I had a home made bagel with cream cheese for breakfast this morning. There was a new soccer coach this morning who’s filling in this week for one of the coaches from last week. Her name is Katherine and she speaks English really well and is about my age and is really nice. There was a bunch of new staff, or at least I didn’t meet them last week so they are new to me. There’s also a new co leader like me that just started this week. There was also a random donkey at work. I don’t really know why it was there but it was and it was pretty cute so I just kinda went with it. For lunch Gilberte had made us this really good rice salad thing with rice and lentles and tomatoes stuff. I was with a large group of kids who’s ages I don’t know but it was trying in the afternoon cuz they were all tired. When I got home from work I showered and braided my hair. Then we had salmon and quinoa and vegetables for dinner. After dinner put the laundry on and then me and Nat went for a walk around the neighborhood. We went to the library by our house which is really cute but they grow eggplants outside just casually.

Anyways, there was that. When we got back, we made our lunches and then I had a snack of a homemade bagel, toasted with butter and a cup of fruity tea. There’s so much food in this house. There’s like tones of home made bread and bagels and oatmeal cookies and granola bars stuff. Then a quick Skype with the family plus Vero (the student who’s living in my house and who’s house I’m living in) and then it was time for bed. Today was really random but my quote of the day was “I love wondering. Cuz like sometimes you don’t find anything, and sometimes you find eggplants!”

I got to sleep in today!! When I did get up, it was about 9AM and Gilberte had made crepes and Sylvain had made doughnuts so I had the breakfast of champions. Then Gilberte drove me and both Natalies and Taewyn to the metro station for 1:00PM. We met James-Elizabeth (our Quebec coordinator) there and then our whole group took the train down to Montreal. When we got there, we went to this place for lunch but it ended up being 18+ so we went to a different place instead. The place we ended up (who’s name escapes me) was a family type restaurant with burgers and salad and stuff. It also happened to be jam packed and really loud because of the soccer final that was happening. I had a burger (which was really quite large) and salad and then me and Taewyn (with help from everyone else) shared poutine. It was pretty good but kinda weird to have that much stuff on fries. Then we wandered down to where the cirque de soliel was. On the way there we walked down this pedestrian street with lots of little pink lanterns or something over and found these stationary bikes that play music when you ride them .

I’m not even going to try to describe the circus performance because I really wouldn’t do it justice. It was fantastic in lighting and costuming and music and of course the acrobats and contortionists were incredible. Taewyn got some popcorn (which I helped her with) and I got some cotton candy which was really good. 

After the show we took the train back to Laval and then Gilberte picked us up. When we got home were watched the first half of “Rrrrrrrr” which is kind like the French version of Monty Python. After that I made lunch and went bed. Today was really fun. The circus blew my mind and I got to sleep in so I mean come on, what’s not to like? 

This morning started off the same. Breakfast of cereal, shower and then Aaron’s folks picked us up and drove to the metro station. Once we arrived we, decked ourselves out in our purple t-shirts and scarves and ribbon for the amazing race. 

Throughout the day we ran through Montreal taking pictures and videos all along. We did things like buy a bagel, tried some samples at the market, posed on rental bikes, had a stranger write a Quebec saying on a teammates shirt, danced around a tree, played a public piano, did a good deed, went to city hall, took a picture on the metro train where none of us were touching the ground and climbing up the steps to a church on our knees. That last one was my favorite. We thought it was just some random thing our coordinators made up, but when we got there there was a whole separate staircase that was reserved for people going up on their knees. Apparently it’s a thing. We had to do that twice because the first time the camera wasn’t filming. Also, almost the entire time it was pouring rain. Like, there was thunder and lighting. And, we passed through the Montreal comicon center so we got to see a whole bunch of people’s awesome costumes. After the race was over, we drove several people home and then went home ourselves. When we got home, Tae came over for dinner which was home made spring rolls made with rice wrap, rice noodles, mango, avocado, cucumber, cilantro and shrimp, and then rice and a stir fry with meat and carrots and stuff. We also introduced Tae to Gertrude. After dinner me and Nat and Tae went to the grocery store and got snacks for our movie night. I got a chocolate bar and some sour cherries, Nat got twix and Swedish fish and Tae got a chocolate bar and caramilk bites. Then we came home and fought with the fan. I don’t know exactly how the ceiling fan was turned in the first place but was this thing where when we tried to turn it off, it would slow down, stop, and then start going the other direction. Then we watched Harry Potter and the half blood Prince. When the movie was over it pretty late and raining so me and Nat walked Tae home. On the way we saw at least 4 frogs just in the road. When we got home again we were really tired so we were in bed pretty quick after that. 

