My fellow Americans...

Some initial observations:

1) Canadians do not say "eh" all that much. At least not here. I've heard it tacked onto the end of sentences a bunch, but it's not like they're spouting off "ehs" with every verbal turn.

2) Sackville has a lot of stuff going on for a tiny town. I know, I'm new, and I'm told I'll get over the "everything's awesome!" honeymoon phase, but there's a lot of stuff crammed within a few square miles here. A movie theater, a drugstore (Pharmacie Jean Coutu--how cute is that?), a bitchin' thrift store complete with skis and rusty ice skates, like 3 or 4 pubs, a hardware store, a tucked-away theater, a diner, and this campus has bjillions of buildings. And if you go to the end of Bridge St. and take a look at the landscape--it's HUGE!

3) When it snows in DC, the students freak out, stare out the window, and speculate for hours about whether or not the next day will be a snow day. When it snows here, no one even blinks. They're telling me that, comparatively, this is not a lot of snow. There is more snow here than I've seen in my lifetime.

4) I've never really even owned a pair of snowboots. Here, I think I'll be wearing them most of the time.

5) It's cold here, so the people make up for it by being a lot warmer, and you'll only be an outsider if you work really really hard at being one.

6) Even the graffiti seems nicer. I saw some yellow paint scrawled on a wall that said "Don't be afraid." And there was one in Moncton that said "Pompous faggot"--not at all friendly, but certainly articulate.

7) Thrift stores freakin' ROCK, especially in countries and provinces where the tax rates make you gasp. I bought a mug for $0.49 today.

8) When I first came to Canada (Quebec City), I thought that Aero chocolate was the coolest thing EVER. It's in the vending machines downstairs, along with some other crazy stuff (i.e. dill pickle flavored chips).

9) Blueberry beer = THE BEST THING EVER. Also Canadians know WAY more about US politics than the other way around (I knew this already, but it really hit home tonight).