So, yes, i’ve been naughty and not written. So much has happened, that I’m still getting back on my feet again! The first week in Toronto was fun, although my father fell ill whilst here and couldn’t do much in the end. It was expected in a strange way, but still a shame. I briefly went to the island and had an amazing ride back over the lake to the city – the view was incredible! Found a lovely breakfast place too, too bad it’s miles out of the centre.
Moved in to my residence quite early in the day, unpacked, organised and generally helped out around the place. The rooms are really tiny, and shared, so it’s essentially a 2-person cupboard. Certainly not Founders’s standards! On the other hand, there isn’t 1 toilet for 30 people, which is significantly more comfortable. The building is pretty small actually, but still manages to fit in a music room (complete with Grand Piano), a large study room, a Chapel and a gym. Again, significantly better than home. I get on amazingly with my roommate (from Northern Ireland), and suitemates (two people who live on the other side of the bathroom; one from Pennsylvania, USA, and the other from Kingston, Canada, just north of Toronto). We haven’t had a row yet, besides bathroom issues, which I stay out of! The benefit of having an evening shower…
The first week of university was crazy, and stuff had been planned (badly) for every minute of the day. I ended up skipping much of it, preferring to orientate myself and go for long slow cups of tea with an obligatory good book. The libraries at the university are truly unbelievable – there are something like 40 libraries, and the main one, Robarts, has 14 floors! It is the ugliest building in existence and was originally designed (in the 60’s) to resemble a large, concrete-block, peacock. Yes, you read me.
I started off with 5 courses, including Chinese, which was every single day of the week. After three weeks, I dropped that one. Incredibly disappointed by having to do so, but I simply didn’t have time to learn 50 words and 60 characters a week. There just isn’t enough time in a day with 4 other courses to take. I’ll learn the language one day, but it’s not right just now.
My other courses are generally wonderful. The classes are massive, but i’ve tried to (or rather inadvertently have) steered towards the weirder subjects, so there’s generally about 40 people in each of my classes. Persons, Bodies, Minds is hell, mainly due to the thick tomes of philosophy to read each week, but it’s interesting. I’ve decided philosophy isn’t my cup of tea after this course is done! Later Medieval Art is heavy going, and my largest class, with probably around 100. It’s very architecture heavy, but fascinating. The professor also quite likes the idea of being a comedian, which is both amusing in itself and slightly offputting, especially via a thick German accent! He seems sweet though.
Philosophical Responses to the Holocaust was a little disappointing at first, but is slowly getting there. Essentially, it should be retitled “Jewish Philosophical Responses Only to the Holocaust“, which frustrates me. Further, the professor is very, very Jewish, and doesn’t like his opinion crossed, even with a valid point. Oh, and he likes people that read Hebrew, as almost all our readings have passages I end up translating for 2 hours. On the other hand, it’s theologically fascinating, and Holocaust study is certainly my cup of tea. Really enjoying digging up linguistic implications and the like. Too bad i’ve no idea where that could take me.
Finally, Illuminated Manuscripts, which is by far my favourite course, and absolutely fascinating to boot! We’ve covered Antique, Late Classical, Early Christian (similar), Byzantine, Carolingian, Ottonian, and we’re still going! So wonderful! I’ve just been given an assignment for that course, and it means going into the hallowed halls of the Fischer Rare Book Library. It’s 5 floors high, filled with books, and there’s an incredible open hallway that makes me think of the Ark. It is actually my heaven. Install me a bed and a little kitchenette and i’ll be happy forever! We’ve basically been presented with an anonymous facsimile and told: “Tell me about it.” Best course ever. Seriously. Palaeography, history, art, philosophy, all mashed together. THe professor does however, have a weakness for the New York Giants, and enjoys giving us extensive grammar lessons. This is half endearing and half bewildering to the few of us in the class who don’t have the foggiest who a quarterback actually is. Apparently, the one for the NYG is named Eli Manning. All that useless knowledge…
And so on to the adventures! There have been far too many! The first adventure has to be living in a building co-inhabited by a group of nuns, which is something i’m certainly not used to. The residence is nicknamed “The Convent” by most in the area… We have quiet hours, loud hours and MAN HOURS. Very amusing… It is, on the other hand, serenely quiet, the food is pretty good and everyone is lovely as pie. It was awkward at first, but one soon gets used to it! Being part of St Michael’s College, and spending most of my life in the distinctly religious Emmanuel, i’ve ended up at services right, left and centre, all of which are crazily different from back home. They stop the Lord’s Prayer halfway thorugh! What the hell! Anyway, all the services have been lovely, and I think the Chapel Choir at home made me completely immune to crazy things happening in services!
