Jet Lag, Brothers from Qatar, and a Chair

It's 4am and I can't sleep. Stupid jet lag. I got up at 5pm today, slept right through my alarm and missed my class. I've already missed two weeks of class, so I really wish I could've gone. On the other hand, what's one more class? I have been keeping on the readings (mostly) so I should be fine.

I'm trying to decide if it's even worth trying to sleep now. I have to get up at 8 to make it to my 9 am class at Queen's College. If it was just the one class, I think I would definitely stay up, but since I have an afternoon class too, I don't know. I don't want to be completely brain dead for my first impression. The morning class doesn't matter. I already made my first impression on her, in my first year of university. And she still remembers that impression quite clearly. She likes to tell the story.

It was the first class of the semester and she had finished introducing herself and going through the usual spiel about course requirements and objectives. Then she said, "It may take me awhile to learn everyone's names."

And without thinking, without hesitating, I piped up, "Why? We all know your name." She just looked at me.

And she still remembers that.

I need to watch what I say sometimes. Not actually. I think she thought it was great. Or so she says.

Anyway, so I'm back in St. John's now. It's so nice to be here. The air is clean and going to the grocery store at 3 in the morning is a pleasant experience (and the grocery store is actually OPEN at 3 in the morning). The security guard wished me a good morning, as if he actually meant it, not like, "I'm watching you, you sketchy early morning shopper."

Then the cashier proceeded to show me a cookbook she was reading, specifically a nachos recipe that compared store bought nachos and homemade nachos in terms of sodium, calories, and fat content. That was fun.

Nothing like that ever happened in Vancouver. A lot of people are way too polite for that. Polite and distant. I guess politeness creates distance. Or distance creates politeness. Either way. Don't get me wrong. There are lots of great people in Vancouver. But they definitely have a different culture. And I like chatty old Newfoundland culture, thank you very much.

I got a chair today. Still no bed, but I do have a chair. It's comfy, but the cover stinks. Just need to do a little laundry is all. Which means I need to buy some laundry detergent. I got some pillows too, and a bunch of hangers. Did I mention all of this stuff was free? Plus my roommates, two brothers from Qatar who are both pursuing a BBA at MUN, carried in the chair AND gave me supper.

So yeah. All in all, it's nice to be back. Even without a bed.