I wish John would shut up. But you see, John is so enthusiastic about his French training that he has to mumble vocabulary on his way to class. For now, I'm trying to open the bloody classroom door...
Anything related to my new life under the snow. From bitching about the weather to hockey games and the Stanley Cup, from culture shock to shocking culture, from old Europe to the New Continent, whatever is on my newcomer’s mind!
I wish John would shut up. But you see, John is so enthusiastic about his French training that he has to mumble vocabulary on his way to class. For now, I'm trying to open the bloody classroom door...
Canadians love their game, but the whole atmosphere is surprisingly friendly. Toronto is hated by everyone -- hence the "Toronto sucks" jerseys wore by die-hard fans -- but no hard feeling here :...
But one thing helped to make it through the long days (that is, other than the pack of cigarette I smoked and the cup of burning hot coffee sitting by me on the table) : when customers called, I had...
Summer usually brings the worse students, along with those to busy to take classes the rest of the year and whose only chance is to come to school when the Parliament isn’t in session. I don’t mind...
Standing in front of a busy LCBO meant attracting all kind of weirdos. I was known as the “flower girl” and people would stop by and talk to me about their life, their kids, their problems. Without...
I’m losing my French. Too bad I’m a French teacher. It all started when I moved to Ottawa. The city is in Ontario but the French-speaking province of Quebec is only minutes away, across the Ottawa...
This summer 2001 is hot and humid. The typhoon season is in full swing and some days, I can’t even leave the 32nd floor of the building where I live. The whole island is regularly swept by strong...
— Passports. Why are you coming to the USA today, mam’ ? The heavyweight officer looks up to me suspiciously. Can’t blame him. It’s 7 am on a cold November morning and we look like a mismatched pair...
Humour, jokes, what’s funny and what’s not strongly differ across cultures.
“What are you doing here in Industry Canada?”
I’ve always found office workers fascinating.
I took small and careful steps. My goal was to take a picture of the locks from below...
Winterlude started last week in the nation's capital.
We all look like we’re in a slow-motion movie!
It got cold today, with a low of – 15C, felt like – 20C.
You can’t get your mail for three days because the community mailbox is frozen.
Here are the five first differences I noticed when I came to Canada.