Today was a fun day but now I’m really tired and kinda wet.

Morning routine as pre usual but work was different today because of the fact that it was Friday. On Fridays at camp, the kids put on a show for their parents in the evening so that they can see what their kids have been doing all week. This is all well and good for say the hip hop group but I was with the soccer kids and that’s a little bit harder. So the coaches that were with the kids all week decided that today would learn a dance that they made up and we would do it to music with our soccer balls. Great plan. The kids are 5-12 and not super coordinated on the best of days. So we did that in morning and then in the afternoon me and the other co-leaders set up for the performances. When it was our turn, there were a number of complications. #1. The coaches are only there in the morning so they left a different leader in charge of the kids for the afternoon. They taught him the dance and all that but still, it was someone else who didn’t know the dance very well. #2. That person was actually not available because they were in charge of making sure all the parents who showed up late knew where to go so I had to organise these kids and do a little intro with my support fantastic french skills. #4. When we finally started, they had the wrong song. Or rather the right song but the wrong variation so the kids didn’t know when they were supposed to do what. So ya, we just kinda faked it and didn’t know what we were doing the whole time. When I home from work I relaxed for a bit and then me and Gilberte had make your own pizzas and cesar salad. My pizza was pita bread with sauce, cheese and salami. After dinner, I went and found taewyn and we wandered around rosemère. We went to the main shopping plaza, which is huge and was closed, and we got sorbet from this really cool ice cream place

That may not sound like much but we wandered around for the better part of 3 hours. When I got back I made my lunch and it was time for bed. One week down, 5 to go. I think I’m over all the big hurdles now but there’s still lots more to come. 

Same morning routine as yesterday, then it was off to work. Fun fact about part of Quebec I’m living, their bike lanes are on one side of the road only and there are two together one going each direction. So when I bike to work I’m biking on the left side of the road. This morning was kinda cloudy but it didn’t actually rain till half way through our soccer game at camp. Needless to say I was with the soccer kids this morning and then the 5-6 year olds in the afternoon. The rain didn’t last very long but it was cloudy for most of the day. It kinda made my day though when a kid told me he thought my accent was nice (after he asked me if I was born in another country) and at the end of the day this little girl named Florence gave me two pictures she had drawn. 

When I got home I showered and then we had dinner which was tortellini and home made sauce with a variation on bocconcini salad and bread. After dinner, me any Nat went and got tae from her house then meet Natalie, Aaron and Kayla at an ice cream place. I had what’s called a “carré chocolate” which was vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, brownies and a cherry on top. I didn’t finish it.

Then we went to the park near by and ate our  ice cream. While we were there, we saw a frog, a rabbit, some swans, some ducks with/without afros, and we sat on a swinging bench.

Then we went back to the ice cream place because Kyla’s phone got left there but we found and got water so all was well. Then we just sat outside the ice cream place and talked about work and our host families until people started getting picked up and we went home. Once we were home it was pretty quick getting through lunch making and teeth brushing before bed. Today was definitely a better day and tomorrow is the last of week 1 at work so I’m excited for the weekend.

