Vancouver is a beautiful city full of beautiful people. Mrs. Voogd (Joanne) and I spent the day in Vancouver today. It was very nice (I have started saying nice a lot because Mrs. Voogd says nice a lot.) We were sitting outside a starbucks drinking some coffee on the corner across from the steam clock in Gastown when a couple who were obviously tourists asked if they could sit at our table. We said, of course, and then Mrs. Voogd asked where they were from and they said Germany, and then there was a half hour conversation in German, during which I understood the words: Whitehorse, Calgary, motorhome, Cariboo, and problem. The Voogds immigrated to Canada from Germany in the 1950's, I think, so they both speak German (and Dutch, for that matter.) It was a surreal experience--actually reminding me a lot of being in Cairo where I usually understood about 10 words out of the hundreds of Arabic words streaming around me.
Right now my head is swirling around several thoughts. The first, surprisingly, has little to do with school starting in three days. I guess I've been living in Iowa long enough that I feel a little bit of a pin prick when people dismiss the states (as they say here) as being without worth. It seems that Canadians have a habit of victimizing themselves because they feel so powerless besides the U.S.A., which then turns into bitterness. I am not the most patriotic of citizens, but I do know that although there are many arrogant people in the states, there are also many, many good people. I wish people wouldn't generalize so much, because there are almost always exceptions, and it hurts to be put into a category that doesn't fit. Anyway, generally I love Canadians :), and it's good to be around Canadian accents again--I hope that I can regain mine a little while I'm here.
The second thought is that school is starting in three days. eek!
5 comments:
Oh don't worry, Johnny Canuck (who ever you are) I am a Canadian citizen. On another note: my links work. ha ha. Now I can conquer the world!
Remember one of the times you and I visited the Voogd's and we went to Canada Place with Joanne? She made us go where we weren't allowed to be, just so we could look at this "neat" quilt on the wall. She thought it was so great, and meanwhile the guards were getting quite upset with us. We just wanted to leave, but she wouldn't let us until we'd gotten a good look at that quilt. Gosh, that was embarrassing. But Joanne is still the greatest.
hey, I think that Johnny canuck is a spammer.... hmmmmmm....
evil spammers! leave me alone! Yes I remember, Sarah. In fact, we walked past that quilt yesterday in Canada Place, and Joanne said something about mom quilting. I love her. She's another fierce one.
i'm not usually one to "blog" just because it's a fad; but margaret, i gotta say that it is great "hearing" from you.
i have always had a dream to be a full-time student teacher so let me know how it goes for you...i have yet to find a school to pay me for such a position.
Post a Comment