The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

It's been a while, although eventful. Last time we tuned in, I still had weeks left, but now it's a matter of days and I'm freaking out. I love Montréal, but in many respects, I'm ready to go home.

The thing that is absolutely hardest about being here is that while I've made some really great friends and met some amazing people, I've only known them for, at most, seven weeks or so, which means that when I happen to be having a cruddy day, I don't feel like I ought to depend on them like one does with older friends. So today I cracked and called Kirsten and ended up crying on Sainte Famille about our lose-lose situations (which recently doubled for a NYC street called "Pineapple Street" in filming for Vanessa Hudgens's upcoming project), but fortunately, I was wearing my new blue wayfarers, so passers-by couldn't tell. Whatever. Life goes on. On the way home from our class dinner out, Jenna and I discussed how much we missed the closeness of our friends from home/school, how much we want to go back and resolve our dramas, and how we're sick of talking on the phone being this illicit activity. But at the same time, we love it here. Then I brought her back to my apartment where I gave her the pineapple earrings that I've had for two years but never worn, which seems to indicate that they would be better with someone who has the word for "pineapple" in Hawaiian tattooed on her back. I was definitely right.

Last Friday was another excellent Friday at Unity, and when I get home, I always feel like a rockstar. This Friday was no exception. Promises of margarita cupcakes were made with my friend Thomas, and it appears they'll come into existence tomorrow. I am much excite.

On Monday I went to my new friend Justin's (from Ohio) place, where he has a pool (!) and we dipped our feet in the water and then made classy tortellini and salad and reminsced about classic Nickeloleon (especially since we have a mutual friend named Kel, which just makes for a lot of "Who loves orange soda? Kel loves orange soda!") and being an American abroad. Good times were had by all.

On Tuesday I had people from class over for a pot luck luck pot, which was full of fun times, laughs, and all of us getting to hear our English voices instead of French for an evening.

I made a macaroni and cheese and sliced up some bell peppers for the munching, and everyone else filled in the rest! Valerie, cutie cutting tomatoes to the left, brought things for a caprese salad, ketchup flavored chips (a very Canadian thing), beer, wine, AND a reusable bag that she insisted that I keep, what with my love for reusable bags. Then there were pitas and dips from Carla, strawberries and chocolate from Karen, guacamole from Jenna, and sweet potato bread from Luke the Lawyer, and then after Jenna and I went out with Matt for beers, who showed up for a nice second wave. We had a discussion about the differences between Americans and Canadians, made fun of each others' accents, and the Canadians asked us things like, "So, the whole health care "debate"...how is that a debate? What's the other side of that argument?" and "How do you deal with the Evangelical south? Jesus Camp freaked us out." Potlucks are great.

Anyway, life continues on. I'm turning in for an early one, drinking mint tea and eating Kinder cookies and am transported to my Saturday spring lunches. I am really ready to be done with class, but I'm not ready to leave Montréal, but there are certain things I miss. Like corn muffins. Corn muffins are not a Canadian thing. Why this is, I am not sure. But I miss them like crazy now. But I'm sure when I go back I'm going to miss déps and Oasis juice and Tim Horton's. Valerie buys me a banana nut muffin every day with her sandwich so she can make it a combo. It's the simple acts of kindness that have made my life here so great.

Just know wherever this finds you, you are missing to my life. Love.