Fall in New France

Well, fall is finally here in Québec. I have to say, though, that we have had the most wonderful weather this last month: not too hot, not too cold, sunny and when the rains come, they last only hours instead of weeks. Who knew that there was good weather outside the Lower Mainland (just kidding - I miss Saskatchewan weather a lot more than I let on) :)

I'm slowly starting to get a little more confortable with life here. My classes don't seem quite as overwhelming as they did initially, although my oral presentation on Monday is still scaring the be-jeebies out of me. I have another one next week (with a French-speaking partner, thankfully) that will last about 3 hours - ! - one giant hurdle at a time. Every day, as I try something new that scares the stuffing out of me, things get a little easier. What I keep forgetting is that a lot of these new social situations would be terrifying for a shy person like me even at home in Vancouver where I could fall back on my English. Who knows ... maybe I will be a completely different person when I come home ... or maybe I will just need that many more hugs from loved ones when I land on the West Coast in December. ha.

After church today, I was talking with someone who asked me where I was from. I told him Vancouver, and he said, "Wow, the culture here in Québec must be SO different from home." Not wanting to stir the pot, I said, "Yes," but it got me thinking a little. I have noticed, so far, a few subtle cultural differences between the average Québecker and the average Anglophone Canadian. We Anglos tend to be a little goofier and a little chattier with strangers (especially the girls) on average. But all things considered, there is FAR more in common between me and someone from Québec, than, say, me and someone from Chinatown or Little India back home in Vancouver. If one didn't know better, we Anglos look like the average Québecker, even if an Anglo can't speak a lick of French he/she can read every French sign (unlike stores in South Vancouver where I can't even make out what they sell), most Canadians share a common history with the average Québecker that we don't even share with people from our homeland of England (here on the North American colony), and the food is generally the same except for a few regional differences (which we would find in any province, English-speaking or not). Funny how both Québeckers and English Canadians can get so hung up on what divides us but don't want to admit how much we have in common.

Speaking of things that never change from culture to culture, the other day when I was in the mall with Sarah and Ashley, a (MUCH older) man made a pass at me, sort of. We were standing at the Telus counter, trying to get Sarah's cellphone woes solved, when a man who looked about 70 years old, came up to me, interrupted the Telus lady and said, "I just want to tell you how wonderful your red curly hair is. I have two sisters who also have red hair, and I gotta say that I just love it - we never see that anymore. I have no ulterior motive for telling you this - I just wanted to let you know that I think it is so beautiful." I was taken aback, but managed to thank him for his kindness and eventually he left. When I used to candystripe in the Nipawin Hospital, very elderly men often told me that, too. How frustrating that these men are three times my age ... why couldn't 30 year old men be approaching me instead? Well, at the very least, I will be the most eligible spinster in the old folks home in 2048. haha.

Anyway, I better get back to work. Miss you all and would love to hear from you sometime.

KNL