Usual morning routine except not because I had an apple for breakfast and didn’t shower till later. Work was stupid but that’s ok. I was with the soccer kids in the morning and the 7-8 year olds in the afternoon so someone was crying everytime I turned around. On the upside Gilberte had made a pasta salad and Sylvain had made a fruit salad so lunch was pretty good. When I got home I just hung around for a bit until it was time to go to our first group activity. Tonight’s activity was the lavender fields. Pretty self explanatory. There were fields in which there was lavender growing.

It smelled really nice but it made mine and tae’s noses itchy. Then had dinner which was these veggie sandwich things and some salads that were from the bistro in the fields. After dinner we did some planning of upcoming events and get-to-know-you type activities. When we got home, we were locked out. The best part of that being that Gilberte asked me before I left if I had my key because they might be out when we got home and I said I had it, but the weather was super weird today. It was totally clear and then woosh! Pouring rain. It was kinda like a tropical storm cuz it was so hot. Anyways, point being, I was holding my keys when it started raining so I put them down so I could change and then they were convered by my clothes so I forgot to take them with me. In the end, we called Gilberte and Vincent came and rescued is which was super awkward and kinda funny. Then me and Nat made or lunches, talked to Vincent about music for a bit (he’s in a band) and then I had a shower and went to bed. Today was better in the second half because I had people my age to talk to but I think I’m just grumpy because of the hotness and the jetty lag. Plus I know have license to scream”moose!” at taewyn whenever she walks through a door (long story). Tomorrow I have to bring a green fruit or vegetable to camp for some challenge that’s happening so I have my apple and cucumbers all ready. 

Regular morning routine of cereal and juice and a shower before hoped on my bike and went to work. I was with the soccer group again today and we did more header drills and a game. After that was lunch and then we got ready to go to the pool. We all loaded onto the bus and managed to get all the kids to the pool one piece. Unfortunately once we were there we couldn’t swim because there had been a miscommunication somewhere. It was ok though because we just loaded them all back on the bus and went to a different pool. By the time we got back it was pretty much the end camp so I headed home on my bike shortly after. When I got back I fought with the garage for a bit (and won I might add) before heading in and hanging about until dinner. Dinner was hamburgers and fries and this kind of carrot salad thing and it was all good but it was really hot today so I didn’t eat as much as I usually do. After dinner I practiced some piano and made my lunch and then went to bed. Today was a little easier than yesterday, I think I’m understanding more. I’m still really tired but I talked to the family at home today and that was nice. Hopefully tomorrow will be easier still than today and it’ll continue like that till I’m fully in the game. 

I was up at 7:00AM to get ready for work. That sounds more official then it was because in reality I had a shower and ate breakfast and boom!  ready for work. I had this granola cereal and juice for breakfast and then Sylvain drove me to work. When I got to work they didn’t quite know what to do with me. I think there was a miscommunication both between me and my supervisor right then as well as between my supervisor and the ymca because she didn’t seem to know I was coming. Once we got all that sorted out, I got my camp name. While at camp everyone calls anana (french for pineapple). The way the camp works is in the morning the kids do specific activities that they signed up for-soccer, sport ball, hip hop, English etc.- and then in the afternoon they split into age groups and play camp games. The first thing we all did together was this kind of flash mob style dance and then broke off into groups. In the morning I was with the soccer group where we did some warm ups, some header drills, and had a snack. After snack we played a game of soccer and then played some camp games. Right before lunch, we all met back in the gym for some announcements before lunch. After lunch I was with the 10-12 year olds and we played toilet tag, space invaders, and pirate tag. After that they got these little booklets so that they can write out what they did during the week at camp. One they were all finished, we went inside and played some parachute games until it was almost time to go home. We hung about while the kids played with some gym equipment until it was 4:15PM when Gilberte picked me up and drove me home. I was really tired when I got home, both physically and mentally. I didn’t realise how hard I would have to work to understand what everyone was saying and try to communicate back to them. Just before dinner, Gilberte took us to get our bus passes for the summer. The picture on mine is fantastic as usual but what can you do. When we got home, dinner was ready and we had seasoned pork chops, green beans, cucumbers and carrots for dinner and this fruit puré this and banana bread for dessert. Gilberte has this thing where you put slightly defrosted frozen fruit in it and it makes it into something close to sorbet. After dinner we took a look at the bikes for me and Nat and then went to the pharmacy so I could get shampoo and stuff. When we got back, Gilberte and I went on a bike ride so I could figure out how to get to work on my bike. When we got home it was pretty much right into our nightly routine of lunch making and then off to bed. There were some fun things about today like the fact that when I opened my lunch box there was a little note from Gilberte wishing me a good day and the fact that my camp name is pineapple, most of the time now, someone really is saying pineapple get my attention!I also befriended a girl named Morgan who works with me. She’s my age and started today just like me. She’s really nice and is happy to explain things me when I don’t understand (so always). I’m exhausted but it will get easier right?

9:00AM start this morning. I had toast with peanut butter and juice for breakfast and then showered and got myself ready for the day. Before we went for a walk, we were introduced to Vincent (my host brother) and his girlfriend audré. Then Gilberte showed us around the neighborhood. We went to the park and the pool and the library and walked about in the sunshine. When we got back, we hung around until almost noon when we went to the welcome BBQ with everyone in our area. It started noon and went until just after 5:00PM. 

We had lunch, got to meet everyone’s families, played some games and went for a swim in the pool. When we got back, we relaxed until just before dinner when Gilberte took us to the grocery store to get a few things for lunches. Dinner was quinoa, BBQ chicken, mango avocado tomato salsa and cucumbers. After dinner we made lunches for work tomorrow and then me and Nat going around in our rooms before bed. I’d say day 2 was a success, I’m getting to know my host family and there are lots of fun activities planned. One more hurdle before I’m locked in, first day of work tomorrow. 

The adventure begins! But way too early in the morning. We arrived at the airport at 4:00AM, checked our bags and said or goodbyes before we got on our 6:00AM flight to Toronto. It was the usual music listening, book reading, sleeping activities before arriving in Toronto at 1:20 local time (10:20 home time). We had an hour and a half layover and then it was off to Montreal.

The plane to Montreal was really big! It had like several cabins and two isles. Now I realize that this is normal and people take big planes but I don’t take big planes so that was exciting. I also managed to mess up in french before we even landed in Montreal- apparently Boisbriand (the place I’m living) is pronounced Boibriand not BoiSEbriand *sighs*. Oh well. We arrived in Montreal at 4:30PM local time and went to find out luggage and host families. Gilberte (my host mom) had a sign all ready for me and Nat (another girl from Victoria who’s living with me) and she and Sylvain (my host dad) were very welcoming. Before going home they pointed out some key place around where we live (library, where we’re working, I’ve cream places etc..) And then welcomed us into their home. We took our bags up to our new rooms -mine is purple- and then we got a tour of the house. 

Next on the list was figuring out what we like and don’t like so that we could have food we’ll all eat. After that they started dinner prep and me and Nat started unpacking. Gilberte speaks a little English and Sylvain seems pretty fluent so we should be able to manage but the language barrier will definitely make life interesting. There were a few things I noticed about Quebec right off the bat (after doing a double take at ask the Quebec licence plates and wondering why there were so many). First is that they have weird traffic lights here. They’re all sideways and have arrows on them. The second was that tones of people have pools here. As we were landing at first all I could pick out were these blue dots next to all the houses. Lots of pools. Then we had dinner which was homemade sausage, homemade bread, salad, pasta with sauce and raspberry gelato for dessert. Then they showed us how the alarm system worked and did the outside portion of the tour. After we had figured out how to get in and out, we played with Gertrude the guinea pig. 

After that me and Nat went back to our rooms and just hung out and talked to our respective families before heading to bed. Over all, a pretty good day, even if it did start way to early. I have a really nice host family and a Victoria friend to help me out, what more could I ask for really?