Some observations...

Well, the finals are still rolling, but with only one test left next Monday, I do have some breathing room, so here a short little update so you know what I've been up to.

Over the weeks, I have narrowed down my lingering disdain for the house to my own room, and in that mostly the virtual lack and placement of windows. I have one, as you know, so all my activities necessarily are near that window, as my desk is there. What little light it provides is partially swallowed by the dark brick wall opposite the window, as the distance between our house and the next is only about 3 meters. in that narrow space is wrenched the fire exit, which is my second problem, as the smallness of the room forces me to have the window open most of the time, or die of heatstroke (yes, even now that the daily average is in the single digits, the room is still too hot) and since everyone on the top floors uses the fire exit as a convenient back door, I'm constantly having people walk by my window. That rattles me, and annoys me.

Soooooo, I asked Coop to tell me if any other rooms become vacant, and I might consider moving. The main argument against that is that I actually like the people I live with pretty much, and elsewhere might be worse. But it might also be better! So let's see how that pans out, maybe I'll stay here for the rest of my stay, maybe not.

What else has been happening? I tried to get some christmas shopping done, but seeing how I usually get my christmas ideas by close observation of my family from October to December, I'm in a bit of a bind this year, and I hope I think of SOMETHING because I only have about one week of uninterrupted shopping left. What happens then?

Oh, I'm going to Quebec for a week.

Yes, trip time! I'll be leaving for Montreal on the 13th, after my last test, and return the 19th, fly home on the 20th, arrive on Austria on the 21st. Kinda cramped, my schedule. And while I am sure that there will be opportunities for some shopping while I visit the crazy french-Canadians, I will also have other things to do, I hope. Well, I will, I'm not going alone, but with some people from the exchange who, like me, missed the original Quebec trip.

We're planning on going to Quebec city as well, and we were going via car. As far as I know my license is not valid in Canada, which is both good and bad. Bad because I was supposed to drive, good because I don't want to drive. Not in wintry conditions, not in a country where I have never driven a car before, not a rental car, not from Montreal to Quebec City. There will have to be another way, and if the others rent a car, I am taking the bus on my own. Yes, I do not trust them enough, and I've had enough highway hijinx during the Huron trip to last me for another 4 months.

Also, I figured out that instead of giving you another long article about what Toronto is, I'll end today's installment with one of the few things which it is not: Ein österreichisches Bundesland. It is, however, a province of China, a district of Singapore, a prefecture of Japan, a subdivision of Russia, a state of Germany and several other things. There really are a LOT of foreigners.