A busy few months

It's been a very long time since my last post, a long overdue update is required. Now the main reason for me not posting anything is because I've very busy, both professional and private. So I'll try to not make it too long.

First off; Andrea warned me that once the first wonderful impressions sink in, the annoyances may come. Boy was she right. The first one: Tim Hortons, specifically the one on campus. When I still lived uptown (more later) I'd come here every morning to get my coffee fix, for a 12-14hr workday. The first thing I've learned is how to articulate my order. Medium, Black, Darkroast, Coffee, in that exact order. If I do not pronounce it to them like that, they will ask me about these elements in a language I can only describe as Timmey! They tend to drop words in sentences. They continuously call people to the front of the line while still helping other customers with the line "Help you!" to indicate the next in line should come. These people then proceed to give your order, to someone else who starts this order around the time the 5th individual behind you places his. In other words: I'm waiting in line with 6 other people, cluttering the checkout, for a simple coffee. Of course this order might have been finished earlier than that, but I still don't speak Timmey! so I don't know when they shout my order at someone else. To be honest, it will probably be something I'll miss back home, because it's very indicative of starting my awesome days of science.

Just one more annoyance, and then I'll continue with a bunch of pictures and experiences, Taxes. Canada and the United States don't put taxes on their pricing. Nowhere is there an indication of the percentage or absolute value of tax on the product you are buying. Now Dutch readers might think, so what, the price is on it right? No it's not, the display price is the price before tax. So basically shopping becomes a gamble around the end of the month, hoping that an overestimation of 20% will get you there.

Rick and Conner at Snakes and Lattes, a great boardgames café

Niagara Falls

The first update is about the week my good friend Rick came over to Toronto. We started it with a ski trip to Mont Tremblant, we checked out some of the sights, went to a few bars, and finished it with a trip to Washington DC. In Washington we spend most of our time at the Smithsonian and the monuments, but also enjoyed some great food and drinks. As you can tell by the images below, we had a great time.

My first (valid) attempt at insect photography at the Smithsonian

There's a bunch of sights I didn't talk about, like the CN tower with its great view, or the aquarium with its amazing collection, comic con (where I got some awesome stuff), and Kensington market which is just awesome. Sufficient to say I've been exploring the city. Aside from that I've also explored some cafés and coffee shops, which I like way better here. The atmosphere is more relaxed and the availability and assortments are just what'd you'd expect to find in a city like this.

I started of with a bit of a negative note, but I am really enjoying this country. Of of the reasons things used to be more frustrating was my living arrangements. I lived with some nice people, but they had some internal conflict going on. They were nice enough to try and keep me out of it, but that evidently didn't go as planned. These issues were resolved by one of the others moving out. This situation did highlight to me that I couldn't stay. At that time my experiments changed to a schedule that required me on campus 12-14 hours a day. This isn't always continuous work, but I do need to be there. Add a total daily commute of between 3 and 4 hours a day (the TTC can be a real mess) and you realise there's no room for sleep and life. Thus I moved to campus. I now live in a nice house with just two roommates, with only one of which I share my washroom (yes that's what I'm calling it now, they're getting to me). I will have to move again, because of my temporary visiting researcher status, but this is only a small distance on campus. Now the best part, aside from the massive increase in sleep, is the environment. I walk through a small piece of woods every morning. In this piece of woods there are deer, squirrels, and chipmunks (pictures will follow!), if that does not start your day of with a big smile I don't know what will.

A piece of Mars

Stardust

One of my favourite shots of the Washington monument

To strengthen my smile Amy and I went to NYC last weekend, which in one word was great! The city is just a wonderful place to wander and explore. We of course also explored all the cliché sites, which were very satisfying too. There's really not much to tell, we went there and had a great experience, I'll let a small selection of images do the talking.

Wall street, the very NYC typical image I had to attempt to replicate.

A rainy day allowed me to take this shot of the Washington square arch

The obligatory empire state building's skyline shot

A part of central park

This is one of my favourites. It's an HDR assembly of shots taken at the Columbia university.

Me trying to blend in, or as Glenda describes it: "Just finished my job as a hitman".

Trying to blend in, which let's face it doesn't work if you pose for a shot in Bryant parc ;)

All in all it's going great here, the weather is getting warmer, my experiments seem to be going in the right direction (even though I'm not quite there yet), and I'm having some great times with my new Canadian friends. Until the next time I'm trying to find an excuse to not work!

First impressions of Toronto

I haven't had a lot to report lately. I'm mostly trying to get myself on a regular sleep rhythm and am desperately trying to finish my work for back home. My friend Amy is returning tomorrow, so I'll be shown around again soon. Before she left Amy took me took me to a shop called Snakes and Lattes. It's a store where you can play boardgames over a nice latte. We didn't have a chance to play because, get this, the hostess put us on a waiting list. On a Wednesday night at 23.30h a boardgames shop has a waiting list! So I'm definitively going there more often. I love boardgames and I love lattes (thanks to Kevin).

This is the line for signing up on the waiting list!

I'm actually living a bit more healthy here than I did back home. Groceries aren't too expensive, but confusing a fruit drink that's mainly sugar with healthier ones was tricky at first. Finally I figured out that the healthier stuff gets advertised as extremely healthy and is thus more expensive. But a coffee shop around every corner, serving a bagel with cream cheese is a very good way to start my day, so I don't mind too much. Random weird food observations: Milk in plastic bags to put in a pitcher, which I've been told is an Ontarian thing. British Colombia has the bags of yogurt, just to not stand out in the weirdness I guess. 

