Let me start by saying that I don't often dine in those high class restaurants, where prices are ridiculously high and serving portions are disappointingly small. So on top of being amused by the 3 glasses and 6 pieces of cutlery, I am also distracted by the differences in how the waiters/waitresses behave.
The type that my family and I find most interesting are the "You're Welcomers", who seem to have strict scripts to follow when dealing with their high-class customers (plus us :P). Almost all waiters (consider it to cover males/females) are very, very polite. Some are able to laugh at a joke. But it becomes so boring and unmeaning (can't think of the word) when you thank them for refilling a glass of water unasked, then mum and/or dad will thank them for taking the plates, and all we ever get in response is 'You're Welcome'. It doesn't matter how we word it, its all we get.
Compare this to the waiter we got at the restaurant we attended tonight: He was an extremely genuine and friendly chap who managed to always be around when needed (but not too much), yet was able to understand and properly react to jokes without being bound with a need to act all 'high class'. It is of no concern to me if he doesn't properly put his hand behind his back when pouring a drink, just that he makes our dining more enjoyable. He did this with ease, and it therefore made tipping something we wanted to do, instead of a compulsory nuisance.
So, thats a more topical blog which will hopefully be much more interesting to read than a "i did this then this then this" type. But I will conclude by saying that we're leaving for the Fairmont at Lake Louise tomorrow to spend New Years, which should be absolutely fantastic! We'll likely be sking there too :D Check it out: http://www.fairmont.com/lakelouise/ - it looks so magical!!
Anyway, if I don't update this beforehand, I hope you have a great New Years wherever you may be!!!
Jono
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Merry Christmas! Here's an update...
Merry Christmas to everybody!!! Let me just start by saying that I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas day with your friends and/or family, whether you are a Bishop's friend on holiday (or back home!), or friends and family back in Australia. I know for certain I did, but I'll get to that in a bit.
Now, I know I have not updated my blog for a while. There is good news and bad news: As Marci has left Bishop's with a number of other exchange students (its gonna be so different and sad when I return!), the competition we had will no longer be running. And as we both missed many days (about the same), you'll be disappointed to know we took the easy route and decided we both didn't have to do the pants/shorts in the snow thing. The good news however is that I would like to continue updating my blog, as I am now, without as much time pressure that has forced me to stay up to 3am on occasions… I will aim for once every one or two weeks :)
Since my last post, things have been very very exciting. The rest of my time in New York was fantastic, and I look forward to going back there some time again next semester to see things I missed, such as the museums and Central Park. Not sure if I wrote about it in my last post about NYC, but my favorite thing about the city is not any of the attractions, but rather how it works. It is literally the definition of 'organized chaos'; There are so many shops, ticket sellers, tour companies, taxis, hot dog stalls, subway stations, people cramming the streets and so on, yet everything somehow runs smoothly. For instance, businesses throw rubbish onto massive piles on the street side, all over NYC, yet the next morning, they are gone. Then there were the taxis, who view lane markings as an option, and will cut across anyone to get the next fare or make the next turn. In short, it was a truly fascinating city.
After the train ride back to Montreal, I ran into some of my own chaos, with imminent exams that I had not really managed to find time to study for. I must have done alright though, because for my overall subjects, my worst mark was a 71% for french, and a 93% for level 3 marketing. And in the midst of all that, on the day of my final exam, I went skiing with Jezza, Quentin, Josselin and Marie. It was my first time to Jay Peak, and I was so excited to finally be skiing in Canada! Well, technically it was in Vermont USA, but you get the idea… Anyhow, on my second or third run of the day, the guys took me down a black run, and I coped with it surprisingly well! I'm looking forward to going back when more snow has fallen and the rest of the lifts have opened.
That night I did my final exam and then packed/cleaned my room for the imminent arrival of my parents at 10:30am the next morning. I'll tell you what: It was pretty amazing to see them again, and then to show them around my new home, as well as meet many of my Bishop's friends. Later in the afternoon we bused it back to Montreal, and that evening we met up with even more Bishop's students for one final dinner. It was so great for my family to meet so many of my friends… and for those of you that read this, they thought you were all lovely :)
So since I've been with my family, we've covered a lot of ground. We took a train to Quebec city the next day and stayed at the Manoir Victoria in Old Quebec for three nights. It has been not only our favorite destination so far, but also our favorite destination to stay, as the staff were absolutely lovely, the rooms were great, the breakfast buffet was excellent and there was free wireless internet! The reason I mention that last point is because since then we've stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver and the Westin Resort and Spa in Whistler, both of which charge about $15 per day for internet. Its plain ridiculous, and one of the reasons I pretty much haven't been on the internet yet.
Vancouver was an alright city… we didn't see too much of it, but I think the worst part about it was not it's fault: the weather sucked. While it didn't rain, it was just overcast the entire time, which isn't the way you want to see a city. It was also in Vancouver that our APT tour began, starting with a limo transfer from the airport to the Fairmont (a nice surprise!). We met the rest of our 23 person group (Andrew and I are the youngest by a number of years), and after sleeping one more night in our own rooms (Andrew and I had our own room with an oversized double bed each!), we made the 140km coach ride to Whistler.
Here are only a tiny portion of the photos so far... these are ones taken by mum and dad, as I have not yet had a chance to upload my own (of which there are heaps!)
Ice sledding, also in Old Quebec City
Fairmont's Le Chateau Frontenac, in Old Quebec
At night...
Being immature...
One of Quebec's many cannons
A steam-powered clock in Gastown, Vancouver - It played Westminister chimes every 15 minutes
The Olympic countdown clock in Vancouver
The worst part about Whistler was the lack of time we spent there! We arrived in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, and spent it just looking around and relaxing a little bit. And here is what I did for Christmas: Skied ALL DAY on Whistler!!! The mountain is absolutely massive. I think you could ski for 3-5 full days and not have to do the same run twice. Just incredible. Everything about the mountain was great. The lifts were fast and not very busy, the trails were so much fun with a huge variety and great snow conditions (although admittedly not too much powder, but I enjoyed them groomed nonetheless), and you could not have asked for better weather - it was full sun and barely a cloud to be seen, with temperature inversion meaning it was 3 degrees up top and -10 down at the base.
We started the day with mum, who braved the Whistler gondola for the 20 minute ride to the top of the mountain, where she did a special thing called the Sno-Limo where she sat in a toboggan-like seat mounted onto skis, which a guide would ride down the mountain. It meant that she could experience the sensation of going down the mountain, while Dad, Andrew and myself skied beside her. She truly enjoyed it and was excited for the rest of the day, in which she also did tube sliding, somehow loving it even when she went backwards!!! Mum has truly conquered some fears and I'm so proud of her for it!
Us boys skied for the rest of the day without any stops for food, drinks or the bathroom, trying to make the most of our only day on the slopes; we had to leave the next day. My favorite run was one called the Peak-to-Creek, a 5.5km intermediate trail that seemed to go on forever, had some great powder sections and lots of dips. I must give a special mention to dad, who not having skied for like 20 years, managed to keep up with Andrew and I extremely well! I was thoroughly impressed, and it meant a lot that I could ski with him all day.
So that just about brings me to here, as I sit on our APT coach once again, winding up the final road to Sun Peaks for two nights. Hopefully I will be able to access the internet somehow and post this for all of you to read. I just want you to know that my family and I are having a wonderful time and enjoying every minute of it, with much more to look forward to before we split ways on the 4th of January.
To the Bishop's students, I hope you are all well and have arrived home safely if you aren't returning, or if you are currently traveling with friends/family until you return, that you are having a wonderful time wherever you may be, and I can't wait to see you again!
To friends and family back home, I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas holidays, and that you're managing to cope with the heat!! Its now only 6 months before I return (4 months down!), so I'll be back before you know it ;)
Anyway, sorry for the length of this, its kind of a consequence for a lack of updates.
Till next time!!
Jono
Now, I know I have not updated my blog for a while. There is good news and bad news: As Marci has left Bishop's with a number of other exchange students (its gonna be so different and sad when I return!), the competition we had will no longer be running. And as we both missed many days (about the same), you'll be disappointed to know we took the easy route and decided we both didn't have to do the pants/shorts in the snow thing. The good news however is that I would like to continue updating my blog, as I am now, without as much time pressure that has forced me to stay up to 3am on occasions… I will aim for once every one or two weeks :)
Since my last post, things have been very very exciting. The rest of my time in New York was fantastic, and I look forward to going back there some time again next semester to see things I missed, such as the museums and Central Park. Not sure if I wrote about it in my last post about NYC, but my favorite thing about the city is not any of the attractions, but rather how it works. It is literally the definition of 'organized chaos'; There are so many shops, ticket sellers, tour companies, taxis, hot dog stalls, subway stations, people cramming the streets and so on, yet everything somehow runs smoothly. For instance, businesses throw rubbish onto massive piles on the street side, all over NYC, yet the next morning, they are gone. Then there were the taxis, who view lane markings as an option, and will cut across anyone to get the next fare or make the next turn. In short, it was a truly fascinating city.
