Before I get this ball rolling, I just wanted to sincerely thank everyone for their feedback/comments on the blog, and just thank people for the occasional messages and emails. Although I'm having a blast down here, because of meeting and hanging out with so many international students that came down here to improve their English I sometimes just crave a nice solid conversation or get a little homesick because you feel that much further away from home. Its really great learning about how the world works in other areas though, I'm relishing the experience in that regard, but I do have to say I'm kind of disappointed at home Canada is viewed on the world scale. I realize that we're not one of the top grossing countries in the world, but we're still in the top twenty. We're in the G7 and G8 and G20 (they are, believe it or not, all separate different organizations) and still aren't getting much world recognition? While writting this though I have thought of one very good explanation as to why maybe Canada is more educated about the world than the world is educated about Canada. It all comes down to our national identity being one of a "cultural mosaic" as the term they through around in the big fancy schools now. While a lot of European countries are full of multi-generational families, Canada is full of newly immigrated and 3 or 4 generation Canadians, so we're just introduced to and naturally are interested more in other cultures/countries. I could be completely wrong and it was just an idea that popped into my cranium, but it kinda makes sense, especially had I explained it a little bit better.Anyways, as for a little recap of the week past, its been quite uneventful. School is getting more into swing now and it just seems wrong to be sitting in a classroom all day down here, it feels like I'm cheating myself of the experience. I'm sure I'd feel significantly better had the material we were covering me a bit more stimulating, but either way on a beautiful day like today in the high-20s and just the right amount of clouds, you can't help but feel that anything you learn isn't going to matter as much as enjoying the weather would. While you cross North Terrace to walk onto campus from the city, there's a small spraypainted phrase on the footpath to cross the street that always makes me smile. It says "Nice weather, too bad about the climate". Extremely clever. But it hasn't been all classes this week. It was a week of good homemade meals, on Tuesday I made the girls of Kent Town and myself some braised lamb shanks which tasted great but even after slow cooking for three hours, are extremely tough to eat. The monday Dagny made some sort of curry chicken concoction that turned out great, and her and I shared the leftovers on Wednesday. Then came the highlight of the week - Kim and Trine's delicious meal and hospitality.
Kim and Trine (Kim's another Danish guy, Trine (pronounced Tree-na) his girlfriend) are two people that I've met down here that are quickly making it to the top of my list as my favourites. They insisted, once learning that I had to pay more to come down here then it would be to stay back at home, that I should come over once a week for a free supper. In Denmark, even on exchange, you don't pay for school. In fact, you ever get paid a little bit by the government. Not enough that you don't have to work (the taxes in Denmark near 50% and everything is expensive there by the sounds of it, so cost of living is quite high) but enough to help out some, and there are even scholarship fondations that just give you money once you apply and you don't have to pay it back. [If anyone knows about said organizations existing in Canada, hook me up, I could use it] So the first best thing of the evening; where Kim and Trine live. They're sharing a one bedroom apartment in Glenelg, the closest beach to the city, where they literally just walk out of their foyer and they're on the beach, and just up the street, walking distance, are fresh meat, bakery and fruit/vegetable markets. I was initially looking for a place there and someone advised me against it, and I'm definitely shooting myself in the foot for that one now. Every evening they get to look out of their private patio to the sun setting over the sea, and the actual furnishing in the apartment is nicer than anywhere I've ever lived, all modern and swanky. And you figured they're be paying an arm and leg for this, but they pay only $50/month more than I do. So after seeing the place, we went down to the beach for a lie down and a quick swim, then Kim showed me the pool on the second floor, accompanied by a jacuzzi (they have one in their room too), a steam room, a sauna, and work out facilities. Then, to top off the evening, we head upstairs and because their kitchen is rather small for four people (it was myself, Kim, Trine and Simon) I could only sit, enjoy some wine they bought from a South Australian Vineyard, and watch the Aus. National Swimming Championships on the tele while waiting for the second most delicious burgers I've ever had (No. 1 still goes to Uncle Bob's burgers, Bob Bonham's creation from heaven). After supper where I stuffed myself we went downstairs to the bar to play some pool, and then to the bar on Jetty Road (the major strip in Glenelg) for just one more. Before ending the night. It couldn't have been more perfect.
Toronto FC - Season opener 22 Mar 2009, 20h30EST
*In recent conversations with the home country, I've found that some people are getting the impression that I'm doing a bit too much drinking down here. There are truths and faults to this. When I go out to the bar, as I did today after classes and as I did last night in Glenelg, its often for just one beer to enjoy the weather on the patio or for the conversation. I have admittedly been thinking about my consumption lately though as having an impact on my bank account but more specifically the off setting of my triathlon training (which, unfortunately, has declined this week due to health reasons - two or three days in a row of waking up with a tickle in my throat told me to take it easy for a few days and get some proper rest to avoid anything bad coming). But, to ease the minds of grandmothers and mothers that read these pages, I have already made a pact with myself to cut it down, train harder, which in the end makes beer more effective if I'm looking to have one of those nights and thus cutting down costs in two ways. But seriously, its the spirit of Australia and the warm weather, and Gramma if you knew how much mom has on her ski weekends, you wouldn't be as concerned for me hahaha.
