Linguistic explanation - explication linguistique

I had given up writing in french when I realized most of my french friends weren't reading my blog while I was home.  Now that I'm away from home, I expect more french traffic, hence the translation to french as well.

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Pendant que j'etais au Quebec, peu de gens lisaient mon blog en francais.  Je me suis donc laisse allee a la paresse et j'ai abandonne les versions bilingues sur mon blogue.  Maintenant que je suis repartie, j'estime necessaire de remettre des versions bilingues.

 

The Beaver

 

 

Un depart en fleche... Now it really starts...

Les deux autres auditeurs sont arrives hier. Ils sont charmants tous les 2. Un d'eux est originaire du Burkina et me dit que lorsqu'il etait enfant a Coulouba, il se rappelle d'une petite blonde qui venait jouer chez lui avec sa nounou. En fait, nous etions les seuls blancs a Coulouba, c'est donc moi... Le monde est bien petit...

Rapidement, voici la liste des taches qui me sont confies pour cet audit. Eventuellement, je toucherais a d’autres domaines, mais pour le moment, je suis vraiment dans ce qui touche aux relations juridique de notre programme local…

Hier soir j’ai passe une excellente soiree… en compagnie de S C (une amie de ma mere)! Comme je venais de faire une petite epicerie, je l’ai recue au vin rouge et au fromage bleu, dans ma chambre du Riviera, ou elle etait aussi descendue. Elle etait tres surprise de me croiser a la reception, surtout qu’elle ne t’a pas parle depuis la mi-aout…. Enfin bref, nous avons fait une bonne sceance de rattrapage … Sylvie m’a raconte sa mission, apparemment tres dure, car elle se trouve a visiter maisons closes et chambres de passes, dans le cadre d’un projet de prevention VIH-SIDA aupres des travailleuses du sexe. Pas evident…

Samedi je pars en mission terrain pour evaluer avec un collegue les centres de distribution de nourriture de N’zerekore et Kissidougou. Je serais absente une semaine complete.

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The two other auditors arrived yesterday. They are both charming. One of them is from Burkina and told me that when he was a child in Coulouba, he remembers of a blonde toddler who came to play at his place with her nanny. In fact, we were the only white ones has Coulouba, it is thus me... The world is quite small...

Quickly, here the list of the spots which are entrusted to me for this audit. Possibly, I would touch other fields, but for the moment, I am really in what is relevant to the legal relationships of our local program...

Yesterday evening I had an excellent evening... in company of SC (a friend of my mother's)! As I had just made a small grocery, I invited her over for the red wine and blue cheese, in my hotel room. She was very surprised to meet me at the reception, especially since she had not spoken to Mum since mid-August.... But we had a nice catch-up session... S. told me about her mission, which apparently is very hard, because it is to visit brothels and other places of such destination, within the framework of a project of prevention HIV-AIDS with sex workers. Not easy...

Saturday I leave on a field mission with a colleage to evaluate food distribution centers in N'zerekore and Kissidougou. I will be away for a complete week.

The Beaver



My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

Safe and sound in Conakry...

As I feared it, the customs officer, who insisted to keep my passport, did not accept my title of visa. I did insist, as the local office had indicated to me, on my right of entry and the fact that I could not leave my passport. Eventually, the program assistant negotiated with them and my passport was directly transferred to the immigration office. I expect to recuperate it this morning.

The 2 other auditors are arriving at the end of the morning today. I am at the office, but we cannot begin the audit without them, as one is the head of mission.

So my colleague and I are just at the office and spending time getting ready for the audit, which is good since we're both newbies. I have Docs to read and emails to write, so it's actually convenient. We are getting along well, which returns the thing a strong sympathetic nerve.

My hotel is very correct. There is indeed a kitchenette in the room, which does have air conditioner. Besides, it’s actually roomy. Over the last night, we had 4 power failures. When electricity returns, the AC doesn’t restart by itself, so eventually, one is woken up by heat and humidity. The climate is rather oppressive.

Guineans are very nice. The office is large, a little empty, and especially impeccable. Every office is air-conditioned. Conakry, for the little that I saw some for the moment, seems to me very poor, much less developed that Dakar, and especially, awfully wet. I would hesitate to leave fruits on a kitchen counter in such humidity. The vegetation is of a superb green, and abounds everywhere, on the wall, the trees. All is green! What a change from Sahel!

The Beaver


My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

Quick update

Well, today's the 23rd of September, and tomorrow night, I'll be taking a big step in my carreer, flying to Conakry (Republic of Guinea) to conduct my first audit.

So technically, today is my last full day in Montreal. The week and weekend were good, more balanced than the others when it comes to logistical activities. I did run a few errands, but nothing intense like last week.

I took time to see friends, and got to get a manucure, pedicure, and complete epilation. I'm not a huge esthetics services consumer. In fact, I'm pretty low maintenance : I wear no make up, use barely any beauty products, and nail polish is a foreign concept to me. But I felt I needed to do this, as part as a girl's day on the town, and to take time to take care of me.

I got to spend a last night with "the boys", my D&D crew, and because I have so much fun with them, and because I'm going to miss them a whole dang lot, I splurged on pizza, wings, fries, and other unnamable addictive products. It was good to have my last hang out with the crew. With them, it's special, because I'm one of the boys. I can be completely and totally myself, goofball and all.

Today, I'll spend the day with my mum. I might ask her to run a few errands with me, but mainly, we'll just be hanging out and having fun together. Tonight, I meet my Dave to spend my last evening with him.

Tomorrow, I'll spend the day with Dave and at 5PM, my DM, best friend, and surrogate brother (they're all one person) will pick us up and drive us to the airport. Then, it's good bye !

The Beaver

My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

100 Things about my significant other (Part 2 of 2)

As promised, on the eve of our separation, I write this post, dedicated to the love of my life.

1. David means "loved of God". I feel it's absolutely relevant.
2. When he was a kid, he hid behind a garbage can at recess.
3. He often reminds me that I put someone in a garbage can at recess during our college years. It wasn't him though.
4. When planning his appartment, his main concern was being able to host a D&D game.
5. He claims that from now on, his vacations will be planned around my schedule.
6. He plans on going back to school full time to accelerate the end of his studies.
7. The main reason Dave had failed some classes is his failure turn his papers in on time.
8. When he does turns his papers in, he actually gets good grades.
9. He actually refuses to own an oven.
10. He is able to call friends people that he likes, but doesn't trust.
11. He'd be willing to take a bullet for a friend.
12. Dave loves sleeping.
13. He's been living on 4 hours of sleep a day for the last week.
14. He's never had anyone else then me.
15. He knows everything I did, good and bad, and still accepts me.
16. He's been talking of going to teach English in Thailand for the last 3 years.
17. Dave is the one person I know to have made a friend of his brother.
18. He likes when I read Beaudelaire to him. Or Paulo Coelho. Or other stuff.
19. Dave is a sleepwalker. Runs in the family, I heard.
20. He snores very lightly when he's tired. He denies it thoroughly though.
21. He's been spending every evening with me since we found out I'd be leaving.
22. I've been recording the touch of him in my mind, so I can replay it once I'm gone.
23. He's very patient with me.
24. He keeps on forgetting stuff.
25. Together, we are the 2 most absent-minded people of the universe.
26. He's not ready to be a daddy. Neither am I to be a mummy.
27. He loves cheese. His nickname should be the cheese monster.
28. When Dave was born, his dad got worried that the baby would eat all his ice cream. He was right.
29. Dave is going to become very fat : he lived down the corner from the best cheese shop in Montreal.
30. He is addicted to coffee. He's the official coffee clerk at home.
31. Dave doesn't smoke. He tried and failed miserably in Senegal.
32. When Dave came back from Senegal to Montreal, he tried to negociate his first cab fare.
33. I still have copies of the emails we sent to one another during our initial courtship 3 years ago. He thinks it's creepy.
34. He said his goal was to always had the bed made in his appartment. So far, it's a failure.
35. Recently, Dave learned to do the Demon sign at rock concerts. He looks incredibly funny when he does it.
36. Dave's favorite TV series is Angel.
37. His favorite character is Wesley Wyndham-Pryce.
38. He's shown to me on countless occasions that he is usually not afraid of what he doesn't understand.
39. He's become more practical over the last few weeks.
40. Dave has a thing for Dungeons and Dragons. I like to say that him and his crew suffer from the DOG syndrome : Delusions of Grandeur.
41. He, however, knows the difference between reality and fantasy.
42. The main issue we've had recently has been about too much / not enough D&D.
43. This issue is now self-resolved, since I'm leaving.
44. Next time we will live together, we will hire a maid.
45. David has lived 7 years in Paris. He retains a certain worshipfulness for the City of Light since.
46. I do hope I get to see Paris with him one day.
47. He is 100% french canadian. Yet, most people believe him to be French of France.
48. He speaks French with a French accent. He speaks english with a French Canadian accent.
49. He is sensitive to bad voices, and thus, has had trouble dealing with our former landlady.
50. He hugs me every night, and tells me he will miss me. I will miss him too.

The Beaver


My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

Still alive, but barely breathing...

To my loyal readers, I thank you all for the sweet comments I received and words of encouragement. This post goes to say, that things rarely go as planned, and that adaptation is the key to survival !

After all, last friday, I was so dead, I did not pay a goodbye visit to my ex-boss, to the people at the Mountain and to the YWCA staff. Dave and I ended up doing the laundry at the Mousse Cafe, a nice and trendy coffee place that also has a laundromat. Good thing, too, because we took the whole row of washing machines for our stock. I did wash all my stuff to be packed.

Saturday the 10th, the movers came and took all the furniture Dave wasn't keeping to the country house for storage. That, and all the boxes I have packed. Then, Dave and I will took the day to paint his apartment. It was a catastrophe. We decided to paint everything white, because there was so little light and the colors chosen by the previous tenant were horrible. Baby blue in the bedroom, orange and burgundy in the living room, and dark marine blue in the tiny bathroom. Needless to say, it took us the whole day to clean the apartment and prep the place with primer.

Sunday, I did not have off. We spent the whole day putting coats and coats of white paint to try and cover the dreadful colors. I was barely any use as my wrist started playing freegames on me and I was barely able to paint. I ended up doing all the detail (which I hate) and alternating between my left and right hand.

Monday, I had nothing to do but relax. Dave packed his stuff extremely late but finally, at 3 AM on Tuesday, he was ready for his big move.

On Tuesday, the movers were supposed to show up at 11AM. Instead, they came at 3:30PM. With Dave gone to work, I stayed there and waited, with my friend Cynthia who had decided to pay a visit. By 5PM we were out of the old and into the new place. At that point, I was so dead I actually left the place a mess and went to the movies. As of this day, we had no Internet, hence my silence.

On Wednesday, I stayed home in a catatonic state until 5PM, then unpacked pretty much everything. Dave and I did more laundry at his folks' house and ended up sleeping there unwillingly (we passed out on the couch and woke up the next morning !)

On Thursday, Dave and I purchased a fridge, then I met up with my mum and an old friend. One of those friends whom I've know for 15 years. We've been drifting apart for the last 10 years to the point that she now calls me only when I leave or when I come home. Whatever, it was still nice to see her, though I resent her neglect.

On Friday, I had the worst customer care experience in the world. It started with the Internet provider's tech coming over to set up the cable connection. First, VIDEOTRON asked that someone be on standby at the house between 7AM and 7PM, which in itself in unacceptable. Then he set up the connection, but 15 minutes after he came, the connection was down. Anyways, the guy showed up at 3PM. At 3:30PM, I called customer service, and was told it would take 30 minutes and then the service would be restored. At 4:30, I called again, and got the same answer. At 5:30PM, I called again, and got the same answer. At 6:30 PM, I spoke to some guy who finally had the brilliant idea to transfer me to tech help. All in all, I had to call 4 times, wait 20 minutes on hold every time to speak to a rep, then wait another 30 min on hold while they were figuring out what fib they were gonna tell me. The last 6:30PM call lasted 2 hours and half, and ended up with the conclusion that another service visit with a 12 hour standby was required. All in all, the service was inefficient, disrespectful, and inadequate. On top of that, the delivery guys who brought Dave's fridge yelled at me because the street address wasn't completely visible and threatened to leave the fridge on the street when I asked them to stop yelling. Woman-hating freaks !

Today, Dave the Babe and I are just hanging out, basking in our last weekend together before I leave. I sincerely hope I get to rest a bit prior to my plane on next saturday.

The Beaver


My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

Schedule, schedule...

Loyal readers, forgive my lazyness....

Here's my travel schedule for the year.

Very excited, as I never went to any of these countries.

All of these maps are originally from CNN. You can find them by entering CNN and the country name in Google.

More stories to come. Need to find time and energy to write, as I'm particularly beat....

September 2005

November 2005

January 2005

February 2006

April 2006
June 2006

September 2006

The Beaver


Thanks, Mary in Jamaica, for posting on my Guestmap !

My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

Suffering from D.R.S.

This post is dedicated to my loyal readers. I'm sorry I haven't been more funny and updatapaloozing my blog. I promise sunnier days... soon ! Yes, I know, I owe you guys another 50 things about my s.o.... Coming up soon as well !

D.R.S. : Decapitated Rooster Syndrome

I'm still going insane with preparations, but it all got a bit loosened up with a few new developments.

Yesterday, I did not buy a big wheeled suitcase for my travel.

Truth is, I completely forgot. I did go to the French consulate with my emergency letter to get my passport released faster. Got there just a bit after public hours and had to stalk the embassy clerk on her cigarette break to give my letter. Called today, my passport will be ready on the 14th.