After the train ride back to Montreal, I ran into some of my own chaos, with imminent exams that I had not really managed to find time to study for. I must have done alright though, because for my overall subjects, my worst mark was a 71% for french, and a 93% for level 3 marketing. And in the midst of all that, on the day of my final exam, I went skiing with Jezza, Quentin, Josselin and Marie. It was my first time to Jay Peak, and I was so excited to finally be skiing in Canada! Well, technically it was in Vermont USA, but you get the idea… Anyhow, on my second or third run of the day, the guys took me down a black run, and I coped with it surprisingly well! I'm looking forward to going back when more snow has fallen and the rest of the lifts have opened.
That night I did my final exam and then packed/cleaned my room for the imminent arrival of my parents at 10:30am the next morning. I'll tell you what: It was pretty amazing to see them again, and then to show them around my new home, as well as meet many of my Bishop's friends. Later in the afternoon we bused it back to Montreal, and that evening we met up with even more Bishop's students for one final dinner. It was so great for my family to meet so many of my friends… and for those of you that read this, they thought you were all lovely :)
So since I've been with my family, we've covered a lot of ground. We took a train to Quebec city the next day and stayed at the Manoir Victoria in Old Quebec for three nights. It has been not only our favorite destination so far, but also our favorite destination to stay, as the staff were absolutely lovely, the rooms were great, the breakfast buffet was excellent and there was free wireless internet! The reason I mention that last point is because since then we've stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver and the Westin Resort and Spa in Whistler, both of which charge about $15 per day for internet. Its plain ridiculous, and one of the reasons I pretty much haven't been on the internet yet.
Vancouver was an alright city… we didn't see too much of it, but I think the worst part about it was not it's fault: the weather sucked. While it didn't rain, it was just overcast the entire time, which isn't the way you want to see a city. It was also in Vancouver that our APT tour began, starting with a limo transfer from the airport to the Fairmont (a nice surprise!). We met the rest of our 23 person group (Andrew and I are the youngest by a number of years), and after sleeping one more night in our own rooms (Andrew and I had our own room with an oversized double bed each!), we made the 140km coach ride to Whistler.
Here are only a tiny portion of the photos so far... these are ones taken by mum and dad, as I have not yet had a chance to upload my own (of which there are heaps!)
Ice Skating in Old Quebec City
Ice sledding, also in Old Quebec CityFairmont's Le Chateau Frontenac, in Old Quebec
At night...
Being immature...
One of Quebec's many cannons
A steam-powered clock in Gastown, Vancouver - It played Westminister chimes every 15 minutes
The Olympic countdown clock in VancouverThe worst part about Whistler was the lack of time we spent there! We arrived in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, and spent it just looking around and relaxing a little bit. And here is what I did for Christmas: Skied ALL DAY on Whistler!!! The mountain is absolutely massive. I think you could ski for 3-5 full days and not have to do the same run twice. Just incredible. Everything about the mountain was great. The lifts were fast and not very busy, the trails were so much fun with a huge variety and great snow conditions (although admittedly not too much powder, but I enjoyed them groomed nonetheless), and you could not have asked for better weather - it was full sun and barely a cloud to be seen, with temperature inversion meaning it was 3 degrees up top and -10 down at the base.
We started the day with mum, who braved the Whistler gondola for the 20 minute ride to the top of the mountain, where she did a special thing called the Sno-Limo where she sat in a toboggan-like seat mounted onto skis, which a guide would ride down the mountain. It meant that she could experience the sensation of going down the mountain, while Dad, Andrew and myself skied beside her. She truly enjoyed it and was excited for the rest of the day, in which she also did tube sliding, somehow loving it even when she went backwards!!! Mum has truly conquered some fears and I'm so proud of her for it!
Us boys skied for the rest of the day without any stops for food, drinks or the bathroom, trying to make the most of our only day on the slopes; we had to leave the next day. My favorite run was one called the Peak-to-Creek, a 5.5km intermediate trail that seemed to go on forever, had some great powder sections and lots of dips. I must give a special mention to dad, who not having skied for like 20 years, managed to keep up with Andrew and I extremely well! I was thoroughly impressed, and it meant a lot that I could ski with him all day.
So that just about brings me to here, as I sit on our APT coach once again, winding up the final road to Sun Peaks for two nights. Hopefully I will be able to access the internet somehow and post this for all of you to read. I just want you to know that my family and I are having a wonderful time and enjoying every minute of it, with much more to look forward to before we split ways on the 4th of January.
To the Bishop's students, I hope you are all well and have arrived home safely if you aren't returning, or if you are currently traveling with friends/family until you return, that you are having a wonderful time wherever you may be, and I can't wait to see you again!
To friends and family back home, I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas holidays, and that you're managing to cope with the heat!! Its now only 6 months before I return (4 months down!), so I'll be back before you know it ;)
Anyway, sorry for the length of this, its kind of a consequence for a lack of updates.
Till next time!!
Jono
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Day Nineteen - Guest Bloggers!
Introduction by Jono: Below is what my guest bloggers for tonight have to say. A proper recount has been done by me at the bottom :P
Beav SUPERTRAMP: I write this in fear, Ale, King of Vagabonds has just threatened to unleash Diesel Dike Dominance power on my vulnerable body.
Ale, King of Vagabonds: I write this in anger, ANGRY WHOPPER! anger. Beav SUPERTRAMP has made apparent her doubts in my recall ability and thus has knowingly brought down my dike-like anger upon herself.
Beav SUPERTRAMP: Well justified Ale, King of Vagabonds but it does not lessen the fear i feel, however deserved it may be...A SUPERTRAMP who lives in fear is a SUPERTRAMP who feels limits, this is contradictory to my carefree SUPERTRAMP title and so now i believe this blog entry has CONFLICT. This theme will be the dominant discourse of your reading.
Ale, King of Vagabonds: Well, as a King, in fact a King of Vagabonds (in testament to Sailor Moon) THAT MEANS YOU, I should be able to govern with whatever level of Diesel Dike Dominance I see fit as it serves the good of the greater community.
Beav SUPERTRAMP: Vote 1 Ale, King of Vagabonds...Diesel Diking For the Greater Good. Obama likes the greater good, and may even be pro-diesel diking to achieve said greater good. Obama is American. American cities that are of notable mention include New York and Cincinnati. Speaking of new york, we had a day of frolicky funness there....See for yourself.... :)
DISCLAIMER: JET LAG HAS CONSUMED US!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jono-Team-Bootcamp-Guy: Well, I wanted to upload some of the best photos I have, but unfortunately the internet connection is so shit here that it is virtually impossible to do so. So, for a quick summary, today we visited Times Square, and spent ages wondering around gazing at and inside the stores in amazement at how big they are. We visited a dedicated M&Ms store, Macy's (the largest store in the world), and many many others that I can't be bothered mentioning. We also walked up and down Broadway.
We then went up the Empire State Building to the observation deck on the 86th floor, and with not a cloud in the sky, left us with a stunning view of the mammoth city of New York. From there we had a look at the ice rink (will go there later), and eventually went back to the hostel.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this *different* kind of blog post - I still have no idea what Beata and Thea were on about :P
Having fun though!
Jono
Beav SUPERTRAMP: I write this in fear, Ale, King of Vagabonds has just threatened to unleash Diesel Dike Dominance power on my vulnerable body.
Ale, King of Vagabonds: I write this in anger, ANGRY WHOPPER! anger. Beav SUPERTRAMP has made apparent her doubts in my recall ability and thus has knowingly brought down my dike-like anger upon herself.
Beav SUPERTRAMP: Well justified Ale, King of Vagabonds but it does not lessen the fear i feel, however deserved it may be...A SUPERTRAMP who lives in fear is a SUPERTRAMP who feels limits, this is contradictory to my carefree SUPERTRAMP title and so now i believe this blog entry has CONFLICT. This theme will be the dominant discourse of your reading.
Ale, King of Vagabonds: Well, as a King, in fact a King of Vagabonds (in testament to Sailor Moon) THAT MEANS YOU, I should be able to govern with whatever level of Diesel Dike Dominance I see fit as it serves the good of the greater community.
Beav SUPERTRAMP: Vote 1 Ale, King of Vagabonds...Diesel Diking For the Greater Good. Obama likes the greater good, and may even be pro-diesel diking to achieve said greater good. Obama is American. American cities that are of notable mention include New York and Cincinnati. Speaking of new york, we had a day of frolicky funness there....See for yourself.... :)
DISCLAIMER: JET LAG HAS CONSUMED US!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jono-Team-Bootcamp-Guy: Well, I wanted to upload some of the best photos I have, but unfortunately the internet connection is so shit here that it is virtually impossible to do so. So, for a quick summary, today we visited Times Square, and spent ages wondering around gazing at and inside the stores in amazement at how big they are. We visited a dedicated M&Ms store, Macy's (the largest store in the world), and many many others that I can't be bothered mentioning. We also walked up and down Broadway.
