Vancovuer Itinerary Chapter 8

Chapter 8

6th Course (25th. Feb. 2002 ~ 24th. Mar. 2002)

Morning - Canadian Studies (Charles)
Afternoon - Listening 3 (Cindy)

My last course at ILSC, I had chosen Canadian Studies. I thought it’s necessary to know Canada more to be here such a long time.

Charles – 50+ years old, born in Vancouver. He knew Canada well maybe I should call him a Canada dictionary.

My classmates:
Diana – 19 years old from Mexico. She was a professional DJ and emceed a radio show in Mexico.
Laura – 18 years old from Colombia. She was a latin beauty with an angle face and evil body. When she danced, so sexy!

There were three Korean students more. I liked this kind of small class, 6 students only. The weather was usually good during the course. We went out to see the real Canada history all the time. We had been to water supply factory, salmon termination, Lynn Valley Park in Vancouver. You didn’t need to go far away to see a beautiful view. Sometimes, the sun comes out but really cold. Charles taught us to know most important tress of western coast, this kind of learning was directly and efficacious.

(Cold! Cony is in front a green shine lake at Lynn Valley)

The most important activity in Canada Studies, we rent a van, from downtown Vancouver to a wharf to know the economic beginning. We knew trains in Canada were automatic without people control them and they connected more than 100 carriages most of the time.
SFU which is the second biggest university of Vancouver next, the first one is UBC. Somebody said, the construction structure copied from pyramid of Mexico. Yes, I had the same feeling.

(Cony.Diana.Laura were sitting on a big tree trunk at the Burnaby Park)

(？.Laura.Cony.Diana.？ At SFU in Vancouver)

(Cony and canoe at UBC museum)

We saw the first house in B.C. where was in the historic site. It showed the pass people how to build a house, forge iron, live, trade and the mergence between native people and immigration. We went to Bridal Falls where was pretty as a bride. There was an amazing lake! Under the sunset, the lake shadow was PINK of the mountain in Harrison Hot Springs I called it Pink Mountain.

(Cony and Charles under the blue sky and white clouds of a beautiful day , on the way to Bridal Falls)

(Did Cony look like wearing a bride veil? At Bridal Falls)

(Cony and Charles. At Harrison Hot Springs)

(The Pink Mountain. At Harrison Hot Springs)

Charles encouraged me to drive the van, he said it’s a good experience to drive on the high way in Canada. There were only a Korean classmate and I had driver license, I was afraid of driving there. I hadn’t driven for more than a year and drove a small car only. They might scare of my drive skill. God blessed us, we were alive after my first experience driving in Canada.

My listening teacher – Cindy, 32 years old just married. She was also my a kind of classmate, that we had learned snowboarding in Whistler. She taught class very serious and good. I had satisfied all my ILSC teachers and appreciated what they had taught me. Really opened my mind!

There were several Mexican parties in Gaby and Marta’s apartment. We had the same friends: Marta, Rebecca, May and others. Gaby had cooked many Mexican foods; I knew she will be a good wife. A big secret! She liked an Argentina boy “Nacho” at that time, but the story was presented continuous.

(Parting Party 1 at Gaby and Marta’s apartment. In downtown Vancouver.)

(Parting Party 2 at Gaby and Marta’s apartment. In downtown Vancouver.)

(Some friends of Homestay were in the Stanley Park)

There was a big party in my Italian Brother Andrea’s apartment. We ate Korean and French food( Breef - French Arnaud made it.). Andrea said he couldn’t make a any western girlfriends after meeting Asian girls. Ha ha ha… The result was he had married a Japanese wife” Akiko”. Good for him. We danced, drank, had HUGE fun there.

(Do you know what Cony.Andrea.Yoshie perform? “007” movie. )

(Russian- Demitri, Andrea, Cony, Alound, The funny one was Balthazar (The Halloween sexy nurse)

( A big party 1 at Andera’s apartment in downtown Vancouver)

( Party2 girls at Andera’s apartment in downtown Vancouver)

( Party3 boys at Andera’s apartment in downtown Vancouver)

Visited Lynn Valley again with my Homestay sisters and Rachel – my Taiwanese coworker’s daughter who learned English at ILSC. We wore warm and visit there; we took photos on the drawbridge and climb to the mountain lake. Unfortunately, we forgot prepared enough food to eat. It was too hungry to walk. We still went back home early.

(Homestay sisiters: Yoshie, Cony, Sayuri, Goon and Itana. In Lynn Valley)

(left Rachel, Goon’s friend, Goon, Diana(Mexican), Sayuri, Cony, Yoshie. In Lynn Valley)

Talking to everybody was what I did at homestay all the time. I had massage Ramesh, Melinda and even Sunil, they did love it. Of course I had spent a lot of time on internet talked to Jorge. After came back from Mexico, I had eaten food spicy than spicy, Ramesh laughed at me like a real Mexican. Everybody said to me, they boght me a one way fight ticket to Mexico and don’t come back. Ha ha ha ….

On weekends, we had been to Cambie Bar, Roxy, Bourbon and some more Bars danced, drank and chatted with friends, had relaxed but debauch life.

(Diana, Cony, Hana, Yoshie at the Bourbon Bar)

(Mexican- Lalo, Diana, Cony, Yoshie, Japanese- Kenji at the Bourbon Bar)

Some of Yoshie’s poor “experiences”. One day, after drinking, we took on sky train back to homestay. She forgot paid the money, I had got a monthly pass but she didn’t had it. She got a CAD 46 ticket. This was a kind of first Canadian experience. She had told me that she got bird shit twice in Japan. “Twice.” Oh! Poor girl. Once, she miss the flight back to Japan, she saw the plane flight away. Another one was, we danced at the Plazza pub, she was too high to lose her contact lenses and hand chain. She was professional poor! ^_^

I knew I didn’t have too much time in Vancouver, so I cherished every moment. I was the last few among my first course classmates. I enjoyed so much, it was the top of having fun in Canada.

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Vancovuer Itinerary Chapter 7

Chapter 7

5th Course - (28th Jan.2002 ~ 24 Feb. 2002)

Morning - Academic Preparation A2 Teacher (Ron)
Afternoon - Pronunciation 2

I had chosen Ron’s class again but absence a lot because of being sick. I was a whole sick student at these two courses without too much impression. Sorrow follows extreme pleasure; I was very bad in the month.

It was around 35 degree in Mexico but snowed in Vancouver during the time when I was in Mexico. When I just came back to Vancouver, it was 30 degree different. I felt too cold to go out and caught a serious cold. Yoshie caught a cold before me. We had transmitted a cold to each other again and again. I got a high fever around 39 degree. I didn’t go to see a doctor just took my medicine from Taiwan. In Rob’s house, Yoshie and I always felt cold. We were lazy to go out to buy food then we become weak day after day. We thought we may die in Canada one by one together.

Suddenly, Homesaty father, Ramesh, knew about we were sick for a long time, come to see us with Melinda and Sunil. After they went back, we hadn’t have recovered any. So Ramesh phoned us to come back and took care of us. When I heard Ramesh’s voice, my tears come out right away. I felt I was too stupid to move out from such a wonderful homestay. Moving out, the only one advantage was having a best “evil” sisiter+friend , Yoshie. We always talked one or two hours in bed before sleeping, we didn’t need to talk just make eye contact then we could understand each other. As Ramesh said to me, this was learning. I always knew I was lucky!。

Rob and our relationship were good because of his broke up with his girlfriend and he was moody at the time we moved out. Before I went back to Taiwan, we had a long chat then we were good friends as usual. I cherished every friend.

On Valentine’s Day, I had used my poor digital camera to make a video saying hello to everybody. Chatted on msn and e-mail to Jorge couldn’t make me recover well. I miss the blue sea, beautiful and lovely Jorge. No more school activities after being sick, but homestay life had make me a new home feeling. Ramesh and Melinda prepared the fresh fruit, special tea and nutritional food for me. Some days later I recovered better and better after taking care of me from them. What a felicity girl
I was. How wonderful to have a family!

On the Chinese New Year’s Eve, I had called back to my mother to say happy new year. Yoshie told me that my mother was too cool to say to me “It’s too expensive to call from Vancouver, take care. Bye.” My first Vancouver Chinese year wasn’t different.
On 17th Feb., we moved back in homestay, compared with ex-roommates. This was different way to get along with each other. There were five students else in the family, we were more like sisiters. Besides, Yoshie, there were,

Itana - 18 years old, from Brazil. She talked slowly and likes to play guitar. When her boyfriend phoned her, she kissed everybody. She really liked a little girl because she bitted her nails sometimes.

