Traveling journal

Canada Day on the Hill - memories of traveling across Canada

2006-07-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

This year, I walked down memory lane - when my friend and I went to Ottawa - Parliament Hill for Canada. The last time I was in Ottawa was I think 13 years ago. The last time I was at Parliament Hill for the countries birthday was 18 years ago when my family and I drove across Canada.

I can't exactly remember the timeline - at that age, time was measured in school time and holiday time. I remember it was the holidays, but we must have left the interior of BC the day after school got out in order to make it to Ottawa for July 1st. I can remember stopping overnight in Calgary, Wood Buffalo National Park, some insect infested place around Winnipeg, Sudbury Ontario, and then Ottawa. Of course, I am likely missing a few nights in different places, but these are the ones that stand out. We camped most of the way, which made the stops more memorable; where is Wood Buffalo? Why are we camping in insect infested areas - and I can remember my little sister refusing to pee in the outside at a place I think called Wolf River.

Ottawa was new for all of us - although my parents, my oldest sister and I had made the same trip about 10 years before this trip above, so it was not foreign, but not familiar.

In Ottawa, we met up with some of my mom's cousins and their children and it was our first introduction to a cross cultural experience. (I'm sure I'll find more firsts further back, but this one has stuck in my head since Canada Day!) We toured around Ottawa a bit and spent the evening on the hill for a BTO Concert - the headliner that year for Canada Day. I wasn't so excited to hear them, as I really didn't have an interest in concert's but was able to slightly identify as "Takin' Care of Business" had been (and still is) the theme song for the local hockey club as long as I can remember. That's about all I remember of the show until the end of the night when my parents were clinging onto all 6 kids on the trip, making sure we missed stepping in puke and didn't get lost in the crowd! (Things haven't change their much. The stage is the same and there are still puke puddles to avoid).

We stayed with my mom's cousin and his family. The best that I can remember is ordering pizza for dinner one night and getting really funny looks when we started to eat with our hands. My sister's (and cousin from Calgary) and I learned that in Ontario, pizza is not finger food and should be eaten on a plate with a fork and knife. I was in shock! This may have been my first experience with - not everyone does things the same way.

The rest of the trip across Canada is a bit of a blur... I f I have a chance to revisit the other places, more memories may come back to me. I do remember visiting John A. McDonald's house in Kingston Ontario. As well as eating in a restaurant in Trois Riviere's, Quebec and I think a Burger King in Montreal. The Burger King wasn't so bad. I can remember my Dad trying to order in French and we were all probably in shock and as small children are, slightly embarrassed by the ordeal. Speaking with my Dad recently it sounds like our laughter has scared him as he continues to have a desire to speak French, but doesn't know what to do with the laughter. Go for it Dad! If there is any laughter from me, it is pure admiration and memories of what was (or my own experiences). The Trois Riviere's experience, I can remember being less friendly. We were in a family style restaurant - at sunset - so maybe around 9 (or it was earlier and the sky was dark due to thunder storms in the area. The restaurant staff didn't seem to know what to do about us. My parents didn't speak French - or what was said seemed to be misunderstood. Us kids, although having studied French for some time in school were completely useless.

I do believe that things happen for a reason. Could it be that we had the good and bad experiences on our trip across the country so that I would be interested in intercultural communication - or at least interested in learning French?

I still don't speak well, but I am now a translator for my friend from Japan and the four year old downstairs. I will take this as a complement. She's a pretty bright young girl and finds creative ways to teach me French. Pointing to objects is one of her favorite things - while she says the words very slowly and clearly. I learned four leaf clover this way - which I can't remember at the moment, but I am sure I will when I hear it again!

Tagged with "T"

2006-07-05T06:03:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged with the letter "T". I will post soon!

Learning a language - living a culture

2006-06-25T17:17:00.000-08:00

I had a bit of a revelation today when I heard the phrase "Ou est la savon de la main?" I thought - that's easy!?! I understand! There is no reason that I would understand that phrase so easily other than from reading it over and over again on savon de la main bottles. I don't think I ever heard that phrase said in my French classes, nor would it have been a question that I would have asked people in my past. At that time, the French was much more focused on food and discussions of politics, but I won't digress.