We then went up the Empire State Building to the observation deck on the 86th floor, and with not a cloud in the sky, left us with a stunning view of the mammoth city of New York. From there we had a look at the ice rink (will go there later), and eventually went back to the hostel.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this *different* kind of blog post - I still have no idea what Beata and Thea were on about :P
Having fun though!
Jono
Day Eighteen - In New York!!
Hey there guys!
So there is a massive queue of people checking in and out of this hostel. May as well give you guys a quick update:
Before I left for NY yesterday, I managed to get a measley 2hrs sleep, as I had to spend all night booking the train, working out how I was getting to the train, working out where I was going in Montreal and New York, and booking accommodation, then packing. Unfortunately, a blog update was sacrificed.
The first interesting part of the trip was walking outside the residence - it had snowed, roughly 5cm! In the cab on the way to the Sherbrooke bus station, I managed to have an almost-all French conversation with the driver, which while basic, made me feel quite proud. Having then caught the 2hr Limocar to Montreal, I caught the metro the the train station, where I would catch the Adirondale for 11hrs to NY.
The train was so comfortable! It was like first class seats on an aeroplane - they were super wide, the back reclined and there was a knee/leg rest thing too (just like a lounge chair), there was a powerpoint, and best of all, I got two seats to myself! It was also very smooth and comfortable. The 11hrs felt like nothing (could have easily gone for longer), and the only thing worth mentioning was the trouble at the US/Canada border corssing: For some reason, a 5yr travel visa for the US wasn't enough for the officials, and I still had to pay $6 for a visa waiver permit or something. I would have argued, but you know, its the US customs, and I was just grateful to get through. But this brought up another problem - I forgot to bring my US currency! Fortunately I could exchange it at the dining cart (CA$20 for US$16 - did I get ripped off?).
Surprisingly, there was snow all the way until about 3hrs before New York, sometimes looking like it had snowed more there than it had back in Bishops. Speaking of snow, its meant to be snowing heaps on Wednesday. Looking forward to getting back and seeing a permanent layer on the ground, especially when my family are due to visit so soon!!!
In New York, navigating the subway system from the train station to my accommodation was quite difficult, if not just because it took me ages to work out where I was, where I was going, and what to catch to get there. But there was no problems, the subway was busy even at 8.30pm so I never once felt unsafe or anything, and I arrived at the Tone on Lex where I had planned to stay.
Unfortunately, I hadn't booked for last night, and they were all full. I did however meet Beata and her friend there, and after a bit of quick research, I found an alternate place and stayed here for the night at Jazz on the Park. Absolutely massive in comparison! The bed was very uncomfortable and there was a super loud snorer, but the people here were great, and I spent the night beforehand socialising with some Brits and Aussies..
Anyway, I've booked the next three nights at Tone on Lex, so I'm just about to check out now and make my way over there to drop off the luggage. Don't know what we've got planned for today, but its a nice day out, and it should be great!
Hope all is well wherever you may reside!
Jono
P.S. My family are leaving for Canada tomorrow!!! So excited for them! And mum, if you happen to read this, know that you'll be absolutely fine on your plane trip, and that I can't wait to see you on the 17th!!!
So there is a massive queue of people checking in and out of this hostel. May as well give you guys a quick update:
Before I left for NY yesterday, I managed to get a measley 2hrs sleep, as I had to spend all night booking the train, working out how I was getting to the train, working out where I was going in Montreal and New York, and booking accommodation, then packing. Unfortunately, a blog update was sacrificed.
The first interesting part of the trip was walking outside the residence - it had snowed, roughly 5cm! In the cab on the way to the Sherbrooke bus station, I managed to have an almost-all French conversation with the driver, which while basic, made me feel quite proud. Having then caught the 2hr Limocar to Montreal, I caught the metro the the train station, where I would catch the Adirondale for 11hrs to NY.
The train was so comfortable! It was like first class seats on an aeroplane - they were super wide, the back reclined and there was a knee/leg rest thing too (just like a lounge chair), there was a powerpoint, and best of all, I got two seats to myself! It was also very smooth and comfortable. The 11hrs felt like nothing (could have easily gone for longer), and the only thing worth mentioning was the trouble at the US/Canada border corssing: For some reason, a 5yr travel visa for the US wasn't enough for the officials, and I still had to pay $6 for a visa waiver permit or something. I would have argued, but you know, its the US customs, and I was just grateful to get through. But this brought up another problem - I forgot to bring my US currency! Fortunately I could exchange it at the dining cart (CA$20 for US$16 - did I get ripped off?).
Surprisingly, there was snow all the way until about 3hrs before New York, sometimes looking like it had snowed more there than it had back in Bishops. Speaking of snow, its meant to be snowing heaps on Wednesday. Looking forward to getting back and seeing a permanent layer on the ground, especially when my family are due to visit so soon!!!
In New York, navigating the subway system from the train station to my accommodation was quite difficult, if not just because it took me ages to work out where I was, where I was going, and what to catch to get there. But there was no problems, the subway was busy even at 8.30pm so I never once felt unsafe or anything, and I arrived at the Tone on Lex where I had planned to stay.
Unfortunately, I hadn't booked for last night, and they were all full. I did however meet Beata and her friend there, and after a bit of quick research, I found an alternate place and stayed here for the night at Jazz on the Park. Absolutely massive in comparison! The bed was very uncomfortable and there was a super loud snorer, but the people here were great, and I spent the night beforehand socialising with some Brits and Aussies..
Anyway, I've booked the next three nights at Tone on Lex, so I'm just about to check out now and make my way over there to drop off the luggage. Don't know what we've got planned for today, but its a nice day out, and it should be great!
Hope all is well wherever you may reside!
Jono
P.S. My family are leaving for Canada tomorrow!!! So excited for them! And mum, if you happen to read this, know that you'll be absolutely fine on your plane trip, and that I can't wait to see you on the 17th!!!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Day Sixteen - I listen to my followers...
Hey Guys
Now, last post I asked for some ideas of what I could talk about. Only one person replied - who happens to be my blog challenger Marci - and she asked that I talked about a really, well, self-centered subject. Herself.
Marci is a very good South African friend of mine, one of three S'africans studying at Bishops. I think we get along because we're very similar. Namely, we both do as little study as possible. She's one of only a few other exchange students (*cough* Ben) who struggle to find the motivation to study hard, and so its always something we laugh at each other about when all of a sudden we start stressing in the day leading up to an exam. But no, we do get along well for more than this reason, and it'll be a shame when she and all the other great friends I have made here leave, to be replaced by 45 new exchange students.
*Now we warp from this to the real blog post for today - don't forget, if you have content to suggest, or want me to talk about you (not really), just tell me!*
Well today, I did something very exciting, and have much more planned for after I finish this blog (note that I've typed this at 5.45pm, like 7hours before usual :P). I went for a run with Anton this morning, and covered 13km going halfway to North Hatley and back. Anton, being super fit for an old bloke, did an extra 2km, and still caught up in like 15minutes... But yeah, while I didn't manage to run (make that slow jog) the whole way, I was proud of myself.
I went straight to the indoor pool at the gym afterwards, which was a nice way of calming down, before going into full detox mode with a shower and sauna treatment :D While I've been relatively lazy since then, tonight there is a party in my residence, where we'll play some pool and foosball (table soccer), then head to Sherbrooke for some proper clubbing :) And thats why I'm typing this now.
Oh, and before that, the Olympic flame for the 2010 Canadian Winter Olympics is passing through our tiny town of Lennoxville!!! It comes at around 6.30pm, so it'll be very exciting to see :D Photos tomorrow hopefully!
I'm glad that this is a more decent blog post than yesterday. Hope you are all well.
Bonsoir!!!
Now, last post I asked for some ideas of what I could talk about. Only one person replied - who happens to be my blog challenger Marci - and she asked that I talked about a really, well, self-centered subject. Herself.
Marci is a very good South African friend of mine, one of three S'africans studying at Bishops. I think we get along because we're very similar. Namely, we both do as little study as possible. She's one of only a few other exchange students (*cough* Ben) who struggle to find the motivation to study hard, and so its always something we laugh at each other about when all of a sudden we start stressing in the day leading up to an exam. But no, we do get along well for more than this reason, and it'll be a shame when she and all the other great friends I have made here leave, to be replaced by 45 new exchange students.
*Now we warp from this to the real blog post for today - don't forget, if you have content to suggest, or want me to talk about you (not really), just tell me!*
Well today, I did something very exciting, and have much more planned for after I finish this blog (note that I've typed this at 5.45pm, like 7hours before usual :P). I went for a run with Anton this morning, and covered 13km going halfway to North Hatley and back. Anton, being super fit for an old bloke, did an extra 2km, and still caught up in like 15minutes... But yeah, while I didn't manage to run (make that slow jog) the whole way, I was proud of myself.
