Stay hungry. Stay foolish.

Tales from Cobourg, Brighton, Colborne, Port Hope...etc.

Ai yi yi...so perhaps some of you have been wondering where I've been the last little while. Or maybe not. But anyhow, I will surely update you on my life's progress in the past few weeks. I moved back to Markham from Queen's, I've worked a million hours at the Gap and worn all my new clothes. I've partied like there's no tomorrow with JGW, Princessy, DiQ-Ugly, AVLouie, and VChau (among others). I've eaten way too much. I've had more bubbletea than I have had in my entire life. And I've started my OT placement at Five Counties in Cobourg. After 630am wake-ups and 3 hours of driving a day plus gym after or Gap after, I was too tired. A really nice communications therapy assistant offered me a room to stay for free in her house. So this week, I've started living there. Days are good. I work usually from 830am-430pm and then I gym either at 530pm or 630pm and then I go home, eat, read some books and sleep around 10pm. So Heather, the woman I'm staying with, lives with her husband and her 17 month old daughter, Anna. Anna, by the way, is the cutest little girl ever! I am going to spoil her rotten with babyGap. She can't talk much yet but she called me ta-ta (short for JessiCA?)...who knows. By the way, I'm currently using the Cobourg library's computer, which I'm not supposed to use because I'm not a "Cobourg resident"...thank goodness. I'm trying to keep my keystrokes slow and quiet though because for those of you who know me, you know how loud and fast I usually type. Well Heather gave me directions to her place last week and after work on Thursday I went to see it. At first I thought I got lost because I was driving into a forest. Lo and behold, that is where she lives. I got scared that I was going to pull up her "driveway" and see a trailer or something...but it turned out to be a brand new house on a 2 acre lot that Heather and her husband designed. It's very, very nice and open. My room is beautiful too! Heather decorated it and furnished it, and it's very comfortable. So they basically live in the middle of nowhere. Heather informed me that she lives next to her brother and down the street are where her parents live (and where she grew up). Her husband, Darold, is a well-driller. The main road I take to get to their house is a highway-type road (think Highway 7) with no paved shoulder or sidewalk. However, you see tens of people (yes, only tens at the most...I would have said ones, but that sounds funny) walking along this HIGHWAY day after day...because how else do you get around? There is only one road. Poor kids. I'm actually living in Brighton, not Cobourg, BTW. So the first day I go there to move in my stuff (Monday after work), I drop off my stuff and I'm like...so should I just knock when I get home from the gym? And she's like nope, we'll leave the door open. And my eyes were like O O because if you did that anywhere else...I would not like to think of the possible consequences. So I went to the Cobourg gym, which was nice. I first asked the lady in the parking lot where the library was so I could check my e-mail and stuff and she told me its quite a way down Elgin Street. And I'm like...Oh, how far? And she's like 5 minutes. Quite a way, eh? Maybe in Cobourg. Well the Goodlife here is decent. The GroupEX gym is very nice and big. I just wish they had BodyPump and RPM back-to-back. I'm only doing one class a day here. After the gym I went to get Subway (Tuesday was Wendy's...today probably McChicken McDeal) and then went back to the house. Heather said she usually puts Anna to sleep around 8pm. I got home around 815pm and the lights were turned off and everyone in their pajamas...including the parents. They went to sleep at 9pm. I guess what they say about small towns IS true...(or in this case, a small village).

So I've been in and out of schools and pretty much run into the same people everywhere and even around town. For example, I saw my RPM instructor at the school I was working at (she's a supply teacher). And another woman who's a library assistant I saw 3 times in one day (once at this library I'm typing this at). Of course they all recognize me...I'm the only Asian person in a 50 mile radius. I, on the other hand, have met about 80 white women (yes, women, because I am in OT working in schools) in the past 1.5 weeks. The kids at school ask me (in English) if I can speak English. I am sometimes referred to as "The Chinese Lady". Haha...I don't mind. They are a cute, snot-faced bunch. The Amazing Race came on TV last night saying that it was a 2 hour special that started at 9pm and Heather and Darold almost had a heart attack. "What kind of show ends at 11pm!" And the dog was barking last night because it was outside. I asked how it handled other dogs and cats and stuff and Heather said Missy, the dog, is usually fine. It just doesn't deal well with animals in the woods...like...coyotes and wolves. Ok, that is reassuring. Not only am I in the middle of nowhere with not even a convenience store in sight, but coyotes in the backyard?? Gracious.

I always try to speed home after the gym because I want to make it back to see Anna (and her parents) before they sleep. I can't believe I eat when they sleep. They also have a cottage!! Can you believe it? Who needs a cottage when they live in a village quieter than the cottage? Darold says the trailer cottage they have up north has this spot you can get to if you go through some forest and 4x4 it, use motor bikes and duck under some shrubs (??!?!?!?!) that is even QUIETER...

The people are all so nice though. I have yet to hear a car horn honk (other than one that was directed towards me once) and everyone's always saying hi to you. Even the normally snobby people at Goodlife are superfriendly. I feel odd. I'm used to minimal socialization with strangers and I've developed quite the skill for spontaneous small talk (e.g. Oh, isn't the weather absolutely wonderful!). One old woman with an even older woman were pumping gas today and they were waiting for two people to finish at these pumps. They were across from me. (I hope you can picture this). So when the cars leave, they pull into the first spot...blocking me from entering. Of course, I can't honk or scream at the top of my lungs at them or give them the finger like I would normally do in Toronto...I just waited.

But I was pissed.

Maybe this small town lifestyle is making me a better person. I usually sleep before 10pm nowadays and have a bit more energy during the days. I am forced to be a little nicer, and I'm developing social skills.

Wow. Who would have thought.

Anyway, more stories later...I have a ton. I miss you all!

P.S. I seem to have developed a red rash on my cheeks...from...clean air? Sleeping too early? Hahaha...I believe it's from the new cream I've been using here. My face is hot all the time and quite swelled. I'm sad. Hopefully all will be clear once I return to smoggy, polluted home sweet home!

posted by jessica @ 4:49 PM