Tofu: FOUND

It happened ! I had given up all hope. I had already visited two local thai restaurants to ask about their tofu purchases.

I went on and on (à la BBQ rant) about how incomplete my culinary life was because I was missing tofu. Swedes looked at me strangely. 'What is this 'tofu' you speak of?' And then, upon answering them, I could tell they did not 'get' it.

So, yesterday, I'm strolling through a local grocery shop, buying some frozen fruit and soy milk, browsing around the liquid yogurt section (yes, that is not a typo) when I see something white, cubed, and un-appetizing looking. TOFU!

Ignoring the fact that the expiry date had already passed, I snatched up two blocks of that delicious bean curd goodness. I was elated! Pad thai tonight!, I said to myself.

So tonight, right after this post of glory, I am off to cook myself some tofu for the first time since I hit European land. Protein city, here I come!

p.s How many of these posts actually revolve around food?

Answer: Far too many.

Pajamas+ jeans equals bliss!

So, you've probably ALL been hearing about the latest craze known as 'Pajama jeans.'

Well, I have now jumped on board. Anyone who knows me knows that I am, for the most part, a lazy slob. But now, with my brand new Pajama Jeans, I can be a lazy slob in public, and everyone is none the wiser!

Essentially, they're just tights that vaguely look like jeans, but man oh man, that's good enough for me.

In other news, I now have a king-sized bed. . . . at my parents' house. So, I am counting down the days until I can sleep in heavenly bliss at home!

The weather was shitty this weekend, so I didn't go to Göteborg. I went for a run today (and froze) and am now in the process of doing my laundry.

I'll do some lesson planning, have dinner, and maybe clean this place up a bit. Nothing newsworthy, and yet, I wrote it anyways.

Here is a pj jean photo for the curious.



Note: owning Pajama Jeans did NOT make me a cooler person.

Insert Blog Title Here

Not much to report.

School photos were today so I headed down to the local thrift store for some new clothes. I got this skirt that is pretty sweet, and a few students said I looked fancy.

My personal dress code coincides with the question ''Can I get away with wearing this?,'' so, needless to say, I'm not exactly the sharpest dresser in the shed.

I'm aching to go back to Göteborg, but I think this weekend I need to relax, sleep in, and get some much needed endorphin release through exercise!!!

Today we had pasta salad lunch as the vegetarian option, and my it was great! So tasty and filling. I am so full as we speak.

All right. . . I am going to try not to fall asleep!

Nothing exciting right now. . . well, nothing post-able.

Göteborg me in Gothenburg!

Göteborg!!
The people demand more blog! Ask and you shall receive Mr. Laforest!
It’s been a week since my last post. Blame the hectiness (no, not a word) of teaching, and everything in between.

Last Sunday we went to watch a game of the Swedish Elite league. It was great hockey, and a nice little taste of back home!

For those of you who have been waiting on pins and needles to find out how the poutine went, it went well! I mean, it’s by no means Elgin Street Diner poutine, or New York Fries for that matter, but it was cheese, gravy, and fries. So, I did it! I served it to my friends along with brushetta and pesto salad. I am no great cook, but as my friend said, it was a carbo-fest! And the pesto was vegan, so it was almost a vegan meal.. . almost!

This week was crazy with Parents’ night and everything else, but thankfully this weekend has completely taken my mind off school. Friday night I went out with a colleague for Thai dinner, and then we met up with another at the local ‘Irish’ watering hole. That was nice, but we were all Yawn-City from the week! I’m starting to feel old (which is weird, because I look 18).