I went straight to the indoor pool at the gym afterwards, which was a nice way of calming down, before going into full detox mode with a shower and sauna treatment :D While I've been relatively lazy since then, tonight there is a party in my residence, where we'll play some pool and foosball (table soccer), then head to Sherbrooke for some proper clubbing :) And thats why I'm typing this now.
Oh, and before that, the Olympic flame for the 2010 Canadian Winter Olympics is passing through our tiny town of Lennoxville!!! It comes at around 6.30pm, so it'll be very exciting to see :D Photos tomorrow hopefully!
I'm glad that this is a more decent blog post than yesterday. Hope you are all well.
Bonsoir!!!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Day Fifteen - Need some inspiration!
OK I'm running out of quick things to talk about. What do you guys want to hear about? What I've been up to on a day-to-day basis? Surely not... is there anything about Bishops or Canada that you want to know about which I've missed? Please let me know, it gets more and more difficult by the day.
I got into the Christmas spirit today and put up some lights. Unfortunately, the box of 200 only actually contained 80. So I really struggled to work out where to put them. Pictures tomorrow hopefully.
I failed at doing French today. What a waste of life. Will do much better tomorrow. You just wait and see what i got up to.
See ya
Jono
I got into the Christmas spirit today and put up some lights. Unfortunately, the box of 200 only actually contained 80. So I really struggled to work out where to put them. Pictures tomorrow hopefully.
I failed at doing French today. What a waste of life. Will do much better tomorrow. You just wait and see what i got up to.
See ya
Jono
Friday, December 4, 2009
Day Fourteen - Rain, rain, go away...
Another quick post. I'm very sorry, but I've had a couple of late nights out, trying to make the most of the last few days I have with all these friends I have made, many of whom are leaving after final exams. In turn I'm sacrificing sleep, and a little bit of length of the blog, but at least you are hearing from me regularly.
Nothing much happened today. I did indeed sleep in, not waking up until 1pm (expecting the same tomorrow). After breakfast I actually studied French, as I have a goal of doing at least one hour per day up until the 12th when the exam is. Then it was literally as dark as night by 4.15pm, I hung out with Jezza for a while, then had a great night out with an American friend - steak, chips, and a few drinks :)
But, as the post title describes, the day was let down by persistent damp conditions. And warmth. Will there ever be continuous snow and below zero temperatures? Its beginning to feel like it would be a rarity, rather than a given. And because there is next to no drainage on campus, the roads and footpaths are quite flooded. Much prefer it to be covered in snow. Still waiting patiently, but apparently Jay Peak will be opening this Saturday! Albeit with only an estimated two chairlifts running, and 2-4 slopes... but its a start.
At least it'll be a white Christmas for my family and I when we're in Whistler. They still have about a two metre base :D Speaking of my family, they are leaving for LA and San Francisco in just five nights time!!! I'm so excited for them - I know mum will do just fine on the plane flight - and I cant wait to see them when they come to Bishops campus on the 17th :D Will definitely be hugs all around...
Alright, time for bed. I promise I'll do some more interesting posts very soon, possibly including video. I want to make a video montage of all the trips I've done away, which I'm sure you would enjoy. I just have to find the effort to do it :P
Bonne nuit!
Jono
Nothing much happened today. I did indeed sleep in, not waking up until 1pm (expecting the same tomorrow). After breakfast I actually studied French, as I have a goal of doing at least one hour per day up until the 12th when the exam is. Then it was literally as dark as night by 4.15pm, I hung out with Jezza for a while, then had a great night out with an American friend - steak, chips, and a few drinks :)
But, as the post title describes, the day was let down by persistent damp conditions. And warmth. Will there ever be continuous snow and below zero temperatures? Its beginning to feel like it would be a rarity, rather than a given. And because there is next to no drainage on campus, the roads and footpaths are quite flooded. Much prefer it to be covered in snow. Still waiting patiently, but apparently Jay Peak will be opening this Saturday! Albeit with only an estimated two chairlifts running, and 2-4 slopes... but its a start.
At least it'll be a white Christmas for my family and I when we're in Whistler. They still have about a two metre base :D Speaking of my family, they are leaving for LA and San Francisco in just five nights time!!! I'm so excited for them - I know mum will do just fine on the plane flight - and I cant wait to see them when they come to Bishops campus on the 17th :D Will definitely be hugs all around...
Alright, time for bed. I promise I'll do some more interesting posts very soon, possibly including video. I want to make a video montage of all the trips I've done away, which I'm sure you would enjoy. I just have to find the effort to do it :P
Bonne nuit!
Jono
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Day Thirteen - A nice night out...
I finally made it! I got through all the exams and assignments and stuff leading up to the final exams, which don't start until the 12th. So, time for some relaxation. That started tonight - I just got back (its now 3:30am) from a night out with many of my exchange friends, to celebrate Elodie's 22nd birthday :)
It was good, we played pool and foosball at the bottom of the Munster residence for a couple of hours, then walked in the rain to Mulligans, as the Lion was dead. I really like Mulligans and would be happy to call it a favourite place for me to go. Pints are just $4, the place is smaller so it feels more full, there is a pool table and dart boards, and the music is decent - it just feels like a good pub. I just got back from walking home in the rain. Sleep in tomorrow, not sure what else, then steak dinner at the Lion!
Till tomorrow night
Jono
It was good, we played pool and foosball at the bottom of the Munster residence for a couple of hours, then walked in the rain to Mulligans, as the Lion was dead. I really like Mulligans and would be happy to call it a favourite place for me to go. Pints are just $4, the place is smaller so it feels more full, there is a pool table and dart boards, and the music is decent - it just feels like a good pub. I just got back from walking home in the rain. Sleep in tomorrow, not sure what else, then steak dinner at the Lion!
Till tomorrow night
Jono
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Day Twelve - I'm going to New York!!!
So, today I got a text from Beata, a close friend in Brisbane. I hadn't heard from her in ages, and it was exciting to hear what she had been up to and that she had just caught up on reading my blog. Next thing I know, she tells me she's coming to New York! In less than a week! And because the only time I can visit her is before exams (between the 7th and 11th), I'm doing just that!
How to get there? It didn't take long to narrow it down to two options; I will likely be going down by myself (but hoping to find someone to come along), so hiring a car isn't cost-effective, especially when trying to find parking in Manhattan. And a plane is way too expensive. So its bus vs. train. And even though its 11 hour journey is about 2-3 hours longer than that of a bus, I have decided I will board the 'Adirondack' train as my method of transportation. Its almost exactly the same price as the bus ($130 return), but has much more luxurious/bigger seats with better recline, a desk to work/study at, a powerpoint for the laptop, great scenery (it is in the National Geographic's top 10 railways in the world), and I can stretch my legs and walk up and down the train.
I'll be in NYC for around 3 days where I can catch up with my friend, explore the city, and chillout before final exams :D If I get bored on the train I might even consider studying... But the trip is going to be great - I can't wait!
Yep, a decision made on the spur of the moment. Damn I love Canada.
How to get there? It didn't take long to narrow it down to two options; I will likely be going down by myself (but hoping to find someone to come along), so hiring a car isn't cost-effective, especially when trying to find parking in Manhattan. And a plane is way too expensive. So its bus vs. train. And even though its 11 hour journey is about 2-3 hours longer than that of a bus, I have decided I will board the 'Adirondack' train as my method of transportation. Its almost exactly the same price as the bus ($130 return), but has much more luxurious/bigger seats with better recline, a desk to work/study at, a powerpoint for the laptop, great scenery (it is in the National Geographic's top 10 railways in the world), and I can stretch my legs and walk up and down the train.
I'll be in NYC for around 3 days where I can catch up with my friend, explore the city, and chillout before final exams :D If I get bored on the train I might even consider studying... But the trip is going to be great - I can't wait!
Yep, a decision made on the spur of the moment. Damn I love Canada.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Day Eleven - Working hard...
I swear I'll make this short. For two reasons:
1) I'm working my ass off still trying to get all this work done. I was up till 4.30am this morning, and it is now 12.30am the next day and I've still got lots to do. French exam at 4pm that I've got to study for, but more bloody marketing before then... Lookin forward to the end of Wednesday when everything is over except for the three finals.
2) My blog challenger (can you call her that?) Marci did one post the other day that was garbage haha. She just stole two of my statuses about the snow in Canada, put some words in between, and hey presto, copyright infringement! So I think I deserve to take a break :P Check out her blog at www.spreadingsouthafricancharm.blogspot.com
(although after having finished typing this now, it is still a decent-lengthed post)
So, today I applied for a job at Doolittles, the on-campus convenience store for all your very basic food, drink, hygiene, lolly and ice-cream needs. There were apparently about 100 people who took application forms, so I've tried to stand out by highlighting my friendly and fun Aussie nature. I don't think half of everyone would actually hand in the resume anyway... But yeah, the job would seriously be a great way to meet new people and experience working in a Canadian environment, and would also help to slow down (and even possibly recover?) all the money I've been spending since I've been here. Remember, I've still got another semester and a roadtrip left! Plus I want to buy a new MacBook while i'm here...
