I've now been in Vancouver for a week. Whereas much of this past week has been rainy and dreary, Saturday was terrific. The bright sunshine afforded me the opportunity to take a BigBus tour of the city. What a difference the sunshine makes in the feeling one gets in this city. Instead of everything looking a shade of grey (as on rainy days), the colours come out. Beautiful people and expensive cars are everywhere. Vancouver is a special place, there's no doubt about that.
I'm still getting used to life here. I'm relearning little things like tipping, although it seems to me that the practice of tipping is different from what I remember: even when I eat at fast-food-type restaurants, there is a tip jar. As such, I'm not sure if I have offended any merchants by failing to leave tips when they are expected.
Tomorrow is the first day of class. The nervous excitement is starting to build once more.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
A Fresh Start
It's 6:05 am, Pacific Daylight Time.
I'm in my hotel room, unable to sleep. It has been this way since I got to Vancouver. At first I figured it was simply jet lag, but now that I've been here for six days, I wonder if it is something else.
Maybe it's the anticipation of starting my new life here on the left coast of North America. I just returned from seven years in Korea as an English teacher. Before that, I lived and worked in Toronto for two years. Prior to that, I had spent two stints in Korea, also teaching English. And before all of that, I had spent five years enjoying the blissful life of an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph, earning a B.A. in History and Political Studies. Now, I am about to embark on a new challenge. On Monday, April, 30th, 2007, I will begin a one-year program at Vancouver Film School, learning how to write for film and television.
However, maybe my inability to sleep is due to the stress of resettling in this country. It's amazing how many things you have to do when you return to your home country: get health insurance, acquire a driver's license, EAT! Everything costs money, especially in Vancouver. When I was working in Korea, I simply wasn't that concerned about spending money. Now, I have to be fully conscious of everything I do. And I have to get used to how things are done here. It's reverse culture shock, you know.
So, I think these are the reasons I haven't been able to sleep well since I arrived in Vancouver.
My wife and two daughters are still in Korea. They will join me here in the summer after I have had time to get settled. I miss them, but I've been fortunate to have been able to talk to them via Skype. In the meantime, I've spent this first week getting accustomed to the city. I've been doing a lot of walking. I've ridden the SkyTrain. On Monday and Tuesday, I attended orientation sessions at VFS. On Monday night, I sat in a sports bar and revelled with local sports fans as the Vancouver Canucks won their first-round playoff series with Dallas. I cheered for Vancouver because it was easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm of the moment. I dared not mention that I'm a Leafs fan at heart.
Later in the week, I walked around the Yaletown neighbourhood of downtown Vancouver. This area is awesome -- waterfront with marina, parks, highrise condos. I stopped at an intersection to watch a film shoot that was taking place. Yep, this seems like a happening place. On Wednesday night, I met a friend from my time in Korea. We had dinner at the Yaletown Brewery, and I enjoyed spending time with a friendly and familiar face, something I had otherwise yet to do in Vancouver.
The last couple days have been very wet and cool. This isn't surprising, but it has caused me to spend more time in my hotel room than I'd like. I'm taking advantage of this time to catch up on my blogging, including starting this new one. A little later, I will chat with my wife once again on Skype, and then maybe, just maybe, I will try to sleep a little bit more.
It is now 6:35 am. The sky is brightening up outside my window, but I simply must try to normalize my sleeping pattern. Waking up at 3:30 in the morning, as I did again today, is not a habit I want to develop. Three more days until I start classes. And then maybe I will begin to get used to this new life on the left coast of Canada.
I'm in my hotel room, unable to sleep. It has been this way since I got to Vancouver. At first I figured it was simply jet lag, but now that I've been here for six days, I wonder if it is something else.
Maybe it's the anticipation of starting my new life here on the left coast of North America. I just returned from seven years in Korea as an English teacher. Before that, I lived and worked in Toronto for two years. Prior to that, I had spent two stints in Korea, also teaching English. And before all of that, I had spent five years enjoying the blissful life of an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph, earning a B.A. in History and Political Studies. Now, I am about to embark on a new challenge. On Monday, April, 30th, 2007, I will begin a one-year program at Vancouver Film School, learning how to write for film and television.
However, maybe my inability to sleep is due to the stress of resettling in this country. It's amazing how many things you have to do when you return to your home country: get health insurance, acquire a driver's license, EAT! Everything costs money, especially in Vancouver. When I was working in Korea, I simply wasn't that concerned about spending money. Now, I have to be fully conscious of everything I do. And I have to get used to how things are done here. It's reverse culture shock, you know.
So, I think these are the reasons I haven't been able to sleep well since I arrived in Vancouver.
*****
My wife and two daughters are still in Korea. They will join me here in the summer after I have had time to get settled. I miss them, but I've been fortunate to have been able to talk to them via Skype. In the meantime, I've spent this first week getting accustomed to the city. I've been doing a lot of walking. I've ridden the SkyTrain. On Monday and Tuesday, I attended orientation sessions at VFS. On Monday night, I sat in a sports bar and revelled with local sports fans as the Vancouver Canucks won their first-round playoff series with Dallas. I cheered for Vancouver because it was easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm of the moment. I dared not mention that I'm a Leafs fan at heart.
Later in the week, I walked around the Yaletown neighbourhood of downtown Vancouver. This area is awesome -- waterfront with marina, parks, highrise condos. I stopped at an intersection to watch a film shoot that was taking place. Yep, this seems like a happening place. On Wednesday night, I met a friend from my time in Korea. We had dinner at the Yaletown Brewery, and I enjoyed spending time with a friendly and familiar face, something I had otherwise yet to do in Vancouver.
The last couple days have been very wet and cool. This isn't surprising, but it has caused me to spend more time in my hotel room than I'd like. I'm taking advantage of this time to catch up on my blogging, including starting this new one. A little later, I will chat with my wife once again on Skype, and then maybe, just maybe, I will try to sleep a little bit more.
It is now 6:35 am. The sky is brightening up outside my window, but I simply must try to normalize my sleeping pattern. Waking up at 3:30 in the morning, as I did again today, is not a habit I want to develop. Three more days until I start classes. And then maybe I will begin to get used to this new life on the left coast of Canada.
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