I did meet with a banker to open my US bank account. In fact, I met with 3 bankers. The 3rd one was the right one. Let this be of public notice : Quebec residents who need banking products in US currency AND in Canadian currency should bank with RBC. They have a fluent platform that allows you to do whatever it is you need to do between your bank accounts. This really solved my problem.

Photos (clockwise from top left): Wonderboy Nxumalo from Ardmore Ceramic Art Studio(photo by Anthony Bannister), elephant in Hluhluwe game reserve,basket by Beauty Ngxongo, historic Nova Constantia from www.nancycrow.com

I did also complete some paperwork for work, and got some real cool news. I will be leaving a week later, and Cameroon has been replaced by South Africa on my schedule. Even though I was looking forward to visiting the country where my dad started his development career 30some years ago, I'm very excited to get a chance to travel in South Africa. Also solves my visa issue as Canadians don't need a visa to get there.

I paid a goodbye visit to the people at the Mountain. It was a bit emotional as I really spent a lot of time patrolling this summer, with being without a job and all...

This morning, I bought a huge, professional, wheeled suitcase for my travels. On a 2 year warranty and at a very reasonable 60 bucks. Emptied out my locker with Dave. I was supposed to hang out with my mum and pack my bags, but she cancelled so now I'm on my own. It's done and taken care of, and I also packed whatever clothes I don't take with me to store at the cottage or to give to the poor.

On Friday, I will pay a goodbye visit to my ex-boss, to the people at the Mountain and to the YWCA staff. I will also do the laundry and wash all my stuff to be packed. Dave and I should go buy paint for the next day as well.

Saturday the 10th, the movers are taking all the furniture Dave isn't keeping to the country house for storage. That, and all the boxes I have packed. Dave and I will take the day to paint his apartment.

Sunday, I have off.

Monday, I have nothing to do.

Tuesday, Dave is moving into his place. I'll be tagging along as it is meant to be my regular squat.

AT THIS POINT, ALL IS TAKEN CARE OF. I WILL START TO BREATHE AGAIN... :)

Thursday, I'll will go shop for clothes with my mum.

The rest of the week, I take off, except that I'll have to drive my car to the cottage.

Suddenly, I also have a whole week of doing nothing.... since I fly directly from Montreal to Conakry on the 24th.

So, please tell me : GUYS, DID I FORGET ANYTHING ?

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Where am I going ?

First : Guinea

Then : South Africa

The Beaver


Thanks, Qalamana in Senegal, for posting on my guest map !

My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

Logistical update

I'm still running around like a madwoman. But it's worth it !

On Friday, I did not go to the Quebec Bar and fix some administrative issues. In fact, I tried to call all day to reschedule, unsuccessfully. Dave chose his classes on Internet. I also took care of my unpaid parking tickets. We spent the rest of the day making boxes and packing. I called my various suppliers to close my accounts and/or change my billing address.

Saturday was spent packing the kitchen. In the evening, we had Goodbye dinner # 2. It was a lot of fun as 16 people showed up. I will miss my Montreal friends.

Sunday was spent packing the living room.

Monday I took the day off and did nothing all day but watch Angel. I have Goodbye dinner # 3 that night, with 2 intimate friends.

Today, I tried to get my digicam fixed and failed. It will take 4 weeks. I won't have to call the Salvation Army to pick up whatever furniture Dave and I don't keep, as friends have shown interest and the landlady wants to keep whatever we leave behind. I stored away my computer at a friends' house. I won't need to recruit hands and arms to move my stuff, as my mum and her friend found a super-cheap moving company that will take care of everything for just 100$ over the price of a rental truck. I decided not to advertise my car as my mum agreed that I could leave it on her land at the country house. I also won't need do take ID pics, or to get explanatory letters from my employer for my visa requests. Apparently, those can be done locally. I won't either need to spend 3 days in Ottawa to get all my visas done.

Tomorrow, I will go buy a big weeled suitcase for my travel. I will also go to the French consulate with my emergency letter to get my passport released faster. I will also meet with a banker to open my US bank account.

On Thursday, I will hang out with my mum and pack my bags. We will also pack whatever clothes I don't take with me to store at the cottage or to give to the poor.

On Friday, I will bring the boxes stored in my locker up to my appartment for the big move. I will also pay a goodbye visit to my ex-boss, to the people at the Mountain and to the YWCA staff.

Saturday the 10th, the movers are taking all the furniture Dave isn't keeping to the country house for storage. That, and all the boxes I have packed. Dave and I will take the day to paint his appartment.

Sunday, I have off.

Monday, I will go shop for clothes with my mum. At this point, I need to have my luggage (20 kg's) ready.