This got me to thinking once again about how do we learn languages? I am working with 8 students who are trying to learn English without sitting in a classroom. They are trying to learn by doing and I am totally becoming more and more convinced that this is how we learn.

When I was in Germany, I had a chance to live in German before actually reading or speaking German. Although I had many frustrations and expectations, I left after one year, speaking German - more than a little, reading German and beginning to write German. I can remember at one time explaining to my host sister that I was beginning to be okay with the learning process because it's like starting from a child again. She gave me some children's books for my birthday! It was great!

Since then, I've studied more French and learned Spanish and attempted Russian. Without much effort academic effort, I've kept up my German and some Spanish and am rediscovering French. The Russian has fallen by the wayside. After 10 weeks, I could write the cycrilic alphabet and say the letters, but I couldn't say much else. In retrospect, I think that I didn't retain anything because I didn't hear it. I didn't have the same process as starting from a child and hearing people speak before I needed to learn to write. If you can hear the rhythm, I believe that it is possible to write the rhythm. If I write in German, I have to hear the language before I can write. I think this is also important for the students that I am working with - so just how to convey that message. .. I wish that all French classes in Canada used this way of learning, rather than pursuing French as an academic endeavors. I may not be so surprised the next time I hear and understand a phrase in or out of context...

ramble

2006-06-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

Ah, human relationships are challenging aren't they? Working across languages is a challenge and working across cultures is a challenge for me, whether the culture is age, gender, language, education, employment - pretty much the gamet.

In some ways, my current job is to bridge the cutlures and recently I feel like I am not doing a very good job. Whether it is lecturing a colleague of mine about how she's not doing her job (I tried not to lecture and to give indirect feedback, but did poorly at it as I could never find a positive comment), or confusing a student with conflicting information - yes! no! which one is it? Well, taking a positive look at this, the program I am working on has the goal of preparing participants for work in the real world. I think uncertainty is a huge part of this - every one has different acceptable levels of uncertainty. Taking it to the edge and back is the challenge.

Okay, I am just rambling about work and what is inside my own head - so I'll stop now, so as not to bore you. One day, I may try to organize these thoughts a little better.

Cheers!

me the French rap artist ;-)

2006-06-17T16:01:00.000-08:00

I did it! With thinking I was going to be in the background this morning, I joined a music video shoot. I think we sort of ended up being more in the shoot than out of the shoot which is too funny! I don't own any rap music, but I will buy the CD and try to get the copy of the video to share with anyone who's interested.

The video should ne on Musique Plus this summer!!!! Should be fun ;-)

Do as I say, not as I do?

2006-06-16T18:10:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of those days where things are going so well and then your emotions get the best of you? If you can imagine, I work with recent University graduates who are learning a second language. One of the challenges is to get them to understand that "course guidelines" while leaving the ownership and responsibility of the program with them. In other words I am not a teacher, sort of a guide.

Anyway, I had a meeting with some colleagues today and rather than use what I try with students and let them take what they want from the meeting, I feel like I sort of forced it down their throats with my emotions! I think they got the point and are taking from it what they want and will interpret it as they want, but I feel a little hypocritical... hmm...how to handle emotions in meetings - still learning this one.

Music video appearance anyone???

2006-06-15T08:32:00.000-08:00

My neighbour downstairs is a French rapper. I'm not quite sure what that means, but he's an artist and has produced a few albums so far. He is debuting his latest album at a small club in town at the end of this month, so perhaps I can find out more about the music then.

He and his family are very kind and have been helping me along with my French (although they generally switch to English - fair enough). And today I was told that I was going to be in a video! Not really asked, but I may have agreed to it some time ago without actually being aware of it. I'm not sure exactly what I'll be doing - I think shopping in a store...They are planning to do most of the filming Friday afternoon, which I can't make, but it still sounds like there is a chance for me to join in on the fun Saturday morning...

