Poor Weather Conditions

Ah the return to the normal Universtiy life.

Last week I had my first experience with University reading week, to be honest I was expecting something a bit like SPRING BREAK MIAMI in ugg boots but I was surprised. In fact, most of the people I know spent reading week at home with their families, writing essays (in which their families had very little involvement). And for those of us that went away, it seemed to be
for more... educational purposes.

My decision to jump a train to Montreal with Tal was a pretty quick one. I was starting to feel overwhelmed by Toronto, oppressed by the campus buildings and generally unhappy with my surroundings. I seemed to have made a very good choice.

Heading to Montreal was in a sense the ideal Reading Week experience. I saw old friends (who I consider family), studied my Religions material via theological discussion (and some practical application), I even looked into the psychology of acting training. The food was delicious, the sights were beautiful.

But mostly their was skating.

Since leaving Edmonton (where I had several skating rinks in my school yard each winter) I have found that I have a strange desire to skate more than I ever did in my childhood. Tal and I rented skates at Montreal's old port (a large man made ice surface with fun music attached to a 'natural' trail for the more adventurous). Though he used to be rather unskilled at skating, he seems to have magically surpassed me in ability, perhaps through some deal with the devil.

Skating in Montreal felt alot like working off every anxiety that I had been building up for week. I can't tell you how fun it was (the whole trip was) and how happy I was to be with the people I was with.

In fact it was a week full of the most impressive kind of people. Ones who think, learn and debate. I find I miss being surrounded by such diversity of intellect; so many different kinds of people who befriend eachother based on goodness of character and not favorite TV shows.

And now I am back into the swing of things. Icky frozen rain and snow are making today a mess and a big part of me hopes that classes will be canceled and I can just stay home and watch Battlestar Galactica. I am not sure I am happy to be back to a (rather unproductive) routine but I did miss the city and it is good to be home .

Sam