Last weekend, for some daft reason, I woke up at 5am, and climbed the CN Tower for charity. Why I did that, my aching muscles are still trying to figure out, but I managed the tallest freestanding structure in the world in 31.29 minutes. And all for charity. Very worth it. Unfortunately, we got to the top in a whole mass of cloud and couldn’t see a thing, but it felt amazing. I’m certainly going back up before I leave here.
I’ve also been up to what is termed “The Cabin”; basically a wooden shack in the middle of nowhere, about 6 hours north of Toronto, which has no running water, no electricity and certainly no heating! It was amazing! I’m hoping to go back before Christmas, although i’m not sure of the temperatures! Speaking of that, the weather here is MAD. Freezing cold most of the time, down to -7 at night – in OCTOBER! During the day, the windchill generally drops the temperature to around -3, and i’m currently sitting inside, having recently walked in, wearing 5 layers. I look like a snowman. It’s snowed three times, and it’s not even November. This weather scares me. But frankly, if I can survive this, i’ll get back to England and be able to laugh at everyone in their coats!
I’ll have to go for now, but i’ll finish up later. My love to you all.
Toronto thusfar…
October 29, 2008 at 8:07 pm (Comments)
So, yes, i’ve been naughty and not written. So much has happened, that I’m still getting back on my feet again! The first week in Toronto was fun, although my father fell ill whilst here and couldn’t do much in the end. It was expected in a strange way, but still a shame. I briefly went to the island and had an amazing ride back over the lake to the city – the view was incredible! Found a lovely breakfast place too, too bad it’s miles out of the centre.
Moved in to my residence quite early in the day, unpacked, organised and generally helped out around the place. The rooms are really tiny, and shared, so it’s essentially a 2-person cupboard. Certainly not Founders’s standards! On the other hand, there isn’t 1 toilet for 30 people, which is significantly more comfortable. The building is pretty small actually, but still manages to fit in a music room (complete with Grand Piano), a large study room, a Chapel and a gym. Again, significantly better than home. I get on amazingly with my roommate (from Northern Ireland), and suitemates (two people who live on the other side of the bathroom; one from Pennsylvania, USA, and the other from Kingston, Canada, just north of Toronto). We haven’t had a row yet, besides bathroom issues, which I stay out of! The benefit of having an evening shower…
The first week of university was crazy, and stuff had been planned (badly) for every minute of the day. I ended up skipping much of it, preferring to orientate myself and go for long slow cups of tea with an obligatory good book. The libraries at the university are truly unbelievable – there are something like 40 libraries, and the main one, Robarts, has 14 floors! It is the ugliest building in existence and was originally designed (in the 60’s) to resemble a large, concrete-block, peacock. Yes, you read me.
I started off with 5 courses, including Chinese, which was every single day of the week. After three weeks, I dropped that one. Incredibly disappointed by having to do so, but I simply didn’t have time to learn 50 words and 60 characters a week. There just isn’t enough time in a day with 4 other courses to take. I’ll learn the language one day, but it’s not right just now.
