Four walls and a keyboard: Comment vous dites 'I want a beer' en francais?

Four walls and a keyboard

'I love talking about nothing. It's the only thing I know anything about.' ~ Oscar Wilde

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Comment vous dites 'I want a beer' en francais?

I got back from Quebec Monday night and since then have been going non-stop. The trip was good, quick but good. We basically flew in late Thursday night, headed out to the Forestry research station in the morning and got in around 5:30 after a 7 hour drive. Then had meetings into the evening, the next day was meetings from 8:30 till 5:30. Then we went into the town Taschereau, had a tour of the sawmill there, then dinner, then we saw this home-based business where they make motorcycle trailers (to haul luggage and other stuff in behind your bike). The whole time I was lost because I don't speak that much French. The next day we had more meetings, then some free time in the afternoon where I was able to walk around the lake a bit. The forestry research station was about 20 minutes away from the closest town so it was quite secluded. It's funny the things you notice. I realized that the scenery looked a lot like northern Saskatchewan, albeit a bit more rocky. Also, their farmland around the area was so strange looking. At regular spaced intervals they would have drainage gullies for water, and their furrows in the fields were so deep and chunky looking, it was quite something to see, being a small town prairie girl. The architecture of the houses was interesting too, the houses had roofs that would not come straight down from the peak, but would curve out at the bottom. It made the houses in that region look very saucy, like 'look at me, I am a saucy French house'! lol
The other thing that struck me was that I very badly need to work on my French. I felt really helpless not being able to communicate, simply, that I wanted a beer. On the trip back into Ottawa we stopped at a Tim Hortons' and I went into panic mode when I realized that I just couldn't say 'extra large double double'. After a series of hand gestures and mumbles, I was able to get what I want, but I don't feel comfortable with sounding like an ape to a bunch of French people.....
Anyway, back to my trip, after our free time we went to another town whose name escapes me, but it was on the mouth of Lake Abitibi, and we went to a fancy pants restaurant for dinner. The cheapest thing on the menu was $22, but thanks to the NRE and SSHRC, I didn't have to pay a dime, haha. The next day we headed out for Ottawa really really early so I could have time to see the Parliament buildings. We went downtown, ate at this seafood market near Parliament Hill, and then headed over to the buildings. It was quite exciting, and I could see how people would get full of themselves by simply working there, the buildings themselves give off this aura of being something way bigger than just being buildings, they seem so grand. We got to go up the Peace Tower, and I got some pretty cool pics of Ottawa from the viewing deck. We then went into the House of Commons and there was a session going on. That made made me a little disappointed with our elected leaders though. There was maybe eight MP's in da house that day. They were probably the weiners that the 'cool' MP's didn't like, and they weren't told about the awesome kegger in the PM's office. lol So they were stuck with actually working.....On the way back to the airport we drove along the Rideau Canal, which is beautiful at this time of year. I really hope to get back to the city some day and really explore.
So needless to say, I was a really grumpy grumpy girl yesterday. I didn't have my bed set up yet after moving, so I had to crash on the couch when I got in, and didn't get a good rest. Then I got a little overwhelmed with all that is happening this month, revisions, unpacking, trip to England, possibly a defense date for june, AND I STILL HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP!!!!
I am giving the CCA until Monday to let me know or else I am going to lose my mind!
On a better note, the house is pretty much unpacked. My room is set up and mostly organized so it is starting to feel more like home.
I'll post trip pics when I can get them off the camera.

posted by angelina @ 9:55 PM

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