The Canadian Embassy, Braces and Thoughts in Chinese Class

This is gonna be a bit long.

27th of June

I began today certain that I would be going to the Smart Move, Bright Future, Study in Canada seminar alone. But at Lunch, I met Evan and offered to give him a ride. We both called our moms and were all set. I brought him back to the office after school, then to my house where we ate and I changed, then to the embassy. We were already running a bit late, so we rushed to RCBC plaza and checked ourselves in.

Evan and I felt like we were in Canada because of the coffee-and-bread smell.

So we sat down and started answering the white survey-ish document that we were given in our seats somewhere at the back of the room. Yes, apparently, the embassy is several floors, but only a small room on the 8th one (where we were).

The room was sort of like a very small library connected to a cafeteria connected to a small meeting room. There were lots of books, coffee and donuts on a large desk to our left, and about ten rows of seats that swathed the farthest part of the room and a wide area in front + a projector and podium + a computer.

There were two men that came up a loooooooooooooong time later, about 6:45. One was the actual ambassador of Canada here, and the other was some dude named Bob that got assigned to us.

Anyway, the ambassador gave an opening speech, and then Bob took over and proceeded to play a game with us, as an icebreaker. Bob had the most tantalizing way of saying Canada.
So he asks us if we know Game K N B? (Kris Aquino). Then he says this game will be similar, but it's called Game Ca-Na-Da. Weeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhh.

So he flashes questions on the PowerPoint in the computer, in the course of which we learn that he's actually from Sasketchwan. Ooooh. We then go for the actual seminar, and he explains things like costs, reasons to study in Canada (as if its being Canada wasn't enough. Haha!), accomodations and things like that.

Somewhere there, I had asked a question, and when I did, since there weren't many people, you could literally see everyone's head turn around to stare at you. Scary, man.

So, when we finish with the seminar, he gives up the stage for an open forum, and Evan and I decide to beat it. It's about 7:45 already and I'm so late (the driver and I had a deal that we'd meet outside the RCBC plaza building at 7:15) I imagined the driver would behead me. Evan and I quickly find him and we get into the car, in which my headache magnifies twenty-something-fold, and I excuse myself from conversation with Evan cos my head frickin hurts so much.

We get home, Evan ends up being forced to eat by mom, and stays until about 9 because his parents got a bit lost on their way to my house. Sorry, Evan!

Anyway, it was a nice tiring day. I went straight to sleep at nine and my headache sort of slipped away after that.

28th of June

After classes, I went straight to Dr. Leung's clinic so I could have my upper teeths' braces put on. I handed her the book she asked me to buy the week before and I had my separators removed. Then metal rings were fitted around my molars and then cemented there. Then the braces were put on, and Dr. Leung chatted with me about the Chinese dictionary she got in National while the red rubber wire-holder things that I selected were inserted.

Now my teeth hurt like hell.

29th of June

Ms. Magallona was handing back our activity papers from yesterday. You see, the day before, she wanted us all to check it, but when we ran out of time, she said that she'd take care of it herself. So when she handed Filbert's back (which I checked), she went "Allen, you're so funny. You even crossed out your name." She indicated the "corrected by" thing I wrote on Filbert's paper, but crossed out when she said she'd check it the previous day.

Alfonso Solano heard it and went "Allen, you're so funny!" in a somewhat mocking tone.

Ms. Magallona heard, and immediately went, "Alfonso, stop that." Then to me, "Allen, I didn't mean it that way." I nodded. In complete honesty, I really wasn't hurt, or thought Ms. Magallona to be mocking me. And that was what was so odd. I didn't understand what Ms. Magallona thought she had to defend. Maybe she thought she had unwittingly hurt my feelings? Maybe she felt that she had to defend me against what the big, bad, mean classmates were saying?

She was all, "Don't listen to what he says."

And I mean, really. It's not that I don't appreciate her effort to be fair, and it's really awesome that she would defend me, but I just don't understand what she felt she had to defend me from. But in any case, a thanks to her. She rocks. Have I mentioned that before? Oh yes, along with the Anti-Frederick sniping.

30th of June

Today, I was sitting in Chinese class when all of a sudden, people suddenly started teasing other people and Ye laoshi got mad. Then she proceeded to explain that when we die, the only thing we'll have are our memories, and all the things we have on earth aren't going to go with us.

It was somewhere there that I realized that I'd broken the language barrier. I could understand everything she was saying, and half the people in the room (okay, waaaaaaaay more than half) either weren't affected (cos it's corny, lame, cliched, etc...) or weren't listening. Even Pohan and Leigh in front of me were just laughing at Kyle throughout laoshi's lecture.

And when she asked "Dui bu dui?" at the end, they simply answered, "Dui."

Now, I dunno about you, but that pisses me off a lot.

Then I flashed back on something my aunts had said. That I was more open to the things they say, that I can somehow at least appreciate where they're coming from. I'm afraid that being able to do so might not be of any use, because I'm in a generation where almost no one listens.



The flashes have been semi-frequent, but very strong. Yes, the Canadian flashes.

I just had a flash of cold milk and red cereal, which is something I associate very deeply with Canada. But more than that, there's the scent and the accompanying images of the trees just standing against the blue-gray sky. I swear, I can almost remember every detail of what it's like to be there.

I love Canada.

I miss Canada.

Those words have never meant more than they do now. I might've repeated them to an extent that they've become like a mantra, but there are times like these that the unfeelingness suddenly gives way to the strongest memories of Canada and I feel so in love and I mean the words I say.

Words Get In The Way by Jewel

Come here buttercup, let me fill you up
Can't you see I'm the blue in you're skies?
You can tell by the stars in my eyes
Dawn always comes too soon; it hurts me like a bruise
There's a hole in my pillow where you used to be
It feels like a hole in the middle of me

Just take my hand, to have and hold if not obey
Say you're still my man
I try to find the words to say that I want you always to stay
To wake up with every single day, but words get in the way
Words get in the way

Tell you're boss you're dead, and let’s go back to bed
You make me want to break out in song but every time I try, it just comes out wrong

Just take my hand, to have and hold if not obey
Say you're still my man
I try to find the words to say that I want you always to stay
To wake up with every single day, but words get in the way
Words get in the way

I leave a message on you're answering machine
I try to say what I really mean

Just take my hand, to have and hold if not obey
Say you're still my man
I try to find the words to say that I want you always to stay
To wake up with every single day, but words get in the way
Words get in the way

Just take my hand, to have and hold if not obey
Say you're still my man
I try to find the words to say that I want you always to stay
To wake up with every single day, but words get in the way
Words get in the way