Jup that huge thing is a library

 Yesterday I worked on my research report by sitting in a Second Cup coffee shop, and it appeared as the most normal thing in the world. Mentioning back home you that worked at a coffee shop doesn't usually get a positive response. They either think you sold weed or that you're a hipster. My Dutch roots did start to ache, so after two hours I did go to write in the library. They have a Starbucks and a Subway anyway, so coffee and a bagel to go with that studying. The library is huge by the way. It has reading rooms with power for your laptop and other great facilities. So I finally got some work done. But the best thing is that afterwards I got to walk to the Subway station in the twilight.  And finally after three weeks of feeling like Toronto is a great place, it felt like home. 

Some snapshots of Toronto

The University downtown where I take the bus to go to my faculty

The CN tower, something I definitively need to visit

Random pub I ran into, thought my Dutch friends might appreciate the name

Arriving in Toronto on a Saturday night

Schiphol departure

12.08 just two minutes until we start boarding the airplane, no delays, perfect! Started some small-talk with three Canadians waiting in the same area. 12.11 'we're sorry to report the aircraft will be delayed for 1 hour and 10 minutes, please proceed to gate E9'. Gate E9 was packed, so I followed my new travel companions to E8 which was mostly empty. We chatted on cultural differences, explaining Zwarte Piet caused many laughs after getting over the racist impact (not going into the discussion, I'm against it, but this is about an external party observing our weird customs not my personal views on that topic). I learned a lot about Canadians and Canada before I even boarded the plane. They gave me some good tips on bars and websites, and told me that apparently Canada attacked the U.S. and burned the white house in the war of 1810. They might want to worry about not upsetting the North. 

This all takes place with the occasional announcement on our flight status followed by 'please be patient and don't touch the button!'. We tried to find the infamous button without succes. Fortunately after going through customs we found some new entertainment quickly dubbed 'killer granny'. An old Dutch lady who did or didn't do something was making a big issue about being scanned and searched. We couldn't make out what it was, but after she tried to hit the customs officer our entertainment was set. Soon after we boarded. I quickly learned that Canadians actually have a good grasp of international politics and history, and that they truly are more open minded than we are, even though we pride ourself to be so. I said goodbye to my companions and proceeded to my seat where I met the friendliest Canadian lady I've met so far. She just became a grandmother to a daughter that lives in the Netherlands. In the seven hour flight I only spend some time reading and watching series, the rest of the time I spend chatting with her about Canada, the Netherlands and other small talk. Again I gained a lot of new insights into my new home, with an array of tips and goto places. 

Arrival 

Soon after arriving I am sent through customs, declared not to have ebola and proceeded to the visa office. The office was a large row of desks all occupied by strict looking officers, and I was the only person there. I hand in my letter of acceptance and passport, and answer a few questions. Luckily I packed the letter the university sent me, because apparently they needed more info than they told me at the application. I wait for five minutes while the man works, not saying anything. At this point I still don't know if they will let me in. But of course they did, because Canada is awesome. I shake the man's hand, collect my luggage, say bye and happy holidays (thanks for the heads up Meghan) to my travel companions and proceed to meet my friend Amy at pickup. We catch up, talk about flies, and proceed to go to the transit. At this point I am feeling very hot because I packed for a cold Canada, while in fact it's not that cold yet. Sweaty and no Idea where I am we arrive at my new home. I meet most of my new roommates and the landlords. They're all very friendly and helpful and before I know it I'm settled. Amy and I head back downton (I live a bit north of downtown) to meet my friend Sam and her fiance Brad for dinner. At this point I've been up for 24 hours or so, and since we traveled east I had experienced a 7 hour sunset which messed up my system good. I get a strong cup of coffee from the slick dressed bartender and we have a lovely dinner. Amy, she sweetheart that she is, takes me home again. I was so tired and confused. 

This is where the title of this piece comes in. Canada is what I expected from american media and entertainment. But being there feels quite different. So I was in a sort of surreal state between familiarity and complete cultural differences. Now imagine this on a Saturday night when everyone is out to party and enjoy themselves.

The first days

I won't bother you with a detailed description of my day to day life, but I'll put down the essentials. 

Jetlag is a bitch, and I slept horrible. The days after however I quickly recover. Toronto doesn't seem so foreign during the day, and after settling I really like it at night. The transit is very easy to use once you get the hang of it (though I haven't yet). It's all a grid and you pick the direction you want to head, eg. the subway east-bound. Convenience stores are the best! I have a 24/7 store at a 1 minute walk from my room! Toronto doesn't close shops in the weekend, and everything is open until around 9 :) 

The first days consisted of me meeting some of my colleagues to be, some really nice and interesting people. I've already been to one board-game party and spend a lot of time with Amy shopping for essentials. 

I finally (quickly) met my new supervisor, a really nice guy, and the remainder of my colleagues. I got a good insight into the lab from lunch brakes, being shown around the confusing campus (which I'm sure it isn't), and a PhD defence talk by one of the lab members. One final thing I have to drop in before I end this chaotic blog: Shops where you can grind your own coffee and peanut butter!

Before I close, of course the title of my blog. What's that about? Well on the shuttle bus to UTM campus, the one I'll be taking every day most likely, there's a first aid kit and a morbidly named 'bodily fluids cleanup kit'. Since these away from home blogs can be reminiscing and emotional at times I found this an appropriate title for my blog, where I can share my one bodily fluid (it's tears! I know you bastards will come up with other interpretations, but it's tears!). Even though I haven't felt that bad yet, in fact I feel great. I love Canada :)