The Nude Spa

Yesterday I got to explore the old part of Montreal, known as Vieux-Montréal and Vieux-Port. I walked along all these wonderful café-lined, cobblestone streets. It was one of the strangest experiences because it looked very similar to France, but the people could not have looked or acted less French. People here are very friendly, outgoing, and energetic. There are people biking and rollerblading everywhere, wearing very American looking clothes, and smiling. The city prides itself on its mix of North American and European culture, one I found intriguing. I saw the beautiful Notre Dame cathedral, visited some fantastic shops, indulged in some crêpes, and lounged in a riverside park. Perhaps the most memorable experience though was meeting Joel, a Montreal native who had actually worked in Omaha for a few months. We got to talking (well, he did most of the talking) and I liked listening to his take on Omaha and Montreal. He kept telling me to be open-minded and to just enjoy my time in Montreal. People here don’t care what you do, he said, they just live. As if to prove his point, Joel encouraged me to attend a nude spa with him. I guess it doesn’t get much more carefree than that! I politely declined however and continued on my explorations.

Richard picked me up from Vieux-Montréal late that afternoon and we picked up the kids and went to Fabrice’s soccer game. His was much exciting, but I didn’t spend much time watching because Ophélie next to me was demanding most of my attention as she showed me different acrobatic moves. I like spending time with her because it is when I get the most French practice. I have found that it is easier to learn vocabulary here because it comes with its own context instead of being a new word I’m taught in class or one I come across in reading. After the game, we had a delicious dinner of salad, salmon, and rice (and wine and bread of course), which, like all the meals so far, is served in courses. We then did some English practice and Richard and I talked some more about his work and his kids. He gives presentations on leadership to people around the world, and so I heard some of the main ideas from that. He believes to have a good life, in the long term, work, love, and health must be balanced. He likes to ask people if they are happy, and then to examine why or why not. I told him that I think most Americans put too much weight on the work side of things. He works for an American company now, but he has worked for European companies before, so he told me a little about the policy differences between the two of them. Most striking is the difference in vacation days, something I knew well from my days in France.

All in all, it was an illuminating and delicious way to end an exciting day. I am excited for weekends with the Portelance-Lavoie family, which I am told always include lots of food and company. Guylaine gets home this afternoon and in the meantime I have free reign over the house. I’m about to prepare some lunch, and then I think I’ll explore a different part of Montreal.

May your lives be balanced,
Meredith