Two Weeks in Montreal
And all I got was a St. Viateur t-shirt!
I Think I Left My Heart in Montreal
April has been a great month—mainly because I had taken a two-week break to visit friends in Montreal. I got no wild emails, only used my laptop to watch TV shows, and rode the metro all over.
I brought my sketchbook and some supplies, but did not get too much of a chance to do drawings. It’s a little harder to do this when travelling with other people, but I did my best. My sketchbook has a few pages of rough drawings hastily done, but I don’t need to share all of it with you. Sorry, but I think they are best to keep for myself.
Okay, here is one page I did at Jeanne-Mance Park.
It was tiring to live out of a suitcase, but at least there was free laundry at the accommodation we booked. Why don’t other hotels do this, by the way? In Japan, there is also free laundry in most of the places we stayed. It’s such a good service to provide for guests.
The whole time was spent making many comparisons between Vancouver and Montreal, which I think is an expected effect. It made me consider what I’d taken for granted over here and what exists elsewhere. I got dream again a little bit, and I came home with more energy and more focus for the things I want to achieve in the next few years.
My three months of basic French classes have also been surprisingly useful. It was a joy to recognize words and phrases in French. There were a few dumb moments, but I quickly got over the embarrassment after a couple of days.
At a restaurant, I pointed to our unfinished pizza and asked the server, “Excuse moi, je voudrais une boite pour emporter, sil vous plait…”
My words were nervous and wobbly, but the relief that washed over me when he smiled and nodded felt amazing.
“Good job, Ginger,” my husband said without sarcasm at all. “You asked for a box!”
On our way out, I couldn’t help but ask our server if my French was okay. He gave a bigger smile and said yes, it was fine. He told me that he wasn’t even sure if he should have used English or French with me because he couldn’t quite tell if I was an actual francophone. I don’t know if he was lying, but I will take the delusion as wind beneath my wings!
In other news…
All May Long Giveaway for Canadian Educators
This is a massive month-long book giveaway for Canadian educators and librarians. A bunch of us have come together to give out book bundles on Instagram. 75 books from 33 creators, 15 winners! Look at all them apples!
How It Works
On Instagram, follow the shelf_systers and:
💫 Tag 1 Canadian book lover
💫 That person wins a surprise bundle of 5 Asian Canadian children’s books
💫 One winner drawn every other day through May 30
💫 Enter once and stay eligible for every draw until you win or contest ends
💫 Winners announced before midnight PT in shelf_systers Instagram Stories
Good luck, and happy Asian Heritage Month! 📚🧧
With social media being such a tough landscape, it’s a pleasure to discover new peers, new titles, and new voices. If you’re a Canadian teacher or librarian or educator with an Instagram account: