It takes a year, they say, to adjust to a big life change. New people. New surroundings. New country. But a year from when? A year from when my visa was issued? A year from the first few months spent…
Author: Gwynne Monahan
A small thing, trivial almost: what those 5-6 digits in address are called. Or, as it is in Canada, the 6 letter/number combination in a street address. It is a Postal Code in Canada, a Zip Code in the States.…
It was odd waking up this morning and not being bombarded by morning shows recounting the events of 11 years ago. Exactly 11 years ago as it was a Tuesday morning. The moments of silence observed, the gatherings at Ground…
At the Vancouver Canadians game last week, they sang both the American national anthem, better known as “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and the Canadian national anthem, better known as “O Canada.” For the third time, I was amazed that a foreigner…
For all the crappy weather I experienced those first six months or so, Vancouver delivered a perfect baseball evening. Clear. Cool. Perfect. And to top it off, the Vancouver Canadians played the Boise Hawks, a Cubs affiliate. About as close…
I’ve noticed this on a few occasions, especially when meeting a large group of people. They don’t ask what you do for a living, but rather who in the group you know, and how you know them. And sometimes the…
When I was home in July for a family vacation, Mom wanted to know what I wanted for my birthday. First thing that came to mind was a waterproof digital camera. Would’ve been a great thing to have while river…
Finally. A holiday in Canada I know! It’s also a US holiday. One of the things I explain, often, is the skewed concept of “holiday” or “vacation” in the States. I didn’t fully appreciate the disparity until whatever day off…
Vancouver is a small town with a cityscape, as it were. It is not uncommon for people on the bus or at some event to recognize friends or acquaintances, and panhandlers and homeless people are on corners or in front…
Pacific National Convention. PNE. It’s a big fair, a cross between Great America, Taste of Chicago and state fairs. There’s a Marketplace where vendors sell their wares, kind of like booth after booth of live infomercials in roughly the space…