Friday, February 24

Where the French Are

Back in Guelph and feeling less and less bilingual. I have now officially been in 3 provinces, my most recent excursion being to Montreal, Quebec. I spent three days there with Becky, Christine and Lisa in the aparment of a Montreal CCC staff. Big thanks to her for sharing her apartment for two with an additional 4 people and a clogged toilet. It is a gorgeous city, with incredible shopping. Half price shoes? I'm there! Our day spent in Old Montreal was fantastic as we browsed art galleries with all types and styles of art. Some of it just drew me into the colours and the flow of it. I recommend checking out Claude Bonneau, excellent usage of line and just a few colours.
I was introduced to the kicked-in-the-shins reality that the Canadian public school system has failed me; I am entirely monoligual and can no longer hold onto the illusion that I can make myself understood in french. While I was successfully taught basic verb conjugations and a disproportionately large number of nouns, the ability to string them together in a coherent thought has alluded me. Hopefully this experience will further increase my drive to become fluent in Spanish and fulfill my dream of being bilingual. A grammar wiz in two languages?
PS. The notre Dame cathedral was amazing. Gorgeous and ornate beyond what I could have guessed. Its so sad the state of the actual churh, the Body of Christ in Montreal. A beautiful church like that goes half-ful at best on most Sundays of the year.
With all that traveling I still found time to endlessly go over the pros and cons of a second undergrad in the near future. My biggest fears of money and age have be somewhat alleviated over the past few days, I dont' mind finishing my masters at 30, who cares if all I own by that time is a laptop, a good suit and some crackers when I finish? This would be a good chance to learn about storing up treasures in heaven and having an eternal perspective....

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