole day just to get where I am going! I digress....anyways, so on my return home, my pocket starts vibrating because my phone was on vibrate. It's my French professor (AKA Madame)! I was so excited! She asked if I still wanted to meet her for lunch, and I was like, "Heck yes I do!" So she said she would call me back. I got back to my apartment, put my clothes from the dryer away, and my fruit in the fridge, and changed and got ready to go out. My prof. called me back and told me where to meet her. I was going to have to take the metro, apparently. I was a bit frightened, not having taken it yet. And so I walked the distance, haha. I stopped and asked like 8 people how to get to Champs de Mars. Seriously, 8. This one guy I asked was like (in French), "Are you new here?" And I was like, "Yes!" I proceeded to tell him I was from the States, and he welcomed me, and said my French was very, VERY good! Wow, 2 verys--I was so excited, that made my day! I told Madame that later, and we both laughed, because that would be good for the end of year course evaluations. I am a good speaker because of her, and my high school French teachers! They are all amazing. So, I got pretty lost on my way to find Madame, and I called her several times. She told me she was sitting on a park bench. I found her, eventually, after asking a random Asian dude from Singapore who was living in Boston and used to work in Montreal 16 years ago who busted out his handy dandy map to tell me where the park was located. I hugged Madame, and said hello to her husband. We walked around Old Montreal, and we ate at a cute little restaurant outdoors. Madame and I got the Serviette de fromage (cheese and fruit plate) and her husband Paul got the salade nicoise. A good choice as well! We chatted for a bit, and then we walked around. We went to a museum for a while, and then just enjoyed the entertainment in the area. There was a baroque music festival going on. I bought a tee-shirt for $10. It's pretty sweet, but it's pea soup puke green. Yuck. It was so good to see Madame, for the mere fact that 1) she is awesome, and 2) she is a little piece of home. Her and her hubby went to a concert in a church, but I opted to go home, since I was pretty tired. I walked some miles today, no doubt! I am gonna have some nice in-shape legs to show off with my sexy walk.....haha! Onward to Sunday: (by the way, if you are still reading, I give you props! I am getting tired of typing, and you must really like my writing! hehe!) I woke up early again, showered, and then headed a pied (by foot) downtown to Tim Horton's to continue the tradition Rosalind has hooked me on. I ordered a Tim Matin, a donut, and a milk. I enjoyed my breakfast, then headed of to St. Patrick's for Mass. This time I had my camera! I took lots of pictures of the beautiful basilica before Mass. After Mass, I stopped at Provigo (Pronounced prah-vuh-goh, I always say, "Proh-vee-goh," and everyone laughs at me!) to pick up some junk food. You know, more maple cookies and what not. Then I headed home. On the way, I was really thinking about my life here. Sometimes I forget that I am in another country, because it's "only Canada." It's so weird not seeing or really talking to anyone I know on a regular basis. It's just different, I guess. I definitely don't think I could ever live here permanently. I feel so separated from everyone!! Anywhos, I got back home and I caught up on some emails, and then relaxed a bit. And I got a phone call from my friend David!! He is back in town--yay! It was my first all-in-French phone conversation. It went good though! It was fun!! He talks very clearly and relatively slowly (I think, for my understanding), but sometimes it's hard to hear even my English-speaking friends on the phone. We are going to meet up for the Jazz Festival on Thursday after work. He is going to come down to the office and meet me...so awesome!! I can't wait! Then I decided to go check out the mountain (La montagne) to see what all the buzz about it is. I walked, of course. My legs are sooooo sore and tired from yesterday that I am not even thinking about the sexy walk for a while!! haha!! I actually really like walking everywhere, and I am blessed I am able to do it! It kicks my butt though, because I am pretty out of shape! I won't be by the end of summer, though! La Montagne was soooo cool, there were TONS of people there doing every outdoor thing imaginable...frisbee, ball, playing music, reading, relaxing. I plopped myself under a tree and wrote some letters, and ate all those wonderful cherries I bought at Jean Talon Market yesterday! It was relaxing. Then I headed back home, and here I am! Whew! What a weekend! :)