Something to look forward too... I'll fill you in on how it goes.

Dentures!

2006-06-13T19:21:00.000-08:00

Okay, since we moved in here, we have received the odd telephone call in French for the woman we are renting from. I usually answer that she is not here - which occassionally confuses the person because they actually asked for a guy not a gal.

Last week I met the owner of the house. I had assumed that the woman I give the rent to was the owner, but apparently not. I came home last week and there was an elderly woman sitting on the steps. I had seen her speaking with the family downstairs before so I thought she was a friend. She politely said hello (vous instead of tu) and so I decided to have a go at a chat with her. Well, it proved a little bit more of a challenge after the initial hello. She was using very polite French (which I don't think anyone has every used with me, which leads me to assume that perhaps she needs to have her eyes checked to see that I am MUCH younger than she is - by about 50 years.)

Anyway, we were chatting (well she was talking and I was contemplating what she said before I asked her to repeat it again.) and I was beginning to think that my French wasn't so bad until she didn't understand my reply so she repeated the question. Our conversation continued like this for a bit - mainly about the weather I think although I seemed to mix up foggy and windy - and I was thinking what questions I could ask her. So I asked her where she lived and she told me we were at her house (which made me first think she has dimensia). But from what she continued to say, she lives close by and is either a) the owner of the house or b) was the owner of the house.

Her dentures started to rattle around a little at this point, which caused the end of my concentration and the two of us just started to laugh (well she laughed so I joined in). It was side splitting laughter, the kind that you have when you see something really funny. For me, I was laughing at our conversation and ability to each say something, which probably made no sense at all. For her, I am not sure what she was laughing at.

This brings me back to the phone call! Tonight the phone rang and so I said Allo! and who was it but the same person who keeps calling for someone else and then hangs up! After a moment, I thought - I know this voice! So, I said hello and she introduced herself again. I've since forgotten her name, but I will recognize her voice again. She asked me if she new me and I said "yes, next week..." there was a pause and then she laughed again! :-) She asked me my name again and if I was in her house. I answered both and then she said au revoir. It was all a little strange, but I am curious if she will call again to see if she can find another mistake!

A bientot!

What not to do with chicken....

2006-06-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

I've been living in a great, large place in the Plateau area of Montreal for the last couple of months. I think I've adapted well to the idiocincracies of the place, with the sloping floors, the windows that get jammed and how to open the front door without spending minutes looking rather silly spinning and spinning the door knob.

What I guess I haven't gotten used to yet is the large fridge that we have here - about twice the size of my fridge in Japan. My colleague has been staying with me and we are getting used to cooking and finishing up the food that is in the fridge. Until this weekend we were doing great, until this weekend. We both left town for a few days and there was some chicken left in the fridge. When we returned Sunday night, we decided best to cook the chicken. The kitchen light was rather dim so it took a few minutes to discover that the chicken skin had actually turned a yellow in colour. Our first reaction was not to throw it out, but then he told me that when he cooked it on Friday it hadn't tasted very good. So, it went in the garbage along with a number of other items in the fridge that had mysteriously turned over the weekend.

The garbage sat on the veranda for less than 12 hours. I decided yesterday to empty out the rest of the kitchen garbage into the bag before taking it out. To my disgust and horrow when I opened the bag it was crawling!!! bleh!!! I unfortunately let some of the worms out of the bag, so I had to clean them up and then quickly double bagged the garbage and put it outside. The odour has lingered since.. :-( I am almost certain (although I've been too disgusted to investigate further) that the worms were from the chicken skin that was turning (or had turned) yellow. It was also slightly bloated. blech!!!

Next time, I think I will stick it in the freezer (double bagged) and add it to the garbage bag just before putting it out. Although I hope there isn't a next time, as one of my pet peeves is wasting food. I'm getting better at it, since I have been eating at home and buying only small amounts for at the most a week at a time. However, after last night I don't have much of an appetite to eat in the kitchen for a while.

Advantage...English!

