March 2007 Archives

I'm addicted to bubble tea! Now, there I've said it. Not that I've never had this delicious concoction before, but now that I'm in close proximity to a boba tea joint everywhere I go, I am always tempted to buy one. I still remember my first bubble tea. It was seven years ago in Taiwan on a very hot summer day. The tapioca is fun to chew on, but not when you're thirsty. I'm pretty old school... I still prefer the standard milk tea, but with half the pearls.

There's a great place close to work that's pretty authentic and serves a large variety of drinks and food. The bubble tea is served in huge glass mugs similar to how I remember when I was in Taiwan. People tell me there's an even better bubble tea joint about 15 minutes away. I guess I'll have to try it out myself and compare notes. The menus for these drinks are extensive. It's almost like a wine list. If I had to choose, I'd rather be a bubble tea connoisseur!

I've discovered that it's really easy to speak Canadian. All you have to do is add an "eh" at the end of your sentences. Let me demonstrate... "You wouldn't happen to know the time, eh?" or "That's some rain we've been getting, eh?" or "Not bad, eh?" Merriam-Webster provides the following definition for this term: "used to ask for confirmation or repetition or to express inquiry; used especially in Canadian English in anticipation of the listener's or reader's agreement." Further analysis from Wikipedia.com confirms this meaning.

Interestingly enough, "eh" is used not just in Canada, but also takes on similar meaning in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. It is commonly heard in the Midwest in states like Minnesota, Michigan and my home state of Wisconsin. So it's no surprise that I've had no trouble picking up the Canadian language as I've used this term many times before. The funny thing is I feel more Canadian saying it now than a Wisconsinite.

To sound more like a true Canadian, it's important to note that the "o" is pronounced long rather than short in words like "process", "progress" and "project." Sounds kind of funny, but after hearing it all the time you eventually get used to it. Who would've thought sounding Canadian would be this simple, eh?

Entering the U.S.

A pretty fancy welcome sign, eh?

Yesterday my co-worker and I went down to Kent, WA, about 20 miles south of Seattle to pick up my car. Being that it was a Friday, the wait at the border was quite long. We left at 12:30pm and had to get there before they closed at 5pm. Traffic started getting bad around Everett, WA and pretty much all the way into the city and south of it as well. Fortunately we got there in time with 45 minutes to spare.

I feel like I have my freedom back. Try living without a car for six weeks. It sucks. Although health-wise it is better for you and you also end up spending less money. There were many times where I had to buy less because I simply couldn't carry everything back. In the beginning my feet would hurt from all the walking, but now I can walk forever and be fine.

Coming back to Canada took forever even though it was 10pm. We waited at the border crossing for an hour before getting through. But the wait was worth it. I have my car back!

View from my balcony

You might be wondering why I've been M.I.A. for two months... well I finally got internet set up yesterday! It's been about five weeks (going on my sixth) since I've moved up here to Vancouver. Before the move, there was so much to wrap up from my previous position on top of the packing I had to do, which was a nightmare. The night before my flight, I was up to almost 4am packing. I didn't think I had a lot to pack, but I sorely misjudged the effort.

The first few weeks were grueling and really pushed me to the edge. I was close to reaching my breaking point by the third week, but since then it has been getting better. A lot of the struggle had to deal with learning a lot in a short amount of time, taking on more responsibility and new projects with tight time lines on top of trying to find a place to live and adjusting to a new environment. I knew it would be tough, but I didn't imagine that it would be this hard. The thing that keeps me going is knowing the personal growth I'll gain from this experience. Already I've learned a lot and there's still so much more to learn.

It's beginning to feel more like home since the delivery of my things yesterday. I've done quite a bit of unpacking the past two days. Fortunately I don't have much left. Not having a tv or internet has made me feel so isolated from the rest of the world. I have no idea what's been happening around me. The good thing about it is that I've done a lot more reading and have been calling people more. I'm not sure how long I can hold out on a tv. Eventually I'd like to get one, but I'm afraid it'll be a huge distraction.

Living in Vancouver, I'm beginning to appreciate a lot of what I took for granted in Chicago. Life is so convenient there compared to here. For one, service seems to be faster in Chicago, although it may not be as friendly as in Vancouver; I'm finding that there aren't some of the things I usually buy here, although there are a lot of other things I've never seen before; parking spots are narrower and in many places where it is a public parking lot you must pay a dollar; a lot of places require a 25 cent deposit in order to use a shopping cart; and certain things seem to be much more expensive than in the States.

But there are a lot of great things about Vancouver that I appreciate, like the number of great places to eat and being able to find a good meal for a good value; the many friendly people I encounter; the warmer climate although it rains a lot during the winter; the recreational activities that are available; the fact that it doesn't take long to get anywhere; and the spectacular view of the mountains.

I can't wait until summer arrives when I can really have a chance to explore the city.