But the best news of all was that I received a care package from my lovely family back home... In it was all I needed: Starburst lollies!!! Four packets of them. I've almost finished one, in half a day. I live on the stuff back home, and had missed it so so much... So, quick shout out to Mum, Dad and Andrew: Thankyou heaps!!!!!
Finally, I did my Marketing Communications final exam this evening. Only 2.5hrs of study, and I was in and out within an hour... I reckon I'll get at least 80%. I don't know how I keep getting away with it.
Alright, I'm gonna stop procrastinating... time to do more work for my other marketing subject. I'm so sick of it.
Take care,
Jono
1) I'm working my ass off still trying to get all this work done. I was up till 4.30am this morning, and it is now 12.30am the next day and I've still got lots to do. French exam at 4pm that I've got to study for, but more bloody marketing before then... Lookin forward to the end of Wednesday when everything is over except for the three finals.
2) My blog challenger (can you call her that?) Marci did one post the other day that was garbage haha. She just stole two of my statuses about the snow in Canada, put some words in between, and hey presto, copyright infringement! So I think I deserve to take a break :P Check out her blog at www.spreadingsouthafricancharm.blogspot.com
(although after having finished typing this now, it is still a decent-lengthed post)
So, today I applied for a job at Doolittles, the on-campus convenience store for all your very basic food, drink, hygiene, lolly and ice-cream needs. There were apparently about 100 people who took application forms, so I've tried to stand out by highlighting my friendly and fun Aussie nature. I don't think half of everyone would actually hand in the resume anyway... But yeah, the job would seriously be a great way to meet new people and experience working in a Canadian environment, and would also help to slow down (and even possibly recover?) all the money I've been spending since I've been here. Remember, I've still got another semester and a roadtrip left! Plus I want to buy a new MacBook while i'm here...
But the best news of all was that I received a care package from my lovely family back home... In it was all I needed: Starburst lollies!!! Four packets of them. I've almost finished one, in half a day. I live on the stuff back home, and had missed it so so much... So, quick shout out to Mum, Dad and Andrew: Thankyou heaps!!!!!
Finally, I did my Marketing Communications final exam this evening. Only 2.5hrs of study, and I was in and out within an hour... I reckon I'll get at least 80%. I don't know how I keep getting away with it.
Alright, I'm gonna stop procrastinating... time to do more work for my other marketing subject. I'm so sick of it.
Take care,
Jono
Monday, November 30, 2009
Day Ten - Dave the Preacher
So it appears that I'm finding it easier to do a blog every second day. This will be a problem when I have to make up for lost days by wearing shorts and thongs as part of my bet with Marci..
My discussion for today is about a friendly man I met in Lennoxville today when I was out buying some essentials. I was busy going between the three stores in town to work out which was cheapest (will save money in the future!), and this guy walking on the path a distance in front of me saw me and stopped to have a chat. He introduced himself as Dave, and like (almost) all Canadians, he had terrible trouble understanding my name 'Jono'. They all think I've said either 'Jonaa', 'Jonah', 'Jonee', or something of the sort... it isn't till I spell it out that they understand.
Anyway, after having been excited to work out I was Australian and subsequently try out the accent, I had a bit of a conversation with him, and he was very good to talk to. When I told him I needed to cross the road for the shop, he casually asked me if I were Catholic. He was not intimidating about it, and I had no problem in saying I was but hadn't been to Church in a long time. All he did then was assure me that it was OK and all would be fine in Jesus' second coming. A break in the traffic allowed me to cross, and I was surprised to see him still standing there watching me as I entered the shop, calling 'Jono!' and waving...
A retelling of this to some local Bishops students resulted in them exclaiming, "oh, its Dave the Preacher!". Apparently he has a bit of a reputation (not bad) of being the friendly chap in town who will talk to anyone. As I said, I never felt uncomfortable around him, and as long as he can maintain a non-religious conversation I would not try to avoid him...
In other news, I can't wait till this Wednesday (December 2nd), when I'll be finished the bulk of my work, except for 3 final exams starting on the 12th. That means 10 days of freedom, where I'll hopefully be able to hit up the slopes as often as possible, and enjoy the last time I have with all the exchange students who will be leaving...
I may or may not do an update tomorrow. Its not like its cold yet.
Bonne nuit!!!
My discussion for today is about a friendly man I met in Lennoxville today when I was out buying some essentials. I was busy going between the three stores in town to work out which was cheapest (will save money in the future!), and this guy walking on the path a distance in front of me saw me and stopped to have a chat. He introduced himself as Dave, and like (almost) all Canadians, he had terrible trouble understanding my name 'Jono'. They all think I've said either 'Jonaa', 'Jonah', 'Jonee', or something of the sort... it isn't till I spell it out that they understand.
Anyway, after having been excited to work out I was Australian and subsequently try out the accent, I had a bit of a conversation with him, and he was very good to talk to. When I told him I needed to cross the road for the shop, he casually asked me if I were Catholic. He was not intimidating about it, and I had no problem in saying I was but hadn't been to Church in a long time. All he did then was assure me that it was OK and all would be fine in Jesus' second coming. A break in the traffic allowed me to cross, and I was surprised to see him still standing there watching me as I entered the shop, calling 'Jono!' and waving...
A retelling of this to some local Bishops students resulted in them exclaiming, "oh, its Dave the Preacher!". Apparently he has a bit of a reputation (not bad) of being the friendly chap in town who will talk to anyone. As I said, I never felt uncomfortable around him, and as long as he can maintain a non-religious conversation I would not try to avoid him...
In other news, I can't wait till this Wednesday (December 2nd), when I'll be finished the bulk of my work, except for 3 final exams starting on the 12th. That means 10 days of freedom, where I'll hopefully be able to hit up the slopes as often as possible, and enjoy the last time I have with all the exchange students who will be leaving...
I may or may not do an update tomorrow. Its not like its cold yet.
Bonne nuit!!!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Day Eight - It snows!
Hello Everyone!
I apologise sincerely for my recent absence. I had planned to have a special post up on Day 7 - a video, which as well as having me in it, would also include a 'show and tell' of my photos and videos from my trip to Toronto. I started doing that at like 12am that day, and by 3am my computer was struggling so much and the editing was more difficult than expected, so I didn't get to finish it, and I've put it off since. Also, I was actually stressed for the first time ever on Thursday - I have an exam on both Monday and Tuesday, and group presentations on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. So yeah, I've actually been studying....
So its 2am here as I type this, and its late because I just spent the last 2 or so hours on the phone to my grandparents - it was the first time i've spoken to them since I left, as they do not have a computer to follow what I've been up to! They were trying to hurry up the phone call, and were utterly amazed when I told them Skype only cost 3c/minute from the other side of the world :D
Oh, and here is some news for non-Bishops students: It started snowing this evening!!!! While its snowed on a few other occasions like over 2 weeks ago, it never settled.. tonight, we'll have between 5 and 10cm of the white stuff! While it doesn't sound like much, it is so exciting to know that Winter is finally here, and the campus looks so much more beautiful now. I've already been out in it (see photos), acting like an immature little Australian that hasn't seen snow before (hang on a minute, I am one of those).
(written on my 3rd floor bedroom window - its harder to do than it looks!)
(the gang at the Christmas tree in the university Quad)
(me with the tree! and yes, I am only wearing shorts and a jacket...)
(a crazy guy wearing only underpants :S)
(umbrellas have a new use!)
(let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!)
(yep, lying on the ground in shorts)
(Hallelujah! its snowing!!!)
Anyway, I'll be off for now, but expect a double post in the next few days when I've got on top of my university work. Hope you are all well!!!!!
Much love
Jono
I apologise sincerely for my recent absence. I had planned to have a special post up on Day 7 - a video, which as well as having me in it, would also include a 'show and tell' of my photos and videos from my trip to Toronto. I started doing that at like 12am that day, and by 3am my computer was struggling so much and the editing was more difficult than expected, so I didn't get to finish it, and I've put it off since. Also, I was actually stressed for the first time ever on Thursday - I have an exam on both Monday and Tuesday, and group presentations on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. So yeah, I've actually been studying....
So its 2am here as I type this, and its late because I just spent the last 2 or so hours on the phone to my grandparents - it was the first time i've spoken to them since I left, as they do not have a computer to follow what I've been up to! They were trying to hurry up the phone call, and were utterly amazed when I told them Skype only cost 3c/minute from the other side of the world :D
Oh, and here is some news for non-Bishops students: It started snowing this evening!!!! While its snowed on a few other occasions like over 2 weeks ago, it never settled.. tonight, we'll have between 5 and 10cm of the white stuff! While it doesn't sound like much, it is so exciting to know that Winter is finally here, and the campus looks so much more beautiful now. I've already been out in it (see photos), acting like an immature little Australian that hasn't seen snow before (hang on a minute, I am one of those).
