Tulips and Pansies and Forget-Me-Nots - Oh My!

Ooooh...not many comments on my last 3 blog entries. Too much information? Ah, suck it up.
Thank goodness I can always count on Mom!

It's official: I am back in Canada. I left Australia around 10:30am on May 12, flew for 14 hours and, thanks to the mysteries of time zones, I magically arrived in Vancouver, BC around 7:30am that same morning - 3 hours earlier than when my plane departed. (By the way, has anyone seen the movie Yes Man, with Jim Carey? I watched it on the flight. I think its theme is pretty fitting for me right now!) After winding through customs and collecting my luggage I caught a cab to the hostel.
Unfortunately, being that it was so early in the morning, they couldn't check me in for several hours. I was exhausted, but decided to place most of my bags in their luggage storage and, taking the baggage under my eyes with me, I headed towards Stanley Park to kill a little time. In spite of my fatigue, I was pleasantly surprised at how welcome I felt. And I was keenly aware that I was finally back "home", even it I wasn't quite all the way there yet. In Wellington, I had commented that people wouldn't return my smiles. Sydney was a bit better - the people there would at least make eye contact. But in both countries, I noticed too many people walking around in a daze, possibly so self involved that they were oblivious to their surroundings. There were literally physical collisions on the sidewalk if you didn't alter your path to get out of their way. Walking zombies?
But in Vancouver, in addition to eye contact, people smiled and said good morning and hello. The streets I walked were sprinkled with color and familiarity: tulips, pansies, and forget-me-nots hugged each other in the sunshine; pink cherry blossom petals gently drifted around me like floral snow; and our national flag, billowing from various flag posts - a sight I took for granted up until now - was a much welcome sight. I am proud to be Canadian!


So I've been here in Vancouver for just over three weeks now and, holy cow, has the weather ever turned up the heat! It's been close to thirty degrees for several days (unusual for this time of year) and I think it's only rained once since I arrived. Great for spending time at the beach, picking up a little color, and feeling warm and happy - but not so great for the forests.
I stayed at the hostel in the WestEnd/Downtown area of Vancouver (Hostelling International Downtown) for three weeks and just recently moved out into an apartment across the street. The building is an old 5 storey, character building - complete with an old-fashioned, gated elevator and claw-foot tubs. My roommate seems pretty cool and easy-going. Unfortunately, it's a pretty noisy location at night, so I'm not sure how long I'll stay. But I love this part of the city: it's downtown and therefore close to everything, but doesn't have that close, smothering, anonymous, city feeling. There's not that many tall buildings and, as I've said, there are lots of trees and flowers and smiling, friendly people.

Socially, I've spent a lot of time with people I met at the hostel, contacted people in town who my friends suggested I meet, and explored a bit of Vancouver. I've been to Stanley Park a few times, spent some time at the beach, and watched Crash & Burn night at Yuk Yuk's comedy club more than once. I caught a ferry (more like an oversized bathtub) over to Granville Island and browsed through the markets, got out dancing (!), and caught a bus over to Dunbar to enjoy lunch with the Birkner's - warm, generous friends of my friends, Marie and John.

[Photo: The countdown to the Olympic is in full swing!]

I've also been working. I picked up a job in a gelateria, serving tasty gelato! (Would you like a cup or cone? http://www.mondogelato.com/) I've been loving it! I'm inclined to think it's because I get to deal with so many random people but for only a short period of time. There's no relationships to build, perceptions to worry about, and really - who isn't happy when they come in to buy gelato!? So I have no idea how long the love-affair will last, but for now it's quite enjoyable. I get to eat all the gelato I want - thank goodness there are sorbettos and soy gelatos for when I actually have willpower and try to restrain myself. And there are tips...first job I've ever had where I get tips.

There's also an administrative assistant job at Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), in their Buying and Design department, for which I've applied. I've had two interviews with them so far and really hope I get the job. Whatever the outcome, I will be taking it as a sign. The second interview, which was yesterday afternoon, was held in person, in a meeting room called Nova Scotia! There was a map of the province on the wall and everything. Very fitting. So I've decided that either means I'm going to get the job, or it's a sign that home is calling!

On a side note, during these past 8 months almost no one has believed how old I am. I've come to expect - and enjoy - the reaction given when my age is discovered. 25 is the average guess. But jinkies, after seeing this photo taken last weekend (as I danced, danced, danced), who can blame them? :O)