Yesterday I got up, made pancakes, and headed out to catch the bus to Göteborg (Gothenburg). Well, I missed the bus, so I was stuck in rainy Borås for an hour. I walked around because there was a big 10 K race, so lots of people around. A short-ish bus ride later, I arrived in Gothenburg. It was an instant lift of happiness. People! Everywhere! So many of them! I heard English, Swedish, and other languages! It was bustling! There were trams, and busses, and street performers! Admittedly, I felt a pang of remorse, because there is an I.E.S in Gothenburg, and I might have worked there. It’s an actual big city, and it FEELS Europeans. So, I walked around for a few hours, went to the ferries wheel, Opera House, the Lipstick Observatory, and then walked into the mall (the biggest in Scandinavia) to get a proper map. I then realized I was starving, so I went to an All-You-Can-Eat pasta and salad bar. MMMM. On my way out, I ran into a coworker-friend from Borås! We couldn’t believe it.
Anyways, he told me he was meeting a fellow-Canadian from I.E.S Gothenburg, and I decided to tag along to get a proper tour of Gothenburg. We met up at a donut place (a little too cliché?) and walked along the busy, beautiful streets. We then headed to another Canadian’s place, and it sure was nice to get another taste of home. There definitely are differences between Canadians and Swedes. They aren’t obvious, but it was just a different vibe.

WE eventually went to a nice French café, and I had a chocolate croissant. We were ALMOST talked into staying the night and hitting up the Gothenburg nightlife, but we decided we’ll be back in the near future, if not next weekend!!
So we came back to Borås, and both did not want to go back to our little apartments. So we went to a pool-bowling-golfing range pub for a bit. I came home and made myself nachos, and went to bed.
Today I went running in the mountains. Man, was it great! Today it hasn’t yet rained, so I also decided to go back to the zoo. Since I went to early, there was hardly anyone there, so the animals all kind of looked at me in a different way.
So now I bought all the ingredients to make pad thai (minus tofu, which is SO hard to find) and will settle in for a night of Canadian Polaris-nominated albums and sweet thai food!


I realized nothing was particularly funny or interesting about this blog.
Sorry to all my fans! (Frandons)

Also, I don’t know who I want to win Polaris. I LOVE Dan Mangan and Shad’s albums a lot, and the French part of me is rooting for Kwarka, or even Radio Radio. I like Tegan and Sara, but I don’t think they’ll win, and both Caribou and Owen have won. I’m indifferent towards BSS, even though they are stellar. The only album I haven’t really absorbed is the Sadies’ record. . . so I’m sure they will win!

A Very Canadian Saturday Night.

What do you do when you are in a foreign country, and home alone with nothing to do on a Saturday night?

Well, you do what any good Canadian might do.
You make poutine!!!!!!!









La piece de résistance!



Mmmmm. Incroyable!

(this was actually a trial run. I'm making this for some non-Canadian friends on Tuesday, and wanted to make sure it passed the Labrosse seal of approval!!)

Zoo shots (what you've all been waiting for!)

Hello!

Here are my favourite zoo shots. Tonight is laundry night, so I'm killing time between the wash and dry cycles. You know how it is!




(No, not a REAL dinosaur. It's Dyurpark, not Jurassic Park!)
(Below: one of the first things I saw: the Savannah! )



(Below: such a cute moment! Friends!)


(Below: Hello Mr. Elephant!)



(Below: Oh, how I loved this chip! Who could ever be anything but happy while they are this close to a chimp!)



(Below: I thought nothing could top the chip. I was wrong. )




(Below: Cool Cats. hahah such a lame thing to say.)



(Below: I'll end it here. Finally, I saw real-life lions! When went to the Granby zoo when I was four it was too hot and we missed them!)




Ok, so. . . that is a small portion of the zoo!

I just wanted to say congratulations to Jason, Michelle, and Max who were the big winners at last weekend's Paddle Tennis Tournament. It was a first-time win for all parties, I believe.
See you in 2011 Paddle Tennis Weekend!

It's All Happening At the Dyurpark

Oh, the zoo! In all efforts to not cry over Paddle Tennis Weekend, I took a trip to see some animals.

Saturday I didn't end up going. As I left my apartment I heard live music and saw this big celebration just outside the grocery store near where I live. I wandered over and saw a few tables set up selling household items, face painting, mascots, and a giant inflatable bouncy thing. I looked around for a bit, and then ran into B., the man who helped me out on my first day, and who provides me with delicious crepes!
He informed me that it was ''Sjöbo's party'' or something like that. Sjöbo is that name of my part of town (and it's pronounced kind of like Whou-euh-bo - yes, I said it incorrectly for about three weeks!).

