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The taxi drivers
This was my view from the steps. The taxi drivers were all huddled around a small TV watching France and Portugal in the Semi-Finals. You can see the crosswalk to the right. Work for the most part is pretty boring. Like I said, a typical internship consists of you sitting in front of your computer trying to look busy, but in fact, everyone knows that you are doing absolutely nothing and they are ok with that. For example, one can occupy the entire day doing simple things on the computer like checking your email, chatting on msn, googling things that interest you, listening to online radio (if you are lucky enough to have earphones), writing travelblog entries, etc. Here are some of my favorite online Radio stations...
1) CBC radio 1 - a good source of local Canadian news for when you are out of the country and some all round good talk radio
2) CBC radio 2 - Classical music is always nice when you are working (or not). There is no one talking to distract you from concentrating
3) CBC radio 3 - Ah! One of my absolute favorites. Online radio that plays 100% canadian content of contemporary up and coming artists with a wide range of music from punk rock to electronic to hip-hop.
4) radiosonic.fm - my favorite commercial radio station in edmonton
5) Pandora - online music genome project. To sum it up in one work, amazing!
So, you can imagine now how excited I get whenever there is a chance to do some fieldwork. Ah, I love that work, just the way it rolls off your tonge... f i e l d w o r k. The chance to be outside, in the sun, walking around, being...uh, productive! Wednesday I got the call. Edwardo and I would be going into the field with an assignment. We were going to count pedestrians. Let me explain.
Ed and I were given clip boards with little counters rivitted to them. We were to find this specific road intersection in the city park the car, get out and sit ourselves next to the crosswalk. I was given the duty to count the number of pedestrians that use the crosswalk in 15 minute intervals and Edwardo was to count the number of pedestrians that cross the street without using the crosswalk. Not so bad, eh? Well we had to do this for 2 hours... it gets worse.
It was late in the day when we were handed this assignment, like 4:30 and we had to start counting at 5:30. For those of you who don´t know, it is winter in Brasil and if you think it doesn´t get cold here in the late hours of the day then you are wrong. In Canada, as you know, as soon as the snow starts to melt and the thermometer climbs above 0 degrees people are out wearing shorts and sandles, enjoying their first glimps of the summer to come. Well in Brasil the situation is the complete opposite. Having suffered through hot summers of plus 30 degree weather, Brasilians take advantage of every oppostunity to wear jeans and sweaters. Being the Gringo that I am (gringo is portuguese for tourist), of course I am wearing shorts this day.
Well, Edwardo and I arrive at the destination and begin to count. He buggered off down the street while I set up camp near the cross walk. The sun slowely begins to dip behind the horizon, and the temperature slowely begins to drop. Just sitting there, I begin to feel cold. 1...2...3...4... there is hardly no one even clossing this stupid cross walk. It is completely dark by 6pm, and it is about this time that I can´t take it anymore. I have to do something to stay warm. Jumping Jacks?? Push-ups?? What?? Fortunately there is a set of stairs on the corner. Perfect! So I begin to do some stair excercises. I begin with the one leg squat followed by the calf raise and the one step running on the spot. It´s working!!! I´m sure the cab drivers parked in front of me thought I was insane!
So the routine continued for 2 hours. 5...6...7...8...one leg squats, 9...10...11...12....calf raises, 13...14...15...16...one step running on the spot. The steps were in front of this real estate office with BIG GLASS WINDOWS facing the street. They must of had a good laugh from their warm office (Bastards!). Finally, after only 72 pedestrians, 176 one leg squats, 200 calf raises and who knows how many one step running on the spot´s, it was 7:30 and Edwardo drove me home tired, hungry, but not cold.
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Mom
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Exciting
Sounds like work is anything but challenging.......boring, right. Keeping warm is not a problem at the Fort these days. We have been experiencing 30+ for days....even the basement is hot... Have a great weekend, keep safe!!!