Sayuri – 30 years old, from Japan. Her English level wasn’t good but studied hard. We were the same age and I liked her personality.

Joon – 23 years old, from Korea. I used to kink her head and said” English in easy, I’m not easy.” Even her speaking and listening wasn’t good but vocabularies and grammar was good. She was confident to speak her opinion, so she improver her English fast.

Coincidence! They arrived day by day and felt nervous being a new place. Who else won’t! Melinda went back to USA to see her mother on that week. Sunil and I were Ramesh’s little helpers to take care of everybody, even not the best but we were still pass the time without “homestay mother”.

This month was my first time to miss “home”. Most people miss home when they live alone but in my case, my feeling wasn’t strong besides I was sick. Anyway, Cony was back in the world and alive again.


(Left: Sayuri.Sunil.Joon.Cony.Yoshie.Melinda.Ramesh.Itana)
Sayuri.Sunil.Joon.Cony.Yoshie.Melinda.Ramesh.Itana - representative countries, Japan, Canada, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, USA, India and Brazil, 7 countries. We were a little UN.)

(Making Funny dog photos at homestay)

(False hair - Blue Cony and Pink Sayuri went window shopping in downtown Vancovuer.)

(Actress Demi moore’s handprint. In downtown Vancvoure.)

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Vancovuer Itinerary Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Travel to Mexico (16th. Jan. 2002 ~ 30th Jan. 2002)

Foreign land love is hard to continue after Jorge went back to Mexico. Suddenly, I got an idea that Mexico is not far away from Vancouver, Why didn't I visit there? After my mother agreed that I could go, I applied for the Mexican Visa right away. It's bothersome to go to a country without diplomatic relations. Taiwan is one of a few countries needs to apply visa to travel in Mexico. My USA visa valid in five years but Mexico visa only valid in 20 days because Mexican government thought I am from China. I had complained to Jorge that "your government isn't kind for me." Even Jorge apologized for being not kind to me instead of his government. Anyway, I was glad I can visit Mexico.

I was excited to go there and got up in early morning to take the seven o'clock plane. I phoned Jorge and told him, I will be in Mexico City at night. This was my first time to go to another country by myself not like before joined the agency tour. Everything got ready by somebody else. Especially, from Canada to Mexico, they speak English and Spanish both aren't my mother languages but I wasn't afraid of that. Whenever I didn't understand, I always showed my big smile as beautiful language.

There was a funny thing, the immigration staff hadn't seen this kind of passport and even asked his boss to check me. Ha ha... Taiwanese are very speical in Mexico. There were people mountain people sea in Mexico airport, so crazy, like a big market. Blessedly, Jorge saw me when I just showed up. Poor Jorge caught a cold and took a car from Irapuato where he lived to Mexico City to pick me up.

We went to Jorge aunts' house where his aunts live with three. They were kind, nice and elegant ladies, all single. Even they didn't speak English but we had discussed about different cultures. (Jorge translated it.) I was surmised about proportion between men and women are 1:7. How lucky Mexican men are! They asked me hungry or not? Thirsty or not? I could totally feel their ardent.

Mexico City is the biggest city in the world where live 25 million people only this city, more than all Taiwanese. There are full of people, cars, trash and air pollution. In Vancouver, everything is relaxed, but in Mexico is tough. Everybody must be "Professional" to cross roads, nobody will wait for you.

※※※

There is only two hours different between Vancouver and Mexico, I had a good sleep at the first night. Jorge and I went to an antiquated restaurant (more than 100 years building) to have lunch. Jorge ordered food without cheese and onion for me. My first Mexican lunch was sweet! There was a poor waitress needed to pay 270 pesos for the restaurant because next table's customer run away after eating food. Jorge had told me, there were a lot of bad men in Mexico City. When he was a high school student, somebody hijack him by gun for three times. If you go out did not wear any valuable thing. He had asked me to followed him and be careful all them time.