So, I perused around, and found some good stuff! I found a poster thing of Billar, a candy company I love. I bought myself two 'adult' glasses (non-plastic), a big salad bowl, two tins for coffee and sugar, a cardigan, homemade earrings, and. . . oh, a few neat Swedish postcards. All for about 17 Canadian dollars! I love secondhand.

So after those purchases and watching a few shows, I definitely didn't have enough zoo time. So I went and sat with B at the coffeeshop, and eventually did a bit of organizing.

So the zoo. . . . it was impressive, and I am a harsh critic when it comes to animals!

There were lions, and tigers, and . . . yes, raccoons! Oh my! Actually, I have to say, I was impressed by so many of the animals and the large habitats they had. They even had seals, a lion pride, bears, and wolves that rushed up down from the forest in a pack. Amazing! The funniest happening at the zoo was the last animal I saw: racoons! People were fascinated by these raccoons. Now, anyone who lives in an urban centre is NOT fascinated by raccoons, but actually quite the opposite. I probably see 20 raccoons per week in Ottawa. But here, families and teenagers gathered around to watch the raccoons be fed. I was laughing out loud.

Funny event number two. There was a petting zoo. You get get inside this enclosed area and pet pigs, goats, and sheep who were just walking around. I looked in and thought, ''awww I wanna pet the animals too!'' so i washed my hands and entered. Then I looked around. I was the only person over six in that area (excluding parents who were supervising their kids). That was definitely the creepiest I've felt in a long, long time.

I am still at work. I think I have three billion things to do. There are not enough hours in the day, let me tell you.

Last night I went to a colleague/ friend's house for dinner, and picked at the cake for a good hour. Mmmm cake. Now, I'm so hungry for dinner but am forcing myself to stay and work for a little while longer.

A few students who I do not teach came up to me and asked me where I'm from. I told them Canada, and they replied that I should go back there, because it's better than Sweden. ''Oh, well have you ever been to Canada?'' I asked.
''No, but we've seen it in the movies.''

I don't know what movies they're watching. . . Canada does not have a prominent role in many blockblusters that I can recall!

Tomorrow is Thursday, and I've always loved Thursdays because that used to be ski club days. Ski club has been over since grade seven, but I've always loved the feeling that all you need to do is get through Thursday, and then it's Thursday night, which is BASICALLY the weekend. Oh, except that now my Fridays are busy and I teach until such a late time in the day that by the time my class is over, most of the staff have disapaeared and it's a ghost town!!! Tampis!

15 weeks until I'm home for Christmas! (but who's counting?)

My Heart May be In Luskville, but my Body is in Borås. . .

Just spoke to SO many people in Luskville! :) Amazing.

Now, because my mom told me they'd be showing this blog, I thought I'd post a few more Borås pictures for people like my grandparents!

Two things I forgot about my Friday.

First, I had a powerpoint to teach common and proper nouns. To illustrate an example of a proper noun, I had a picture of fellow Canadian and fellow Salt N Pepper Hoodie wearer Justin Bieber. I didn't realize girls would actually shriek when they saw his picture!

Secondly, I had to be THE teacher who sees a student passing a note and takes it. Don't worry, I didn't do it in an embarassing way and I did not read it in front of the class (not that I could, it was likely in Swedish). So, those were interesting.


And now for something completely different!


Real-life Swedish berries! (below)



(Below: the beautiful sunset outside my bachelor pad)



(Below: Knalleland Shopping Centre, not just for humans anymore!)



(Below: JUST organized. This is as good as it gets!)



(Below: Our school, from afar. Note the beautiful mountains I wake up to every morning!)



''Wi not trei a holiday in Sweden this yör? See the loveli lakes''



(Below: cute houses right off the walking path.)


Ok, hope those were interesting and diverse!
Off to eat and play guitar!
(oh, here is my guitar. . . AND my infamous carpet!)

My Heart is in Luskville, Québec

I made it through!
After fighting off a terrible cold mid-week, I have emerged on the weekend feeling quite a bit better.

First of all, I have to say that this weekend my heart is many miles away in Luskville. The L.O.P.T.C is currently hosting the annual Paddle Tennis Weekend. I would certainly give my right arm and leg to be there. For those of you sorry folks who do not know, Paddle Tennis is kind of like tennis, but played with a large paddle, and on a smaller court with a lower net. The scoring is exactly the same. In Luskville this weekend, there are many categories that divide the boys from men, and the women from everyone else. They are, Little Tykes (for the very young), Young Guns (kids), Ladies' Singles, Men's Rec (Recreational), Men's Competitive, and Mixed Doubles. Who will be victorious this year?

Paddle Tennis Weekend, as it is often referred to, happens in Luskville, a tiny little community on the Québec side of the Ottawa river. Years ago (over fourty years, to be precise) my grandfather Lou had a paddle tennis court installed on our front lawn. My uncle Paul created the first ever Paddle Tennis Tournament. Its held in part as a memorial to him, as he passed away when he was young under very sad circumstances. People are known to travel vast distances to make it to Luskville. This year we have guests from as fas as New York City and Texas!


Family and friends meet in Luskville on this great, great weekend to celebrate the sport, each other, good fun, community, and everything in between. My friend and neighbour (and fellow paddle tennis enthusiast) Michelle and I have ranked Paddle Tennis Weekend as our second-favourite holiday, behind only Christmas.

So, my heart bleeds a little bit, knowing I am missing out on the fudge; the late night campfires; the mad-dashes to Martine's, the local Candy Store; the food; the award ceremony; the paddle tennis upsets; and especially the laughs. No matter what, I MUST find a way to return next year. Michelle, my dear doubles partner, if you can hear me, I wish you the best of luck this year in the Doubles!

Here are some paddle tennis photos for the uneducated!



(Above: Working hard selling official L.O.P.T.C apparel
Below: Drawing a decent crowd!)



(Below: Labrosse Forever!!!)






(Above: A very serious Men's Competitive game, complete with refs
The ranking chart,
And yours truly, in action)

Jealous, aren't you? Well, so am I!

Now, back to reality. Today in Borås it's actually Sunny! What a shock! It also did not rain yesterday, so my world is turned upside down.

On Thursday night we went for an ''afterwork,'' as some of my colleagues describe it. We went to this little pub slash restaurant, and it turns out it is owned and run by a Canadian from Montréal! He told myself and my Canadian colleague to go to the bar side anytime we want to bypass the line! Canadian solidarity! Woo hoo. I also ate REALLY delicious french fries, so obviously I will be back.

My quest to be satisfied by potato chips in Sweden is proving lackluster. No BBQ chips ANYWHERE. The only flavours seem to be things such as regular, salt, grill (onion) and sour cream and onion. I finally tracked down some salt and vinegar chips. . . . but they're basically salt with a TINY hint of vinegar. Well, that's just another reason to look forward to Canada in a few short months!

I am currently deciding what to do for our first week of Holidays in November. I'd really like to go to Germany, so we'll see.

As for today. . . I am not going to run because my lungs are still a bit. . . iffy, but I think I will take a trip to the zoo. Now, I do NOT generally support the idea of zoos, and have only ever been to one, but I've heard the animals are properly taken care of here, and I will go check it out for myself. It was that or go to Göteborg, and I think I'm still too ill for that.

Whoever you are who reads this blog, sorry this is so long! Blame my strong coffee :)
And if you are reading this, chances are I miss and love you very much! If you happen to be in Luskville. . . give it and everyone the biggest hug for me, and PLEASE eat some BBQ chips in my honour!

Love,
R.dawg

p.s if we have t-shirts this year, someone make sure my mom buys me one!
And take lots of pictures!