Back to school in Edmonton
Sat 07 Mar 2009
Having crossed Canada days earlier from Montreal to Vancouver, it felt a bit odd to be heading over the Edmonton... but for some reason it was one of the cheaper ways to get to LA! Doesn't make a lot of sense, but there was a huge bonus that Ange was going to welcome me there. Ange had been on Dot.Com back in August 08' for just two days.
Upon arrival she immediately started to remind me about how many chores I had her do as a Couch Surfer... I am SORRY ok. Come back to the Whitsundays and I will make it up to you ok?
That out of the way, it was time to enjoy the crazy -20 odd existence that people have in Edmonton mid winter. I mean these guys just about their ways. There is cars sliding about the road in the ice and snow. The cars are plugged in over night to stop them from become becoming part of a glacier. Indoors is where the action is and to move outside is done at a pace to avoid frostbite. Its great!
With only 2 nights in Edmonton it was down to action. The first evening we caught up at a great restaurant where there were free beers from the management, and some great entrees that sufficed as the main meal.
To start the only full day there, Ange took me along to her school where she teaches a grade 3 class. After morning break I had to do a presentation to the class which was a great opportunity to work on the presentation skills. Surely a grade 3 class where going to be an easy audience.
Carrying a heap of videos and photos made it easy, as I rambled through the life I enjoy back in the Whitsundays and the questions came thick and fast. The best was the question from one lad at the back of the class.
"What do you use for Christmas decorations?"
What an opportunity...
"Well lad, 3 days before Christmas we select a Kangaroo and take it home. We then spend the next 2 days decorating the Kangaroo with fur paint, tinsel and other things. Then at 6pm on Christmas night, everyone heards their Kangaroo onto the street and they are stampeded down the street in a show of colour and lights. Its quite something."
They took it hook, line and sinker... Gasps crept from mouths agape as they tried to picture the spectacle. Actually, it seemed pretty cool to me too. I wish it was real - it would certainly have the tourists flocking to our shores at that time of year!
Post presentation, I made a hasty retreat courtesy of Linda Hoang, top 50 applicant for the best job in the world. She had already managed to go to the wrong school, and shortly we would find ourself at the wrong end of town looking for the town's Aussie bar. The amazing thing was that frustration never showed for a minute.
We snapped off the interview in double time and I was delivered back to the school.
Ange was ready to delight me further as best she could. A dinner of chinese and then a tour of the world's 3rd largest shopping mall. I mean, this thing was huge! .. and included an indoor water park, china town, full sized pirate ship water feature and roller coaster amusement park. Oh yeah, no Canadian landmark is complete with out a ice skating rink.
Thanks Ange. Despite the pressure of report cards to be done for students and your mystery pain in the side, you put on a star performance as a host.
See you again soon!