(Cony in an antiquated restaurant in Mexico City)

We went to the Center Square where the Office of the President and city hall are. I noticed many people looked at me, then Jorge told me because of I am pretty. Ha ha.. After many days later, I believed that I was too unique in Mexico.

(Cony at Center Square)

(Cony with a big Mexico flag at Center Square)

(Cony and Jorge at the cityhall)

(Native people dance in Mexico city）

Crazy Mexican(Mexicanos Locos－in Spanish). If you have a chance takes their subway. In rush hours, when the door opens, you didn't need to move everybody push you into the train. Have you ever taken a bus without closing a door? I had found this kind of buses in Mexico City all the time. Mexico City impressed me a lot.

(Bus without closing a door)

I had tacos and fresh juice for my dinner. What a big one! Finally, I knew their body can't be thin. For Taiwanese, I eat a lot. Compare to Mexican, I have kid's stomach only. Breakfast time is around 7-8, lunch time is 2-4, and dinner time is 8-9 o'clock. I didn't understand why the eating time is so weird.

Besides all this funny things, Mexico is dry climate. Yes, super dry for me. When I visited Mexico in Jan. was winter time, the night temperate was around 10-15 degree, but 30 degree in the noon. How far between Taiwan and Mexico? Jorge had told me, if you use a nail to dig a tellurian from Taiwan then the other site is Mexico. It's not far away. Ha ha ha....

※※※

The second day, we went to a famous museum.（Museo de Antropologia e Historia）Jorge translated for me a lot of history. There were many high school students visited there. They didn't interest in museum matter but me. Many little girls took photos with me. I felt like t star in Mexico.

(Cony at Museo de Antropologia e Historia museum)

It took 4 hours from Mexico City to Irapuato takes by big bus. We arrived Jorge's house, a sweet white house. His room was blue color with a lot of stones and hats. After long trip, I had sent email to family then we went to bed.

※※※

Jorge's mother, Sara, is a high school principle. she is also a single mother. Sara told Jorge, I like your father very much; I give this love to you. So you have one husband's love and son's love. You have double love. Jorge hadn't known his father, but he got the whole love from his mother. Sara educated Jorge well. I like the culture to say love not hiding inside as Chinese parents. For example, before I leave Taiwan to Canada, my mother only says “take care ". Without a hug. I prefer body contact make people closer. Do you think so? Jorge took me to know about his family and friends in Irapuato.

(Cony and David in front of Jorge's house in Irapuato)

(Cony on the street in Irapuato)

(Jorge's house in Irapuato)

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Most of Mexicans are papist, Sara went to a church on Sunday early morning. Jorge told me, only one place the Virgin Mary with black color is in Mexico. Jorge treated me as a princess after knowing him. He took me to a friend's party; there were more than 50 people in a house. Everybody said hola to me and gave me a peck. That was my first time; so many people peck me in that short moment even more I was supervised about many people smoke marihuana to be a stone. I didn't try but the smell had made me feel headache. Crazy Mexican.

(Jorge's family, even the dog smile in Irapuato)

※※※

(Cony and Jorge's friend Raul in Irapuato)

considering about the money, distance and time, we had chosen to visit Puerto Vallarta instead of Cancun. We took a bus to Puerto Vallarta for 11 hours, leave at 10Pm arrived at 7AM. Let's enjoy my romantic trip in Puerta Vallarta.

(Cony and Jorge at Puerta Vallarta Kystal Hotel)

We didn't join any agency, free to go wherever and whatever I want to do. The beach is close to the hotel. So beautiful! The sky was blue. The sea water was clean. The sand was soft. I had totally drunk in this incredible view. In Spanish, beach calls Playa, Coconuts calls Coco, I tried to learn some Spanish. At the first, I couldn't eat spicy food, after training I couldn't eat without spicy food.

(Cony is drink coconuts water. Good! in Puerto Vallarta)

※※※

Jorge was my personal cameraman and he enjoyed to do that. We had took a "Jungle Tour". There were people from Europe and USA. We were the only one young couple. The tour guide asked us to have a jungle wedding. After arriving the virgin beach. The water was blue glozed. Ha ha.... Jorge jumped into the beach and took of his swimming suit... Sorry! Can't publish here. The tour guide caught a scorpion of plucking the position teeth for me.

(Lunch time, BBQ and Tequila）

(Take a boat to the jungle in Puerto Vallarta)

(I am the Queen of the jungle in Puerto Vallarta)

(The Blue Beach in Puerto Vallarta)

(Virgin beach in Puerto Vallarta)

(Do you see a scorpion on my hand? In Puerto Vallarta)

Swimming, playing with sands, sunbath, I had tried everything and enjoyed doing all the things Listened to the sound from the sea, how romantic it was. I had gotten suntan but Jorge told me that I was too white needed to become more black. At the end, I become a little black woman than back to Vancouver.

One day, I bought a souvenir by using credit card. When I signed, the staff was curious about my Chinese name and showed to all the people there. Because they hadn't seen somebody writing in Chinese words. I had asked his name and wrote down his name "Salvador" into Chinese to him. I was very surprised to be a special foreigner in Mexico.

(Cony in a swimming pool in Puerto Vallarta)

(Cony become a sand person in Puerto Vallarta)

(Cony talk to an effigy in Puerto Vallarta)

(Cony and Jorge were in Puerto Vallarta)

(Cony enjoyed the blue sky and beautiful day at our hotel in Puerto Vallarta)

※※※

Five days happy time passed so fast, likes a honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta. I will always remember this blue and touched sky and sea, spicy and yummy seafood and treated me as a princess' Jorge in my whole life.

(The most beautiful sunset, in Puerto Vallarta)

The last day in Irapuato, I knew two of Jorge's friends, Maria from China and Eva from Korea, they both worked at Korean Samsungs Company in Mexico factory. Maria cooked for the company workers and signed contract for three years couldn't go back. She married and got kids but hard too earn money in China. Maria was so happy to see the same Chinese people.
The funny thing happened between us when we went shopping in downtown.
Eva spoke Korean and a little Spanish.
Maria spoke Chinese and Korean.
Jorge spoke Spanish and English.
I spoke Chinese and English.
Eva wanted to buy some make up products and wanted to ask with fairing or not.
So Eva spoke Korean to Maria. Maria spoke Chinese to me. I spoke English to Jorge. Jorge spoke Spanish to the assistant. Then we translated back again. Could you imagine how funny we are? Whenever I thought about this, I laughed again and again.

(Cony and Jorge in downtown Irapuato)

(Maria,Cony,Eva in downtown Irapuato)

We went back to Mexico City then visit Teotihuacan where the famous high spot is. There are pyramid of the sun, Pyramid of the moon, Temple, Butterflies and jaguar palaces. This high spot have kept well that build around B.C. one century. This pyramid is different from Egypt, no mummy inside. Jorge took off his cloth because he said on the top of the pyramid of the sun can recharge you energy.

(Cony in front of bird temple at Teotihuacan)

I had met another elementary school activity. More than 10 students asked me to take a photo with them. Especially, they were curious about how did Jorge and I communicate with each other. I thought I was very black and looked more like a Mexican but totally not. Jorge said that I am too cute to be a movie star. Do you know there were some people where could they buy our photos? I am not making a joke, it's true. Jorge said that maybe I can making money by shake hands once for 5 pesos.

(Cony in front of the pyramid at Teotihuacan)

（little girl with me on the top of pyramid at Teotihuacan)

(Cony and Jorge at Teotihuacan)

(Cony on the top of pyramid at Teotihuacan)

(Cony with big Mexican hats at Teotihuacan)

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The last day in Mexico, we went to the center square again and saw a stop work parade including the industry of music, art, dance. Without Jorge's explanation, I thought they celebrate something.

(Stopwork parade in Mexico city)

（Cony and the big effigy in Mexico city)

Before leaving, Jorge and I cried for a long time. Even I didn't learn well with Spanish but Jorge's aunts still like me because of my smile language. I had given a true, pure, big smile without crying to Jorge before my departure. I felt sad but I still remembered the gift for the Queen of alcohol, the chocolate with alcohol and Tequila back to Vancouver.

(Unforgettable Corona from Mexico at Mexico airport)

I trust fate that has make Jorge and I to know each other. It's incredible; I made my romantic story dream come true. I left but my heart lost in Mexico. I will visit Mexico again in my life for sure.

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