window on my world: Three Canadian cities

I set out my semester at UBC Vancouver on the 20th of August 2011 with no expectations and no idea of what the next 4 months would hold for me. What I encountered changed my world and altered so many preconceptions I may have held. The last three months have involved wonderful experiences, amazing people, lots of reflection time and most of all good times ☺ Rather than try and cover everything, as this would be next to impossible, I have instead decided to shape this entry but describing my incredibly diverse encounters with three Canadian cities.

Quebec City:
The first stop in Canada was in Quebec City for the week seminar with all the students involved in the megapolitan project. Having been in Montreal in 2001, I thought that I had a vague idea of what Quebec City might be like; however, although there were certainly similar elements Quebec City is a really wonderfully unique place in its own right. I immediately felt like I was in this distinct world caught somewhere between North America and Europe. Unlike France Quebecois residents loved that I spoke to them in French and did not try to correct my accent but rather smiled and responded to me in French. I was intrigued by the French Canadian accent something I had not really had the opportunity to really listen to in Montreal as we were there for such a short time – I really can’t describe the accent except to say that they certainly sound Canadian even when speaking French! The old walled city was wonderful with the cobbled streets and wonderful cafes. The Quebecois loved anyone who spoke French and I felt comfortable chatting away in the shops and restaurants – a refreshing change from France where the linguistic perfectionism is often difficult to navigate.
The supermarkets were certainly North American though with everything you can imagine available and in all different shapes and sizes ☺! We certainly had a diverse experience of the city as part of the seminar involved visiting local government agencies including transportation, biotech and the international recruitment centre that are solely responsible for recruiting foreign workers to Quebec to work. On the final day of the seminar Laval university organised a trip up the coast to Tadoussac to the famous whale watching area. The drive took 5 hours each way but it was incredible and we were rewarded with a sighting of a whale swimming right along the shore. Sunday the 28th of August and hurricane Irene hit and so my last day was spent in doors out of danger of flying trees and crazy rain. I loved Quebec City and would certainly love to visit it again.

Quebec City Fairmont where the plan for ending WW2 was first formed

Some students taking part in the Megapolitian exchange - we were making our way up the coast to whale watch

Calgary and Banff:
Before submerging myself in the wonderfully colourful world of Vancouver I turn first to Calgary which I visiting in the middle of October. I went there for a weekend to catch up with Amy Braithwaite a friend from my Dhaka days. Calgary was certainly a contrast to Vancouver and indeed to Quebec City, but it had its charm. The aspect that intrigued me the most was the layout of the city – there are about 3 by 7 blocks of high rise buildings in the centre of the city home to the financial institutions and the oil companies. The rest of the city is a vast as far as the eye can see urban suburban sprawl, and the car definitely reigns king! My favourite thing about Calgary apart from hanging out with Amy was the food – I had the best Ethiopian, the best Sushi and the best beaver tail (not a real beaver tail obviously look it up if you are not Canadian) ever.
We took a fabulous drive up to the Rockies and the beautiful resort of Banff; it was the middle of October so there was no snow but the views were spectacular. We took a walk along the river to the Banff hotel where part of the film the Shinning was shot! The most amazing thing about the trip from Calgary to Banff is how the Rockies suddenly begin where before this there was only flat prairies.

Beautiful Banff

The few blocks that are Calgary City

Vancouver:
A cliche maybe returning to the city of my birth to engage with the wonderful world of UBC which truly completed the journey of the PhD for me. I still have the next 8 months of writing to get through but going to UBC and interacting with academics there whom I have held in the outmost regard, has given me the confidence and the clarity I need for the next year or so to finish this journey.
Following this thought my fondest memories of Vancouver and the past 4 months will centre around people; both reconnecting with people from distant past and more recent periods of my life in addition to the many new friends made. Having spent so much of my life moving from place to place, it has always been people who ground a certain location for me and whom also create a sense of 'home'. So in the fun action filled 4 months in Vancouver it will be conversations and time spent with these people that I will take away with me rather than any nostalgia about being in the lace where my life began. On my arrival my new landlady Jean was very welcoming and always checked to make sure everything was going well for me, and drove me to my new apartment when I moved closer to the city in the middle of October. In my new apartment I had the pleasure of getting to know Bernadette my French speaking landlady whom I shared many a hilarious conversation at the kitchen sink with and compared travel stories and hopes for the future. The other PhD students at SCARP the department where I was based, we're wonderful and included me in everything from seminar discussions to social activities despite the brief length of my stay. Sharing the experience of the PhD with such a diverse group of people was enlightening and reassuring, I will miss all the chats and insights. A special mention to Jessica who kept irony and sarcasm alive, and to Lyana who opened my eyes to a whole new part of history I know so little about. Two other students were on the megapolitan exchange programme from Barcelona, and I hung out a lot with Mariona a native of Barcelona and a proud Catalonian. It was always nice to have a European to call on to connect to the continent and we definitely shared a similar sense of humour. It was also through Mariona that I am now convinced that learning Spanish rather than Mandarin is the linguistic avenue for me. It was great also to hang out with Ania whom I met in July at a labour conference in Geneva, and her boyfriend Mar-Oliver - an ndication of just how small the world really is!
The people from my past included my cousins Andrew and Scott and their mum Julie and despite our vastly different life courses it was a lot of fun hanging out with them and catching up on old time. I will certainly not be forgetting the $12 all you can eat sushi in Richmond any time soon! I also spent some time with Charlotte my late grandfather's wife and who has been a part of my life sine I was born. How many of you can say you went cross-country skiing with the doctor who delivered you?! Catching up with Ellen is definitely one of the highlights of my time in Vancouver. My mum has maintained her friendship with Ellen over the years as she had enjoyed meeting her so much in Vancouver and I was happy to reestablish that connection. Ellen kindly took me skiing and included me in a number of events around Vancouver including a trip to Bowen island and a Sufi ceremony!
There a far too many evens and occasions in the four months I was thee to mention them all so I will include the most memorable. Certainly the cross-country skiing was one, an evening at a ice-hockey game with Lyana, a walking tour of Strathcona with Jess and Conor, hiking on Cyrus with a group from SCARP, walking across the burrard street bridge and on Granville island, a wonderful trip with Liz to Vancouver island, the week my father came to visit and took me through his favourite memories of growing up in Vancouver and many many more!
I won't be forgetting my time in Vancouver anytime soon and am thankful to all the people who made it such a wonderful experience. It truly is physically one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to, and in this regard my only criticism is that it lacks a 'rough' edge - something I think I need in a city to keep my intrigue alive.