How Canadian Literature can lead one to ponder...

ENG356H1. A course code among so many others, but Topics in Canadian literature: Literary Montreal really grabbed me by the throat yesterday. At the moment we are reading and discussing Stephen Leacock's Arcadian Adventures of the Idle Rich, a story set in Chicago (but you have to imagine it's Montreal. That's how modern literature works, or so I have been told.) about the 'happy few', the 'square milers', the 'new money', the very rich. The book is one big satire on a class that is idle, immensely corrupt, naive and extremely wealthy. Leacock satirizes this class - curious thing to know is that he worked himself up and managed to belong to the 'idle rich' himself - all through the 200 pages, no alternative presented, no redemption, no building up, only towing down. Around page 150 I started wondering whether he was actually going to propose a solution to the corruption and power of money, but as the question crossed my mind, I felt incredibly naive. Of course he was not going to present me with a perfect solution, of course there was not going to be a happy last line to the novel, this is just how this social class works apparently. That was more or less how I felt when finishing the book. When I got to the class things got clearer. Professor O'Connor encourages - read: gently forces - us to give our own opinion on the book in order to start the discussion (this is what we do during the first of the 3-hour lecture!). As I heard the different interpretations and thoughts of my fellow students, I realised that I was not the only one looking for a positive note amoung the bitterness. And then there was this one comment of a girl sitting in the second row:
' Professor, why didn't Leacock bring a middle class family into the story, in order to contrast their 'virtue' with the 'vice' of the idle rich?'
And Prof. O'Connor replied: 'Dear X (here he said the girl's name, he knows us all by name, unfortunately I can't remember hers), maybe there is no such thing as 'virtue'. Maybe Leacock didn't bring another class into the story because maybe, middle class members are just as corrupt, idle and vicious as the idle rich. I want each and every one of you to think about this. Look at yourselves, are you not part of 'the idle rich'? Are our politicians not corrupt? Is our system not characterised by inefficiency and an enormous waste of money and time?'
And all went silent... We all read the book and I think we all read it as a satire on the really well-off people, the ones who own yachts and summer houses, the ones who play golf and drive Bentley's, but I don't think any of us thought about their own 'class', none of us even considered looking at their own situation... At first there was a long silence and then someone just asked another question and the discussion went on, but as for me, I was really taken aback by what had just occured in the 405 classroom in Carr Hall.

After the 3-hour lecture, I went over to Marie's place for pizza, some wine and international company. I didn't stay long, but had some good laughs with Marie, Lena and Bram; the atmosphere was good, the weather was ok (Marie has a roof terrace) and the conversations interesting. Probably the best way to get over a class as stomach punching as that one!

As for today, I just managed to get my first choice topic for my Bachelor paper: 'Jane Austen, critical debates', which I am very thrilled about. I logged on not a minute too early, because by the time I was enrolled all spaces were taken! Crazy system anyway...
Tomorrow, I will have to give on oral presentation on my Swift paper. Hopefully that works out as well. I will actually feel relieved when that's over!

Contact information: how to stay in touch!

I am quickly going to post my address in Toronto, as well as my Canadian phonenumber. No obligations, just in case anyone should need it!

Anouk Morren

Neill-Wycik co-op College Inc.

Room 4F5

96 Gerrard St. East

Toronto, ON M5B 1G7

Canada!

+1 647 262 2753 (Mobile)

+1 416 204 2753 (phone in my room)

I also advise you to download skype! Why pay to hear me if you can do it for free! Just send me your skype-account once you have one and I'll add you to my list!

Home 6.059 km away...

