Slowing down, to live and to reconsider

Wow. I can't actually believe that it has been almost a week since my last post!!!! This would clearly imply that I have been up to my usual antics and going crazy every night. I hate to be a large disappointment, but my life has been taking a turn for the less-expensive recently, and I am not partying it up in Montréal quite a much. I am taking this as an indication that I am beginning to settle in completely, and starting to form more permanent habits. Since my last post was last Saturday, I will do my usual résumé of the week.

Sunday - Biodôme with the Canadians (Leah and Alex) and Bonnie. It was an odd cross between a botanical garden, a zoo, and an aquarium, but all the better because it was free for international students :) I love all the student discounts in Montréal, an indication of the province putting education first, something lacking in the States. Anyhoo, Monday involved some class and rain. More rain. Lots of rain, rain, oh and did I mention, rain? It makes me slightly giddy everytime I wake up with the rain falling outside. I am definately more suited to living in a climate that actually has weather! Tuesday meant homework in the morning, and class all day. Wednesday meant doing homework also. Thursday was a pleasant day. I started it off in my french syntax course, a nice break for all my political science courses. I really appreciate the teaching style of my professor, she is neither condescending nor overly sensitive. If you make an oral error, she corrects you by saying what you said in the form of a question with the correct grammar clearly audible. I enjoy this because it keeps that mistake in your head, so that you do not make it again. I also enjoy that class due to the subject material, which I find oddly helping my french enormously. It is reminding me to slow down a little bit, and to not forget my grammar rules. I apply everything I am learning in my french courses to my other ones, not to mention outside life. After a month of school, the readings are not quite as difficult to get through, but my next challenge will be the writing. I know this is going to present more of a mountain than a simply incline of a challenge, but I am ready to improve my french to the same drastic degree. Thursday afternoon was my Central and Eastern European politics class. The professor has a very strong Québécois accent, in an endearing way. She's a petite lady, with big curly hair and a very pleasant personality. The other weeks I have been worried due to the lack of powerpoint, but beginning the other day and from now on, she will be using them! I am so happy because it allows me to understand the material so much more. 3 hours talking about democratisation and the Berlin Wall, then I am free for the weekend! I headed over to Lauren's house with Morris, another Californian, and we made steaks, salade, and mashed potatoes à la wine rosé. It was quite lovely, followed by another expedition to the dollar cinéma. This time we saw The Ugly Truth, and I loved it just as much as the first time (with the extreme price reduction a certain bonus). Friday- Woke up (interesting, I know!). Started on some homework, then went and saw an amazing documentary on separatism in Québec, Scotland, and Catalonia. All in french, no subtitles. It was very interesting, as it presented the movements as all related in almost sneaky, hidden ways. I enjoyed it immensely, and the thoughts running through my head on the walk home were plentiful. I ate a wee bit, then went to the library to open an account and work on homework. I have offically found my favourite library ever. Its very, very modern (glass lifts and a lack of dampness). It has a great movie collection, tons of CDs, and so many books! I grabbed a quick one, but I know that I am going to spend a lot of time in there. I would have placed some photos from it on this blog, but its forbidden to take photos inside. I dont want to risk my membership (which, by the way, is free to all residents of the province of Québec). I left around half past nine, having completed my homework quota for the day, but I did grab some items to check out on the way out, including a guide book for next week when Mum and Dad visit. I went over to my friend Cameron's house, and drank a beer and ate crisps with him, our friend Alex, and his french-canadian roommates. The girls asked about the American Dream, and we had a great convo comparing our visions of what it is and how they visioned it etc. Short walk home in the.........rain.......bet you couldn't have guessed that one.....and I was home. Great week overall, and I am ending it with some soft pop-ish québécois music I got from the Grande Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales. Getting some thinking done as well, just for fun!