jajdude
04-14-2013, 05:46 AM
It's strange being back in Newfoundland and in my hometown of Gander after more than 15 years. This small town of 10,000 or so people may be known to some people for one or two things: an airplane crash in December 1985 where over 250 died, and for having thousands of people be stranded for a few days, when many planes coming from Europe and heading to the states had to land in Canada due to Sept. 11, 2001. That was a scene I missed. It must have been odd.
Having spent most of the past 15 years or so in Asia, mostly in big cities, Canada is also sort of a foreign country to me now. I was in Montreal for 8 months or so until last month, and small town Newfoundland is a different matter. People aren't much different, just older. There is not much to do for a man in his 40s who does not have his own family.
It is still winter here. There have been a few nice enough days, but we still have a pile of snow that needs to be told to leave. It was - 5 C last night.
I think this may be the fattest province in Canada, with 6 month winters and everybody driving everywhere. I've been eating more than usual out of boredom. My younger brother is fat now and he used to be skinny.
It does not get busy here. That is kind of nice. It's a slow and easy pace. There is no rush hour. It's clean and the air is good. Smoking is vilified now. You feel like a criminal. Not as bad as Nova Scotia though.
People buy lottery tickets. I was near a stall where they're sold and it was busy. Why do people do that? Worse by far though, as I saw in Montreal, are those "poker" machines in bars. People spend hours on them. I've heard some people have lost their homes on those, one dollar at a time. Those things are evil too. I knew they were popular long ago when I was around, and they still are. Gambling is scary.
Having spent most of the past 15 years or so in Asia, mostly in big cities, Canada is also sort of a foreign country to me now. I was in Montreal for 8 months or so until last month, and small town Newfoundland is a different matter. People aren't much different, just older. There is not much to do for a man in his 40s who does not have his own family.
It is still winter here. There have been a few nice enough days, but we still have a pile of snow that needs to be told to leave. It was - 5 C last night.
I think this may be the fattest province in Canada, with 6 month winters and everybody driving everywhere. I've been eating more than usual out of boredom. My younger brother is fat now and he used to be skinny.
It does not get busy here. That is kind of nice. It's a slow and easy pace. There is no rush hour. It's clean and the air is good. Smoking is vilified now. You feel like a criminal. Not as bad as Nova Scotia though.
People buy lottery tickets. I was near a stall where they're sold and it was busy. Why do people do that? Worse by far though, as I saw in Montreal, are those "poker" machines in bars. People spend hours on them. I've heard some people have lost their homes on those, one dollar at a time. Those things are evil too. I knew they were popular long ago when I was around, and they still are. Gambling is scary.