6 days after my brothers birthday...

So, another week in the East has come and gone. Weather is still incredibly nice, although today it is raining and windy and generally gross. Weather is a huge topic of conversation in Newfoundland. You can experience 6 different weather patterns in a day here, so I suppose it makes sense to discuss it. It's a conversation that never gets boring. Unless you're from B.C.

My last midterm is tomorrow morning. Which is, of course, why I'm writing

this...procrastination at it's best! I've started counting crows. No, not the band, but the custom of counting crows that you see. It's a part of the folklore here, and it has a little rhyme:



One for sorrow, Two for mirthThree for marriage, Four for birthFive for laughing, Six for cryingSeven for sickness, Eight for dyingNine for silver, Ten for goldEleven a secret that will never be told.



It's very cool, and odd, and now I can't stop doing it. Thankfully, I've mostly seen either 2, or 5 crows. People here also "cross crows out," which is a kind of evil eye thing. They put two fingers together like a cross, and put it between the crow and them, thus-crossing out the bad luck the crow might bring. Not everyone does this of course, but a fair number of people do.



I now have a borrowed couch, and I can't tell you what a difference it makes to have actual furniture in your place. It makes me feel like more of a resident, and less of a squatter.

Thanksgiving was an interesting affair. I had dinner with an elderly couple and another woman in the building. I brought potatoes!!! (Yeah, whoopee) I have tried salt meat, and can't say that it will be a regular part of my diet in the future. It's freaking salty!!! And everyone thought I was on crack for thinking so, even though it's called "salt" meat!! There was also peas pudding. This wonderful concoction is basically yellow peas, cooked to sludge in a bag that's placed in boiling water, and then squeezed and mashed. It's very, very gross, especially for a poor picky eater like myself. But there was turkey, and gravy, and pie and it was wonderful to have a nice meal with new friends.



This is a rather short and pathetic entry, but I am studying here, people!! I'm not at your every beck and call, every wave and whim! Sheesh.



Anyway, as always, more to come.



V.F.