2006-06-07T10:10:00.000-08:00

I didn't think I would ever be saying this, but English worked to my advantage today to politely dismiss some missionaries from my door.

I was surprised the first time people came to my door in Japan. I was eager to speak with anyone and even let in a guy who wanted to test the water in my apartment just so I could practice some Japanese. When I realized that he was selling filters and he realized that I wasn't going to buy anything we had a comical conversation about the water quality. He warned me against drinking the water as it could cause all sorts of health problems! That was the last time I let a salesman into my apartment in Japan (apart from the obvious safety risk). Although I have heard stories of people entering before you open the door - apparently the entrance is not yours it's everyone's!

Anyway, I digress. When I was in Japan, I couldn't use my lack of Japanese to politely shoe away missionaries. They came well prepared with material in English, so I just eventually continuously bowed and apologized while shutting the door. Once I thought I would completely shock them and show them as unprepared when I said I don't speak English but German. To my surprise they had material in many languages and turned with ease to the German language section and asked me to read! I did so for a moment, but then had to politely explain that I didn't have time.

Today I was hoping for the best and expecting the worst. My French is passable on some levels and I can answer the phone or door with enough of a French accent to encourage the next comments from the other person to be in French. (pretty good feat I think for an anglophone, but I often give my language skills away soon after I have fooled them!) Today, I wasn't expecting anyone to ring the bell at 10:45am as I had no appointments although I have received deliveries unexpectedly. So, I stopped what I was doing to answer the door downstairs. There were two women there and I wasn't sure what they wanted. They were very polite and apologized for ringing the doorbell twice. (They began in English so I guess I have to work on the accent a little or say "oui?" rather than "allo?") One of the woman then began to explain that they were there to talk about the bible, but as I speak English, they would have to find someone else - since they only had information in French!

It was the first and last time I expect to find a missionary unprepared with English! Although perhaps they had other motives that they realized would be wasted trying on me as an obvious Anglophone...(I don't know and I am just hypothesizing as I have no idea why they would be going door to door and restricting themselves to French)

...one theory...they could be part of the Catholic Church's campaign to reduce the use of religious words for curse words. As many highschool French students who go to Catholic Schools know - swearing in French Canada comes from words that are religious. So the Church has taken a rather unusual in my opinion, step to re-educate the public. I'm not sure of the context but apparently saying Tabernac! (tabernacle in English) they aren't praying but swearing. The Church posted large signs at a few of the basillica's and churches around Montreal with the dictionary definitions of such curse words. I'm not sure if it has had much of an effect in reducing cursing, but it did get the church some media attention...

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/Montreal/story.html?id=f062bbdd-ac94-4e44-8b42-01aa58934de9&k=27125

Eye contact & beautiful sunshine

2006-06-06T14:48:00.000-08:00

The sun in Montreal is beautiful. It seems to bring out great spirits in people, although it can also be fairly draining.

I'm enjoying getting to know the city and becoming familiar with eye contact again! When living in Japan, it took me a long time to get used to the "non-contact" eye contact. Sort of looking at someone without making direct eye contact. You would think I would begin to learn the "appropriate" amount of eye contact, but I still seem to be in training about this here.

When I first arrived, my colleague mentioned in passing that Montrealers were terrible with eye contact and smiling, so I thought I wouldn't have much of a problem if I said hello and smiled. Well, it seems that in my experience at least Montrealers are great with eye contact! I am able to walk down the street and get many hellos (and yes I am dressed conservatively) and smiles. It's a little easier to have smiles in the sunshine, but it's not impossible for people to smile when the weather is a little grey.

So, why am I in training? Well, I have had the odd occassion when I have smiled and said hello and obviously given the wrong signal to people as they have followed me out of a store or down the street. It hasn't become a safety issue - yet - but I am well aware that I need a little more training with my eye contact and the messages. Also it may not help that my French is mediocre and most things said to me on the street are en francais, so perhaps I am also jumping to conclusions about the messages conveyed.

2006-06-06T14:20:00.000-08:00

welcome to this blog! More information to follow soon!