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School’s Out

School’s for summer — not forever since I seem to be a lifelong student.

After attending three university sessions in a row (summer, fall and winter), I’m taking a little break. Trust me, I need it.

Since summer 2009, I took four classes, including the very useful French as a second language course I was forced to take (remember, being French is not a proof that I can speak French). It doesn’t seem much like that but I’m working full-time in a very demanding job, and since I already have a university degree, school is not my priority.

Mind you, I’m a good student: two A- and one A+, plus my beautiful bilingualism certificate. I didn’t do to bad for someone who attend classes and sit exams after an 8 hour-long workday.

On one side, my experience with university in Canada is pretty good. First, I hope that eventually I will be able to complete a Canadian degree, even if the goal seems to be very far away. Second, it helps me keep a balance with my crazy work environment. Culturally speaking, it is also interesting to see how things are taught on this side of the Atlantic Ocean: perspectives, especially on economics, history and politics are quite different from Europe’s. Students behave differently too.

However, I won’t probably go back to school full-time. I toyed with the idea for a while last year as I had always wanted to experience the North American university rite of passage. But I realize now that I’m probably too old, too cynical and too experienced for that. I’m sure it’s different at a postgrad level, but I’m stuck in undergrad (remember, my French university degree is not recognized here). I feel miles away from most of my classmates who live the student life: a bachelor pad on campus, busy nights partying and drinking, days cramming knowledge and updating Facebook status, a certainty that they can change the world… Once you’ve seen the world and started working, it’s just hard to fit in. I feel like an alien most of the time.

This is a set of pictures I took at the University of Toronto, for a change. They have a super nice campus too!

You can see the full set of the pictures taken in Toronto here.

Toronto Skyline from the University
Tower
Blazon of the Arms
Orange Bike
Pumpkin Building (WTF?)
Hallway
Dome and CN Tower
Entrance to Courtyard
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Zhu

French woman in English Canada.

Exploring the world with my camera since 1999, translating sentences for a living, writing stories that may or may not get attention.

Firm believer that nobody is normal... and it’s better this way.

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