As Sunday evening is drawing near, another weekend has passed in Toronto. I am taking a break from my translation here in St. Michael's College Library at St. Joseph Street (I always have the impression that Canada and Toronto in specific must have had - and maybe still has- a very pious population. I think nearly every saint is honoured with either a street or a college over here!). Medieval French Language really isn't my strong point, but when I compare my situation to that of my fellow students, I think I'm in a privileged position for having studied Latin and Greek. When professor Kullmann mentioned the case system of Old French, it came as quite of a shock to most of them to find out that there even was such a thing as case-use, let alone they understood what the poor woman was talking about... Anyway, I struggled through most of it, so I think I deserved a few minutes of carefree writing!
Friday evening presented the Exchange Students with a BBQ and drinks. Quite ok, I had some interesting talks with some French and Dutch girls. It's always amusing to hear each other's stories and little problems. The Amsterdam girls for example were absolutely horrified by the fact that most of the shops are open 24/7, while Bram and I agree that that is one of the most convenient thing about Canada so far!
On Saturday the ISC had organized a trip to Chudleigh's Apple Farm and Rattlesnake point. At 8.45 am -according to some of us an indecently early hour ;) - we left in a bright yellow 'schoolbus' (yes, like the ones in all American high school films ) for Chudleigh's Apple farm, which is, as its name more or less announces, a farm that grows apples. Now, we have plenty of those in Belgium, I hear you think. True enough, but we are in Canada and that changes things a bit. Those of you who have ever been at my house in good old Limburg know what apple orchards look like, they didn't look any different over here. But, add to the rows of trees and the actual farm an unsensible twist of downright American commercialism and we're getting closer. Believe it or not, but people here actually manage to commercialise an apple farm! How do you do that? Fairly easy actually: put a blushing, quite round and smiling woman in a red apron at the entrance, saying ' Welcome to Chudleigh's farm! Here's your bag to pick 3 pounds of apples! Enjoy yourself!', build some children's facilities (playground, animal farm, a hay maze and birthday party facilities) organise tractor-tours around the premises, open a shop selling home-mad apple sauce, apple pie and apple-cake, install a BBQ and Bob's your uncle! I could not believe my eyes! This is something you just don't encounter in Belgium, or anywhere in Europe, I think because we are too down-to-earth for such practices!
In the afternoon the yellow bus took us to Rattlesnake point, some sort of natural domain to go hiking, camping or walking. Quite comparable to De Ardennen but not half as beautiful. We had an interesting walk through the woods, got back on the bus in time and drove back to Toronto. Some of us (A Swede, a French girl, a German girl, an English 'chap', Bram and I) had a meal in a Thai restaurant, which actually was the first real Asian meal of my life. Quite ok, but I think I prefer good old European cooking (nothing better than ne patat en e goei stuk vlees) Anyway, it was a pleasant evening and a good day in general.
University work and assignments obligated me to spend most of my Sunday writing my Swift-paper and struggling with Le courronnement Louis. This evening I will do some laundry and cook dinner with Bram. Nothing exciting, the regular every-day duties we all have to face!
Most of you are heading back to Leuven this evening... I have to say I will miss being there during the ever interesting first weeks. Keep in touch, so I can at least picture you all in your regular student lives!

The weekend and revenge on the squirrel population :)

From left to right: 1. My books on their bookshelves and my noteboard! Spot your card! 2. My room, hard to take a picture of it!

Another weekend passed by, so lots of things to reminisce about! I posted some pictures on Saturday, so now you can picture me, hanging around somewhere on the other end of the ocean, 6059 km away, a bit better. Photos of my room are bound to follow, upon general request!

So, the weekend started somewhere Friday afternoon for me! I met up with Kate, a great girl from Denver, Colorado, whom I met having lunch at the ISC cafe earlier that week. We went to Kensington Market for grocery shopping, headed to China Town afterwards for a complete cultural turnaround. You just cannot imagine what it is like unless you've been there, unless you're actually surrounded by Asian people. And when I say surrounded, I mean surrounded: Kate and me were about the only 2 Western people in a whole street, provided a lost European here and there. EVERYTHING is written in Chinese, there are wooden dragons at entrances, you only hear Chinese, or a language I think sounds like Chinese. We bought different sorts of vegetables, some soya sauce, tofu, and other very non-European products. After that, we cooked a de-li-cious meal at Kate's place, a chicken and broccoli stir-fry, rice and eggplants (or aubergine like the English call it) with ginger and sesame-oil. I am eager to impress my family with my new cooking skills! She lives quite far away from campus, but the cosiness of her little appartment makes up for that! We had a long and very interesting chat and it was a genuinely lovely evening. We'll have another dinner at my place next week, I'm definitely looking forward to the new dishes she'll impress me with!

On Saturday, I spent three quarters of my day reading a book called Moi, Tituba, sorcière... for my French class. Very violent at times, tender at others and generally not a bad book. But of course, there is no comparison between the 'big French classics' (e.g. Les Liaisons Dangereuses; without a doubt my N°1 in French literature! Read it, you'll love it!) and the African counterpart. At 6, when Bram knocked at my door, I had nearly forgotten there was something like the the life surrounding me! We cooked a good meal and had a nice evening watching 'Alles kan Beter' clips and chatting. We had some good laughs!
Sunday was laundry day, which took quite some time, but turned out to be ok. Nothing changed colour, everything kept its size and Bram even found all of his socks, which apparently shouldn't be taken for granted!