(written on my 3rd floor bedroom window - its harder to do than it looks!)
(the gang at the Christmas tree in the university Quad)
(me with the tree! and yes, I am only wearing shorts and a jacket...)
(a crazy guy wearing only underpants :S)
(umbrellas have a new use!)
(let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!)
(yep, lying on the ground in shorts)
(Hallelujah! its snowing!!!)Anyway, I'll be off for now, but expect a double post in the next few days when I've got on top of my university work. Hope you are all well!!!!!
Much love
Jono
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Day Six - What does the future hold?
Hey again. So today I'm going to do more of a reflection:
Ever since school when I started about what I wanted to do for a career, I have always told myself (and which all teachers drummed into me) that I'd do something I'd enjoy. I take the idea quite seriously. For example, I am excellent at accounting and have passed all school and university courses with over 90%, but I could not imagine waking up every day to be working through numbers at a desk.
Since starting university, and having done international business and realising how different and exciting the cultures of the world are, I have always loved the idea of being able to travel as part of my career (or at least part of it). Originally I was unsure what job I wanted to do exactly, until I realised that I could combine it with my love of marketing and cars. And so I came up with the idea of working in the in-house marketing department of a major car maker (preferably a premium one such as Audi), where I would have to conduct market research and build relations with different countries to decide what car models and their specifications should be sent where. A simple example is that the Japanese don't need big v8 four-wheel-drives, while the same thing would be perfect in America. I don't even know if such a job exists, but I'm sure it does.
So today I went to a seminar called 'Global Career Skills', and the bloke spoke about all the things to do with increasing your international IQ, getting international experience, searching for an international job, etc. It made me think about what I want to do to reach my goal. There are so many things I want to do before settling down into a day-to-day job: I want to backpack around the world, I want to master French and learn even more languages (Spanish and an Asian language would be great), and I want to do internships that lead me on the path to my career. This seminar got me thinking about all the possible options I could take, and consequently left me in confusion of just not knowing what I should do, and when.
I think I will return for another year at QUT and do my honours degree before any of this. It gives me time to save up more money, learn more about what I am interested in, have a decent qualification on my resume, and get a little bit older before venturing out too far into the world (yes, I know I'm already in Canada). But then what?
- Do I try and get an internship in France, and stay with a family there or something where I can master the language?
- Do I just study French outside of uni during honours, then backpack around the world afterwards for a year or two and do basic labour while half-learning a variety of local cultures/languages along the way?
- Or do I just aim to find a job straight away that will lead to all the travel I've wanted to do?
And then I wonder: What about refereeing? I've worked so hard at it, progressed really far... When I think about all this other stuff, refereeing slips out of my mind. But it could also be my ticket to travel, if I work hard enough and get to go to different countries to officiate. Then I could move to a marketing career after that. So many options... I think I'm just going to have to take it as it comes.
I'd like to know what you think about all of this :)
Oh, and here are 5 more cultural differences I've noticed (I thought of the first two whilst in the shower haha):
1) Canadian toilets are huge water wasters. They use like 15L per flush (they aren't dual-flush), and they reset so that half the bowl is filled after each flush. Without being too crude, it makes it difficult to avoid a 'splash'...
2) Canadian showers have awesome pressure compared to Australia! Obviously no water restrictions here... and bizarrely, most of them have what appears to be an overflow outlet in the form of a tap, which has water coming out of it even when the shower is running. Haven't figured it out yet. And no, its not to make the shower a bath.
3) Canadian (or at least Quebec) cars do not require numberplates on the front. It took a while to get used to seeing nothing there, and not thinking that every car was unregistered or stolen. It makes me wonder how they do speed cameras from head-on...
4) Donuts are so much cheaper here! Well, at least at Tim Hortons, Canada's favourite coffee shop and the equivalent of Starbucks. One donut here is just $1 while an assorted dozen sets me back $6.50, whereas at Krispy Kreme in Australia they are like $2-2.50 each and $20 for an assorted dozen! As there is a "Timmies" on campus, it makes for a great treat during the night class breaks.
5) There are a lot more homeless people in major Canadian cities compared to those in Australia. Maybe they are just more obvious and are not hidden like in Brisbane, but in Montreal and particularly Toronto there can be homeless people on every corner, in subways, or even holding doors open for the public in the hope of some spare change..
Alright, time for bed. Please don't forget to leave a comment if you read this - it doesn't take much time! And it makes a world of difference for me :)
Ever since school when I started about what I wanted to do for a career, I have always told myself (and which all teachers drummed into me) that I'd do something I'd enjoy. I take the idea quite seriously. For example, I am excellent at accounting and have passed all school and university courses with over 90%, but I could not imagine waking up every day to be working through numbers at a desk.
Since starting university, and having done international business and realising how different and exciting the cultures of the world are, I have always loved the idea of being able to travel as part of my career (or at least part of it). Originally I was unsure what job I wanted to do exactly, until I realised that I could combine it with my love of marketing and cars. And so I came up with the idea of working in the in-house marketing department of a major car maker (preferably a premium one such as Audi), where I would have to conduct market research and build relations with different countries to decide what car models and their specifications should be sent where. A simple example is that the Japanese don't need big v8 four-wheel-drives, while the same thing would be perfect in America. I don't even know if such a job exists, but I'm sure it does.
So today I went to a seminar called 'Global Career Skills', and the bloke spoke about all the things to do with increasing your international IQ, getting international experience, searching for an international job, etc. It made me think about what I want to do to reach my goal. There are so many things I want to do before settling down into a day-to-day job: I want to backpack around the world, I want to master French and learn even more languages (Spanish and an Asian language would be great), and I want to do internships that lead me on the path to my career. This seminar got me thinking about all the possible options I could take, and consequently left me in confusion of just not knowing what I should do, and when.
I think I will return for another year at QUT and do my honours degree before any of this. It gives me time to save up more money, learn more about what I am interested in, have a decent qualification on my resume, and get a little bit older before venturing out too far into the world (yes, I know I'm already in Canada). But then what?
- Do I try and get an internship in France, and stay with a family there or something where I can master the language?
- Do I just study French outside of uni during honours, then backpack around the world afterwards for a year or two and do basic labour while half-learning a variety of local cultures/languages along the way?
- Or do I just aim to find a job straight away that will lead to all the travel I've wanted to do?
And then I wonder: What about refereeing? I've worked so hard at it, progressed really far... When I think about all this other stuff, refereeing slips out of my mind. But it could also be my ticket to travel, if I work hard enough and get to go to different countries to officiate. Then I could move to a marketing career after that. So many options... I think I'm just going to have to take it as it comes.
I'd like to know what you think about all of this :)
Oh, and here are 5 more cultural differences I've noticed (I thought of the first two whilst in the shower haha):
1) Canadian toilets are huge water wasters. They use like 15L per flush (they aren't dual-flush), and they reset so that half the bowl is filled after each flush. Without being too crude, it makes it difficult to avoid a 'splash'...
2) Canadian showers have awesome pressure compared to Australia! Obviously no water restrictions here... and bizarrely, most of them have what appears to be an overflow outlet in the form of a tap, which has water coming out of it even when the shower is running. Haven't figured it out yet. And no, its not to make the shower a bath.
3) Canadian (or at least Quebec) cars do not require numberplates on the front. It took a while to get used to seeing nothing there, and not thinking that every car was unregistered or stolen. It makes me wonder how they do speed cameras from head-on...
4) Donuts are so much cheaper here! Well, at least at Tim Hortons, Canada's favourite coffee shop and the equivalent of Starbucks. One donut here is just $1 while an assorted dozen sets me back $6.50, whereas at Krispy Kreme in Australia they are like $2-2.50 each and $20 for an assorted dozen! As there is a "Timmies" on campus, it makes for a great treat during the night class breaks.
5) There are a lot more homeless people in major Canadian cities compared to those in Australia. Maybe they are just more obvious and are not hidden like in Brisbane, but in Montreal and particularly Toronto there can be homeless people on every corner, in subways, or even holding doors open for the public in the hope of some spare change..
Alright, time for bed. Please don't forget to leave a comment if you read this - it doesn't take much time! And it makes a world of difference for me :)
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Day Five - Back to normal...
I apologise. That last post was waaayy too long. Dont get me wrong, I think that it was all worth saying, but I can understand why people wouldn't want to read it all. But I hope you enjoyed the photos.