The rest of the week, I take off, except that I'll have to drive my car to the cottage.

Saturday the 17th, I fly to Baltimore.
Saturday the 24th, I fly to Conakry.

Now, please tell me : GUYS, DID I FORGET ANYTHING ?

The Beaver


My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

Anti-Egotistical post

This is dedicated to all who have lost something to Katrina. May the sadness of your loss be lightened by the knowledge that the world is looking on you, and praying.

All of you regular readers may have noticed that I usually do not post about current events, except on special occasions.

If I had more time, I would write a rant about how GWB is not taking care of his people, how we are witnessing the end of America's lead on the international scene, and on how horrible the fates of those in New Orleans are.

The truth is, I don't have time to write thoughtful post on the matter, or to pull out pictures.

Others have done a great job at this and I commend them for it. In this hectic time, they have kept me abreast of the world.

The Voice, Salt Water, Cricketina, Library Bitch, Liquid Plastic and Xoloitzquintle have all shared thoughts, news, experiences or pictures on the matter. Do visit their blogs, they are full of insight on the New Orleans crisis. I share their shock, awe, sympathy and anger.

If time allows, I will post more about this.

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FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT SOME EGOTISTICAL BEAVER : ENJOY THE ARTWORK !!!

All of these were created with the help of James , a fun NetFind by Lewis.









The Beaver


My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

Beaver ? NO. Headless chicken ? YES!!!!

This post is dedicated to all who need not move this year.

May you consider yourselves blessed.

I've been running around like a madwoman. More precisely, like a chicken without a head.

Aug 26th : Friday, I find out about the job.

Saturday night, I arrive in Montreal.

Sunday, I get liberated from my lease. We do some house visits all day, and Dave leaves a deposit on an appartment for himself.

Monday, I spend the day at my mum's getting down some lists and preparing some logistics. Dave finds out he did not get the appartment.

Tuesday, I find out I might leave later due to some HR issues. I spend the morning making phone calls and gathering departure info. I apply for my Medicare card. We spend the afternoon roaming Little Italy to find Dave an appartment. I'm dead. I get some work info that I print out. I need to read that stuff eventually.

Wednesday, I get confirmation that I will leave with the next 3 weeks. I spend a part of the day blogging. The sum of stuff I have to do seems like just too much. Dave finds out he is accepted for the appartment. I pick up some documentation at my mum's. A girl visits my appartment. I give 2 hours of pro bono counsel at the Y.

Thursday, Dave signs his lease. I make my application for a 2nd passport at the French Embassy. I make phone calls to various embassies for my visas. I spend time emailing my manager about various logistical issues. I find out that I will leave Montreal on the 17th. I get confirmation on housing in Ottawa (see later in post why). I attend Goodbye dinner #1.

Tomorrow, September 2nd, I will got to the Quebec Bar and fix some administrative issues. Dave will go to university to choose his classes. We will spend the rest of the day making boxes and packing.

Saturday the 3rd will be spent packing. In the evening, we have Goodbye dinner # 2. Sunday will be spent packing as well.

Monday is Labor day. We'll take the day off. I have Goodbye dinner # 3 that night.

The following 4 days will be spend packing and fixing logistic issues. I yet have to :

• change my address everywhere ;
• open a US bank account ;
• get my digicam fixed ;
• call the Salvation Army to pick up whatever furniture Dave and I don't keep ;
• shop for clothes ;
• store away my computer ;
• close my bills ;
• take care of my unpaid parking tickets ;
• recruit hands and arms to move my stuff ;
• meet with the gentleman who will supply me with a moving truck ;
• advertise my car ;
• get all the paperwork pertaining to selling my car ;
• take ID pics for my visa requests.

If I have more time I will :

• help paint and clean Dave's appartment ;
• pay a goodbye visit to my ex-boss ;
• pay a goodbye visit to the Mountain ;
• pay a goodbye visit to the YWCA.

Saturday the 10th, I move all the furniture Dave isn't keeping to the country house for storage. That, and all the boxes I will have packed.

Somewhere around Monday the 12th , I will get explanatory letters from my employer for my visa requests. Somewhere between then and Friday the 16th, I will spend 3 days in Ottawa to get all my visas done. If necessary, I'll go back and forth twice. A this point, I need to have my luggage (20 kg's) ready.

I hope I can do this on Monday-Wednesday and that this way I'll have at least 2 last days with Dave, my mum, and my friends.

Saturday the 17th, I fly to Baltimore.

Saturday the 24th, I fly to Conakry.

Now, please tell me : GUYS, DID I FORGET ANYTHING ?

ON ON !

The Beaver


My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !