5/29. Fridays are amazing regardless of where you are on the map. Especially when Canadians are involved.

Early class again

I’ve stopped trying to be Ms. Sylvie “I’m good so I won’t get yelled at” anymore. I sat in the front Siu-juan, who is from China, and just smiled the whole class. We laughed when we didn’t understand something and Elena’s English wasn’t sufficient enough to explain. We laughed when she would sternly correct our grammar or scold us for giving the wrong answer. During the last 15 minutes of class or so, 2 new students were brought in to join our group. They were 2 girls from Canada, who I later found out are with a larger program run by McGill University.

After class I really wanted to introduce myself and see where they were from/what they’re deal was so I lingered and ate an orange. The boys in my class made comments then about what a great mood I was in and how smiley I was. They asked if my boyfriend had sent me a letter and that’s why I was so giggly. I said not quite, but he gives great advice. The group of Canadians congregated outside the classroom, waiting for an orientation tour to begin. They all have very different backgrounds, and are here for different reasons. Some are students, some graduated a while ago and just applied to the program. One of them is Ukranian-Canadian and wanted to learn another language, another is an opera singer who studies at Princeton’s college of music. A few of us exchanged phone numbers, so I look forward to hanging out with them throughout our trips.

I walked down to the Neva and set myself up with a book by the main University building. I’m reading “Revelations With God” (same guy who wrote Conversations With God). I would recommend it to my Atheist friends, devout Catholic friends, loved ones who are Agnostic…pretty much anyone who is open enough to read one man’s conversation. No need to be religious, or believe in one certain God-it’s not that kind of revelation or book. Seriously, just go for it. It’s beautiful and extremely thought provoking. I read for 2 hours as the wind whipped through my hair and the sun warmed my bones. It felt good.

I walked back to McDonalds for my date with the Internet and smiled the entire way back. I’ve been smiling a lot more since this whole beautiful place business occurred. It feels good.