My Wonderful Weekend

Today was really great, me and wait for it, my new friends, explored a bit of Montreal today. So there is a little trio of us, so far, as we have moved in and so far hung out a lot over these past couple of days. There are more people, but we are more in the same age bracket. There are a few people doing their masters, so they are a little bit older. They do seem really nice too, but yet to be spyed lounging around to be roped into a hang. But you can tell they want to, when we make noise in the kitchen, people come and investigate and the like. We all (everyone that has moved in so far) had beer and pizza last night! Such a bonding moment, although I was so over beer and pizza, it took a lot of effort to get either of those items into my mouth.
OK so I wish I could draw stick figures like I did for my beloved groups in Europe – but my words will have to suffice! So far (in alphabetical order for fairness):

Amanda: My soon to be loveable next-door neighbour! Moves in soon, so her status will have to be updated.

Annabel: A lovely Australia from Queensland – an Engineer, but that can be excused as she is so nice!

Arty: … I am on Arty watch, so the man of mystery remains a mystery for now!
Aurelian: A really funny Canadian, he lives very far north, so does winter camps in the snow, and doesn’t mind minus-forty degree weather too much.

Japanese Girl: OK clearly there is a lot more to be filled in about her. But she has a lot of Japanese friends and they all come around, chatter on the stairs and disappear.

Lucy: Again, British. She seems really nice, but goes to Concordia, so isn’t moving in properly until the 8th, as her loving parents came with her, and she wants to hang / mooch off them until school starts.

Manuel: the Mexican. He is a real sneak, and is stashing two other Mexicans in his tiny room and is trying to keep it a secret from Amanda (the landlord type lady), I must admit I am pleased this vagrant and his friends are moving out in a day or two. He is always stoned.

Maria: From Spain so is trilingual! She is quiet, but seems really nice. OK, so I talked to her more today. She is only quiet as I talk to fast for her English capabilities. We had a good chat once I slowed down!

Ranna; I don’t actually know where this guy is from. I want to say Pakistan, but I would not bet on it. He seems pretty cool though; he has been in Montreal for a while so is onto the festivals and the street parades.

Shannon: From Toronto, completing her masters, and is really friendly!

Tim: British, into the Ralph Polo and in his graduate studies.

Will: Also British – but not present. I met him many, many days ago. Seemed nice.

Zach: DOESN’T SPEAK A WORD OF ENGLISH. From Nigeria, and that is all I can ever hope to ascertain.

This was all I have gathered so far. But there is going to be a meeting session on this weekend or Monday (as it’s a long weekend). So maybe if we are lucky there might be photos to accompany these vague descriptions! Most people seem really nice, and ready for some bonding activity! We might even have a rez thanksgiving! I don’t quite know how dedicated I would be to the cause, but maybe I would eat some turkey if I got excited enough. And then I suppose vomit!

Then on Sunday we had the ultimate hang. Me, Aurelian and Annabel went to the Tam Tam’s. This is a really cool drumming festival at the base of the mountain. Heaps of people come and bring their drums and join in the free styling, and lots of other people pull up a picnic blanket and listen / play Frisbee / juggle / chill. It was a really cool event, but we only caught about 15 minutes of it, as then it started to pour down rain! We took shelter under some trees, while the drummers packed up. Maybe the rain isn’t so good for their drums – or something. Well I hope so! Otherwise we were ripped off, even though it was for free. The rain died down and so we went out to another really exciting event in Montreal –a street market, down Saint-Laurent. This is a really nice street that continues all the way from the down-town, up through the plateau and further. All the shops brought everything from inside their stores to out on the streets. Restaurant put out little food stands; cafes put all their tables out onto the streets. I ate crepes with nutella, strawberries and almonds! Oh, the glory. There was so much cheap good stuff, lots of jewels and discounted shoes, I almost bought some, but there were no $20 VANS in my size! Probably a good thing, as I should really only be investing in sensible footwear from now on. There was a magician we watched for a while, and an acrobatic girl on a rope. There was ballet on ice, where there was a really drunken man shouting: YEAH, DO IT, DO IT! To all the poor little kids on stage when they did really cool jumps. It was just amazing! Annabel and I bought a broom, as we can’t find the vacuum cleaner here! This broom will also double as my quidditch broom, and is quite a stylish piece to have around the house!

After some dinner I read on facebook about a group of exchange students that were meeting up for, sigh, beer. But it was just down the street so I didn’t hesitate, and was saying yes to opportunities, and marched on down. Thank god I ran into my polish friend on the way, as me, him and his polish friend walked right past the exchange students in the bar, EVEN though I was wearing my McGill jersey. So we sat at the back of the bar with a huge table all to ourselves. Then we decided to do a lap of the bar, and we found our fellow exchange students who were we had marched right past as we walked in the door! This was really exciting! I met a lot of people from Edinburgh; I think I sat in the middle of their clan or something. Anyways, lots of nice fresh exchange faces! So that was exciting. I left at about 11:30 as my poor body really wanted sleep and to not look or smell beer for a good while! But that was really exciting, and something I am glad I did. You know, something I never would have done in Canberra!