Today was a return back to the normal Bishops life. We got up ridiculously early in the morning to return the car (note: we did 1275km all up, and the whole trip cost less than $150 for everything inc. food!), and after breakfast I slept until 2.30pm. I then continued to do nothing all day until my 3rd year marketing class, which is my favourite of the week regardless of its 7-10pm timeslot. I have since watched the latest Pixar movie 'Up' with Anton. While it was great, its probably my least favourite so far.
Actually, I also spent $225 today. More money 'down the drain', but not wasted as far as I'm concerned. Why? That money will pay for two separate trips to the snow; one to Jay Peak on the 22-24 of January including transport, breakfasts, drinks and accommodation, and one for another weekend in February to a resort called Mount Snow, apparently voted the 'Best in the East' recently. I am not going to hold back when it comes to opportunities to go skiing - thats why I came here!
In other news, I am in the process of selecting my classes for next semester, and not only should it all work out with getting credit for QUT units back home, but my timetable should thankfully be a lot more reasonable.
OK, here are my next five differences between countries that I've noticed:
1) Mobile phones are very cheap here. I had planned to buy a new SIM card to put in my Australian phone, but it would have cost $30 to activate it, plus whatever amount of credit I wanted to put on it. For the same price I scored a brand new (albeit cheap) Nokia phone with new SIM card and $25 of credit for $55. You do the math.
2) In addition to this, the rates are incredibly cheap. With my company, I pay 30c/day for 10 texts (alternatively you can do them for 15c each, or 50c/day for unlimited), and 20c/minute for calls. To send a text internationally is only 25c!!!
3) Canadians don't like spray deodorant. Almost all of it is the stick or roll-on type, and the spray ones they do have aren't the 'dry' ones that are common in Australia. Its annoying.
4) Speed is not a priority for police to enforce here. On the roadtrip, I only saw one police car for the whole time. I don't know of any fixed cameras either. This is good.
5) In Quebec, there is no such thing as KFC. Instead, they literally call the same thing 'PFK', to ensure that they are 'French'. It stands for Poulet Frit Kentucky, and the direct translation is Chicken Fried Kentucky. How bizarre - so much for everything I've learnt in marketing about 'brand consistency'.
Alright, I'm off to bed. Goodnight!
Jono
Today was a return back to the normal Bishops life. We got up ridiculously early in the morning to return the car (note: we did 1275km all up, and the whole trip cost less than $150 for everything inc. food!), and after breakfast I slept until 2.30pm. I then continued to do nothing all day until my 3rd year marketing class, which is my favourite of the week regardless of its 7-10pm timeslot. I have since watched the latest Pixar movie 'Up' with Anton. While it was great, its probably my least favourite so far.
Actually, I also spent $225 today. More money 'down the drain', but not wasted as far as I'm concerned. Why? That money will pay for two separate trips to the snow; one to Jay Peak on the 22-24 of January including transport, breakfasts, drinks and accommodation, and one for another weekend in February to a resort called Mount Snow, apparently voted the 'Best in the East' recently. I am not going to hold back when it comes to opportunities to go skiing - thats why I came here!
In other news, I am in the process of selecting my classes for next semester, and not only should it all work out with getting credit for QUT units back home, but my timetable should thankfully be a lot more reasonable.
OK, here are my next five differences between countries that I've noticed:
1) Mobile phones are very cheap here. I had planned to buy a new SIM card to put in my Australian phone, but it would have cost $30 to activate it, plus whatever amount of credit I wanted to put on it. For the same price I scored a brand new (albeit cheap) Nokia phone with new SIM card and $25 of credit for $55. You do the math.
2) In addition to this, the rates are incredibly cheap. With my company, I pay 30c/day for 10 texts (alternatively you can do them for 15c each, or 50c/day for unlimited), and 20c/minute for calls. To send a text internationally is only 25c!!!
3) Canadians don't like spray deodorant. Almost all of it is the stick or roll-on type, and the spray ones they do have aren't the 'dry' ones that are common in Australia. Its annoying.
4) Speed is not a priority for police to enforce here. On the roadtrip, I only saw one police car for the whole time. I don't know of any fixed cameras either. This is good.
5) In Quebec, there is no such thing as KFC. Instead, they literally call the same thing 'PFK', to ensure that they are 'French'. It stands for Poulet Frit Kentucky, and the direct translation is Chicken Fried Kentucky. How bizarre - so much for everything I've learnt in marketing about 'brand consistency'.
Alright, I'm off to bed. Goodnight!
Jono
Monday, November 23, 2009
Day Four - Honey, I'm home!!!
Well, here I am again. At Bishops. It was so nice to escape for a while, be on the road, see new sites, and again venture into deeper 'French' territory where I can test and learn some new vocab. With four great people too, who I got to know better than I did before :)
Last night was excellent - we drove for an hour to Chicoutimi, and by the time we got there we were starving, so our first stop was a restaurant. We were fooled into thinking that a (very) premium steakhouse which had a very 'exclusive' feel to it had meals going for $16, but we didn't realise the menu was just an artefact from 1975! Today a decent steak is $35-40 there. So we abandoned that dream and found a fast food place called St. Hubert, which is actually a proper restaurant, sort of like Pizza Hut but with a specialty in chicken. We scored a 4-course meal - i had a coleslaw salad, chicken noodle soup, quarter chicken with chips, and triple-choc brownie & icecream dessert - for the same price as a steak in 1975, meaning we left feeling very satisfied :D
After a bit of waiting around we caught a movie at the local cinema - we saw '2012', in French. A very interesting experience. Being an action movie, the script is not the most important aspect so I caught the general gist of what was happening, but would like to see it again. It was very unrealistic, but the action scenes were great and the sound exceeded that. Next stop was a club that we found in a Quebec guide - I was pessimistic and did not have high expectations, but it turned out to be fantastic! We managed to get in even though two of us were under the 21-year-old age limit, and the DJ/music was excellent with a good variety of house and rock, meaning we danced until 2.30am. It also meant that on the trip back, contrary to all expectations, I somehow fell asleep in the car.
So now we're up to today. Please tell me if you get sick of hearing every little detail - I'm not very sure what I should be writing, and compared to other blogs I see, this is very boring and to the point.
We spent most of today in the car. Originally hoping to take a new route home by taking a ferry across the river and bypassing Quebec completely (a total cost of more than $80 put a stop to that idea), we had to take the same road back that I did last time I visited the region during Thanksgiving. This was no problem though, as our little car had a good sound system and was quite comfortable - including lunch at Maccas, we didnt get home till 7.30pm. A long day indeed, I'm not sure where all that time went!
Here are the best pictures of the trip:
The start of our hike...
Our first destination (the waterfall)
The bridge over the waterfall (From left: Elodie, Me, Flora and Jezza)
What we could see above us - its massive!
What we could see below us...
Experimenting with some macro photography
The tracks were still very muddy from all the rain
Nice view in the background
A lovely clearing towards the top of the mountain
Walking around a fallen tree that had blocked the path...
This was taken further up the path of the waterfall
Obviously a beaver had been here
Some more macro photography
Beautiful colours...
Jezza and the girls (and my attempt to change the camera settings to get the blurred water effect)
Same picture with the girls...
Another massive clearing - I can't believe this is in the middle of a steep mountain!
Our lunch spot at (almost) the end of the trail
Including outhouse.
More beautiful colours
A lookout halfway up the trail
From left: Elodie, Jono, Flora, and Jerome
The upmarket steakhouse that was far too expensive for us!
Clubbing in Chicoutimi!
Me
Packing the car - we never game it a name - outside the hostel
The hostel (we were staying on the bottom floor of the house-looking thing on the right - we had it all to ourselves!)
Now for a little sidetrack:
I'm not sure who my readers are, so if you don't know already, both myself and a Swedish guy (by the name of Anton) that I'm good friends with here at Bishops are planning to do a 2 month roadtrip at the end of our second semester, starting in May. There is no definite route yet, but we are hoping to head south immediately along the east coast to Florida (making stops along the way of course) to get to the heat asap, and then head west along the bottom of the USA until we get to the west coast where we'll head north up until Seattle or something. We'll probably then head back across the top to Montreal, and fly home from there (I'll have to go via LA).
Anyway, the point of me talking about this is that we will likely be buying a 2nd hand car - preferably a station wagon with lots of room - and a tent, to make it as cheap as possible for such a long time. The roadtrip I just got back from has got me wondering whether we should be buying the car now for the Winter, or waiting till just before we leave. Here are my thoughts:
Pros:
- Convenience of always have a car for any shopping in Sherbrooke, to go to Montreal (cheaper than bus), go on roadtrips, etc
- The car could also be used regularly to get to ski destinations without worrying about finding transport. Just chuck the skis/boards in the back, charge some friends a bit to come (and cover fuel), and we can go whenever we don't have class.
- I will get my driving fix, sooner rather than later :P
Cons:
- Its obvious: The cost. While no matter what we will be buying a car, if we get one now we have to pay insurance for an extra 5 months (could be expensive), may have to buy a set of winter or summer tires (depending on what it comes with), pay for anything that may go wrong with it up until May, and of course our own fuel costs.
