Reverse Culture Shock Profoundly Underexpected

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It. is. COLD.

This month has been a bit ridiculous. Funny, because originally I dreaded coming back to Montreal a little bit, because class just never seemed to be enough to fill up the hours.

That, I will most adamantly admit, was dead wrong.

Getting the apartment set up, hosting six people, catching up with what seems to be an endless stream of old friends (I still haven't seen everyone), dealing with various dramas, arranging classes, attending classes, the what is an actual endless stream of work: readings, papers, my upcoming midterm (which, coincidentally, is two days after AUC starts school again), arranging internships...

I still have to figure out my transfer credits. blarg.

Since this is a travelblog, I suppose I can delve mostly into the aspects of reverse culture shock. This was the main thing against me, I feel, the first couple of days back.

In London:
a car punched a red light as my family and i were about to cross the street. Not to exaggerate or brag, but they freaked; I literally didn't even blink an eye.
i still can't understand the concept of tipping cab drivers. i never remember doing it, ever. it is an entirely foreign concept to me, driven home after 6 months of arguing over what is the equivalent of 50 cents with various cab drivers.

in montreal:
going to the bookstore at the beginning of the semester is generally a chaotic, wait-filled afternoon. I, however, grab my books, and march right up to the register:

me (to distracted cashier): "excuse me!"
cashier (surprised): "uh... there's a LINE"

I look to the line, where there's 30 pairs of eyes staring at me with an expression of "who the hell do you think you ARE?"

I put my books back, mortified, and go upstairs to gather my thoughts.

the first time i went to a club! i'm still uncomfortable with exposing my shoulders. let alone it being montreal, carnival, with drunk first years. dancing that, simply put, shocked and slightly appalled me.

Looking out for patches of ice instead of 'Cairo rain' (drip on the sidewalk from the ACs). on a side note, in the past two years here in montreal, i've seen many a wipeout. I had not fallen once. However, in the three weeks i've been back, my backside has been bruised from the pavement no less than 5 times (and many more a quick but close shave).

mcgill is a school of 20,000 kids, many thousand which have been added the past year, and i keep thinking i recognize study abroad kids from egypt. but it's obviously not them. in fact, instead of knowing that at any given place and moment, i will know someone, here i see no one i know, and it's a rare occurrence that i see someone i do.

the streets are so clean. the air is so fresh!

what is this white stuff falling from the sky.

i'm 3 minutes- as opposed to an hour and a half- away from campus.

i'm weirded out by not being catcalled everywhere.

i can not go to class, and no one notices.

i can bring my laptop to class, and write blog entry, and no one notices.

and it's really quiet.

and it's REALLY cold.

but it's getting better.

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