Highlights from the winter semester!

Hi everyone!

Nathalie (a friend from church) and Noemi on Mont Royal :)

Wow, once again I haven't updated in a while! Well, here's a bit of an update:

School (uni)
I love all my classes, and have been learning so much! I'm really sad the courses are coming to an end. It's 'crunch time' now, with exams about a week away, and the last few papers due next Tuesday. And here I am writing my blog... :)

Classes this semester:
Educational Psychology: Adolescence and Education (about children aged 13-17ish)
Educational Psychoogy: Personality and Social Development (about children aged 0-12)
Sociology: Socialisation
Geography: Geography of Underdevelopment (focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa)
Religious Studies: New Testament Studies (about the 4 gospels)

Weather
We had nowhere near the amount of snow we had last year (unfortunately, I thought - I love snow). Instead, we had a series of about 4 days during which temperatures where maximum -29 deg C. Not pleasant. I know so many new ways in which to describe the phenomenon 'cold'. Did you know the insides of your nose (I guess your snot?) freezes? So when you breathe through your nose, it feels funny. :)

Fortunately, even when it's freezing (literally) outside, the sun was out, so my spirits were generally high. :)

Underneath all that snow is a bench. And yes, I sat on it. :)

Despite the cold, there has always been something to do, whether indoors or outdoors. I've walked up Mont Royal a lot this semester, and I never get tired of the view (or of taking pictures of the view, even though it's generally the same). :)

Montreal: a view from Mont Royal

Food!
Yes, a lot of activities this semester revolved around food (don't they always?). :) Monday nights are roommate nights, so Karine, Marilou and I do something together. We usually go for dessert, so we've visited Juliette et Chocolat (a fabulous chocolate restaurant!!!) and Rockaberry (the pie place), among others. :)
For Lauren's birthday, Natasha had us over for some home-made chocolate fondue. Delicious!

Chocolate fondue for Lauren's birthday

Reading week: Escape to LA!
The last week of February marks the half-way point of the semester, and our one-week break, called reading week (officially, winter break). I took the opportunity to visit Cristy, whom I had been volunteers with in India 2 years ago. I had seen her for 24 hours a year ago (when I flew to Singapore via LA), but it was so fantastic having a whole week to see her! Of course, she had class, but I used that time to sleep :), do readings for my classes (yes, I brought some books), spend time with some other people I met through her, and spend time being outside!! It felt so good being able to walk around in slippers and without a winter coat, and it was so nice seeing all the green! That's what I dislike most about the winter: the fact that there's no green. I sat outside as much as possible, soaking up the sun and especially the green. I saw hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and even parakeets (or whatever they're called). It was great!!

Criiisty and Nooomi :)

I also went whale-watching with Cristy's biology club, saw Slumdog millionaire, ate lots of food and moved very little (haven't been able to break out of that vicious cycle yet), cooked Indian food with Cristy and Nelly (the volunteer who went to India the year after us, and whom I'd never met in person!!), went to downtown Hollywood and Santa Monica beach...
It was mind-boggling standing in the sand, barefoot, one day, and thinking back to a week earlier when I'd been trudging through snow!!
I enjoyed my trip sooo much, words can't even begin to describe how relaxing and wonderful it was, and how truly special it was to be a part of Cristy's life again, even for just a week!

Visitors from Boston!
3 weeks later, I was visited by Devona, a friend who is now studying in Boston (we'd gone to high school in Singapore together). It was so special having her here, even though she was only here for 2 full days. Her sister Domina also came along, and we had a fantastic time.

Devona and Noemi on Mont Royal!

We didn't see much of Montreal, but enjoyed a lazy weekend instead, which is what we all needed, I think. I also got them both hooked on the card game 'Dutch Blitz' (or Ligretto, for those of you in Europe). :) One evening, we sat at the dining table and played for about 2 hours straight. It was so much fun. :)
It was really, really special having Devona here, and I'm so glad she came to visit despite her busy schedule.

...And that's it for now!