Though I don't have Internet access at the moment, I've decided to start writing my newest blog entry via iPad, seeing as I have about two hours until my tour of McGill and nothing to do until then. Speaking of McGill, here I am! I am currently sitting near the campus entrance, just off of rue McGill College. It's muddy and gray, but that hasn't impeded me from sitting on this bench and soaking my butt. (Also because I want to go to The Second Cup down the street, but I didn't know it was there and got a smoothie from Starbucks, which was packed, so now I have to wait until I finish my smoothie.)
I haven't taken many pictures yet. I haven't wanted to appear too touristy, even though I am, so I've just been enjoying everything wide-eyed and taking it all in. My friend François said everything (like the métro stations) seem so much bigger to him when he's with me because he's noticing everything along with me, stuff he never really payed attention to before. I thought that was pretty neat.
So. Yesterday. I won't go into any sort of detail about the recording of Un air de famille until Thursday, when the episode airs, but rest assured: it was awesome.
So instead of chronicling what happened yesterday, I'll recount today's journey thus far! (And probably add onto it later.) François very kindly agreed to come with me on the métro to l'Université de Montréal since I was terrified of taking it myself. It's actually much easier and less daunting than it appears when looking up the routes on the internet, which François tried to tell me, but I kept insisting that I would get kidnapped without him, so he humored me. He even got up a lot earlier than he normally does, which I thought to be quite gracious.
I woke up this morning at 7, though I needn't have gotten up so early since I wasn't leaving 'till 9. After safely locking away my laptop at the hostel, I headed to la Station Berri-UQÀM to meet François. I was waiting inside the little vestibule-like area, and he came up the escalators and walked right past me, not seeing me, so I had to chase him down. It was amusing.
The first order of business was to continue our task from last night, which was to find bagels. François randomly started craving bagels, and I thought bagels sounded good, so we walked all over trying to find a place. 'Twas quite a good way to explore Motntréal off the beaten track. We finally found a bagel café place that wasn't supposed to close until 11, and we got there at 10, but they closed early. Those bastards. So we got some random junk at a convenience store whose name escapes me despite the fact that they're all over the place. We went to the same bagel café place which was, of course, open. I got "Un bagel à la cannelle et raisin," and it was quite good. After that, we went back to the Métro and took the blue line to la Station Université de Montréal. I had thought that François would drop me off once we got off the subway, but he helped me find the correct "pavilion" and explored the university with me. Even after we found the office of the professor who agreed to meet with me, he stayed with me until I had about twenty minutes left 'till the meeting. We hung out outside the building, talking about literature and renaming mittens. When he left, knowing we wouldn't see each other for the rest of my time in Québec, I was sad. I am still sad, because he is awesome.
The professor I talked to, Professor Lapointe, was very nice. We didn't talk very long, but she answered the few questions I had, and gave me some things to think about. For instance, I've thought about teaching at CÉGEP here in Québec, and one of the draws was that I might not need a Masters; however, she told me that though that is the basic requirement, most professors DO have a Master's, so I wouldn't be as marketable as them. Anyway.
After we said goodbye, I headed back the way I'd come, back to the Métro station. I rode to the end of the blue line at Snowdon and transferred to the orange line, then got off at Station Lionel-Groulx and transferred to the green line, finally getting off at Station McGill. Surprisingly, I found myself in a mall, which I hadn't expected. However, I made my way out to rue Ste. Catherine and headed west on rue McGill College, got a strawberry smoothie at Starbucks, found the campus, and sat down on the aforementioned bench. However, I am now writing this from a café called Second Cup (which has Internet access - woo!). It's connected to a lovely looking bookstore, so I'll probably check it out before my tour, which is in about an hour. After that... Qui sait?
Later
I am now back at the hostel, taking a break before venturing out into Wonderland once more. I'll probably go back to La Banquise, which is where François and I went for dinner last night. Dear God, it's good. Also, all I've had today are two smoothies and half a bagel, so I'm kind of running on empty.
Most of my room here is empty. It's a long room with one section at the front with one bunk bed, a small "hallway", and then another section in the back with two more bunk beds. When I got here, there were two free beds - one in the front and one in the back, both bottom bunks (thank God - I took the one in the back), but now there's only one other person here, and she's got the bottom bunk up in the front of the room. We've said "hi," but other than that we keep to ourselves, which is totally cool with me.
I quite like this hostel. Lauren and I stayed here last year, but it was only for a night. My favorite worker seems to work only nights, and his name is Thibault. He is, apparently, French, and asked where I learned French, and that it's really good. (Teehee. That's not why he's my favorite.) I've got three more nights here, and then I'll spend my last night in Montréal in Drummondville after Bruno's show since the buses don't come back late enough. Woo!
Lord, I am tired. So flipping tired. I mean, the exercise is great, but I have been walking, and walking, and walking, and walking. My feet hurt. But hey, if I want to come to school here eventually, I should probably get used to it.
So yeah, I had my tour at McGill. Surprisingly, all of the other students there, except for two, were American. There was someone from New York, Georgia, Rhode Island, and then there was a girl from Italy and then from Montréal. The tour was fine - the school is nice, very Truman-like in that it's like a little oasis in the middle of the city, with old buildings, and trees, and squirrels. All of the students on the tour with me were preparing to enter as undergrads, so they were young and with their parents and it was cute. I didn't learn all that much about graduate studies or the particular department I'm interested, but I've only got the Concordia tour tomorrow, so I may go back after or before. Tomorrow will also be my "tourist day." I've held back from taking too many photos so far, but now I've decided I don't care, and if I want to take a picture of the Garou poster in the window of Archambault, then by golly, I will.
God, I love this place.
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