I am also thrilled to tell you that the squirrels are revenged! The evil side of me managed to scare one of the little creatures, so we're even! I saw one eating a nut on the grass on my way to Emmanuel College, which is pretty much all they do during the day, I noticed that the nut took all its attention and that Mr. Squirrel here wasn't really taking notice of anything around him. So, my squirrel encounter of last week in mind, I decided to get back at the whole squirrel population through this specimen. I gently approached it, as close as I thought fit and then I simply said 'Booh'. The little thing just jumped up, dropped its nut and ran to the closest tree he could find. I couldn't help smiling. Mission accomplished.

I am going to post some pictures of my room here and hope you all enjoyed a good weekend yourselves. Another week started over here, with some more assignments to complete, but also some very good moments to look forward to!

Picture Gallery: a Friday in downtown Toronto! (1)

Bram in front of Cumberland house, the international student center
Hart House, student fun-facilities: gym, pianos, study rooms, etc. Nice to have lunch out there!
Hart House again. Has a school bus stop right in front of it!
A view of University College from Hart House circle
Knox college, the Presbyterian college. Very nice on the inside and a very lovely library!
The University College Courtyard
University College, a maze on the inside!
King's Road, leading to UC
'Velut Arbor Aevo', As a tree through the ages...!

Picture Gallery: a Friday in downtown Toronto! (2)

U of T main entrance at College Street
Queen's park
China town, where we went grocery shopping
The chicken and broccoli stir-fry: de-li-cious!
Kate and I at Kensington Market
'Cooking at Kate's'
'cooking Kate'
Dinner is served!
Kate enjoying her ice cream and chocolate fudge brownie!
Busy Yonge Street
A Squirrel enjoying a nut

About squirrels, 'Scoop' and taxes

Ever met a squirrel in person? I have. It didn't like me. Those little animals that seem to control Toronto's every tree are absolutely not as harmless and cute as they seem. When I was heading towards Bram's place on Tuesday, I passed this street with trees on either side of it. All of a sudden a walnut landed within 10 cm of my head, which scared the living daylights out of me. Looking up I saw a black (yes, they also come in black) squirrel look at me with its beady eyes, obviously calculating how to hit me next time I decided to walk under its territory. I was shocked as to the evil of such a little cute looking animal! Ever since the incident I carefully avoid passing any walnut trees and I also don't try to come near another squirrel again.

Moving to happier topics, I all recommend you Woody Allen's Scoop starring Scarlet Johansson and Allen himself. A mix of a detective story and Woody's wit that really hit it off. Funny, gripping and a surprising end. Just go and see, you'll like it!

I had two new classes today. It took me 20 minutes to find the room of Studies in a Pre-1800 individual writer (Swift), but finally arriving at the tower (!) of University College (you can see a winter picture right here) the effort seemed worth it. The professor is one of a kind, British accent (I was dying for some real Oxford English!), witty, slightly shy and very oddly dressed! He had white trousers on, a pink shirt, which obviously wasn't his colour, and.... black sneakers! I couldn't believe my eyes, a complete clash of colours! Only partly recovered from this shock, another one hit me, when he stood up straight, his trousers were too short, revealing a very unappealing line of white socks. Well, I suppose you can't have it both ways, genius and fashion style rarely match!
The second class presented me with yet another (minor) shock! Francophone Literature is taught by a black professor, who is very enthusiastic about African literature. Therefore, we are going to discuss 4 books by African writers about decolonisation and slavery. When he heard I was from Belgium, Prof Tcheuyap immediately came to life. His eyes doubled in size, giving him this radiant glow that clearly showed his interest. He immediately mentioned things like Le roi Léopold II and Congo ou Zaïre...! Promises to be a good and interesting course, if you're asking me!
I'm definitely looking forward to more of these interesting and thoroughly good days!

Three days in Toronto

Three days in Toronto

It took me three days to pick up writing here again for a wide variety of reasons, the main one being that the internet connection I have in my room is very slow and actually completely illegal. As this is highly unlikely to be fixed over the weekend, I just start writing this post on my laptop and put it online at the library this weekend.

So, what are my impressions of my first three days here? I think it’s best to more or less tell you what I have been doing here.
I arrived on Wednesday. It took Bram and me 2 airplanes and a taxi to get here, which – considering the amount of luggage we had – went surprisingly well. When I opened my second suitcase I saw a major shampoo explosion had occurred, but other than that it went just fine. I do have to admit that I was completely exhausted when I arrived at Neill-Wycik and my first impression of the room wasn’t too great. It looked not as clean as I had expected (to put it euphemistically), but at that time I was just interested in a bed! The first night was not as smooth as usually, which I think is somewhat normal.

