Oh Trois-Pistoles. I studied French there for five glorious weeks in the summer of 2005, departing Toronto by Viarail on Canada Day, July 1st. I had applied and had been awarded a bursury from the Canadian government to facilitate bilingualism in Canada. Of course the catch was that I had to sign a contract promising that I would only speak French. ;P
Picture a tiny town of about 2000 friendly, loving people on the edge of the St. Lawrence River in the midst of forests and gorgeous waterfalls. Now picture about 300 bicycles belonging to 300 anglophone students jockeying for space outside of a nondescript brown building perpetually under construction.
Trois-Pistoles, or 3P as we affectionately know it, gave me refuge and comfort and hope in what was a very troubling time in my life - 'cuz you know, sometimes La vie frappe hardcore, encore, dans la coeur! I can't describe how it felt to lie on the grass, looking up into a sea of bright stars, making up new words with my housemates. Or the pure joy of an all night campfire vigil that in lasted song and laughter until after the sun rose. Fortunately, the Canadian government got their money's worth too. The French of high school that I had completely forgotten post-Spain came right back. Even today my spirit revels in the sound of French rolling off my tongue (it really is a gorgeous language).
There are many, many pictures from 3P posted on my yahoo page. Week: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Showing posts with label Trois-Pistoles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trois-Pistoles. Show all posts
Friday, April 6, 2007
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Procrastination is the same in any language!
Ya...so I should be doing my work...I have a debate in class tomorrow that is worth 30% of my mark. It is on the boreal forest situation here in Quebec, and I am supposed to be for cutting it all down...fun fun!
Anyway, instead of doing that, I came here instead to use the internet for a bit because I needed to look up something unrelated on it anyway. Now that I am here, here is a story.
So...my wallet got stolen. Last Thursday, at the Laundromat. I suppose that it was inevitable, given the fact that I constantly lose things. I was sitting on the bench with a couple of friends and some random icecream eating kids (the bench is outside the laundromat and beside an icecream store) when a creepy looking guy sat down and started smoking. I guess the one thing that I hate about Quebec is the smoking - there are a lot of people who do it, and they don't even have the bylaw yet...I think it will be next year. Anyway, I got up because the smoking stank, and about 30 seconds later I realized that my wallet was not in my pocket anymore. Upon my return to the bench, it was deserted and void of any wallet like looking substances. So I spent the next while looking around everywhere, and even looked in the drier with my clothes (don't laugh...I am really absent minded and actually the time before when I did laundry I put a whole bunch of pens with it by mistake, I got lucky and nothing got on the clothes). Then the next hour was spent walking around the neighbourhood with my friend writing letters (in French) to the bank and the post office in case anyone tried to use one of my cards, and then frantically getting in touch with my parents to get them to cancel all my cards. We also saw what who we think was the smoking guy nearby, he claimed not to have been there at all though, but we took pictures of him from across the street anyway.
Funnily enough, I was not as perturbed as I thought I would be in that situation, though it was definitely a blow, as everything was in there, including my birth certificate. But I still had cheques with me so I could write them to people and get them to give me the cash. I was bitterly laughing at the irony of (a) having one's wallet stolen in a small sunny town like Trois-Pistoles, but successfully evading crime in Europe and Peru, and (b) having my wallet stolen the one time I was actually organized enough to have everything in it that should be.
Anyway, I went to the school office in a bit of a bind the next morning, because we were leaving for Quebec that day. I spent most of that morning out of class giving a declaration to the police (in French of course, and I did quite well with only minimal comprehension issues), and then left for Quebec after borrowing some cash from a friend, and having the school cash a cheque for me for a little money.
Upon my return home on Sunday night, the first thing my host parents did was to hand me my wallet. Now you are thinking that I am really stupid and did not bring it to the Laundromat in the first place; not so! A friend found it (I met him on the street the night it got lost and bitched about it) on Friday hidden underneath the stairs by the Laundromat (where I know I looked). Everything was there except the cash ($80). That the money is gone does not really bug me...phew! Also, the fact that I cannot independently take out money on my own because all my cards are cancelled is quite a small price to pay. I think I was pretty lucky! :) I guess the lesson from this one is to not keep all your ID in your wallet, photocopy everything, and think twice about taking your wallet to a Laundromat when you probably will not need it anyway.
Voila...my wallet story. Drop me a line...I miss you guys :) I get back on the evening of August 8th.
Anyway, instead of doing that, I came here instead to use the internet for a bit because I needed to look up something unrelated on it anyway. Now that I am here, here is a story.
So...my wallet got stolen. Last Thursday, at the Laundromat. I suppose that it was inevitable, given the fact that I constantly lose things. I was sitting on the bench with a couple of friends and some random icecream eating kids (the bench is outside the laundromat and beside an icecream store) when a creepy looking guy sat down and started smoking. I guess the one thing that I hate about Quebec is the smoking - there are a lot of people who do it, and they don't even have the bylaw yet...I think it will be next year. Anyway, I got up because the smoking stank, and about 30 seconds later I realized that my wallet was not in my pocket anymore. Upon my return to the bench, it was deserted and void of any wallet like looking substances. So I spent the next while looking around everywhere, and even looked in the drier with my clothes (don't laugh...I am really absent minded and actually the time before when I did laundry I put a whole bunch of pens with it by mistake, I got lucky and nothing got on the clothes). Then the next hour was spent walking around the neighbourhood with my friend writing letters (in French) to the bank and the post office in case anyone tried to use one of my cards, and then frantically getting in touch with my parents to get them to cancel all my cards. We also saw what who we think was the smoking guy nearby, he claimed not to have been there at all though, but we took pictures of him from across the street anyway.
Funnily enough, I was not as perturbed as I thought I would be in that situation, though it was definitely a blow, as everything was in there, including my birth certificate. But I still had cheques with me so I could write them to people and get them to give me the cash. I was bitterly laughing at the irony of (a) having one's wallet stolen in a small sunny town like Trois-Pistoles, but successfully evading crime in Europe and Peru, and (b) having my wallet stolen the one time I was actually organized enough to have everything in it that should be.
Anyway, I went to the school office in a bit of a bind the next morning, because we were leaving for Quebec that day. I spent most of that morning out of class giving a declaration to the police (in French of course, and I did quite well with only minimal comprehension issues), and then left for Quebec after borrowing some cash from a friend, and having the school cash a cheque for me for a little money.
Upon my return home on Sunday night, the first thing my host parents did was to hand me my wallet. Now you are thinking that I am really stupid and did not bring it to the Laundromat in the first place; not so! A friend found it (I met him on the street the night it got lost and bitched about it) on Friday hidden underneath the stairs by the Laundromat (where I know I looked). Everything was there except the cash ($80). That the money is gone does not really bug me...phew! Also, the fact that I cannot independently take out money on my own because all my cards are cancelled is quite a small price to pay. I think I was pretty lucky! :) I guess the lesson from this one is to not keep all your ID in your wallet, photocopy everything, and think twice about taking your wallet to a Laundromat when you probably will not need it anyway.
Voila...my wallet story. Drop me a line...I miss you guys :) I get back on the evening of August 8th.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
'Net
Hi All,
Well, there is no way around paying for internet anymore, and unlike in Peru, it does not cost 33 cents an hour...suckage! So I am really not going to be on much now, but I guess that is probably the best thing for my french.
Tonight is laundry night...blah! I have to lug it down the main street. I will not complain though because it is still easier than lugging it on and off buses in London!
Other than that, I am excited for Friday's big cabaret and talent show thing! I am singing with a friend who is an absolutely incredible singer (she has taught me a few things) so it should be really fun!
Miss you guys, stay in touch!
Well, there is no way around paying for internet anymore, and unlike in Peru, it does not cost 33 cents an hour...suckage! So I am really not going to be on much now, but I guess that is probably the best thing for my french.
Tonight is laundry night...blah! I have to lug it down the main street. I will not complain though because it is still easier than lugging it on and off buses in London!
Other than that, I am excited for Friday's big cabaret and talent show thing! I am singing with a friend who is an absolutely incredible singer (she has taught me a few things) so it should be really fun!
Miss you guys, stay in touch!
Monday, July 11, 2005
Quick Update Between Classes
I am now into my second week of classes, and really busy. Unfortunately, like quite a few people here, I am kind of sick. I am hoping that it clears up soon because I will probably be singing a French song with a friend on Friday night for a Cabaret. Actually it is not a French song, but it is one that has been translated into many languages :) Besame Mucho - a love song - how ironic oO.
Stuff in class is beginning to get more intense, and it is hard to believe that I have a final exam next week - (I have two half courses during the 5 weeks). I have a project worth 15% of my mark for my first course due tomorrow, and still a lot of work to do - it involves giving a presentation and handing in what I said, so it requires a lot of dictionary use (thank you, Adam!). I am looking forward to having it done. Generally though, the work is not bad, because it is stuff that I really want to learn.
The people I am living with are really nice and there are two other girls living with me. We each have our own rooms, and of course I brought 1/2 a million pictures with me that are now up all over my mirror. The three of us eat in another house with 7 other students. It is a vegetarian house which I love because I don't have to ask what is in the food all the time.
There are about 250 students here and the age range is pretty broad, from 17 to 40's, but there are a lot of young'ins around (17-18). And the bell just rang...
For everyone who is in London, or have people that they love in London, you are in my thoughts. Trois-Pistoles is quite remote, and listening/watching the news in French takes a little more than the usual effort, but I am trying to find out everything I can, and news eventually trickles through. Thankfully, my family there are all okay.
Hope that everyone is well; drop me a line here or by email or snailmail and say hi :)
Love you all,
Debs
Stuff in class is beginning to get more intense, and it is hard to believe that I have a final exam next week - (I have two half courses during the 5 weeks). I have a project worth 15% of my mark for my first course due tomorrow, and still a lot of work to do - it involves giving a presentation and handing in what I said, so it requires a lot of dictionary use (thank you, Adam!). I am looking forward to having it done. Generally though, the work is not bad, because it is stuff that I really want to learn.
The people I am living with are really nice and there are two other girls living with me. We each have our own rooms, and of course I brought 1/2 a million pictures with me that are now up all over my mirror. The three of us eat in another house with 7 other students. It is a vegetarian house which I love because I don't have to ask what is in the food all the time.
There are about 250 students here and the age range is pretty broad, from 17 to 40's, but there are a lot of young'ins around (17-18). And the bell just rang...
For everyone who is in London, or have people that they love in London, you are in my thoughts. Trois-Pistoles is quite remote, and listening/watching the news in French takes a little more than the usual effort, but I am trying to find out everything I can, and news eventually trickles through. Thankfully, my family there are all okay.
Hope that everyone is well; drop me a line here or by email or snailmail and say hi :)
Love you all,
Debs
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