The cars are dirt cheap here though: I saw a used 1997 Volvo 850 wagon with 170,000km on the clock, all-wheel-drive, and two sets of tires (summer/winter) for $3900. There is no way you can get something like that in Australia! Anyway, I'll have to have a chat with Anton about it - but let me know what you think of the idea...
OK, so there is one (make that two) things I have to do before I finish up. First, I have to list my first 5 cultural differences in the series I said I would do, and I will also write a quick manual on how to post a comment on the blog for those who don't know how.
Here are 5 things that are different between Canada and Australia:
1) They have 1c coins. This means that there is no rounding up/down of prices - paying $4 for something worth $3.93 results in 7c change. The coins are useless and annoying, but i've been collecting them and hope to have a significant amount by the end of my time here. It is also worth mentioning that the 20c and 50c coins of Australia are substituted for a 25c coin (quarter) here.
2) Prices do not include taxes, or tips. It has taken me so long to get used to working out that a $15 meal is actually $20. There are two taxes totalling 12.5% on every single product sold (except private sale), and the expected tips are 15%. It sucks, and it needs to change.
3) They don't just drive on the opposite side of the road. They also walk on the 'wrong' side of the footpath, stairs, and escalators. It took me forever to get used to it!
4) Transport is expensive. Over $3 to catch a 10minute bus ride into Sherbrooke. The same price gets you a ride on Montreal's subway - it doesn't matter if you only catch it one stop or 30 stops, its the same. For a comparison, I can get a return bus trip from home to Brisbane (50min each way) for the same price. A few dollars more will get me to the Gold Coast and back! Oh, and there is only one company that can get you to Montreal from Sherbrooke, and they charge $30 per ride one way. Very, very expensive.
5) There are many language differences. They call utes 'pick up trucks', they have no idea what Maccas is until you say McDonalds, and lollies are know as 'candy' here. There are plenty more, but I might just compile a separate list just for that!
Now, how to comment (and I expect you to leave one after all this typing I've done!):
- Read the blog
- Scroll to the bottom of the post to the white box that says 'Posted by Jono at ....' and 'x Comments' (x = number of comments that have been posted so far)
- Click on the 'x Comments' button
- It should come up with a larger white box with the title 'Post a comment'
- Simply type "Jono your blog is super awesome, from _____" (or something along those lines :P)
- Click the drop-down box underneath next to the 'comment as:' bit. From there, you should be able to click 'Name/URL'
- It will then give you a section to type your name (please do!) and a URL (don't worry about), and once you click 'continue', that name should now be there next to the 'Comment as:' bit
- Simply click 'Post comment', type in the letters you see for the security/validation check that it asks you to do, and hit 'Post Comment' again. You should now see your comment there, and I'll get an email saying that someone has posted on my blog :D
Hopefully this is a good-enough explanation. If it is all too difficult, send me an email at aussie_jono@hotmail.com, or add me on skype with the username 'aussie_jono'
Till tomorrow!
Jono
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Day Three! A beautiful hike...
This will be short, gotta head out soon for an evening that is bound to be late... We woke up today to a blackout - this meant no lights, no hot water, nothing to cook our planned pancake breakfast with... that sucked.
We were out of the hostel by around 10am, then got to the base of the hike trail at 10.20am. The hike was massive and beautiful - it was exactly what I had wanted to do. It was rough terrain that you could climb without needing to use your hands, the scenery was absolutely stunning (pictures or maybe even a video will come soon), and even the weather held up. The trail followed a river from the waterfall at the bottom upwards, but there was always something new to look at, and at the end there was a little camping area that we had lunch at. It was 5km walking there and back again, and we didn't get back to the car until 3pm!
We came back here pleased to see that the electricity had been restored (apparently it was planned work), and we've had pancakes, showers, and are now heading 80km to Chicoutimi for the night. We'll either see a movie or go bowling, go to a restaurant, then go clubbing afterwards! You'll hear all about it tomorrow :)
Time to go, I'm getting rushed by everyone!
Jono
We were out of the hostel by around 10am, then got to the base of the hike trail at 10.20am. The hike was massive and beautiful - it was exactly what I had wanted to do. It was rough terrain that you could climb without needing to use your hands, the scenery was absolutely stunning (pictures or maybe even a video will come soon), and even the weather held up. The trail followed a river from the waterfall at the bottom upwards, but there was always something new to look at, and at the end there was a little camping area that we had lunch at. It was 5km walking there and back again, and we didn't get back to the car until 3pm!
We came back here pleased to see that the electricity had been restored (apparently it was planned work), and we've had pancakes, showers, and are now heading 80km to Chicoutimi for the night. We'll either see a movie or go bowling, go to a restaurant, then go clubbing afterwards! You'll hear all about it tomorrow :)
Time to go, I'm getting rushed by everyone!
Jono
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Day Two - See, I told you I'd be back!
Ok, so again it is late at night (currently 12.52am), but I am proud of myself for showing commitment to this project :D
So, how has my roadtrip been so far? Well, its been great! Unfortunately the weather has been miserable, as we all woke up to rain at 7.30am in the morning, which continued virtually all the way through the 500km drive to L'anse St Jean in the Saguenay region. I can still hear the pitter-patter outside, but it is only light compared to what it was...
Unfortunately I do not yet have a picture of our hire car, which I got all excited about when I heard it was a Pontiac G5, as the Pontiac G8 is a rebadged Holden Commordore. It ended up being a major disappointment, as the car does not have any form of central locking (yeah, you have to push the button and hold the door handle as you shut it) and must be the only car on the planet to still have manual windows. However, it somehow has a boot big enough for 4 people, the stereo is decent (has auxillary input for ipod :D), and the motor/auto transmission is quite good... thats my car rant for the day.
So we got to Quebec no problems, but once there we got lost and spent an hour driving around in circles trying to find our way out - the road signs are terrible! They make no distinction between whether hay are saying that there is an exit coming up, or whether it is informing us of the road we are already traveling on (it varied between the two a lot!). After an enjoyable drive, wee finally reached our destination at around 4pm, and to our surprise it was 'dusk' already! With the help of the low lying clouds and surrounding forests (as well as being very far north), it was as dark as midnight by 4.30pm! (see pictures below for proof!)
Anyway, the hostel itself is wonderful. It is one floor beneath a house (belonging to the owners), and it contains probably 4 or 5 rooms for different groups that choose to stay here. It is about 80km from the nearest major city (Chicoutimi), and to get here we had to drive up a rough, sometimes-steep road to get to the 'middle of nowhere'. But it is beautiful from what we've seen in the dark :P It is clean, has a wonderful kitchen, decent bedrooms, a nice area to play boardgames or use their computer to access free internet (there is also wifi offered, which is what I'm using on my laptop). The bathroom appears to be very luxurious with the showered descending from the roof, but the water just seems to fall from it, with absolutely no pressure at all… its even worse than what we have in Brisbane!!!
So tonight we went to the local grocery store to buy some food, and had some wine with peanut buttered toast, followed by steaks and pasta cooked up by Jezza and myself. We subsequently started to play the boardgame 'Risk', which was good fun but took even longer than Monopoly to finish, so we ended up packing up early. All the while we had my portable speakers playing, and we then attempted to watch a movie (it was now around 12am), but we were all falling asleep. So here I am now, sitting on the top bed on a bunk bed, with Jerome, Flora (both from Switzerland) and Elodie (from France) sleeping soundly as my laptop whirrs…
Tomorrow, we plan to cook pancakes (no premade mixes!), have some cereal, and do a decent hike before it gets dark early. Then we'll head to Chicoutimi and maybe see a movie (preferable 2012 in English!), go to a restaurant, and then go to a bar or club after that. Should be a good day! As you know, you'll (hopefully) hear all about it tomorrow!
Below are some of the best photos I've take so far :) Oh, and please remember to say hello via a comment! I like to know who is reading!
Till next time,
Jono.
P.S. After posting the 16 photos, it is now 1.44am... took a lot longer to do this one! Goodnight!
(Roadtrip!)
(Beautiful scene during drive in Quebec)
(Elodie, looking sly as our awesome driver)
(Jezza was the first to fall asleep, before we even got to Quebec...)
(Yep, the Christmas lights are up already!)
(Proof that it really was dark at 4.30pm!)
(low-lying clouds in the mountain forests)
(the beautiful streets of Quebec - can't wait to have a better look when my family comes over in December!!!)
(This thing is meant for brushing your teeth right? Apparently not. Its for cleaning the snow and ice off the car. If only there was some in the first place...)
Dinner at the hostel!
Cheers!
The bedroom at the hostel - good quality for $20/night!!!
The kitchen - its got everything! Except salt, which we had to borrow from the owners :P
The gang (from left): Me, Flora, Jerome, and Elodie
Playing the game 'Risk' - note how I (blue characters) almost conquered North America!!!
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