Back from the swimming pool

I'm just back from the swimmingpool. My cat-like hair still dripping on the keyboard of this Irving Learning Centre Computer. my mind set on studying (for the first time in the library... It's a way to reinforce myself I guess) and still not succeeding in my mission not to be distracted by computerscreens... I'll never learn it! Anyway. I have just one week and 1 day of classes left. After that hell begins. No, just joking. I'll have 4 finals, nicely spread over my last 3 weeks in Vancouver. Empathic people can hold their thumbs up on friday 5th (at 7 o clock at night!), the 10th, 11th and 16th. I am desperately behind with some courses, but put more effort in the Teaching Writing project I have to finish for next wednesday.

At the same time I stay relaxed with movie-evenings, cooking, swimming, yoga, origami, walking in the rain, sunsets on the beach, Lady in red soup and vegan brownies from Sprouts, a kitchen salsa with Juan from now to than, long evening chats with parents and Pieter, writing emails to strangers on Couchsurfing in order to meet some more 'vegan Vancouverians' before I leave, karate (but not today because my legs cry out because of terrible muscle pains "no more stairs please! Please don't kick!!! Au au au!!!". I just did some stretching in the sauna to make them relieved again...

Just discovered that they only have 3 changing rooms in the female part of the swimming pool changing area. You can guess my surprise entering the open public space, immediately being surrounded by a dozen naked girls. We, Belgians, are not used to that, aren't we? Or did I just never go to an university swimming pool before? Maybe that's it. Anyway, be informed.

Some more things about my life here: I don't want to go back, but miss you all very much (especially you!!!!). Last weekend I went to see Deep Cove, a regional park close to West Vancouver. What a wonderful view just after sunset!!! But... after sunset means 'no light anymore'. We returned by re-entering the forest in the dark of the 6 o'clock night. Imagine the Canadian forest... bears hiding behind every tree, but you can't see them in the scarce light of a desperate almost battery less photocamera. You can only hear a soft murmuring... We used Jeremy's flash (on his professional camera) to light the way from time to time in order not to get lost. Probably he took a lot of abstract forest-pictures in this way. Alex showed off by walking in front of us without any light to guide him. This rainforest (yes, it really is a rainforest. They exist here in Canada. just like in Ecuador, with trees too big to hug, outreaching green arms of plants, waterfalls and seemingly not so stable bridges... and mud of course (but I already told you about that) reminded me of the night trip in the Amazon jungle almost 3 years ago now. But in this case we didn't see any colored frog, wanting to poison us.

Yesterday I went with Petra (from Slovenia) to Mikyungs (from Korea) house to watch the Spanish movie Sex and Lucia (Lucia y el Sexo) together. Awesome to have a girlsnight with movies, chips and chocolate chai tea. We were lucky that Mikyungs roommates didn't enter the common place at some moments, because they would suspect us of watching porn before midnight ( we don't know how open Canadian are about this :D Even though they don't use changing rooms in the swimming pools). But overall it was a love story. Erotic, but romantic in a rather strange sense.

I could tell about the Malaysian birthday party I went to on saturday. Farah became one year older than me, so we celebrated with a buffet of delicious Malaysian spicy snacks. Mmmm... I love red rice coconut desserts!!! And the soymilk with bubbles was tongue-teasing! Farah introduced me in some Malaysian traditions, like for example singing Malay(and in my case English) karaoke on your socks. On the 29th I am going to be the bride in a Malaysian cultural event. I wonder what that will give... And I still need a groom!!!! Apply by sending a mail to farahilde@gmail.com

That's all for now. I should start studying now. Just like to waste my time in a usefull way...

Love you all!!!!! Miss you!!!
God nat! Goedenacht! Bye bye! Namaste! Oyasumi! etc...

Veerle Joanna