The next morning things looked a bit better: broad daylight made everything look a bit cleaner and nicer. I started cleaning the room and I can assure you that at this time, it is spick and span. Later on, Bram also helped me move my bed and desk, which makes the room look twice its size. I decorated it a bit with cards you all sent me and it actually turned out very cheerful.
After that, Bram and I just went to U of T campus, which covers pretty much three quarters of downtown Toronto, to arrange our student card, health insurance and we also got enrolled at the ISXO office, which is the international student office (extremely efficient and immensely friendly, which actually goes for all Canadians). Distances are somewhat different from those in Leuven. However, a 30 to 40 minute’s commute is not exceptional at all. A lot of people don’t even live in Downtown Toronto, so they spend about an hour to get to school. It takes me approximately 25 minutes to get to my lecture halls and to Campus in general. We also visited the local ‘Acco’ Store, which was an experience in itself. This book store is h-u-g-e and even has a post office located in the middle of it. There are three floors, but I think there might be even more, because I don’t think we managed to ‘visit’ the whole shop. In the evening we had a pasta meal at my place and I just arranged matters a bit in my room and went to bed. I slept reasonably well with a coat, a cardigan and a towel as a pillow.

On Friday I started my day going to Dominon’s, which is the local ‘Delhaize’ or ‘GB’ with the one difference that it’s opened 24/7. And actually the lady at the checkout counter just made my day. Here’s our little conversation: (picture a middle-aged woman, red/bordeau/brown hair, matching colour nail polish, a haircut that made it look as if there was about a whole spray can of hair product in it, and a one-cm layer of make-up, imagine the strongest American accent you can think of and keep a typical American film in mind)
She: How are we doing today?
Me: Fine, thanks and you?
She: Oh, I’m just finnnnnnnnnnnnne (sounding very nasal)!
Here’s your stuff, and that’s a total of $12,45 for you to pay me
(I pay)
She: And you have a great day, missy!
I thought I got lost in a scene for a cheap American film. I just couldn’t help smiling! As funny as it was, that woman probably illustrates well how friendly Canadians are. They always try to help you, whether it is giving directions or helping you find something in one of their oversized shops. They seem pretty preoccupied at first, but as far as I can tell up until now, they are very open, helpful and friendly.
At 10, I met Sarah, a girl that lives in Toronto and whom I have been e-mailing with. She took me to Harbourfront and showed me the main streets of Downtown Toronto. We had a great chat and I saw some pretty sights. Harbourfront is the spot in the south of Toronto near Lake Ontario. You have a very nice view of Toronto Island, which you can visit by Ferry. There are some nice boats and the atmosphere is very nice. I also took a picture of the CN tower and the Toronto skyline.
In the afternoon, we had an exchange student orientation day, where we got some pretty interesting information about student life and life in Canada in general. There are a lot of Australian and English exchange student and La Sorbonne in Paris seems to have shipped a whole box of people here, probably to improve on their English skills…
After that, Bram and I had to buy a pillow and some kitchen supplies, which we bought at … ‘Honest Ed’s’. Again, some explanation is due. (For me, going to that shop was the absolute highlight of the day!). Some of the slogans are (and by the way, Canadians use slogans for EVERYTHING! Today, we had ‘Beef Beyond Belief’) ‘Come in and get lost’, ‘Ed is not a midwife but he sure delivers babies of bargains’.’Honest Ed’s’ is a shop with flickering lights as signs, which is specialised in… bargains! And I mean real bargains, you can find nearly anything there: pots, pans, clothes, clothe hangers, pillows, blankets, food, shoe polish, shampoo, paper ware, … for a real cheap price. I bought a pillow (thank you Ed, I was in desperate need of a good pillow!), a cloth for the bathroom and some clothe hangers. When leaving the checkout counter, a new slogan said: ‘Wasn’t this fun?!’ Slogan on the plastic bag: ‘There is only one Honest Ed’s in the world! Aren’t you glad it’s here in Toronto!’ It hardly gets any more ‘American’!
After our ‘fun at Ed’s’ we came to Neill-Wycik to have dinner together. We first had to do the shopping though, so we went to the mall (huge again, an absolute maze which covers a whole block in Downtown Toronto) and arranged our phone-card aswell.
We had rice, tomatoes and courgette and Beef Beyond Belief, which all turned out to be very OK!
And now, I am typing this! I see it’s getting quite late, so I’ll make an end to this first real Canadian post and put it online by the end of the weekend. I think I’ll go and try Ed’s pillow now!