My other courses are generally wonderful. The classes are massive, but i’ve tried to (or rather inadvertently have) steered towards the weirder subjects, so there’s generally about 40 people in each of my classes. Persons, Bodies, Minds is hell, mainly due to the thick tomes of philosophy to read each week, but it’s interesting. I’ve decided philosophy isn’t my cup of tea after this course is done! Later Medieval Art is heavy going, and my largest class, with probably around 100. It’s very architecture heavy, but fascinating. The professor also quite likes the idea of being a comedian, which is both amusing in itself and slightly offputting, especially via a thick German accent! He seems sweet though.
Philosophical Responses to the Holocaust was a little disappointing at first, but is slowly getting there. Essentially, it should be retitled “Jewish Philosophical Responses Only to the Holocaust“, which frustrates me. Further, the professor is very, very Jewish, and doesn’t like his opinion crossed, even with a valid point. Oh, and he likes people that read Hebrew, as almost all our readings have passages I end up translating for 2 hours. On the other hand, it’s theologically fascinating, and Holocaust study is certainly my cup of tea. Really enjoying digging up linguistic implications and the like. Too bad i’ve no idea where that could take me.
Finally, Illuminated Manuscripts, which is by far my favourite course, and absolutely fascinating to boot! We’ve covered Antique, Late Classical, Early Christian (similar), Byzantine, Carolingian, Ottonian, and we’re still going! So wonderful! I’ve just been given an assignment for that course, and it means going into the hallowed halls of the Fischer Rare Book Library. It’s 5 floors high, filled with books, and there’s an incredible open hallway that makes me think of the Ark. It is actually my heaven. Install me a bed and a little kitchenette and i’ll be happy forever! We’ve basically been presented with an anonymous facsimile and told: “Tell me about it.” Best course ever. Seriously. Palaeography, history, art, philosophy, all mashed together. THe professor does however, have a weakness for the New York Giants, and enjoys giving us extensive grammar lessons. This is half endearing and half bewildering to the few of us in the class who don’t have the foggiest who a quarterback actually is. Apparently, the one for the NYG is named Eli Manning. All that useless knowledge…
And so on to the adventures! There have been far too many! The first adventure has to be living in a building co-inhabited by a group of nuns, which is something i’m certainly not used to. The residence is nicknamed “The Convent” by most in the area… We have quiet hours, loud hours and MAN HOURS. Very amusing… It is, on the other hand, serenely quiet, the food is pretty good and everyone is lovely as pie. It was awkward at first, but one soon gets used to it! Being part of St Michael’s College, and spending most of my life in the distinctly religious Emmanuel, i’ve ended up at services right, left and centre, all of which are crazily different from back home. They stop the Lord’s Prayer halfway thorugh! What the hell! Anyway, all the services have been lovely, and I think the Chapel Choir at home made me completely immune to crazy things happening in services!
Last weekend, for some daft reason, I woke up at 5am, and climbed the CN Tower for charity. Why I did that, my aching muscles are still trying to figure out, but I managed the tallest freestanding structure in the world in 31.29 minutes. And all for charity. Very worth it. Unfortunately, we got to the top in a whole mass of cloud and couldn’t see a thing, but it felt amazing. I’m certainly going back up before I leave here.
I’ve also been up to what is termed “The Cabin”; basically a wooden shack in the middle of nowhere, about 6 hours north of Toronto, which has no running water, no electricity and certainly no heating! It was amazing! I’m hoping to go back before Christmas, although i’m not sure of the temperatures! Speaking of that, the weather here is MAD. Freezing cold most of the time, down to -7 at night – in OCTOBER! During the day, the windchill generally drops the temperature to around -3, and i’m currently sitting inside, having recently walked in, wearing 5 layers. I look like a snowman. It’s snowed three times, and it’s not even November. This weather scares me. But frankly, if I can survive this, i’ll get back to England and be able to laugh at everyone in their coats!
I’ll have to go for now, but i’ll finish up later. My love to you all.
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